Forgive And Forget?

Rules are in place so as to have everyone on the same playing field and no individual gets a advantage in sport, life, work, school and/or politics, but simply put some take advantage of this.

Thus the change for more additional rules and in this case we are hearing that a 10 year-old hockey player from Northern Alberta has been suspended by Hockey Canada – FOR PLAYING IN TWO DIFFERENT LEAGUES AT THE SAME TIME.

The player is from Calahoo Alberta which is located about 20 km’s north of Edmonton and started the season playing in his local MHA for the Atom 1CR Knights and then decided to extend his playing by playing with what is classified “Super” Team Revolution in Leduc and was reported for doing so.

According to Hockey Alberta the team plays in various tournaments both in and  out of the province and according to both Alberta Hockey and Hockey Canada, this is a No – No!!

His Father Ryan Kohler mentioned “We’re upset because of the regulation itself that Hokey Canada has the power to tell my Son that he can’t play anything else but minor hockey.”

He (Ryan) continued “Everyone else is kind of afraid to do what I’ve done,” his father said. “Everybody’s afraid of Hockey Canada because they don’t want their kid blacklisted for life.”

It’s reported that Hockey Alberta memorandum to all minor hockey associations last April, teams were warned that any players who play for “unregistered programs and non-sanctioned leagues” that don’t fall under the Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada umbrella will face “loss of all privileges with Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada for the remainder of that season.”

Brad Lyon mentioned spokesperson for Hockey Alberta mentioned “It may be perceived as heavy-handed, but it is a policy and a process that gives the family, that gives the individual player, the choice.”

Jim Pickford started Team Revolution Hockey program five years ago mainly because he was fed up with the restrictions put in place by Hockey Canada and stated  “I just had enough of minor hockey and I just didn’t see the value of keeping my kids in it, so we started our own brand,”

Currently he now has 45 athletes signed up playing on three teams against similar teams across the province and he feels it’s like a dictatorship and that they have created a monster and Pickford added “The Association has stated that it will pay the $200 fee to get him reinstated.”

The story has hit social media and some of the comments are listed below so enjoy the read. Names are withheld at my request.

It just seems wrong on a gut level to keep kids from playing as much as they want. The two teams were not in competition with each other… What about all the ‘Spring Hockey’ teams….

how about minor hockey and school hockey teams? I think those seasons run at the same time?

Rules against playing on two teams in the same league are reasonable, but this regulation is overreaching and heavy handed. There has to be a process allowing skilled kids to play on more than one team, provided there is not overlapping competition.

I remember being told years ago that if I was caught reffing unsanctioned adult hockey, I could get kicked out of the Minor Hockey officiating program. I was not alone in breaking this rule, and I was never caught or punished either.

Alberta Hockey and Hockey Canada should have zero input into what activities a child does outside of their minor hockey team. I would expect no cooperation from Hockey Canada. It would seem Alberta Minor Hockey lacks the same compassion Hockey Canada lacks. 

Was an agreement signed saying the child cannot play in other hockey leagues? If not then what hockey Canada is doing is illegal. If a contract was signed hockey Canada has the right to take action but these are 10 year old kids, not a university/pro athlete.

THE BEST IS FOR LAST

First of all ‘let the kid play’. Let HIM pick a team. ‘Dad’ is offside here. He registered a 10 year old in 2 leagues …30 to 40 miles apart. He needs to start owning this.

Unless someone is going to make the case a 10 year knows of these things? And the manipulation continues with this posting of his so ‘s letter. Yes…a bit heavy-handed by AMHA…but Dad needs some training here!!

Early stage specialization is not producing good athletes. Research is showing that kids just burn out. For every Sakic…there are 200 others who got ‘professionalized’ too early to their detriment.
And my last question to all?
What about the kid that didn’t get to play on one of those two teams?

If you can play for 2..why not knock kids off the roster of 3 or 4 teams that one player plays on? After…we have to build our NHL stars early don’t we?