25 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 • Sports Hockey groups look to solve boundary issues T

Local offi cials call upon Minor Hockey Association to fi x problems HE

local associations is intended to im- ciations say that’s led to some kids N By Craig Campbell EWS News Staff prove access to minor hockey for being forced to play house league, •

kids across Hamilton. Currently, or leaving for nearby unsanctioned WWW.HAMILTONNEWS.COM A coalition of individual minor boys in Dundas cannot play com- private minor hockey programs. In hockey associations from across petitive hockey in Ancaster, Stoney some cases, less quali ed players Hamilton are working together — Creek, Flamborough, Westdale, or are moved up to play rep so a team and separately — to try and con- any other area of Hamilton, even can exist. vince the Ontario Minor Hockey if that means having to fold a team “If you can stand and skate you Association to let them x what due to a lack of players. It’s the can join a rep team in Dundas,” said they say are “archaic” boundary same for each association and has Dave Ferris of the valley town’s mi- and residency rules that threaten already forced cancellation of teams nor hockey organization. the future of minor hockey in the because associations are unable to Already this season, Dundas has city. bring in available kids to ll out a folded three representative, or com- Dundas, Stoney Creek, and Flam- roster. Meanwhile, kids who want petitive, teams. Stoney Creek also borough associations, with sup- to play at a higher level often can’t has teams that had to be cancelled. port from the Hamilton Huskies, — because that level may not be Flamborough would have had to have each applied to change their available in the association they are fold a team — if volunteers from member partner af liation from the required to play in. two organizations had not success- Ontario Minor Hockey Association “The bureaucracy restricts the fully worked out a one-time, Band- (OMHA) to Alliance Hockey. The ability to move,” said Stoney Creek Aid solution. Huskies, already an Alliance mem- minor hockey president Steve “I needed assistance last year be- ber, have also submitted a strate- Johnson. fore we started building our teams,” gic alliance partnership agreement Other minor sports in Hamilton said Dundas minor hockey presi- with Stoney Creek minor hockey, — including girls hockey — do not dent Kristina Dodd. “I didn’t get a effective on the association’s move have the same boundary and move- response (from the OMHA). We to the Alliance. ment restrictions. needed help and we didn’t get it.” At its core, the effort by the four Representatives of the four asso- A Hamilton minor hockey team celebrates during Super Saturday in this fi le photo. See page 26 Presents McCoys’ HoCkey NigHt this Friday January 5, 2018 VS Dundas Real McCoys Whitby Dunlops realmccoys.ca Harry Howell Arena • Game Time 8:00 p.m.

ServiceS Wills & estates real estate Transactions corporate and Business Law

71 Wilson St. E., Ancaster, On. L9G 2B3 905-304-5535 | www.gattolaw.ca 26 McCoys fall to Stoney Creek Generals Blues end 2017 with win By Larry Robertson times, including one into an empty played well in spurts, but we need to By Craig Campbell Kings. After a scoreless first, in Special to The News net, to give the Generals a 9-6 vic- get a full 60 minutes out of our play- News Staff which Dundas goalie Jake Flem- tory. ers. When we get that we win, and ming stopped 11 shots and the It was another tough night for the Next action for the McCoys will when we don’t we get the result that Jordie Morgan scored twice, Blues put seven pucks on net, Dundas Real McCoys in be on Friday, Jan. 5, when they play we got last Friday.” while Zac Plumb and Ray Grimsby exploded in the second Hockey action last Friday night. Whitby Dunlops at Harry Howell Matt Foy and Bonello had a goal Thompson each added a goal and period. Brad Bonello’s goal early in the Arena at 8 p.m. and two assists each for the McCoys. two assists, as the The Peach Kings scored three •THURSDAY , JANUARY 4, 2018 • , JANUARY •THURSDAY third period gave the McCoys a 5-5 “Stoney Creek is in first for a rea- Ryan Watson scored twice, while closed 2017 with a 7-4 win over unanswered goals and had 20

EWS tie with Stoney Creek Generals, son,” said Don Robertson, McCoys Jake Goldberg and Cam Watson Niagara, on Thursday, Dec. 28. shots on net. Dundas managed N only to have Matt Smith score three HE president and general manager. “We added single goals. Dundas ended the calendar just 20 shots the whole game,

