The CEO of BC Hockey says he is sa国际传媒渆xcitedsa国际传媒� about the decision to reclassify the provincesa国际传媒檚 three Junior B leagues to Junior A sa国际传媒� Tier 2.
Cameron Hope fielded questions in a press conference about the decision on Tuesday, July 25 following the announcement.
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The decision affects 45 teams in three leagues: 20 in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), 14 in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and 11 in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL).
There are still many details that need to be ironed out, Hope said.
One of the main things discussed is the opportunity for these newly designated Tier 2 teams to pursue Junior A - Tier 1 designation.
sa国际传媒漌esa国际传媒檙e going to let the ecosystem settle and just be mindful of everybodysa国际传媒檚 best pathway to end up where they want to be,sa国际传媒� Hope said. sa国际传媒淭here are going to be some changes. These three leagues operate within specific geographical footprints because of how unique B.C. is.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e going to maintain that for now, but theresa国际传媒檚 no question that as clubs strive quickly to become Tier 1 and be ready to take on more, there may be a reshuffle there, so wesa国际传媒檒l let it take its own path, we donsa国际传媒檛 want to force that and we donsa国际传媒檛 want to force the time either.sa国际传媒�
Hope also said he doesnsa国际传媒檛 think every franchise will want to step up and ask to be evaluated to Tier 1, partially due to increased costs associated with the enhanced standards Tier 1 designation will have, in terms of practice and travel.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e going to take baby steps first, wesa国际传媒檙e going to let everybody crawl, then wesa国际传媒檙e going to get them all walking and those that donsa国际传媒檛 want to walk, and certainly those that donsa国际传媒檛 want to run, have the option of staying and just saying no, wesa国际传媒檙e not going to be able to do this.
sa国际传媒淏ut we want everybody to have the opportunity. So itsa国际传媒檚 not just about raising standards and raising player experience, it is about the reality of some of the communities and some of the less-funded franchises to decide whether or not they want to take a deep breath and take a deep plunge.sa国际传媒�
Another uncertainty that still needs to be determined is the future of the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the championship these three leagues compete for each year.
sa国际传媒淚n terms of the Cyclone Taylor Cup, wesa国际传媒檙e open to suggestions on that one thatsa国际传媒檚 on the list of things to figure out what to do,sa国际传媒� Hope said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a storied and historic part of B.C. Hockey and we have to figure that out.sa国际传媒�
The application for Junior A status came after the BC Hockey League decided to leave Hockey Canada to become independent, leaving a Junior A void in B.C.
Hockey Canada and the Western Hockey League (WHL), Hope said, have been very receptive to this reclassification, as it keeps a credible pathway within sanctioned hockey very soon after BCHLsa国际传媒檚 departure.
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sa国际传媒淲e have a lot of players that they hope will end up in the WHL in our system, and that development path is critical to them,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淯ltimately itsa国际传媒檚 not a good thing to have a big, strong branch like ours out here in B.C. not represented at the Centennial Cup and not represented nationally.
sa国际传媒淎nd so step by step, wesa国际传媒檒l get these leaguessa国际传媒n shape to knock on the door of the CJHL and be able to join that group, so theysa国际传媒檙e keenly interested.sa国际传媒�
In terms of what fans can expect this coming season when they go see their local teams play, Hope said the changes are mainly going to be things the fans donsa国际传媒檛 see.
sa国际传媒淭he things that are happening behind the scenes in terms of the standards for the player experience, which is where wesa国际传媒檙e focused here, and for that development path, are the things that are going to change,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淭hat will ultimately translate into players that are playing at a higher level, theresa国际传媒檒l be different standards in terms of how theysa国际传媒檙e travelling and how theysa国际传媒檙e practicing and whether or not thatsa国际传媒檚 visible to the fans right away. I donsa国际传媒檛 know but itsa国际传媒檚 exciting.sa国际传媒�
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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