This just in from a blogger. Decide for yourselves........
The current OMAHA League Standings:
(Click and go) http://www.omaha.ca/standings.php
"I think Midget Tier I is the same as Midget AAA and Midget Tier II is the same as Midget AA.
POE AAA 1 Tier 1 (on stats page above) played the OHA top team (Major Midget - not listed on the above stats page) four or five times and the two were pretty evenly matched. Results were written about at OHA site. OHA team 1 Tier 1 on above stats page is the OHA second midget team. OHA team 2 Tier 2 on above stats page is the OHA third midget team."
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Not to pile on, but the Sting (KIJHL) and the Port Alberni Bulldogs (BCHL) rounded out the bottom of their respective leagues as well. If the OHA Major Midget were playing in OMAHA AAA, they would be dancing around top 3, in all likelihood, based on their evenly matched results against POE this season, making them a solid AAA team in the OMAHA league,but certainly not a Major Midget AAAA level. They need to give their collective heads a shake and get off the high horse they are riding, as they reach into your pocketbook.
Are these the kind of results the Okanagan Hockey Academy owners can be proud of? OHA was once a program with a lot of promise but has been backsliding in recent years, in some cases dramatically. Too much team fixing and too many political favors? Top team spots negotiated behind closed doors in Alan Kerr's office and not earned on the ice?
Parents who consider sending their sons to Okanagan Hockey Academy need to do their homework and not believe the hype or the $h*t they shovel. This program has a long way to go and certainly does not warrant the high price tag they charge for tuition. The results are in the numbers and the numbers do not support the OHA program at any level. (See link above; also visit KIJHL and BCHL sites)
A very important part of development is to play at the highest possible level. For the time being, Okanagan Hockey Academy offers mediocrity at best ( generous statement considering their current standing at every level). Our advice to OHA is to let these young men earn their team positions based on merit and stop promising spots to the boys of high rollers. This is the only way to right the ship and save a once promising program from peril.
23 comments:
Earning a spot on a team is one thing, but losing it because of your off-ice behaviour must sting even worse.
OHA practically rewards the bad boys with bad behaviour. Everyone knows that! How about drug testing? It never happens. How about punishment for curfew violations? Rarely.
This is not a place of high discipline or high standards whatsoever.
If I recall correctly this year they have had more players suspended, and more players disciplined then any other year..guess whoever started this blog must have started the trend.
This is quite interesting though, when you sign a player up for an academy, do you think of it as an investment in a team developing or in a player developing? Players developing and team development are two very different things. So standings, yes are not great, but how much do they show how a player has developed? Teams don't gel all the time, but this has little bearing on the strides players make. In the past two years, the Sting have sent 11 guys on to play Junior A, not to mention 2 guys that made the jump to the BCHL out of midget, one of whom played for team pacific. So clearly there is some individual development going on. If you have hockey sense, then you realize the point of an academy.
Yur right in that its interesting. This is prbably the first year where the sting only have academy kids. Other years they had kids placed ther by the v's plus some others. We'll see if they repeat that number this year.
At least one of those two kids that went junior a, wouldn't have been kept out of junior a, didn't matter where he played.
So, what's interesting, is it the program that developed the kids in one year, or did they bring the tools with them when they signed up?
Most midget aaa team probably could state similar numbers.
If u have hocky sense, then yu've alredy figured this out.
How does a player maximize development when playing with lower level players? If OHA cannot bring quality players to their programs, development is affected. I see the point being made but the ideal situation is to have quality players to practice and play games with. I want my son to be with players superior to himself who will set the bar high for excellence.
I understand the gel argument but that only goes so far when these boys are together every day for nine months and play 50 games. The gellin' should be happening in a big way, at least a step above the bottom of the pile.
The poor performance of teams points to bigger issues at OHA. I don't know enough about the program to know if its team fixing, drugs or other issues addressed on this blog, but with the coaching staff of a virtual who's who of ex-NHL players, they got to do better than last or near last.
It must be hard for ex-NHL players to lose game after game and work with inferior athletes just because OHA owners command the big bucks. I have heard the Sting coach is a very fine man and an excellent coach; however, it is clear he has no control whatsoever over the athletes he has to make a team.
The OHA program really needs an overhaul. I agree it used to be better. The top OHA team last year won the OMAHA league and was tops the year before that. POE which is relatively new should not be anywhere near OHA Major Midgets yet they are right there and beating OHA at times. The Edge destroyed Alan's team in a game this year to the point of humiliation.
