The first official season for the Brant Battalion ‘A’ hockey teams kicks off in May with tryouts

By Casandra Turnbull

A division hockey is coming to Paris. Last year, minor hockey associations from Paris, Burford and St. George voted in favour of forming a new A division association called the Brant Battalions. During original talks, Ayr was included in the merger, however, that association opted out during a club vote last fall

The first official Brant Battalion season kicks off with tryouts in May for it’s a division teams Players who do not make the A teams in age groups ranging from U10 to U16, can then be released to try out for ‘BB’ teams. Players not on the ‘BB’ roster will then play local league with their perspective centres – Paris, Burford or St. George.

This move to ‘A’and ‘BB’caliber of hockey is something more and more communities are adopting in a bid to combat declining enrollment numbers and to compete with teams in larger cities across Ontario. It gives local players the opportunity to hone their skills at a higher level.

Currently, Paris teams compete in the Southern Counties League and the landscape of that league is also undergoing changes with the recent amalgamated Norfolk Minor Hockey Association and the Haldimand Minor Hockey Association

“The major benefits for this will be development at all levels of hockey,” explains Mike Sinclair, outgoing PMHA President “With three centres working together with one goal there will be major opportunities to develop all our young athletes.”

He added, “After we develop our players, they can then leave our centre to pursue a higher level of hockey such as ‘AA’or ‘AAA ’

Tryouts for the Brant Battalion teams begin next month. Interested players must complete a tryout registration form online and submit the required $100 fee before May 3. Brant Battalion members must try out and be released by the ‘A’coach to be eligible to try out for the Battalion BB/C Teams in the fall.