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A little tournament goes a long way

After more than sixty years of existence, the Tournoi International de Hockey Pee-Wee de Québec remains a place of unforgettable encounters and memorable moments, where thousands of players aged 11 and 12 come to defend their team's colors. Field hockey greats such as Brad Park, Guy Lafleur, the Gretzky and Howe brothers, Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Steven Stamkos and many others have taken part in this event throughout their careers. Others, such as Jean Béliveau, Maurice Richard and Gordie Howe, took their place in the stands.

A few historical facts

The tournament was founded in 1960 by Gérard Bolduc. In its first year, the tournament welcomed 28 teams and nearly 20,000 spectators.

In 1959, in the spirit of conviviality, Father Bolbuc decided to create a Pee-Wee field hockey tournament in Quebec City. Tired of dragging his troops to Goderich, Ontario, he wanted the Old Capital to host such a sporting event the following year. The tournament became part of the Quebec Winter Carnival festivities in February.

One of the very first players to take part in the tournament and reach the pinnacle of professional field hockey in the National Hockey League was Brad Park. In 1962, little Guy Lafleur appeared on the Colisée rink. For three consecutive years (1962-1964), he was the star of the Pee-Wee tournament, scoring a total of 64 goals. For many years, he was the top individual performer in the Quebec Pee-Wee tournament. Ten years later, in a single appearance, a youngster named Wayne Gretzky foiled goalkeepers 26 times.

Gérard Bolduc ran the tournament from 1960 to 1975. In 1975, Father Bolduc handed over the reins to Alex Légaré, who managed the organization until 2000. An important item on the agenda was innovation. The tournament had to attract new teams and more spectators.

In the early years, the tournament was part of the Québec Winter Carnival, but has been separated from it since 1977. In 1980, Mr. Légaré introduced the Coupe Amérique, and the following year, the Coupe du Québec was added to the International Class and International Cup events. In 1984, Manon Rhéaume became the first girl to defend her team's net. In 1989, to everyone's astonishment, Russia and Japan took part in the tournament.

To mark the 50th edition of the tournament, a legends game was organized. The game took place at Colisée Pepsi on February 21, 2009. The players present left their mark on the tournament in their own way. Some had outstanding careers in the National Hockey League, while others left their mark on junior and minor professional field hockey. In 2020, some 1,296 players played in the NHL or AMH after switching to pee-wee. In 2011, the tournament welcomed a team from Australia, the fifth and final continent to take part. Two teams from Africa and a few from Asia had participated at a later date.

In addition to giving thousands of young people the chance to live a dream, the tournament has always had Patro Roc-Amadour at heart. In over 60 years, the tournament has donated more than 2,433,000 $ to the Patro.

In 1960, nearly 20,000 spectators cheered on the tournament favourites; in February 2016, the all-time record was set at 236,279 in the tournament's first year at the Centre Vidéotron. How can young players generate so much passion and emotion? The secret of such longevity and fan enthusiasm lies in the very spirit of the tournament.

The initiative of seasoned organizers and the collaboration of numerous volunteers have contributed to the worldwide renown of the Tournoi International de Hockey Pee-Wee de Québec.