PICTOU
Local parents who don’t want their sons playing Midget AA hockey this season will likely see their kids dropping down to Midget C.
“Unless something happens between now and (Friday night), it’s a done deal – everybody’s going back to Midget C,” said John Tetreault, who has a son playing Midget hockey.
He said that the players would be dispersed among other Midget C teams, and added that there could be as many as 10 Midget C squads in Pictou County this year.
Citing travel costs as a primary reason, most parents had been opposed to the idea of their sons playing another season in a Midget AA hockey league, against a Midget AA team from Antigonish and three others from Cape Breton.
Paula Crosby said her son is probably “kicking himself” for not trying out for his high school team and added that the situation might have him exploring his hockey-playing options next year.
“It’s pretty frustrating, because they’re only hurting the kids.”
Many parents had preferred to have two Midget A teams formed in Pictou County, allowing them to play teams from this region – Antigonish, Colchester and Cumberland counties – without having to make regular overnight trips to Cape Breton (once, perhaps twice each month).
But Hockey Nova Scotia (HNS) drew a line in the sand: it’s Midget AA or Midget C.
“I’m not happy, my son’s not happy, all the parents aren’t happy,” said Tetreault.
“We are so done with beating our heads against the wall.”
The Midget C level is non-contact hockey that offers no opportunity to compete for a provincial title.
HNS officials have not responded to multiple emails from The News seeking comment.
