cleaning house

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RecKing
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cleaning house

Post by RecKing »

Heard that many Strathroy volunteers have been terminated; some specifically asked to cease all association with the club. New direction? That's what the "chiefs" say. Ousting longtime volunteers is heartless especially when there's no valid reason. If the Rockets are heading in a new direction let's just that there are imploding - maybe they are trying to claim last place next season? major problems exist with this storied franchise and it appears that none of them are vanishing.
jeff
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Re: cleaning house

Post by jeff »

if cleaning house is 1 person ..... was told this afternoon in London that it was 1 guy ..... not sure where you got "many" from
RecKing
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Re: cleaning house

Post by RecKing »

jeff, I had heard that earlier in the season some volunteers were swept aside, whether it was by their own actions or management I do not know. This recent one is particularly cruel the way it was handled. I guess face-to-face talks aren't in vogue anymore. It has to be tough getting an e-mail telling you that you are not wanted, especially if it concerns someone dedicated and passionate about the Strathroy team. Doesn't matter if it's one man's vendetta or management's - it's the way it was handled and no valid reason given.
jeff
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Re: cleaning house

Post by jeff »

King .....sounds like you are pretty close to the situation to have the inside information about how this person was apparently notified. Must be somebody you know well or worked with in Strathroy?
RecKing
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Re: cleaning house

Post by RecKing »

The person involved notified me of what had happened. The situation there is unfortunate. There are better ways to run an organization but stepping on toes near season's end is rather juvenile. Egos and bias are probably at the root of what is going on. Unfortunately I only know half the story.
flyers2011
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Re: cleaning house

Post by flyers2011 »

Rg whats happening in rocketland ??
End of a era in Leamington
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Port hockey1
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Port hockey1 »

flyers2011 wrote:Rg whats happening in rocketland ??
Maybe she was fired. :P

Sorry, had to. :wink:
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flyers2011
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Re: cleaning house

Post by flyers2011 »

you'd have to be apart of the organization to get fired Port. lol just curious whats happening in strathroy, seems like a season full of turmoil.
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RocketGirl
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Re: cleaning house

Post by RocketGirl »

With all the hate and cheap shots you've thrown at me in the past year, you expect me to play nice and give information as to what's happening in our organization?
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Oglethorp
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Oglethorp »

Safe to say this is yet another low light for the 2015-16 season in Strathroy.
The Simon Cowell of the GOJHL.
flyers2011
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Re: cleaning house

Post by flyers2011 »

For RG not to defend her team things must be really bad.
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Oglethorp
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Oglethorp »

I guess after losing to St Marys again and blowing 3-0 leads in back to back home games last weekend someone needed to pay the price. Obviously this change will do nothing to prevent more Massacres on Metcalfe in the future. Nothing is being said because this just another black eye that the Rockets have given themselves. Turfing a longtime volunteer via email. How gutless can the "decision maker" be. Players have been driven away (as quoted by a current player), fans have been driven away, now its time to drive the volunteers away. I am sure the volunteer will be welcome in Exeter where the most of the Strathroy hometown junior hockey people already are.

A house cleaning is badly needed at seasons end, I don't think anyone will argue with that.
The Simon Cowell of the GOJHL.
RecKing
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Re: cleaning house

Post by RecKing »

Cleaning house should start at the top, not the bottom. The roof apparently ahs some leaks in it and no-one wants to fix it. I am sure that game-day operations for the most part were fine. But why tinker with something that isn't broken and works well? Yes the team is young and has a young coaching staff but too much meddling from the upper crust has caused a huge turn in tide. Inside of improving, it seems that the entire team is imploding. Can't wait until the massive summer exodus of players begins again - destinations are probably already being determined. Exeter has become a hot spot and I am sure a few other Jr. C teams would welcome some of those players. back to the drawing board in Rocketland! (I don't blame RG for being silent; it has to be killing her as much as anyone else.)
jeff
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Re: cleaning house

Post by jeff »

I was told last night in London at the Nats / Stars game from 2 different people that know what is going on in the area, that the removal had to do with comments that where / have been made about players, mgt, board, direction, etc.. Apparently this wasn't a 1 time thing and had been going on for sometime. In fact, I was told that this person is a regular on these forums and on different blogs which apparently ultimately led to his dismissal. I'm on a coaching staff with a hockey team in the North and if 1 of our "volunteers" was always bashing us and how things where being run, I think our mgt and board would do the same thing. I was also told that RecKing worked with this person in some capacity with the Rockets ........ not sure I would be on here or anywhere else for that matter spouting off about how terrible everyone is in the organization ...... might not be a wise move career wise
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Port hockey1
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Port hockey1 »

Oglethorp wrote:I guess after losing to St Marys again and blowing 3-0 leads in back to back home games last weekend someone needed to pay the price. Obviously this change will do nothing to prevent more Massacres on Metcalfe in the future. Nothing is being said because this just another black eye that the Rockets have given themselves. Turfing a longtime volunteer via email. How gutless can the "decision maker" be. Players have been driven away (as quoted by a current player), fans have been driven away, now its time to drive the volunteers away. I am sure the volunteer will be welcome in Exeter where the most of the Strathroy hometown junior hockey people already are.

