by – David McPherson
Cambridge, ON – There are fans; then, there are superfans. Every franchise has these fanatics, who live, breathe and bring passion to its arenas weekly, supporting their local team. For the OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks, that devotee is Wayne Baril, appropriately nicknamed the ‘Super Fan.’ For more than 40 years, he’s been a fixture at Duncan McDonald Memorial Gardens—heckling referees with rubber chickens, banging his drum to hype the hometown faithful, and leading them in the refrain, “Go Hawks Go!”
Last December, the team honoured Baril for his commitment and service to the team by inducting him into the Golden Hawks Hall of Fame. Not all Trenton Golden Hawks fans are as enthusiastic as Baril, but this team’s followers are dedicated and perennial leaders in league attendance.
“Sure, they like to see a winning team, but our fans are very loyal to the team regardless of our record,” says team owner Shawn Hicks. “When I first became an owner, I went to the local restaurant one night for dinner; the woman who owned the restaurant was waiting on my table and she turned to me and asked, ‘Are you going to the game tonight?’ That was the first time it resonated with me that in this town, this is the game. There are not 16 options; that’s how the team looks at it. This is our team.”
Hicks grew up on a dairy farm near Warkworth, Ont., so there was no time for organized hockey; instead, he played shinny on the pond after completing his chores. The Hicks’ family have now lived in the Trenton area for 26 years. The entrepreneur joined the Golden Hawks ownership group as a partner during the 2021-2022 season. With this partnership came the integration of Hicks’ business, World Elite Performance Centre in nearby Belleville, with the OJHL team—giving players access to its resources, from mental coaching to finishing their high school degree via its affiliation with Blyth Academy.
“We talk a lot about holistic training,” Hicks says. “Trenton is a destination where kids want to play because they know they are taken care of. As hockey has evolved, with development being such a key piece of the OJHL, having NHL-caliber trainers, along with chiros, physios and massage therapists, available to help our players get to the next level is a huge piece that comes with being part of the Trenton Golden Hawks.”
After winning the 2025 Buckland Cup, and finishing the 2025-26 season first in the Eastern Conference for the third straight year with 45 wins, 9 losses, and 2 overtime losses, the Golden Hawks had high hopes of taking care of business in the playoffs, but lost to the Newmarket Hurricanes in the second round. Taeo Artichuk was unanimously voted the OJHL’s MVP by the league’s general managers. The Golden Hawks forward led the league in scoring with 108 points (37 goals, 71 assists) in 55 games; Artichuk was also recently nominated as MVP of the CJHL.
More than just hockey
Just as important as the record-breaking wins this year for the Trenton Golden Hawks was the team’s record-breaking fundraising efforts.As pillars and leaders in the Quinte West community, the team’s brand represents much more than hockey. From school visits by players where they read to students and promote active lifestyles to lending time to local causes, the Golden Hawks impact was felt far wider than just in the arena on game nights. The team’s ongoing partnership with the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation helped raise more than $4,000 for local healthcare initiatives.
“I’ve always just considered myself an avid fan,” Hicks comments. “I don’t like to be perceived as the owner as much as I’m just fortunate to have the opportunity to give back and to be a part of this community that rally behind our team, in good and in bad.”
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
The off-season in Quinte West has been a busy one; in April, the Golden Hawks announced the following personnel changes: the hiring of Michael Camilleri as its new Director of Hockey Operations; Connor Armour, the OJHL 2025-26 Coach of the Year, as its new General Manager and Head Coach; and Jordan Bailey as the team’s new Associate Coach.
“Due to the changes in junior hockey and the increased focus on player development, we had a lot of conversations regarding those changes and how to handle them,” Hicks says. “We needed a change of direction because we were too complacent in the old ways and we weren’t moving with the times. I have this tremendous facility for development and we’re focusing too much on 20 year olds, not 16 year olds, and that’s just not the future. That said, there needs to be a balance … we just want to make sure everyone has the chance to develop.”
About the Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was founded on November 27, 1890, and is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior hockey in the Province of Ontario. It is comprised of three Junior hockey leagues and two Senior hockey leagues: Junior A – Ontario Junior Hockey League; Junior B – Greater Ontario Hockey League; Junior C – Provincial Junior Hockey League, Senior –Allan Cup Hockey (AAA) and Ontario Elite Hockey League (AA). For the 2025-2026 season, these five leagues encompass 132 teams. 3100 players, and about 6,000 games each hockey season. The majority of our players are 16 to 21 years of age.
The objectives of the OHA are to foster and encourage the sport of amateur hockey, to conduct competition in the various categories established, to determine teams for entry into the inter-branch competitions that may be provided by Hockey Canada, and to provide for the affiliation of other hockey organizations.
The OHA provides administrative resources, coordinates programs, services and events for hockey participants and provides support to various Development Programs for coaches, officials, trainers and players, Safety and Risk Management Issues and offers resources for Harassment and Abuse education.
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For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Chris McCleary
General Manager
Ontario Hockey Association