Lastly, the Sting made playoffs last year and had no prayer of the same this year. In that case we know it was not coaching. I guess its the money grabbing thing and the coach is forced more or less to take inferior players. OHA really has become the laughing stock of hockey in Western Canada. It's sad because they really did have a quality program building. I guess the success went to their heads and they have turned to greed as the driving force.
I doubt this program can recover. As much as I respected Kerr as a player, it is clear he is at the heart of the problems for this program. I guess its POE and Edge's gain in the end. Too bad.
point of the Academy?
or the team simple WINNING
thats the measure of a players ability
A measure of a teams players ability? What about perennial NHL teams that are at the bottom of the league? I don't think its a question of player's abilities. Kovalchuk in Atlanta..prime example. Of the 11 mentioned, the majority of them went through the OHA program from midget to jr. b then onto jr.a. The comment about the sting making playoffs, they were virtually in the exact same spot this year as last. It came down to the last games of the season.
One last comment to the last paragraph of this blog. The high rollers kids playing on the top team? If you want to know the high rollers look to the bottom two teams. You'll find an ex-NHL GM's kid, a staff members kid, various who's who of money. So all the talk of high rollers on the top team is absolutely unfounded.
IF MAKING A TOP TEAMS MEANS NOTHING FOR DEVELOPMENT, WHY BOTHER TRYING TO MAKE A TOP TEAM?
WELL, IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR THE TEAMMATES TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE AND MAKE PASSES!
Don't compare your dinky good for nothing program to the worst teams in the NHL with quality players. Even the lousy players in the NHL can play. What a stupid statement!
Bottom line: Every program at OHA is a loser and is a loser by a country mile.
The sixth post on this this message is a very accurate assessment of OHA. We as well are very familiar with their organization and all those involved at all levels. In the past they placed some good players, yet most of that is ancient history. The last few years since James Kerr and the group they had together on the Major team moved on so did OHA as a real contender. That is when 2 years ago they over expanded the program and everything started down the tubes. They expanded way beyond their ability to manage and provide a quality program. That is when their performance went to hell. They went for the money grab rather than keep their integrity intact and continue to move the program up by way of quality. They are a laughing stock not only in Western Canada but for anybody in the know in the USA. They used to bad mouth POE's program at OHA and now POE has an equal or better program. It's a shame what these guys have done to the program, but more importantly what they have done to people. Obviously this has been the case with many people that some is beginning to come out through this blog. At the heart of things is a lack of character within their organization. They turned it into a money grabbing and cronie oriented organization. It's a shame. I do agree they will have a really hard time recovering from it and it doesn't appear they intend on changing their strategy. On a separate note, I don't think there is anything wrong with recruiting quality players and placing them on teams before the supposed "try out" they have at the very first of school. The real problem is they have many times placed the guys on the WRONG teams based their ability many both up and down. This is where their favorism kicks in. It is blatently unfair for better players to be hung out to dry on their lesser teams when the quality of their play would dictate they play on a better team. The best advice I would give is get out and get involved in a credible and respected program that wants you to succeed and flourish as a player rather than just cash your check. These guys have chosen to take the path of at best mediocrity in exchange for the money. They are a lousy program especially for the outrageous amount they charge. A poor value.
Only parents of lousy players can be convinced that the quality of the team doesn't matter for development. How stupid are these people.
kudos to POE for putting together a quality program. It seems they took the best ideas from the OHA business model from years ago, improved upon it, and left their egos at the door. They care about development at POE and they don't put the God Almighty dollar before children, as they do at OHA.
OHA should be ashamed of the way they run their program. Any quality coaches left, like Blake, should run for the hills! A quality person like Wesley should not want to be tarnished through association with these low life money grubber scumbags.
I agree their program suffered when they moved Wesley out of development into the Sting role. Having Dixon Ward at AA last year was the biggest joke ever as he never showed to practice. The only thing he developed last year was his bicep from slamming back the booze. The other big zero was Randy Jaycock. We all felt sorry for the goalies as they were completely ignored until half way through the year when they brought in a sub who was a 1000x more qualified to coach. And guess where the goalie coach sub is now, you say? hahahaha! POE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile, Jaycock coaches the OHA boys from Calgary where he lives. What a joke. Those kids along with AA players were absolutely fleeced of their money and got absolutely nothing in return.
