A group representing senior hockey teams was told REAL's new board was not informed about the agreement
Get the latest from Darrell Davis straight to your inbox
Author of the article:
Darrell Davis
Published Aug 14, 2024 • Last updated 1week ago • 3 minute read
A new, independent hockey academy — part of the privately-owned Hockey Super League — is being organized in Regina with unprecedented control of the Brandt Centre, upsetting senior/recreational teams who rented the arena’s ice for decades and have taken their complaints to City Hall.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Long-time users angry about Young Guns Hockey Academy bumping them from Brandt Centre Back to video
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Representatives from eight senior/recreational teams met Monday with Mayor Sandra Masters and Ward 2 Councillor Bob Hawkins to voice their displeasure about possibly being bumped from their long-time home.
Advertisem*nt 2
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Regina Leader-Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Regina Leader-Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Sign In or Create an Account
or
View more offers
Article content
“They told us they’re going to make a motion to postpone all agreements with Young Guns,” said Steve Alport, a senior hockey player whose team has been renting ice time at the 47-year-old Brandt Centre for about 30 years. “Our team hasn’t been there the longest, either. The guys in the room were between 30-something and 75 because, you know, this is a huge part of our social lives and a way to stay active.
“It means we would keep our times in the Brandt Centre for this year and maybe talk to the city about resurrecting the Optimist and Kinsmen arenas, turning those over to a community-type of association and hopefully finding some funds to do an upgrade.”
Although the 6,000-seat Brandt Centre has typically been under the auspices of the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) for the booking of everything from rodeos to concerts to hockey games, the City of Regina ultimately controls REAL. The city recently assumed about $9 million in debts accrued by REAL before forcing it to undergo an administrative shakeup that installed a new board of directors.
Masters and Hawkins told the hockey group they plan to file the motion this week with City Council.
Headline News
Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
Advertisem*nt 3
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Whenever the Brandt Centre wasn’t available in the past, the senior/recreational teams would book ice at one of five City of Regina arenas or one of the six REAL rinks nearby at the Co-Operators Centre. The city recently gave most of their excess ice time to Hockey Regina, Alport said, so their alternative could be playing in the little-used, undersized and outdated Kinsmen and Optimist arenas.
Alport said his group was told REAL’s new board was not informed about the agreement with Young Guns, who may be forced to find alternative ice time.
Repeated messages left with REAL received no responses.
Young Guns Hockey Academy plans to start its programs in early September for players in the 2015 and 2017 age groups.
Mike Reich, a former junior and college player who coaches and organizes the Young Guns program, intended to schedule practices, games and “Showcase” tournaments around the Brandt Centre’s primary tenants, the WHL’s Regina Pats, before booking times for senior, recreational and beer-league teams that traditionally played games in off-prime hours.
“We’ve had a lot of good, encouraging conversations with people who are happy that we’re having development for youth hockey,” said Reich.
Advertisem*nt 4
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“Some guys have been ticked off because they’ve been (in the Brandt Centre) for years, playing beer-league hockey. But after they’ve heard a little more and talked to me a few times, they’ve been a little better about it.”
As an independent program with its own qualification policies, training regimens and insurance policies, Young Guns is not affiliated with Hockey Regina, Hockey Saskatchewan or Hockey Canada.
Reich said he has received numerous inquiries about a program that intends to improve the quality of minor hockey players from Regina, surrounding area and the U.S., with 75 hours per team designated for skills development, 35-40 games against Hockey Super League teams from Moose Jaw, Calgary and Edmonton, including the regional Showcases.
With many recent junior and pro draft choices coming directly from private academies in Canada and the U.S., which teach a mixture of North American and European styles, Reich is hopeful Young Guns can get a toehold in Regina to expand its age groups and include female hockey.
Recommended from Editorial
- REAL to stay, new board and financial plan to come this fall
- City of Regina agrees to pay back $9M owed by EDR, REAL to federal govt.
The Regina Leader-Post has created anAfternoon Headlinesnewsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day.Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark leaderpost.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Create an AccountSign in
Join the Conversation
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Trending
- Changes coming to Roughriders’ lineup for Thursday’s game against Argonauts
- 'She loved everyone': Family mourns death of teen shot in Wolseley, Sask.
- What's in front of Regina city councillors this week?
- Rider Rumblings Ep 146: What's going on with the Roughriders?
- Davis: Ya gotta believe in Rider kicker Brett Lauther, according to his coach
Read Next
Latest National Stories