(file photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Minor Hockey

NEMHL axes season, teams still permitted to practice under provincial guidelines

Jan 19, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The North East Minor Hockey League (NEMHL) has decided to cancel the remainder of its 2020/2021 season.

This comes after the Saskatchewan Hockey Association’s memo on Thursday, Jan. 14 that stated there would likely be no games played until March.

The NEMHL encompasses all ‘house league’ teams ranging from U7 to U18 in the North East region. The league recently held a vote to determine the best path forward after hearing Sask. Hockey’s announcement. NEMHL President Donna Dressler said there was lots of concern from smaller organizations and communities regarding running their rinks with no games being played.

She added that it wasn’t a ‘hard’ decision, but it was something that had to be done.

“It was a disappointing point during the season,” Dressler said. “We just had to make a decision one way or another.”

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Teams only got to play a handful of games, if that, when games were permitted in November.

While the league will not mandate any games for the rest of the season, teams are still permitted to practice under Saskatchewan Health Authority guidelines. Melfort Minor Hockey is one of those organizations that decided to continue. There were options for teams, players, and coaches to opt out after the announcement, but almost all of the parties involved decide to continue with the adjusted practices.

Vice-President Brad Hicks said it’s important players have the chance to be involved in organized sports right now.

“Getting to play hockey, is about the hockey,” he said. “But it’s also almost as much about the social bit that they get to see each week.”

Only eight players are allowed to be on the ice at one time, players only come to the rink 20 minutes before their practice, and are to enter through certain doors of the arena. Hicks said the players took advantage of the time they have being around fellow players, and being on the ice. He said coaches have really had to adjust how they plan practices and as a coach himself, Hicks said he’s trying to add more fun to practices.

He said players, coaches, and parents were asking questions about the state of hockey in the province, and it’s nice to finally have some finality to the questions, knowing for sure that there won’t be games played this season. Hicks said while there’s adjusted practices, and no games, he’s taking some positive away from this season because other provinces aren’t allowing players to skate.

“I think we do have to be grateful for what we can do,” Hicks said. “And not focus on what we can’t do.”

Hicks and Dressler both credited their members, players, coaches, and parents for their cooperation through the season.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6