BC Hockey Suspends Minor Hockey Coaches

Tuesday, February 13, 2007 05:11 PM

The coaching fate of 2 Cariboo minor hockey league coaches is in the hands of BC Hockey. Greg Pocock of the Prince George Farr Fabricating Cougars triple-A bantams and Les Bellai of the Williams Lake triple-A bantams were suspended indefinitely for allowing their players to take part in unsanctioned Cariboo minor hockey league games.

Here is how the story unfolded. The Prince George bantams, already assured of a birth in the provincials, had to face Williams Lake, the only other triple-A bantams in the Cariboo, in four required league games. Because the Prince George club was so much stronger than Williams Lake, the two coaches agreed to mix players and play a three-on-three tournament. The format was a great experience for the players who also attended the Prince George Cougars Western Hockey League game to watch Williams Lake minor hockey product, Carey Price, man the net for the Tri-City Americans.

Because the format was not sanctioned by BC Hockey and the game sheets were not properly documented the head coaches were suspended.

The President of the Prince George Minor Hockey Association, Jane Newman, would have preferred to deal with the disciplinary measures at the local level.

“Did they (the coaches) do the right thing, yes it was very positive, but they did go about it the wrong way,” said Newman, who added the coaches never asked for approval of the change to league games.

BC Hockey President, Art Berg, expects to make a ruling on the length of suspensions within the next day.

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Posted on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 05:11 PM in Sports by Kelly Sharp

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Comments

Posted by: Runner46 on February 13 2007 11:19 PM

Good for the coaches and good for the way Jane Newman explained the situation.
No one but the kids won in this situation...to bad.

Posted by: Gofaster on February 14 2007 6:18 AM

Interesting....
Suspend the coaches for having a game
but give them a photo op if they send the kids out to beat the hel out of each other in the name of hockey....
you keep confiming in my mind that the hockey people have been hit on the head too often...

Posted by: giterdun on February 14 2007 2:24 PM

HEY GOFA..
AT LEAST HOCKEY PEOPLE HAVE A HEAD TO HIT.BET YOU GOT A MAJOR IN BASKET WEAVING AND PLAYED WITH YOURSELF A LOT IN SCHOOL..

Posted by: Gofaster on February 14 2007 2:46 PM

whoa there giterdun....
gather you are a hockey person by the outburst...
you are entitles to your opinion and I to mine....
and as for my major...contolling hot heads...
but you aren't one of them are you?

Posted by: Balmy on February 14 2007 3:56 PM

Actually any Minor Division Teams can play exhibition games within BC Hockey as long as both teams are members of BC Hockey. I think that makes it automatically sanctioned and does not require special approval!

But . . . the PG team did request a change in the Cariboo League schedule early in the season, citing that 4 games in less than a 48 hour period was unsafe! The last game WL played against PG was 12-2 PG. The PG team had defense playing forward and forwards playing defense. One player was injured and is out for the season! The PG team was told to "deal with it" (the league schedule)! There would be fines imposed if they didn�t play!

Apparently they dealt with it, in an awesome way and made the best out of a bad situation! A good time was had by all and a lifetime of memories were made playing together, eating together and watching the Cougars (or Carey Price) together!

Well done coaches! Once again you have done what is right for the kids! Keep it up!

Posted by: giterdun on February 14 2007 4:23 PM

GOFASTER
COMMENTS:
1.I AM NOT A HORSE
2.ANSWER..YES.
3.ANSWER.. BY ALL MEANS.
4.MUST BE A SHRINK LOOKING FOR A JOB.
5.NO I AM NOT..I'M A REDNECK AND PROUD OF
IT.

Posted by: Gofaster on February 15 2007 3:48 PM

I am happy for you....