Riverhawks hockey lands in Brant County
With the Brant County Riverhawks inaugural game played in early October 2026, it was the start of a new era of hockey in the county and the realization of a dream for local entrepreneur and Mohawk College graduate Mike Rita-Procter '06.
Rita-Procter, a founding director and the general manager of the team, discussed his background, especially in hockey.
“I’m Brantford-born and raised, and hockey has pretty much always been part of my life. I grew up playing competitive hockey here in Brantford, including AAA, and eventually played junior hockey as well. As I got older, I realized quickly that even if playing hockey wasn’t going to be my career, I wanted the game to remain a big part of my life. That took me in a lot of different directions,” he said. “I eventually would go on to attend Mohawk College for Television Broadcasting, and one of my first opportunities in professional hockey was working with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League doing camera and editing work. From there I became involved with the Brantford Blast, it was there that I got a feel for and inspired to get into hockey operations. I’ve also spent years coaching minor hockey, working with players and continuing to educate myself in the hockey operations side of the game. I completed the Sports Management Worldwide Hockey GM and Scouting program, and eventually everything I had done in hockey started pointing me toward wanting to build something of my own. The Riverhawks are really the culmination of all of those experiences.”
Rita-Procter has also built a strong foundation as a youth hockey coach.
Read the full story in the Brant Beacon: Riverhawks hockey lands in Brant County