Jackson (left) and Rainer Glimpel play hockey together on the Osoyoos Coyotes. Rainer, in his second year, is having a very strong season and is third in total points in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Jackson, 17, is doing well in his rookie year. (Keith Lacey photo)
When they get much older, Rainer and Jackson Glimpel will be able to tell their children and grandchildren about playing hockey together in Osoyoos and setting each other up for a goal on one of the few occasions they’ve played together during the 2014-15 season.
“In a game early this season in Kelowna, we got to play together on the same line for the first time ever and we ended up setting each other up for a goal,” said Rainer, 19, who is two years older than his younger brother. “That was pretty special and something I don’t think we’ll ever forget.”
There have been numerous brother combinations in the long and wonderful history of hockey in this country.
Any longtime hockey fans knows all about legendary NHL brother combos like Bobby and Dennis Hull, Maurice (Rocket) and Henri (Pocket Rocket) Richard and even the great Gordie Howe and his brother Sid.
Fans of the Osoyoos Coyotes are being treated this season to their own brothers act as Rainer and Jackson are both playing key roles under head coach and general manager Ken Law.
After a successful rookie season last year, Rainer has stepped it up in a big way during his second season and currently sits third in the entire Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), tied with team co-captain Aaron Azevedo and just in front of other co-captain Troy Maclise.
Rainer Glimpel has scored 19 goals and added 28 assists in 39 games so far this season. He is currently tied with teammate and Coyotes’ co-captain Aaron Azevedo for third in league scoring with 47 points apiece, one ahead of co-captain Troy Maclise.
Jackson Glimpel, who played on the same midget team in Calgary as his brother, has scored three goals and added seven assists in 25 games after recovering from an early-season injury.
After graduating from midget hockey, Rainer said one of the first places he wanted to play was in Osoyoos.
That’s because he had spent plenty of time in this community and across the Okanagan Valley as a child growing up.
“Our parents brought us to Osoyoos a lot when we were kids and I honestly fell in love with the place when I was growing up,” he said. “My coach in midget hockey is good friends with Ken (Law) and when I went looking for offers to play at the next level, I thought a lot about coming to Osoyoos.”
He contacted Law and was invited to a spring tryout camp sponsored by the Coyotes in the spring of 2013 and made a commitment to come to Osoyoos to play last year.
He hasn’t regretted it for a second, said Rainer.
“I really wanted to be here,” he said. “It’s a beautiful town that I know well from coming here all the time as a kid. I also knew they had a loyal and knowledgeable fan base and a strong record of producing winning hockey teams.”
After a strong rookie season where he was a key part of a team that won its division and lost in the league conference finals, Rainer said he wanted to come back to Osoyoos and was glad to bring his brother along.
He’s playing the best hockey of his young life and has been near the top of league scoring since the beginning of the season.
“I was pretty confident coming in for a second year because I’m comfortable living here and I just love my billet family (Mike and Roxie McCloskey) and I knew if we got a few key veterans back that we would have a terrific team and it has all worked out,” he said. “Having my brother join me as a rookie is just a huge bonus.”
Jackson said his older brother had nothing but good things to say about living and playing in Osoyoos and it didn’t take much convincing to join him when Law made him an offer to join the Coyotes.
“It has been a great experience,” he said. “I love the town and the guys on the team and we’re winning, so it has been amazing.”
The Glimpel brothers believe the Coyotes have all of the ingredients to win a league championship in the spring.
“I’m very confident we have the team to win it all,” said Rainer. “As long as we continue to battle hard for each other, we just have so much talent on this team that we’re going to be very hard to beat.”
His younger brother agrees.
“We have the work ethic and talent to win a championship for sure,” he said. “We have a great group of guys who get along really well and we play hard for each other, so I really like our chances.”
While he hopes to play at a higher level in the Alberta Junior Hockey League or British Columbia Hockey League next season, Rainer said he would consider another season in Osoyoos next year if things don’t fall into place.
Jackson also hopes to make the jump to the BCHL or AJHL, but because of his young age, would also not be overly disappointed if he has to play another season with the Coyotes next year.
Being able to lift a championship trophy on the same ice as his older brother would be something to remember for a lifetime, he said.
“To lift that trophy together would be like a dream come true,” he said.
Law said the Glimpel brothers are outstanding young hockey players and equally fine young men and have both been welcome additions to the organization.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
When 100 Mile House goalie Kristian Stead lost his stick (on ice at the right) he had to borrow a regular stick from a teammate. Coyotes Jackson Glimpel (left at back) and brother Rainer Glimpel (right) kept up the pressure, but were unable to score on the beleaguered goalie. (Richard McGuire photo)
Rainer Glimpel gains control of the puck in a recent Sun Bowl game against the Fernie Ghostriders. (Richard McGuire file photo)
