Four Essex County minor hockey teams picked for RONA Rookies
Four local minor hockey teams, the Belle River Canadians U18, Tecumseh's Suncounty U11, and Kingsville's Lake Erie North Stars U18 and U15, are among 150 teams across Canada picked for the 2026-27 RONA Rookies program. Each gets a $3,000 sponsorship, including a $1,000 grant.
Topics: Sports
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Four Essex County minor hockey teams are getting help with their season through a national sponsorship program.
The Belle River Canadians U18 team in Lakeshore, the Suncounty U11 team in Tecumseh, and the Lake Erie North Stars U18 and U15 teams in Kingsville are among 150 minor hockey teams across Canada selected for the 2026-27 RONA Rookies program, according to RONA's list of selected teams.
What teams get
RONA inc. announced the selections Oct. 8. Each team receives a $3,000 sponsorship, which the company says includes:
a $1,000 grant for tournaments or other team activities
apparel with the team's logo and the RONA logo
fan accessories
The program is aimed at players aged 4 to 17.
About the program
RONA, a home improvement retailer based in Boucherville, Que., launched RONA Rookies in fall 2024. This is its third season. The company says the program supports teams that include the children and grandchildren of members of its network, with the goal of making minor hockey more accessible.
"Hockey has deep roots in Canada's communities," Catherine Laporte, RONA's chief digital and marketing officer, said in the company's news release. "Through the RONA Rookies Program, we are proud to support families and communities that bring the sport to life and to help more kids and teens fully enjoy their season."
Photo: Youth hockey face-off, Daniel Case, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Illustrative only. It does not show any of the local teams.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said two Essex County teams were selected. RONA's list shows four, including two Lake Erie North Stars teams from Kingsville. We regret the error.
