LANGTON MINOR HOCKEY HAS NO INTEREST IN AMALGAMATION OF NORFOLK MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATIONS
Submitted By LMHA on Tue 02 09, 16
Press Release prepared by
Langton and Area Minor Hockey Association
January 26, 2016
An invitation has been received by the presidents of the Delhi, Langton, Simcoe, Port Dover and Waterford
Minor Hockey Associations to meet. The topic for discussion: to gauge interest
in the eventual amalgamation of the five Minor Hockey Associations located in
the County of Norfolk into one large Association. Accompanying the invitation
was a petition, signed by several Norfolk native sons (some of whom no longer
reside in the county), suggesting that it would be in the best interest of
local minor hockey players if this merger were to take place.
While the LAMHA executive believes that it is imperative to attend this meeting in order to gather facts surrounding this plan and those who support it, our presence in no way demonstrates any interest in this proposal of amalgamation. We view any proposal of amalgamation as a direct threat to the existence of the Langton and Area Minor Hockey Association, and to those associations in the other four Minor Hockey Centres within the County of Norfolk. The sole purpose of Langton Minor Hockey Representatives attending any such meeting is to emphatically indicate our opposition to any such movement.
LAMHA along with its Let’s Play Langton Initiative has gone to great lengths to increase the number of registered players in our association, and is expending great amounts of time and funding to increase the level of skill development. During the past 18 months, a great number of committed and generous sponsors have come forward to support the cause of making minor hockey more accessible to a greater number of local children.
LAMHA is proud of our partners in the communities of Delhi, Simcoe, Port Dover and Waterford for putting the best interests of local children at the forefront of Minor Hockey planning. The long history of competition among these centres has built strong but friendly rivalries carried on from generation to generation. LAMHA is also a strong supporter of the Southern Counties Minor Hockey League and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association for their strong organization and commitment to fair play.
The notion of one large centre representing all of Norfolk may be inviting to some. But the real costs of such a move would be devastating to the five centres currently operating in the county. They would all cease to exist. Lost would be the chance for our children to enjoy playing hockey with the friends they know and go to school with, and lost would be the opportunity to represent their own small towns. LAMHA will always be receptive to new ideas which may increase skill development and enjoyment of the game of hockey. But be certain, Langton Minor Hockey does not believe that amalgamation is the way to achieve this. Home Town Hockey should be the goal of us all.