Registration numbers on a steady climb for Minor Hockey

Times Reporter

 

Enrollment numbers for Strathmore Minor Hockey (SMH) are still strong and show a steady stream of interest coming from the community. The continually increasing response from the community, however, also is the cause of some concern for board members. 

Ice time has been an ongoing concern for the association.

“I think in general a good majority of our teams are competitive, we’ve continued to tweak the evaluation process in order to continue to grow the association. Like every association that’s growing our problem is our numbers are growing so big that it presents other challenges,” said SMH President Wayne Hansen.

“I would say in the next couple of years Strathmore Minor Hockey’s going to have to look at becoming a capped association because we don’t have ice. What that means is that people that want to play won’t be able to play and to me that’s unfortunate.”

There has also been a concern about fees restricting the ability to play for some kids. Part of the problem, Hansen said, is people don’t know there are programs out there to help families with getting their kids out and playing sports. Canadian Tire ‘Jumpstart’ is one such program.

Last year a successful bid was made to host the 2013 and 2014 Alberta Cup in Strathmore. The Alberta Cup is a premier bantam hockey event, focused on players aged 14. It’s a well-scouted event, with estimates coming in that there will be 150 scouts with many coming from the Western Hockey League (WHL). Hansen believes the Alberta Cup will bring in money that will allow the association to help those kids, who maybe can’t afford to play, get on the ice.

“There’s going to be a legacy that comes out of the Alberta Cup that’s left for minor hockey,” said Hansen. 

Hansen has been President of SMH for the past two years and has no plan of leaving just yet. 

“It’s my way of giving back to a game that gave so much to me. Hockey to me growing up was everything, I played a lot of years, I played for some great coaches, played on some fantastic teams and I met some great people whether they were coaches, whether they were players. It taught me more than just hockey it taught me life skills, so to me it’s my way of giving back,” said Hansen.