Feb 10, 2024 | DMH Executive | 398 views
Future of Hockey at WOAA Level
WOAA has been approved at the OMHA level to divide WOAA into 6 zones and run A level hockey starting a two-year pilot beginning with the 2025/2026 season.
There are discussions on the table that the Zones may change slightly for 6, and that after 2 years of pilot, may expand to 7 or 8 zones.
This is not an amalgamation effort. All local league hockey for U5 to U18 would stay the same at the association level.
Summary of Notes of continued conversations with WOAA.
- Most likely to start the pilot the Zones divisional breakdown will be:
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- B is body contact, BB is not
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- Existing jerseys would be used, for example the U12 A team would wear Listowel Jersey's, the U13 A team would wear Drayton jerseys.
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- Ability to cross over with A and B into Shamrock and Tri-County would take away the redundancy of only having 5 other opponents during regular season, especially if skill not even across our 6 zones.
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- No Rep hockey for Drayton (D, C, B)
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- There will be no C and D OMHA championships after this year, so that takes away from the majority of WOAA with current teams.
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- Tiered LL will match teams within WOAA.
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- The WOAA must find out from the OMHA how they are tiering the LL throughout the province, so our LL teams are comparable with others.
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- The ability for centres to combine players if one centre does not have enough to field own LL team, thus there is still hockey for everyone, Residency rules apply, thus LL goes to next closest centre, even if not part of zone.
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- Try Outs can be held in the spring or the fall.
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- Tryout process determined by the zone.
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- If we chose not to participate, we will be only allowed to enter LL teams.
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- No NRP's are allowed to our league during the trial period.
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- Current NRPs need to return home during the pilot.
- Existing referees are qualified to ref at A and BB level.
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- Coaches need D1 to coach A and BB
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- registration stays in home centre.
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- Players on 'A' teams will incur more cost to the zone for the addition expenses (higher level tournaments, jerseys, swag, ice time, referees, etc.)
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- Increase in registration costs is only for players on A and B, does not change our current cost $ for LL players.
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- Each Zone will have its own board with equal representation (2 members each recommended)
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- Cost of A team managed through the zone, each centre in the zone would need to commit x number hours of ice.
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- Unclear if WOAA will appoint additional positions to help run this zone league (schedulers, ref in chiefs, conveners etc.)
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If you have questions, please reach out to Barb Driscoll [email protected], Chris Subject Town Contact [email protected] or any member of our executive committee.
Additional information provided in the attached documents: