Melfort Mustangs' Head Coach and General Manager Trevor Blevins, centre, gives his coach's report during the team's annual general meeting on Aug. 13. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Aaron Schulze

Mustangs AGM 2019

Debt demolished, new president after the Mustangs’ AGM

Aug 14, 2019 | 12:27 PM

The Melfort Mustangs are expected to be out of dept following the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season.

Melfort’s Junior A Hockey Club presented their financial statement during their annual general meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, Aug. 13, and finished the year (as of May 31) with nearly $8,000 in unrestricted net assets compared to being over $30,000 in debt after 2018.

The Mustangs made over $700,000 in 2019 compared to the near $500,000 the previous year, with a key reason being their run to the SJHL Canalta Cup Finals.

Compared to 2018 where they lost in the first round to the Humboldt Broncos, the Mustangs made over $70,000 more in playoff gate admission, $16,000 more in playoff beer gardens, and nearly $16,000 more in playoff 50/50 ticket sales.

Off the ice, the Mustangs made over $20,000 more in corporate sales, over $40,000 more in fundraising, and double their training camp revenue.

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At the end of the year, the Mustangs had an excess of revenue over expenses of over $38,000, which allowed them to pay off the near $30,000 in debt.

The stronger financial state has made Mustangs Head Coach and General Manager Trevor Blevins’ life easier when it comes to drawing players to play for Melfort.

“I think it’s always been solid,” Blevins said. “But you need to give a lot of thanks to the board and the work that they’ve done. They’re the leaders of this organization and we’re very happy and pleased to be in a position where things are successful. We’re all small cogs in the wheel; it’s the volunteers and people who do the hard work and fundraise to make sure there are the finances to run a hockey club that need to be recognized, and we can’t thank them enough.

“Our dressing room is always in tune with that and we remind our players that it’s a privilege to play in Melfort.”

One person on the board was has overseen the Mustangs get out of debt is Jamie Placsko, who has been a board member since 2011 and president for the previous two years.

Placsko announced she would step down as president and from the board altogether during the AGM. She said she has other irons in the fire to work on in her life and she felt comfortable enough to let Blevins, Director of Marketing Jaret Schneider, and the rest of the board take the Mustangs’ reins.

“When I came in, that was a heated time,” Placsko said. “There was nothing to go by, no one to give direction, and you were flying by the seat of your pants. Not a lot of records were there. They have money now and now it’s just saving for a rainy day and trying to make sure we can pay our bills on regular season (revenue) only and not depend on playoffs. I feel okay stepping down knowing they have that in place.”

Blevins has worked with Placsko during his entire tenure as the Mustangs’ head coach. He said he couldn’t say enough about all the work she’s done as a board member and president.

“Just phenomenal leadership from her as president, and you can lump in the whole board of directors,” he said. “Just great to work with. Everyone is so positive, supportive, and makes our jobs easier as a hockey staff because of the support they’ve given us. She’ll be missed.”

During the Mustangs’ board meeting after the AGM, Chad Elliot became the team’s new president after serving as the vice president. Jordan Lee has assumed the role of vice president and Connie Carter will become the Mustang’s new corporate secretary.

The Mustangs begin their training camp on Aug. 30 ahead of their first exhibition game at Northern lights Palace against the Nipawin Hawks on Sept. 2.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow