MInor Hockey Mismatches

Monday, February 26, 2007 04:02 AM

Williams Lake goalie Cody Tent under siege against Farr Fabricating Bantams

The dejected looking Williams Lake hockey players left the Kin One ice after absorbing weekend routs in Prince George. The Farr Fabricating Cougars rolled over the Williams Lake Timberwolves 15-0 to sweep the best-of-three bantam triple-A Cariboo Amateur Hockey Association playoff final. T-wolves goalie Cody Tent did his best to diminish the margin of victory. In a 9-2 opening game loss, Tent faced 62 shots while Williams Lake had only 10 shots on the Prince George net.

“It is definitely discouraging for him,” Williams Lake coach and Cody’s dad, John Tent said.

Tent, took over the Timberwolves head coaching role with the suspension to Les Bellai.

Ironically, Bellai and Farr Fabricating head coach Greg Pocock, who avoided lopsided results between the 2 teams by mixing up the rosters for 3 on 3 tournaments, received BC Hockey season ending suspensions for holding unsanctioned events which were in jeopardy of no insurance coverage.

John Tent, who was mystified by the suspensions, called it ludicrous that the Williams Lake bantams are rated triple-A.

“We are not competitive at this level,” the T-wolves coach said. He added it is difficult to motivate his players when they know they are beat before skating onto the ice.

The Cariboo Minor Hockey Association determines the level of the minor hockey team on the overall registrants of the team’s minor hockey association.

The obvious need for a new evaluation system is never more evident than this minor hockey season. The Prince George Integris Credit Union Bantam B Cougars returned home this past weekend from Williams Lake after 22-0 and 16-1 playoff victories.

Unbalanced teams have been an issue in the Cariboo Minor Hockey Association for over two decades.

“It’s throwing away money to have to fulfill Cariboo Minor Hockey League obligations when the results of the games are so lopsided. What does it prove to the kids in Williams Lake, it doesn’t do them or our kids any good.” said a Prince George minor hockey coach twenty years ago.

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Posted on Monday, February 26, 2007 04:02 AM in Sports by Kelly Sharp

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Comments

Posted by: Gofaster on February 26 2007 12:04 PM

Then quit!

Posted by: banananuthead on February 26 2007 7:40 PM

How can a coach, with a straight face, blame the BCAHA when it was his team that blew away the opposition? He can't encourage his team to work on more fundamental play against such obviously weaker competition?

Certainly there should be a process by which an association can request to be downgraded from AAA to AA, for example. (Did your reporter ask BCAHA if such a process was considered, or even possible, or was this just another whinge-at-the-establishment thing?) But it's not true that these types of blowouts have always happened. Next time you're in the Williams Lake arena, you'll notice some BCAHA championship banners; those teams had to beat Prince George to advance.

Posted by: Runner46 on February 26 2007 11:38 PM

It does not help the children, parents or organization for this type of situation to continue. It will eventually lead to fewer players, fewer teams and most certainly fewer coaches.

Looks like the local Association has some work to do!!!

Posted by: Big_B on February 28 2007 3:14 PM

BCAHA sets these regulations in response to unscrupulous actions by other associations.

Take for example the Hollyburn Raquet Club in West Vancouver. For years they competed and won many provincial championships at the Single A level according to BCAHA rules. YOu ask how can a club from West Van compete as a Single A club? Simple, you limit your numbers so you can be listed as Single A.

In the current Cariboo league there are only two associations listed as AAA: Prince George, 2 listed as AA: 100 MIle & Quesnel, and 3 listed as Single A: McBride, Valemount & Mackenzie. Now, all of those associations can also field a "B" team if numbers are there.

The current structure comes under a lot of criticism, but I haven't heard one coach from any of those association come up with an alternative.

And Kelly, there is nothing Ironic about the suspensions handed out to the two coaches. The intentions were good, but when you run an unsanctioned event, and forge game sheets, just be lucky you get to coach in this country again!