A house cleaning is badly needed at seasons end, I don't think anyone will argue with that.
Sounds like they've turned into the Pelham of the West. Power trips won't get ownership very far at this level of hockey. All it does is ruin whatever reputation they might have had.
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Port hockey1
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Port hockey1 »

RecKing wrote: (I don't blame RG for being silent; it has to be killing her as much as anyone else.)
Oh it is without a doubt. And that's not a shot. Just saying because I know what's it's like, being a former Port Colborne fan. :(
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Port hockey1
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Port hockey1 »

jeff wrote:I was told last night in London at the Nats / Stars game from 2 different people that know what is going on in the area, that the removal had to do with comments that where / have been made about players, mgt, board, direction, etc.. Apparently this wasn't a 1 time thing and had been going on for sometime. In fact, I was told that this person is a regular on these forums and on different blogs which apparently ultimately led to his dismissal. I'm on a coaching staff with a hockey team in the North and if 1 of our "volunteers" was always bashing us and how things where being run, I think our mgt and board would do the same thing. I was also told that RecKing worked with this person in some capacity with the Rockets ........ not sure I would be on here or anywhere else for that matter spouting off about how terrible everyone is in the organization ...... might not be a wise move career wise
Considering it's volunteer, it isn't really a career. I know that doing that is wrong, and will get you severed from the team for sure. But that's passion. That's a longtime volunteer who just can't take the way things are being done/handled anymore.

I know what it's like to see your organization pretending everything's all good when in fact things couldn't be any worse.

I'd say this person was courageous to state their feelings of how things are being done. Maybe this person felt like kids weren't being treated fairly, or that the team was in a free-fall. Who knows, but I admire anyone in that situation who doesn't stay quiet. :)
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Oglethorp
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Oglethorp »

Shooting the messenger doesn't make the problem go away. There are lessons that should have been learned over this season to prevent a repeat next year. I could list some of them but little point as long as the rose coloured glasses are still on.
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flyers2011
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Re: cleaning house

Post by flyers2011 »

Heard the whole story tonight, I understand why RG is not commenting, id be very disappointed in the rockets organization.
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Oglethorp
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Oglethorp »

I heard the story tonight and am thinking disgusted might be a better word for it. How does an organization dispense with 1/4 century or so of its own history and of all methods with a mid season email? I really don't see this creating anything but a more negative image than has been built over this current season. If we was that off base, a class organization would have convinced him to retire at season's end by raising a banner with his name for all he has done in the past. I have read through much of what he has posted and am not sure what he said that wasn't true. If anything he sugar coated it. Whats next, banning the spectators? The Chatham Daily News (a division of Sun Media) had the following quote from last Wednesday nights game "The Rockets lead the GOJHL with nine overtime losses. No other team has more than five. The eight other Western Conference teams have 15 overtime losses combined." Perhaps the next email should be addressed to Sun Media.
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cpt obvious
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Re: cleaning house

Post by cpt obvious »

I haven't been around the rink enough to hear what's happened but it sounds as if the Rockets are travelling down the same highway as the Lincolns. Their president has to work the penalty box and music because he's such an idiot to work with that nobody in town wants to volunteer anymore. The WMMA used to be such a great atmosphere to watch a game, last time I was there it was like a morgue. The light show has been reduced to turning out the lights...no music or lights just turning out the lights...sad state of affairs.
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Port hockey1
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Port hockey1 »

cpt obvious wrote:I haven't been around the rink enough to hear what's happened but it sounds as if the Rockets are travelling down the same highway as the Lincolns. Their president has to work the penalty box and music because he's such an idiot to work with that nobody in town wants to volunteer anymore. The WMMA used to be such a great atmosphere to watch a game, last time I was there it was like a morgue. The light show has been reduced to turning out the lights...no music or lights just turning out the lights...sad state of affairs.
Similar to what happened in Port Colborne. A control freak ruined hockey for an entire city.
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RecKing
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Re: cleaning house

Post by RecKing »

Wonder if Strathroy's prez knows anything about music? He definitely knows how to turn out the lights though. As a matter of fact he might even be an expert in that category! The Rockets and their volunteers deserve better treatment but the current road they are on is one leading to extinction. That happened once in the team's history - back in 1971 - when management couldn't field a team; they folded by late November.
Oglethorp
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Re: cleaning house

Post by Oglethorp »

The Rockets are very similar to the mid 90s London Knights.

In the 1994-95 season the team was sold and the new Knights Prez had a keen interest in hockey but his experience was limited to that of a spectator. His work experience was in the food service industry. In the initial stages he disrupted some long standing traditions, alienated the fans and long term volunteers and replaced many of those volunteers with family friends and business associates. He also created a different atmosphere in the home arena to try to create a new era. That season the team had one of its worst seasons in recent memory losing out in the 1st round. By comparison, in lieu of a photograph the current Rocket prez has a cartoon character holding a pizza,perhaps as a symbol of his background in food services. Some changes like the elimination of music and long term volunteers are also very similar.

The 1995-96 season the Knights Prez out did himself. He took more control over the team's destiny. His new policies took full effect and the team finished dead last while amassing a 3-60-3 record. To offset revenues from plummeting attendance some fan conveniences were sacrificed such as the number of concession stand outlets open and building heat. Fans were also asked to pay a premium to park in a lit parking lot or use seating that was located in the neutral zones. Extra staff were hired to ensure compliance. Although some players refused to report to main camp they were still able to find 23 to sign cards. By comparison I noticed that there was no beer service the last game I went to so maybe the Rockets are already ahead of schedule.

Subsequently with some urging from the league the team did eventually hire some reputable hockey people and the prez took more of a back seat approach, however the team for the most part toiled in mediocrity until the Hunters bought the team. Now look where they are. Maybe the Rockets need to hit bottom before things turn.

The moral is that running a hockey team is not something that should be left to the hands of a chef, salesman or bricklayer. Success will come from someone that knows what makes a successful hockey team. You have to know (and care) what and who the fans want to see. The volunteers that have been there for decades are who the fans identify with.
The Simon Cowell of the GOJHL.
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