Minor hockey realignment met with excitement, disappointment for two communities

Changes to the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) upcoming midget season is getting mixed reaction from two communities involved in the realignment.

The SHA announced a realignment for it’s top midget-aged (15-17) league on Tuesday.

Most notable in the updated structure of the midget AAA league was stripping away two teams — Beardy’s Blackhawks and Notre Dame Argos — and awarding two new teams in Estevan and Warman for the upcoming 2020-2021 season.

Tyrone Smallchild, councillor in charge of sport, recreation and culture for Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation feels dreams and inspiration are leaving with the team.

“We feel frustrated that our kids cannot look up to the AAA and AA system, as well as our younger kids who idolize these young fellas on the ice,” Smallchild said.

The Blackhawks — the only midget AAA team located and operated on a First Nation in Canada — has been in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) since 1995.

Each of the 12 clubs in the SMAAAHL was asked to reapply for its position in the league as part of an SHA review that resulted in both the AAA and AA teams in Beardy’s being moved.

Applications were due on Oct. 1 and were subject to a review by an SHA task force. Multiple criteria were considered during the SHA’s effective relaunch of its top league.

While the Notre Dame Argos and the Beardy’s Blackhawks failed to meet the criteria, Estevan and Warman successfully ticked all the boxes and will debut in the league next fall.

Even though the SHA has said it’s decision is final and the conversation won’t be revisited, Smallchild and others in Beardy’s are eager to find out how they were unable to meet the criteria for remaining in the 12-team league.

“These are questions I’m waiting to hear answered as well,” Smallchild said.

Warman Minor Hockey eager to join AAA ranks

Roughly 60 kilometres south of Beardy’s, small celebrations were happening as Warman Minor Hockey prepares for its first campaign in AAA hockey.

“The people around Warman are very excited, it’s something they’ve talked about and dreamed and wanted for at least eight years if not more,” Heaney said.

Heaney said there has been a desire to play and host AAA or junior hockey in Warman for “a long time.”

“It just shows the rest of the province that Warman is a strong hockey community and let’s us have a chance to show off our facilities, our city and all the players that we have,” he said.

Heaney couldn’t undervalue what it means to Warman to have a program like this moving forward.

Opposite to Beardy’s feelings, Heaney is hopeful it can provide children inspiration for children across the area.

“It gives those kids an even more visible target of what they are shooting for. A midget AAA team right in your rink is what all these kids are shooting for and why we do all these drills and all these stations and why we focus on skills is for these kids to have a chance to play for their midget AAA team in their home rink,” Heaney said.

Smallchild is slowly coming to grips with the departure of the Blackhawks, even though him and many community members will be challenging the SHA’s decision.

“It almost overtook me. I felt like, at one time, crying because I see the kids at the arena. They’re idolizing these guys at practice. They’re idolizing these guys when they warm up,” Smallchild said.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Harrison Brooks