The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is proud to announce the 11 student-athletes and an official that it has selected to receive league bursaries for the 2024-25 season. Each bursary is valued at $1,000 and will be applied towards post-secondary studies.
Today the league announces the recipients from the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference.
Aiden Morcom – Kelowna Chiefs – Morcom graduated from Kelowna Secondary School in 2023 and has taken courses at Okanagan College. He looks to earn a business degree to pursue a career in the financial industry and would like to play college hockey after playing a final season with the Chiefs next season.
In his senior years of high school, Morcom was an A student. He also earned high marks at Okanagan College.
Among the volunteering Morcom has done with the Chiefs include Skating with Santa, Central Okanagan Food Bank delivering – Christmas hampers, Black Mountain Elementary school visits, Remembrance Day ceremonies, Family Monster Bash, the Salvation Army Thrift Store and Club Day with Okanagan Boys and Girls Club.
Tyson Horiachka – Princeton Posse – Horiachka graduated from Bev Facey Community High School in Sherwood Park in 2022. Horiachka will attend Drury University and play for the Panthers while studying business. He earned high marks in high school and received the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for academic achievement each year and was a member of the honours award programs.
During his three seasons playing for the Posse, he earned the Posse Coaches Award, KIJHL Most Sportsmanlike Player (2024), Bill Ohlhausen Division Most Sportsmanlike Player Award (2024), the Posse Team MVP Award (2024 & 2025) and the Bill Ohlhausen Division MVP Award (2025).
With the Posse, Horiachka was involved in many volunteer activities such as: coaching Princeton Minor Hockey, assisting Princeton Elementary Schools, Princeton Learn to Skate Program, assisting Princeton Truth and Reconciliation Day, assisting with the Royal Canadian Legion Remembrance Day Ceremony, bagging groceries at Princeton Save On Foods and shovelling show in the community. Outside of the Posse, Horiachka has helped out with other initiatives.
Brennan Watterson – Princeton Posse – Watterson graduated from Briercrest Christian Academy in 2022 and plans to pursue a Bachelor of Applied Sciences to work as an engineer. Watterson plans to continue playing hockey while studying. He averaged 90 per cent or better.
With the Posse, Watterson got involved volunteering with Princeton Minor Hockey, the Royal Canadian Legion Remembrance Day ceremony, Terry Fox Run, helped set up the school dance, Learn to Skate once a week for three years, Truth and Reconciliation Ceremony set up for two years, road hockey events and Family Day.
Cash Anderson – Quesnel River Rush – The Armstrong native graduated from Pleasant Valley Secondary School in 2022 and has taken courses in Associate of Science at Okanagan College. He will attend Fredonia State University in New York to study Sports Management, while playing for the Blue Devils men’s hockey program.
Anderson was recently named the KIJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player, earned a team leadership award and was named the KIJHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year in 2023.
Anderson volunteered his time a lot over the last three years with his team and on his own. With his teams, he played street hockey with elementary students, participated in a Christmas musical, read to elementary school students, helped with Special Olympics and more. During his own time, he helped with a U18 hockey team, did roadside clean up, bottle and food drives for grad class, played cards with elderly people as well as tutoring.
Kesler Fyfe – Revelstoke Grizzlies – Fyfe graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in 2022 as an A student and plans to attend either the University of Lethbridge or University of British Columbia-Okanagan to study neuroscience and become a chiropractor.
Fyfe was named the KIJHL’s Community Player of the Year (22-23), and received the Grizzlies Unsung Hero Award and Fan Favourite Award.
For three years he volunteered with the Grizzlies for Revelstoke Days, Meals on Wheels, with the Revelstoke Thrift Store, the school and at a golf tournament. Grizzlies general manager Ryan Parent described Fyfe as an individual who is a respected member of the community, always willing to help with events and volunteering his time.
