CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

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Marcie
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CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Marcie »

Cambridge Winter Hawks leave OHA
Junior B team cuts ties with Ontario Hockey Association and looking for Junior A status

https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/sports-st ... leave-oha/
Undertaker
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Undertaker »

As radical as the Cambridge decision may sound it is in the best interests of Junior A hockey players. There should be A level hockey west of Milton no two ways about it. For many joining the OJHL is not a viable solution even if the OHA was to allow it. The OJ for all intensive purposes is just to pay to play league. Other Junior A leagues in Canada are not. This should be the type of structure that Cambridge and anyone else in the current GOJHL should be going after. If the OHA still wants to be part of it they need to get on the same page with their membership
Marcie
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Marcie »

FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

I do not understand the "A" versus "B"!! It is only semantics people! And that is what first, the OHA will say, then the OHF followed by Hockey Canada!

This league is in a much better spot than the OJHL...PERIOD!! Yes, the OJHL gets to suck at the proverbial OHA t*t but they are not all they are cracked up to be. The OHA supports the OJHL. Look, politics always comes into play with hockey in this province. It is inevitable! And if you think the OHA is going to get involved, they won't! It is the very nature of the structure of the game in this province. Ultimately they lack the b*lls to get their hands dirty and look at options in the best interests of membership. Their very governance is defined by...their lack of governance.

The GOJHL has done surprisingly well for the lack of strong leadership. I am not taking shots at anyone but, if someone says no..then you look at alternatives! There are alternatives out there that would allow the GOJHL to continue as "B" yet provide a program that future players would want to be apart of!! Part of the problem is the GOJHL is the best league nobody east of Milton has heard of yet look at the attendance figures!!

The time has come to stop looking at Junior "A" as an option. It isn't going to happen. Now is the time to put a plan in place to go after the same players the OJHL goes after. But those players need to be educated on the merits of the league. This league does a piss-poor job of marketing itself and if that doesn't change, this league will implode and more teams will look at options.

Forget Junior "A" and work with your strengths as a league and what differentiates you from the competition! Shall I start the list??
FedUpSeenEnough
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FedUpSeenEnough »

The reason the B teams want the A is simply so they can prevent the top talent from leaving for A. Once the GO gets the A designation, the only way a player could go to the OJ is through a trade or release. As it stands now, a player cannot be held back from moving up.
FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

I understand that is a concern but if you put a program in place and actually MARKET the league, you will be on better footing to compete against the OJHL.

Part of the problem also is that you have these so-called "advisors" who tell these kids they need to be in the OJHL to be seen which is utterly ridiculous. But the parents and players continue to consume the OJHL kool-aid much like the GOJHL consumes the OHA kool-aid!

Everything about this league...except for the talent is a joke! Stop thinking about "A" status and create a plan! Not as difficult as it would appear. But going rogue and looking to start a "new A" league is not going to work and is not the answer. Sure there are some shady dealings. I wouldn't expect otherwise. It is the Hockey Canada way!! All you need to do is look at minor hockey and the new NFP legislation that came out. Parents were happy because they assumed there would be change. Well, there wasn't. Hockey Canada had forums for associations to show them how to get around the NFP legislation by ppl removing themselves from the board and giving themselves "paid" positions!

I have no doubt that the GOJHL could be a stronger and more viable option for players than the OJHL. Even with the OJHL getting carte blanche from the OHA. All it takes is a little thinking outside the box and building it using the league as a focal point. This league, well, the GHJBL, MWJBL and the WJBL have a rich history! Use it!
richard
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by richard »

I would love to see Chatham,London,stthomas,Cambridge plus other large communities be allowed Jr. a status. Smaller communities can enter jr c. Nothing personal just think a oha Jr. A league in southern Ontario would be great for players and fans. Yes jr b as is is okay but times have changed.
Undertaker
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Undertaker »

