Minor hockey associations looking to merge

Call it a sign of the times: Fewer parents are registering their kids in Canada’s favourite pastime.

While the population is increasing, the number of kids playing has dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We might be big associations for this area but not in the grand scheme of things,” said Doug Tellerd, vice president of travel for Windsor Minor Hockey.

His group is working on a merger with LaSalle Minor Hockey for the 2025-26 season.

Tellerd said the association is rebounding from the pandemic but not quickly.

“We're not failing by any means as an association,” Tellerd pointed out. “We could definitely survive for a long time the way we are but we'll be stronger together.”

Windsor Minor Hockey has more than 700 players while LaSalle is close to 900. President Mike Seguin said enrollment and mergers are happening across the province including the recent amalgamation of South Point and Essex.

“They've had a lot of success with it but I can tell you there's other ones going on right now in Bluewater that you'll find out eventually,” said Seguin, who feels more opportunities are being created for players to be competitive.

“U15 might have three teams and that's not meaningful hockey,” Seguin said. “We've already worked with Windsor to combine some of those house leagues so that they get more teams.”

Some, like Shaher Batroukh, like the merger.

“I think the benefit of this merger would be more opportunities for the kids and ice time,” said Batroukh. “They need the experience, the challenges and that's what makes them better hockey players.”

Hockey mom Kelly Blanchard however has concerns.

“Windsor teams have the opportunity to try out and in the event that they're better than our regular AA or AAA players then will those players lose the position and now they have to go back to house league?” she said.

That is one of the questions that can be addressed at a second public meeting March 20 at the Vollmer Complex.

Both associations will move from there for a vote in early April.

Seguin said if the vote for a merger is yes the associations will await approval by the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.

“As far as the naming of a new organization, because it would be a new entity, that would be consultation again with our memberships,” he said.