WMHA should be about kids and sport

Re: Minor hockey board shunning life member, by Anne Jarvis, March 8.

It is with great sadness that I see yet another troubling story about the Windsor Minor Hockey Association. Mario Pennesi is standing in front of the doors named after a man my father worked with for many years, making the WMHA something to be proud of.

I recall the countless hours, miles and missed meals my father, Siro Martinello, Knobby Knudsen and others donated to create a vibrant organization that tried to do the right thing. My father spent many years with the Ontario Minor Hockey Association as well. All three of my brothers played hockey with the WMHA and I have spent my life involved in figure skating. I understand the challenges of organizations and how ego impacts decisions at almost every level. What bothers me most is to see these fiefdoms being used to further agendas that impede bringing great sport to kids. Hockey is not alone in this dance.

If your volunteerism is a reflection of who you are and your values, then the WMHA is in trouble. It is 2018, times are changing. No one person should lead an organization for 19 years. These are not bad people but they are making really bad decisions. Organizations must foster leadership and grow from the bottom up. Of course parents should have a say — it is their money. Margo Cooke, Windsor