I think an 8 team A league outside of the OHA would be a great solution if Hockey Canada is on board. If the players paid an equivalent to the GOJHL assessment fee it would put the teams on par with premierTier 2 Jr A in Canada like the BCHL. The teams could also choose to play with half shields like all other Jr A other than the OJ. With only 8 Jr A teams west of Milton it should be a good league. I would suggest franchises be strategically spread out in geographic locations with consideration of community support, venue, player retention and competitive history. I would think Caledonia, St Kitts, Cambridge, Elmira, Stratford, London, and 2 of either Sarnia, Chatham or Leamington should get top consideration as organization that could become Jr A.
Last edited by Undertaker on Sat May 06, 2017 10:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Seth
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Seth »

richard wrote: Sat May 06, 2017 6:59 pm I would love to see Chatham,London,stthomas,Cambridge plus other large communities be allowed Jr. a status. Smaller communities can enter jr c. Nothing personal just think a oha Jr. A league in southern Ontario would be great for players and fans. Yes jr b as is is okay but times have changed.
I'd still have a Jr B League, the OHA did enough damage to Jr C when they amalgamated C and D together,
FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

Hockey Canada will not be on board. If you have ever dealt with the good ole boys in Calgary it goes something like this.

"We do not get involved with provincial issues. We leave that up to the branches"

In this effed up province, we have three branches which each having their own territory of jurisdiction. We have the OHF, HEO and HNO. Now, for Hockey Canada to become involved they would have to circumvent the constitutions, By-laws and Policies of said branches. Within those branches are lots and lots and lots of votes. The OHF, and PMcK need all the votes they can get. The OHA falls under the OHF. For HC to go around them would produce anarchy within the minor hockey ranks which isn't really a bad thing but it won't happen. HC only cares about their international medals and their golf vacays and that is a fact!

I still do not understand why all the fuss about A vs B. If you put a program in place that benefits these kids it WILL succeed. It's the kids who ultimately make the decision to leave. Give them a reason to stay rather than mope around about it. Believe me, I think the OJHL is as full of bs as the OHA and OHF.

There are also more Junior B leagues in Canada than Junior A. The west actually has a western championship because they don't mind doing the work to do it every year.

Is this fight really all about losing players every year??? Or is it something more related to, of course, money??
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RocketGirl
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by RocketGirl »

"The GOJHL has been made aware of the intentions of the Cambridge Winterhawks to sever ties with the OHA based on information they have gathered. Until such a time that the GOJHL has had an opportunity to review this information and discuss the issue with the Cambridge Winterhawks owners, it is difficult to comment on possible future directions."


Official non-statement from the league about this situation. They're in a tough spot, so can't say too much about it.
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FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

The GOJHL is the reason they are in this spot to begin with. Forget non-statements, CW should be out there with an official statement. If you want to go up against HC you need to have time, money and a lot of patience. The patience part is the kicker because HC, it's branches, member partners etc will stall stall stall until you get fed up with waiting and you forget what it was you were challenging them on anyway! You need to be proactive, understand the hockey landscape, and then you can look at options.

Once "A" status was denied, again, they should have come together as a league and chart a course for the future. There is nothing wrong with Junior "B" hockey. Some great players have come out of Junior "B" and gone on to much bigger things. I will say it again, the only real difference between "A" and "B" in this part of the province is semantics and geography.

If you build it they will come. The great thing about that statement pertaining to the GOJHL is, the league is already built. Now just tweak it!
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RocketGirl
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by RocketGirl »

Statement from OHF and Hockey Canada about the new league Machado wants to create.


http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/news/news_486491
Queen of the GOJHL

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Caledonia Fan
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Caledonia Fan »

https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-dea ... ague-idea/

Like him or hate him Death Pool comes up with some good pts sometimes.
He's not shy.
FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

Nothing new...if you have ever dealt with HC with registration/governance issues, they get their back up when challenged! It is pretty ridiculous up here. In the US, USAH was challenged in the court of law and lost!

