By Carl Chimenti /
The Alliance Minor Hockey season began the weekend of Sept. 18 for the more than 25,000 minor hockey players that participate.
The organization started in 1993, following a dispute the Ontario Minor Hockey Association was having with Hockey Canada. And in the last several years, the Alliance has become a strong and viable program, both on and off the ice.
Last year, four teams from the Alliance won championships. The London Junior Knights won the Midget AA title, the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs captured the Atom AAA championship, the Hamilton Reps represented the Alliance at the Telus Cup as Provincial champions, and Stratford won the Midget A championship.
Around the organization, things look similar to how they did in 2008/09.
“Registration numbers are going to come in close to last year, which is a credit to the programs being provided by our organization,” said Alliance president Tony Foresi. “As far as our membership, we have the same amount of teams as last year, so despite the bad economy, we are holding our own.”
There will be a number of major events and tournaments for 2009/10 beginning with the Alliance Bantam showcase (Sept. 25 to 27) at the Kitchener Auditorium.
The first weekend in October (2 to 4), there will be two showcases which includes an inaugural Minor Midget tournament for all the players that are in their draft year at the Western Pearce Showcase in London, Ont. and a Midget showcase for the AAA program (which is the first of two held during the year) at the Stratford Rotary Complex.
Foresi says the new season has brought one new and exciting change and that was at the Midget AAA level.
“The change pertains to our overtime format,” says Foresi. “This year we are modifying overtime to copy the OHL and will consist of a five-minute, four-on-four, overtime period after regulation time. If the game is still tied, a shootout will follow.” The shootout will start with three players from each team and if the game is still deadlocked after that, the teams will then select one shooter per team until there is a winner.
The Alliance organization is all about taking care of their participants, says Foresi.
“We make sure that our programs know their players better then any one else should,” he said. “We support the programs that the participants want, in which they can have fun with it, or take their needs to the next level which we support as well.”
In addition to Foresi, the Alliance Executive Committee for 2009/10 consists of Senior Vice President Harry Blinkhorn, Vice President (Region 1) Brian Matuch, (Region 3) John Preston, (Region 4) Carl Chapman, (Region 5) Dan Gibbons and Secretary-Treasurer, John McCutcheon.
Vice President for Region 2 was to be announced at a later date.
The Alliance is centrally located in southwest Ontario and is a relatively small entity that includes 21 member associations. In addition to all the teams at the AAA, AA, and A level, they also run a house league.
“This is a program that is below our A level.” said Foresi. “It’s a very competitive brand house league that is played on a more local level.” |