The 100 Mile House Wranglers have retired and raised Kolby Page's number to the rafters of the South Cariboo Rec Centre.
Prior to the season opener between the Wranglers and the Osoyoos Coyotes on Sept. 20, a retirement ceremony was held for Kolby Page. Page played five seasons with the Wranglers between 2015 and 2020. Page has amassed several accolades throughout his time with the Wranglers: including a KIJHL Championship as part of the 2015-16 championship-winning squad who also won the Cyclone Taylor Cup and the Keystone Cup. Never again will #12, which was Page's number, be worn by any other Wranglers player.
"It's a huge honour to play in 100 Mile, a very good community - a very cool organization." Page said when asked about what his reaction was to the retirement.
Greg Aiken, the president of the 100 Mile House Wranglers, remarked that the reason they chose to honour Page is because he "epitomizes what we think a Wrangler player should be."
"He was tough as nails - he was fearless - he would block shots, he would do anything a coach asked him to do on the ice. Off the ice, he was a good leader - a good mentor for the rookies," Aiken explained.
Aiken stated that retiring #12 shows respect to someone who had put in the effort to become a Wrangler, lead the team to victory and be a good citizen off the ice.
"That's what we expect of all the kids that come and play for us," Aiken said.
Since playing with the Wranglers Page has become an electrician for Bud's Electric, has started a family and still plays hockey for the Vanderhoof-based Nechako Northstars, a team in the CIHL. He said he is still very proud to have been a Wrangler and considers it a huge honour.
"A huge thank you to the community for having me for five years and the organization for doing what they did to me," Page remarked.
The retirement of Page's number marks the first time the 100 Mile House Wranglers have ever honoured one of their former players in this way.
