To theeditor: A letter to Minor Hockey Parents of Ontario. I am writing this letter to you as a fellow minor hockey parent and coach, because I need youropinion, and your help. Over the past six or seven years I have become in- creasingly appalled at the amount of unnecessary violence and use of intimidation tactics that seem to have become part of minor hockey. I am now at the point where I have decided that my three boys will not be allowed to play OMHA hockey beyond the atom level (body contact starts at the peewee age group) unless something is done to clean.up the game. If you have had, or are having, the same thoughts, then perhaps we can join together and help change this great game for the better. What I am proposing to you is the elimination of body contact in all levels of minor hockey. Tyke, novice, atom, oldtimers, and most men's rec leagues now play no con- tact hockey and I don't think you'd find many of them saying that the game has deteriorated because of the lack of hitting.. To the contrary, most will tell you that both the speed of the game and the skill of the players has increased. My personal opinion is that a combination of high emotions, sometimes questionable coaching tactics, a feeling of invulnerability, and inconsistent officiating, all combine to present a problem with too many variables to allow fora quick solution under the present format. I feel a major change is necessary, and that the elimination of body contact is the answer ! I have taken the following statistics from a recent Hockey Development Council pamphlet to help illustrate a point: 1. There are approximately 38,855 players registered with the OMHA and another 150,000 in house leagues. 2. There are only 300 players in the OHL (major junior A) which is the main feeding grounds for professionalhockey. 3. Less than one per cent of all amateur hockey players in Canada will turn professional and in 1983 only0.1 per cent played in the NHL. My point is this: more than 99 per cent of all amateur hockey players play the game for fun and recreation! It is not a means of ear- ning a living, it is a game! I feel we should do whatever is necessary to keep it as much fun as possible and let those few who decide to make hockey a career, learn the hitting skills fromprofessionalcoaches. My main concerns are: 1. keep the game fun for aIl players 2. eliminate the fear factor and in- timidation tactics 3. protect the smaller players 4. allow for greater skills development by taking the emphasis off hitting. If you, too, are a concerned Minor Hockey parent (whether or not you agreed with my opinion) write to me at Box 1168, Bracebridge, Ont., POB 1CO and give me your name, ad- dress, number of children in minor hockey, their ages, what league they're in; indicate (yes or no) whether yoù are concerned about violence in minor hockey; whether body contact should be eliminated from all levels of minor hockey; whether your name can be used on a petition to the OMHA to request an end to body contact; and if you can offer solutions and comments. My goal is to have 25,000 or more responses, compile the data,,and take the results to the OMHA general meeting in June. Hopefully, with a united effort we can affect a major. change in time for the next hockey season. KevinDunlop Director of chiropractic Bracebridge LETTER Appalled at violence in minor hockey Small Craft Harbours Revitalization Program WHITBY The Honourable Tom Siddon, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Mr. Scott Fennell, M.P. for Ontario, are pleased to announce that Cabinet has approved the following work and expenditures under the Small Craft Harbours Revitalization Program: Dock construction, dredging and wharf repairs $600,000 Paul Sutherland Regional Director General WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2;1988, PAGE 21 the whitby minor basebail association Registration Announcement Whitby Public Library 405 Dundas St. W. March 5th 1:30p.m.- 4:30 p.m. March 12th 9:30a.m.-12:30p.m. Registration forms are available at the Community Information Desk at the Whitby Public Library. WHITBY MINOR LACROSSE Residents of Durham Region Boys & Girls New Players Orientation Î) Lacrosse Schools Feb. 21and 28 Oshawa Civic Dome Registration Dates March 5 Brooklin 10a.m. - 2p.m. March 12 Iroquois 10a.m. - 2p.m. For further information call Tom Lewis or Mike Taylor 655-4443 434-7044 MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION BROOKLIN-WHITBY NOTICE COACH ESASSISTANT COACHES, TRAIN ERS,MANAGERS Applications are now being accepted with BROOKLIN-WHITBY Minor Hockey Assoc. Deadline Friday 1 st April1988 Contact Graham CROUCHER,668-0042