Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire ” brought to you by your local Auto Logic, the Logical Choice.
The sad reality for the Owen Sound Minor Hockey Group is that the numbers, in terms of registered players, just aren’t there.
In my mind, this is not a reflection on the sport of hockey nor the programs operated by the Minor Hockey Group.
For verification, just check our schools in Owen Sound, and elsewhere, and you’ll easily see that the current trend in numbers is downward.
Reacting to a members survey, Owen Sound Minor Hockey Group has elected to pursue Local League status for every age group from Novice to Midget in what formerly was a House League program.
Minor Hockey stresses there will be no alteration to the Initiation or Tyke programs, but from Novice up……change is on the short term horizon.
The first step for Owen Sound Minor Hockey Group is to approach the WOAA for entry.
The tiny issue here is the WOAA doesn’t meet til August which creates a time crush.
The larger issue is that the WOAA may deny Owen Sound’s request which would then place the Owen Sound Local League teams in the OMHA-Georgian Triangle loop.
From my vantage point, playing Minor Hockey in Owen Sound as a Local League participant will become a more expensive and more time consuming activity.
I believe, there are terrific benefits in Minor Hockey, but the dwindling participation numbers and the shift from House League to Local League for Owen Sound is now the sad reality.
I’m Fred Wallace