Pond Hockey League

Teen Ranch - near Orangeville/Caledon - offers a "Christian Pond Hockey League".  This program runs from Sept 25 to March 5.  It is described as an "alternative to competitive leagues" with "all players treated equally" "non contact" and "no individual player recognition".  Contact info is 519 941-8680  icecorral@teenranch.on.ca  http://www.teenranch.on.ca/

There are other leagues around - independent of the OMHA - such as the Wave in Burlington and at Ice2Ice in Oakville and the Zone in Kitchener.  Hockey Canada has designated programs like the Wave as Outlaw Leagues and imposed sanctions upon their members.  This sanction was relaxed for one year according to the Star http://www.thestar.com/sports/gthl/article/602270  According to a Hockey Canada press release "If the player chooses The Wave program, that player will be removed from the Hockey Canada program with no registration refund for the balance of the season,"........."The player will only become eligible to return to a Hockey Canada program the following 2010-2011 season."........."If the player chooses The Wave program, that player will be removed from the Hockey Canada program with no registration refund for the balance of the season,"..........."The player will only become eligible to return to a Hockey Canada program the following 2010-2011 season." This was in 2009.

According to the Hockey Canada July 2008 Bulletin:
Hockey Canada and its member branches view all leagues that operate outside the auspices/sanctioning of Hockey Canada programs to be classified as “outlaw” leagues. For further clarity, this specifically refers to those leagues that operate programs in direct competition with those offered by Hockey Canada and its member branches. This currently does not include summer hockey leagues/teams, adult recreational hockey leagues/teams, high school hockey, and/or hockey schools.








Sanctions







1) Membership in Hockey Canada from those individuals that have participated (knowingly or otherwise) in "outlaw" programs will only be accepted based on the following schedule:

Outlaw League Participation Length of Period of Ineligibility for HC Programs

0-5 Exhibition Games/Games 3 months from last outlaw league participation
6-10 Exhibition Games/Games 6 months from last outlaw league participation
More than 10 Exhibition Games/Games 12 months from last outlaw league participation.

If a participant makes the choice to participate in these programs, they must understand the ramifications of that choice and whether the league/team folds, whether released/suspended/fired the individual will only be eligible to register with legitimate teams under the Hockey Canada umbrella based on the schedule above.

2) Hockey Canada will NOT offer National or Regional Championships or any other Hockey Canada/Branch/CHL sanctioned events to those municipalities/arenas that support "outlaw" programs.

3) Finally, Hockey Canada and its member branches across the country will make every effort to ensure that those local minor hockey associations in areas where outlaw leagues exist are not supporting these leagues in any manner whatsoever. We will withhold tournament sanctions if need be to stress this point. To be clear Hockey Canada will not sanction any tournaments within Municipalities and facilities that support programs outside the auspices of Hockey Canada and its Branches.
This is aimed at those leagues that are operating in direct competition to established Hockey Canada, Branch and local minor hockey programs."

It seems though that these leagues are in Hockey Schools - so I wonder whether they will be OK!

Here's another article posted on http://tcmoosehockey.com/GMHLFORUM/index.php?topic=3348.0

"MINISTER CLEMENT SCORES A GOAL FOR MINOR HOCKEY!

Ottawa, ON, June 4, 2009- Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Member of Parliament for Parry Sound - Muskoka, today celebrated a win for minor hockey players right across Canada.

Until recently young hockey players who participated in outlaw leagues, or leagues not sanctioned by Hockey Canada, were penalized from playing in a sanctioned leagues for up to two subsequent seasons. Local Members of Parliament and others found this rule unfair and complaints were sent to the Competition Bureau.

In Canada, hockey is our birthright! said Minister Clement. Now, thanks to the individuals who put pressure on Hockey Canada, the obstacles faced by some of our young players are gone. We have restored the right of every Canadian to play hockey wherever and whenever they like. We have taken our local teams, like the South Muskoka Shield, out of the penalty box.

The Competition Bureau received complaints about Hockey Canada sanctioning against so-called outlaw hockey leagues, and the players and arenas in which they play. The Bureau examined the bulletin and concluded that some aspects of the sanctions gave rise to issues under section 79 of the Competition Act, otherwise known as the abuse of dominance provision.

As a result of the dialogue initiated by the Bureau, Hockey Canada has eliminated three major sanctions:
1) Municipalities and arenas may now offer ice time to non-affiliated leagues without the fear of losing the business of Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities.
2) The suspension period for a player that participates in an outlaw league can no longer extend beyond the season in which that participation takes place.
3) The third sanction was changed to make it clear that a Hockey Canada team would not be in violation of the bulletin merely by playing in the same arena as an outlaw league. "