Local Minor Hockey Associations talk Amalgamation

Paris, Burford, St. George and Ayr in discussion to amalgamate Rep teams to form Brant Waterloo Minor Hockey Association

By Casandra Turnbull

Area minor hockey associations are in discussions to amalgamate to enhance player development through opportunities currently not available because of declining player enrollment in smaller associations. Presidents of Paris, Burford, St George and Ayr Minor Hockey centres announced in late August that they are in initial talks to combine their rep programs to form the Brant Waterloo Minor Hockey Association This new centre, not proposed until the 2024/2025 season, will give kids the chance to play the highest caliber of hockey available within their region. It’s a move that more and more communities are adopting in a bid to combat declining enrollment numbers and better compete with teams in larger cities across Ontario. Currently, Paris teams compete in the Southern Counties League and the landscape of that league is also undergoing changes recently with the newly amalgamated Norfolk Minor Hockey Association and the Haldimand Minor Hockey Association. The BWMH, as it will be coined, will bring some of the best players from Paris, Burford, St. George and Ayr together to pursue higher level of ‘A’, or ‘BB’hockey. “The major benefits for this will be development at all levels of hockey,” explains Mike Sinclair, PMHA President “With four 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. ’

The idea for the new league started several years ago and after many round table discussions, it really came to fruition in February 2022. It’s not a surprising move, given the changes all around the area, and the fact that both Paris and Burford Minor Hockey have worked very closely together for several years now.

Right now, all four organizations are working together to promote and communicate this potential amalgamation. Parents from all four centres will have an opportunity to vote on the matter, how that vote will look will depend on each organization’s constitution

“We are currently in the educational stage of this process where we are informing the memberships of the benefits of amalgamation,” said Sinclair The amalgamation will only affect players who intend to try out for the rep teams. House league teams would continue to operate as the Paris Wolfpack, Burford Coyotes, St. George Generals or Ayr Flames However, there would be shared development throughout the associations, said Sinclair

He also anticipates that registration fees would likely be very close as they are not anticipating any major increase in fees because of the amalgamation. Local league fees would go to each respective association, while rep fees would go to the newly formed Brant Waterloo Minor Hockey Association.

A series of townhall type meetings will be scheduled in the coming months to present the idea to players, caregivers and parents. There will be ample opportunity for questions and answers before the vote is presented.

“It’s super important for our members to receive the proper information on how this will all work and NOT just rely on word of mouth,” said Sinclair. In a release issued by all four minor hockey association presidents, it concluded “We strongly believe that this partnership of equals will achieve the best of both worlds in terms of preserving and celebrating our traditional Hometown Hockey identities at the Local League level, while allowing us to build a stronger, more dynamic and competitive Rep Hockey Program that will benefit all players within our participating organizations ” Right now, there is a new Facebook page created called the Brant Waterloo Minor Hockey where people can stay informed on up-to-date information and scheduled meetings. Each association will continue to update members through internal communication processes created by each centre.

Paris Minor Hockey is in talks with Burford, St George and Ayr associations to amalgamate its rep program to create a new, competitive Brant Waterloo Minor Hockey Association for the 2024/2025 season. Pictured above are two U8 players during a Mounties exhibition game in January 2023