• T • year in third place of the South while Flemming made 40 saves Bloomfield Division of the Pro- in the 3-0 loss. Jan. 6 meeting focusing on challenges vincial Junior Hockey League, After six days off over Christ- From page 25 Hamilton Hockey Forum was born. with all OMHA centres within the with a record of 17 wins, 14 loss- mas, Dundas’ offence reappeared The individual associations start- All the associations wanted to allow city of Hamilton to better under- es and two ties. The Blues were against Niagara. ed talking about the boundary and that kind of movement on a more stand the challenges they are facing,” three points ahead of fourth-place Niagara took a 2-0 lead in the movement issues in the fall of 2016. regular basis, without the big strug- Taylor said. Port Dover, 17 points behind sec- first period, then it was all Dun- ond-place Grimsby Peach Kings WWW.HAMILTONNEWS.COM Flamborough, in the OMHA, was gle and bureaucratic roadblocks. But “Through this process, we have das. Jamieson Buck and Stephen struggling to fill a Midget AA team the individual associations all said been working in conjunction with and 21 points behind division- Bell scored to tie it up heading and the Huskies, in the Alliance, had they haven’t made any progress with Alliance Hockey, the Ontario Hock- leading Glanbrook Rangers. into the second frame. extra players. the OMHA. They say their pleas ap- ey Federation and the City of Hamil- The regular season continues Dundas scored four unan- Huskies general manager Mike pear to have fallen on deaf ears, so ton in how we can best address these on Thursday, Jan. 4 when Dundas swered goals in the middle peri- Spadafora said the effort to move a far. challenges collectively.” hosts Simcoe at Westoby Ice Sur- od — two from Morgan and one few players, giving them a chance A meeting has been set for Jan. 6, But the local associations say their face on Olympic Drive. Dundas each from Thompson and Danny to play and saving the Flamborough apparently including the OMHA, Al- calls for changes have gone unan- travels to Port Dover on Sunday, Attridge. Connor Pilon picked up team, took four people — represen- liance and local minor hockey asso- swered. Most are still waiting for Jan. 7. two assists in the period. tatives of the two oversight bodies ciations, to discuss challenges facing any response to their various appli- One night after handing Glan- Niagara closed the gap to 6-4 and the two local associations — and local minor hockey. cations. They also don’t understand brook its second loss of the sea- with eight minutes left in the more than 25 emails back-and-forth In response to an emailed list of what took so long to set up the Janu- son on Dec. 21, the Blues trav- third period with a short-hand- to finally get it done. questions, OMHA executive direc- ary meeting. elled to Grimsby to meet the ed goal and a power-play goal. “People started talking,” Spada- tor Ian Taylor issued a statement “We’re trying to ensure access to division’s other dominating team. Plumb found the net on a Dun- fora said. through a spokesperson. hockey,” said Flamborough minor But Dundas couldn’t get its das power play with just over five Almost a year and a half ago, the “We have been actively meeting hockey president Dr. Ed Finoro. offence going against the Peach minutes left. DUNDAS GYMNASTICS On SATURDAYS & MONDAYS (for 10 wks) Starting Mon January 8, 2018 & Sat Jan 13, 2018 at Dundas Valley Montessori School Gymnasium (16 Kemp Dr). Instruction for boys & girls Full equipment: vault, bars, beam, floor, mini tramp Canadian Gymnastics Federation Badge instruction PREVENTIVE LEGAL SERVICES Jamboree- (16 month-3 yrs with adult) Mon 5:45-6:30pm or Sat 9:15-10am $145 Kinderkiddy- (PreK, JK) Mon 5:45-6:30 pm or Saturday 9:15-10am $145 GivinG you the tools anD information Combo- Primary (SK-gr2) & Junior (Gr 3-6) Mon 6:30-7:30 pm or Sat. 10-11 $163 you neeD to live happily, proDuctively, New members: Please add $30 annual Gymnastics Ontario membership fee anD in control of leGal risk Register easily online NOW! Log on www.gymmies.com Details? Call Gymmies Mon-Fri 10-6pm 905 765-1623 estate and Will planning Email: [email protected]. 30+ years coaching experience! Spring session starts April 2/2018 Business and corporate co-habitation and marriage planning TIMED ONLINEAUCTIONS MUNICIPAL, CONSTRUCTION, AGRICULTURAL, LAWYERS TURF, LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES& HOME RENOVATION ITEMS ANDREW R. BROWN AND CHECK WEBSITEFORUPCOMINGAUCTIONS! KAREN J. WHEATON Dundas –Waterdown – Burlington (905) 627-5487 Please call office for more information on consigning items to an auction @brownlawyers CALL: 519.837.0710 PUSLINCH LOCATION: 4062 HWY. 6, 3 KM SOUTH OF HWY. 401 Follow us or check brownlawyerspc.com for monthly Preventive Legal Seminars Auction ServiceS Ltd. www.bryansauctionsale.com