Excellent remarks. David Roy at POE first and foremost is a person of high character. This is what is severly lacking at OHA other than Blake Wesley. David Roy is a highly qualified instructor and his program has clearly outpaced OHA during the last 2 years especially. It just goes to show that good guys who really care about the players and have a high level of character do sometimes finish ahead of the pack.
You are exactly right also that their teams at OHA are middle of the road at best. The AA team although have some nice boys playing for the team has to be the worst value in the world. No one with a brain (which I consider all the people who in good faith send their son's to play at OHA)would pay good money for a crappy and all talk program like OHA. The management at OHA either things you are stupid or that you buy their BS. These guys have "pumped" this program and have not even come close to delivering. The market always makes the necessary corrections in that people aren't stupid. I suspect POE has seen a good spike in their program. Good for them and David Roy.
I don't think POE has seen a good spike in their registrations. Unfortunately for them, no minor hockey programs want to play them anymore, if you want to talk about screwing people over, look into that situation a bit more and find out why teams stopped showing up to play them? Why did the OMAHA league bar academy teams from playing in it, to avoid having situations where entire associations are at risk of suspensions for not showing up to play POE. Its an unfortunate situation, but POE is not thriving, they have let go of two coaches, have nowhere to play. Things are not good for David Roy, who is a true quality person.
You are so full of shit! POE is a program with its star on the rise. Look how fast they closed the gap on OHA. It was double speed because as POE was leaping forward OHA was falling sorely behind. Politics will ruin any good organization.
As for the bullshit OHA says about placing your kids don't kid yourselves. For most they don't even lift a finger to help. They have left a wake of boys in their path. There is also little to no scout exposure unless you manage to cozy up to a Kerr boy.
POE is on the rise? Ask anybody associated with Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kamloops Minor Hockey there thoughts on POE. Explain why teams didn't show up to play them? They just fired two coaches and have no plans to replace them. David Roy himself will admit all this. You just need to ask him. It has nothing to do with being full of shit. It has to do with telling the honest truth about their program. They have good people there, no question of that. The point is not to say OHA is better and POE is not a good program. It is exactly what's going on in the hockey world. Like I said, don't take a public forum's word on POE, ask someone else and you'll find your answer to what's going on with them. I had a conversation with David about the issues he has going on, and his biggest worry is that he has no place to play next year. So don't tell me I'm full of shit when this is all stuff that's verifable. Whatever people think of academies, OHA, Edge, POE doesn't mean a thing to me. People want education on academies then there is an issue.
How is it they boxed POE out of regular league play? Sounds like politics to me. I know that nobody from the US scouts players at OHA. That's why none of the better USA players play or stay there. Name one player they have advanced on to Divsion I hockey other than James Kerr? They don't do anything to promote or advance the players.
It was a vote by the league that got them put out of the league. I mean there was obviously a reason for what they did. If you look at the age of the players from OHA, the first players from the program are just hitting their early 20's. OHA has a strong playing in the BCHL right now, Dustin Johnson, Sahir Gill, Mitch Chapman, Mitch MacMillan,Dennis Robertson etc. If Johnson, Gill, Robertson and Chapman don't all wind up picking up full rides there is a serious problem. All are extremely talnted young players.
Again you have not got all your facts straight. There were some kids thought got suspended from OHA and had to sit some games as well. All for having a few drinks. What 18 year old hasn't tried it. Alan Kerr has enforced the rules since he has been back. But my question is is OHA supposed to be a babysitting club?Have you ever taken a drink before you were legal drinking age?
Have you ever heard of forgivenss or have you ever made a mistake> When you can walk on water then you can say you are Perfect
Kids that got suspended for having a few drinks were repeat offenders on the having a few drinks thing. The first time they got caught under age in a restaurant, which the waitress got fired for serving them. There were 18,17 and 16 year olds there, so not sure how someone can justify it being ok.
Post # 20 sounds like it came from Dixon. As a matter of fact it is Dixon. No on second thought its Alan sounding like Dixon. Wait a second, its Andy sounding like Alan. Oh screw it, its some dumb parent that sent their kid to OHA.
I heard there was an American charged with being a peeping tom.
They caught him in front of the 7-11. I was going to send my kid there until I heard about this.
Anyone have more information on this?
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