Having had a son recently attend the OHA for a couple of years, the following comments might be of use to other potential OHA parents:
1. First class training facilities and ice.
2. Good quality coaching, particularly McLaughlin and Wesley.
3. Penticton High School is a very good high school, no drug issues, particularly for OHA players and the Pen High/OHA connection works very well, so don't listen to the rubbish about Pen High being a drug den.
Problem #1
1. First class training facilities and ice.
2. Good quality coaching, particularly McLaughlin and Wesley.
3. Penticton High School is a very good high school, no drug issues, particularly for OHA players and the Pen High/OHA connection works very well, so don't listen to the rubbish about Pen High being a drug den.
Problem #1
The OHA does not play competitive hockey, rather a series of exhibition games combined with second rate tournaments. For a good to great player, ie., one who has a chance to make the WHL or BCHL at 16 or 17 the OHA is a waste of time. He will simply not be playing competitive hockey against the better players at or around his age. For a hard working player who is still a long ways from the top couple of rungs, the OHA would provide alot of training, ice time and some good coaching, which could be of a benefit for one year, no more.
Problem #2
Problem #2
Friends and family of OHA insiders, be they owners, employees or friends (see the cases of the Kerrs, Dirks, Playfairs...) These players will be placed on the top team without competition and regardless of their skills. Further, the top team that these players are on will enjoy a disproportionate amount of travel to the US for games.
Problem #3
Problem #3
The best interests of each player are way down the list in terms of the priorities of the OHA. Priority #1 for the OHA is filling their teams, so that if they consider that your son is a lock to play with them next year then your son will not be playing on the top team. They like to fill up the bottom teams, again with little regard for skill level, and keep the top team open for friends and the odd top prospect. The best way to deal with the OHA is to show up for your meeting with the powers that be, with your post-dated cheques in hand, along with a resume of your son's history and negotiate your son's position for the next year. A parent from Nelson did just that this year, as the OHA had previously told him that he son would have to try out for the Quad team,which generally means that he will not make the team, and by forcing the OHA to choose then and there, they guaranteed the player's spot on the Quad team. Don't pay the OHA the money before you have your son playing where you want him to play. This past year, in what seems to have been a rather desperate attempt to build a competitive dream team, and again with no regard for players who had worked hard the previous year to move up the ladder, the OHA brought in several purportedly high end players, again apparently on a free ride basis. Unfortunately, the team (the Quad team) has been a flop: can't beat the only semi-competitive two teams that they play regularly (The Edge from Alberta and Wenatchee); can't even win a AAA tournament (whipped by the second team from Notre Dame in the Kelowna final); and of course they don't even participate in the best tournament for "Quads", the Mac in Calgary. In my view, Major Midget is the only way to go for the solid 15 or 16 year old in the Province of British Columbia and it costs less than 1/3 what the OHA charges.