We just don't have the patience up here to wait and wait and wait......And wait for HC. They stall like no business ever should.

"Competition in business is a blessing, for without it, we wouldn't be motivated to improve"
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RocketGirl
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by RocketGirl »

www.cambridgetimes.ca/sports-story/739 ... troom/


FrozenPonds, are you Joe Machado?
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FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

I am not..as you are now aware.

Could this all have been avoided...absolutely! But these are two groups (JM and the OHA) who are not willing to back down. The last thing HC wants, is anything going the judicial route. At that point, every single, minute facet of your operation is open to investigation and dissection...including your financial reports if it backs up a claimants charge. And trust me, there could be a lot of skeletons in those closets!
Undertaker
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Undertaker »

I don't know why it would matter if you were Joe or whomever, fact is that Joe isn't alone in his opinions that Jr A will not exist West of Milton as long as the OHA manages hockey with their current mindset. Simply put, they do not believe there is enough talent from beyond Milton to Windsor to support a legitimate Jr A team. Fact is there is the potential to form a respectable number of A teams within the GOJHL footprint. Without a few more "Joe's" out there, the GOJHL will be a fertile recruiting ground for all of the A leagues.
FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

I agree with you that there "may" not be Junior "A" west of Milton but it is hardly due to a lack of talent. That is the politically correct way of handling it.

First things first Undertaker.....dismantle the hierarchy of the GOJHL and get rid of the OHA appointed Convenors. No need for them and they, quite frankly, will not contribute anything to the growth of the league. Leagues, including the GOJHL and the PJHL need to be able to operate as their own decision-makers as long as those decisions do not contradict their constitution, which the OHA would have signed off on! Working within the confines of your constitution should allow for you to make decisions in the best interest of the league. Remember, both leagues are made up of both privately and community owned teams. Both have vastly different financial mandates and that is understandable. The OHA has no business to make a decision that will affect the "profitability" of these teams. Case in point..moving Komoka within the 50 mile encroachment line for both London and Strathroy: moving Port Colborne to Pelham and encroaching on St. Catharines etc etc etc territories (and to move because of a GMHL team??? The OHA pretty much legitimized the GMHL with that move) and last but not least, allowing the Regals to continually play! They are an embarrassment to the league but, maybe that plays into the OHA's hands of GO Junior "A" legitimacy.

I think at the very least, the GOJHL should be considering personnel moves as we approach the upcoming season. Having CW and the other two doesn't seem to be getting much accomplished. More help is required and more decisions need to be made.
Caledonia Fan
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Caledonia Fan »

http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/20 ... r-a-status

What a off season so far. I'll hate to be the team that's trying to put a schedule together. Don't even know want teams are in and who's out.
Undertaker
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by Undertaker »

There have also been numerous players change teams with Thorold and Cambridge now out. Where did all their players go? Significant numbers of GOJHL players have signed with OJHL and other JR A teams and numerous players have joined the GOJHL from the OJHL and other places. The OJHL has an relatively up to date transaction page so fans of their league know who is going where. Why has the GOJHL not updated their site. It looks like the league has shutdown since Elmira won the Sutherland Cup and no transcactions have occurred since a suspension on April 18th. The league needs to communicate better with its fan base.
FrozenPonds
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Re: CAMBRIDGE SITUATION

Post by FrozenPonds »

Undertaker...don't get me started on that.

I could write a book on everything this league should be doing!! Throw the A vs B aside for now. The teams need to figure out who is in or out! I know there are a core group who want nothing but the A. But that ain't happening so the decisions need to be made now for the upcoming season.

Build a foundation! Heck the foundation is there. The GOJHL should not act like they are reserved to play 2nd fiddle to the OJHL. Put a plan in place and chart a course. But part of the big issue with this league is they have reserved themselves as being "second tier" in this province. When you project that image, players will also start to believe it!
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