Sep 13, 2016 | Kim Thurston | 1764 views
Quinte West House League Program
Update on the pilot program with neighboring centres.
As most of you are aware, over the past three hockey seasons, QWMHA houseleague teams have participated in an OMHA "pilot project" with three other centers (PEC, Napanee and Stirling). QWMHA teams would play home and away games against teams from these centers throughout the hockey season. Last year, the next step was taken and a playoff system was organized to determine unofficial A & B division champion throughout each age group. The QWMHA has had plenty of positive feedback over the three years of the pilot project, as it was understood by the memberships of all 4 centers involved that with declining enrollment, proactive changes had to be made to the keep the houseleague programming enjoyable. The pilot project was approved by the OMHA to give the four centers members a feel for some travel and let the players experience an away game environment. All four centers Executives had hoped that this pilot project would be able to take the next step and become an official OMHA Local League, which the majority of smaller hockey centers in Ontario currently participate in.
This season all 4 centers were informed by the OMHA that the pilot project had run its course and that Quinte West (due to their A center classification and size of membership) would be forced to break off and run their own internal houseleague programming. The three remaining centers were informed that the OMHA would not approve a new three center Local League, PEC, Napanee and Stirling will join the inter Community hockey league with centers from Deseronto, Frontenac, Stone Mills, Loyalist and Gananoque, QWMHA will return to a House League Center. We wish to thank all the coaches, parents and players for their support over the past 3 years of the pilot program and look forward to a successful 2016-2017 House league program.