New opportunity

Hockey Nova Scotia offers playing chance for sidelined high school players

Hockey Nova Scotia is helping to get high school hockey players who have been sidelined by a labour dispute back on the ice.

Hundreds of high school athletes across the province have been left without an opportunity to play as a result of the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation no longer sanctioning high school hockey during the Nova Scotia Teachers Union’s work- torule job action.

Hockey Nova Scotia is sanctioning the formation and registration of teams within its minor hockey system that will accommodate and host these displaced high school hockey players.

“We believe every player who wants to play hockey in Nova Scotia should have an opportunity to get on the ice and experience our great game,” said Darren Cossar, Hockey Nova Scotia’s execu- tive director. “In many cases, players who have spent their entire lives playing hockey have been left without an avenue to pursue our sport this winter and we want to do everything we can to help get them back on the ice.”

These teams will participate in a newly- formed league for currently registered high school players and play an abbreviated schedule of 10 to 12 regular season games as well as playoffs. These teams will also have an opportunity to compete for a provincial championship within the Hockey Nova Scotia structure.

The new league will be designed for high school players who are currently only playing high school hockey and have no other place to play. The vast majority of players who play high school girls hockey also play female hockey within the Hockey Nova Scotia structure. Any female player who has been displaced is asked to contact her Hockey Nova Scotia Female Regional Zone representative who will work to find her a team within the Hockey Nova Scotia structure.

Parents, players and groups are encouraged to contact their local minor hockey association to register their players as soon as possible. These players will be covered by Hockey Canada insurance through their registration.

The registration deadline is Jan. 12. League play will begin shortly after this date.