Fernie Ghostrider update August 14th/23
1/ Rider Head Coach and GM Ty Valin has signed up to coach again this year, this will be his third season with the FGR. Valin’s team has improved each year so this season could be interesting. Coach Valin is still looking for an assistant coach, interested coaches can apply here
2/ After a long contentious back and forth the league has finally sorted out their schedule.
3/ Fernie Exhibition Games
5/ The Ghostriders still have a few spots open for their Main Camp, more about that here
6/ The Ghostriders Hockey School also has a few spots open and you can read all about that here
7/ The Ghostriders are still short a few billets, If you are interested you can read all about that opportunity HERE
8/ A new rule, all KIJHL teams will be allowed 6 twenty year old players, that is up from 5 and is long overdue IMO. All the other leagues have 6 and some even have 8. Remember, there won’t be the usual amount of player cuts in January because of the larger roster rule so the extra 20 year old player will be a blessing.
9/ Larger rosters...Hockey Canada says teams can carry 25 players this year, up from 23. I don’t like it, too many players will sit out every night. But the coaches like it to cover for for injuries.10/ Conspiracy Theories ... there have been “Outlaw Leagues” popping up like gophers in a wheat field last few years and Hockey Canada wants to poison them... I mean do something about them. So they decided to let all the teams use 25 players instead of 23. Now literally hundreds of players across the country won’t be available to those gophers.
11/ Will we have enough referees if the refs can’t do both unsanctioned and sanctioned games. Not everyone agrees on this but certainly there will not be enough referees for the KIJHL to go to a four man system. Trail Minor Hockey is very worried about it and thinks tournaments the KIJHL and minor hockey will suffer. Read that here
12/ KIJHL President Jeff Dubois is walking a tightrope with BC Hockey screeching we're gonna use the referees to get even with the BCHL in one ear and his Executive Board howling hey we got the new Jr A label so don’t rock the BC Hockey boat in the other ear.
13/ Dubois in an interview that will you want to read if you are at all concerned about refereeing at all levels “I realize a bunch of those guys have made the decision to go to the BCHL and that’s 100 per cent fair.”
14/ BC Hockey (probably) WHAT do you mean fair Jeff ?
15/ Um... “We’re expecting not to have any issues filling our games, and we support BC Hockey’s stance in terms of not being able to officiate both sanctioned and unsanctioned hockey,” Dubois added.
17/ Oh shut up the works of you, the best way to develop good referees is let them ref as many games as they can. Clinics are one thing but the on ice work is where real development and learning what and when to call stuff actually happens... and you guys know it, well maybe not BC Hockey.
12/ If you ever wondered what happened to minor hockey at the Bantam and Midget level here is a list of the U17 CSSHL (Academy) teams...A great development league but you better be ready to pay, and lots.
