905-842-6030 90 dentistoakville.com den SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ONTARIO'S TOP NEWSPAPER - 2005-2008 Coffee talk Artscene FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012 353 IROQUOIS SHORE DRIVE, OAKVILLE A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 50 No. 15 "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" 32 Pages $1.00 (plus tax) Let the boys play ILLUSTRATION BY ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER Coach challenging Halton high school boys' hockey rule It's been another banner season for Oakville's Minor Oaks Hockey Association (MOHA) rep teams -- with one major exception. The majority of Rangers squads either finished atop or challenged for top spot in their Tri-County Minor Hockey League or South Central Triple A division, and many have legitimate aspirations of winning Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, the midget A Rangers -- a team of 16- and 17-year-olds -- are nearing Special Report Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR the end of what has been a hellish campaign. They won just one of their 28 league games, surrendered eight or more goals in eight of those contests and lost three times by double-digit margins. Rangers head coach Kevin Kokotailo believes he knows why, and he's determined to rectify the problem. For more than three decades, the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association (HSSAA) has prohibited rep hockey players from playing varsity boys' hockey. There are only three other associations in Ontario that abide by a similar rule, and the rule has always had its detractors as well as its supporters. The rule only applies to boys' high school hockey. Student-athletes are allowed to play rep and high school in other sports like soccer, volleyball, basketball, football and rugby. And girls are allowed to play both rep and high school hockey because, according to various high school coaches, not all schools would be able to ice a girls' team -- particularly a competitive one -- if rep players weren't allowed. That logic isn't enough for Kokotailo, however. He has appealed the rule prohibiting boys from playing both rep and high See MOHA page 21 · HOME · AUTO · LIFE · BUSINESS · AV I AT I O N THE MAGNES GROUP INC. 1540 Cornwall Rd., Suite #100, Oakville, ON L6J 7W5 Tel: 905-845-9793 Fax: 905-845-9149 www.magnesgroup.com END INSURANCE CONFUSION. For informed decisions that you can feel good about, contact us!