An update to the upcoming season for our Houseleague / Local League parents and players.
The Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association has received confirmation from the OMHA that our request to join the Inter-Community Hockey league has been accepted. Along with PECMHA, Stirling and Napanee will also be joining the existing centers of Stone Mills, Frontenac, Loyalist, Gananoque and Deseronto.
PECMHA was represented on Tuesday August 23rd at an initial ICHL meeting to introduce everyone and also brainstorm ideas on how we can make this an effective hockey league with the obvious geographical distances between some of the Associations. Many of you shared your opinions to the Association through the Local League survey regarding excessive travel, and this was a concern for your executive when the entire process began. We can assure you that those concerns are shared by all the centers involved within the ICHL. This update is to inform you of the structure of this seasons Local League. There isn't anything solidified yet, as each center must determine how many teams they will have in each division.
It was agreed up on at the meeting that once team declaration takes place (roughly last week of September) the following Divisional split will be the most seriously considered.
ICHL Eastern Division
Gananoque
Frontenac
Stone Mills
Loyalist
ICHL Western Division
Prince Edward County
Stirling
Napanee
Deseronto
With the above divisional format, the majority of your regular season games will be with teams in your division. There was discussion of the possibility of travelling to the other division centers ONCE during regular season. Nobody will travel more than once and those games would be scheduled in the first two months of the season. Playoff structure and format weren't discussed as of yet as the foundation of a divisional structure and regular season was at the forefront of everyone's agenda.
This hockey league is a work in progress and this change will be a positive one that will enhance your child's hockey experience. Minimal travel for our local league parents is our number one concern and we're working with the other centers to make this work for everyone.
Houseleague/Local League formation day will be Saturday, Sept. 24th at the Essroc Arena for Tyke - Bantam divisions. Times will be posted on the website soon. Midget/Juvenile formation day will be Sunday Sept. 25th at the Picton Arena with times also being announced in the near future.
Thanks,
PECMHA Executive