The Saskatchewan Hockey Association reverses its decision to allow a combined CIHL team to represent BC in the Western Canada Senior AA Men’s Championships.
January 2005

Steve Prpich, Senior Chair of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) has reversed his decision to allow the CIHL to represent BC with a team made up from players from around the league. Branches from Alberta and Manitoba have expressed concern their regular club teams would be playing what would amount to an all-star team from BC. The SHA has requested that any team that represents BC will have to have earned the right to do so. This means that the team that wins the Coy Cup will represent BC.

This decision may cause BC to not be represented at the Western Canada Championships. The time and cost associated with travelling to Meadow Lake Saskatchewan (host of the Western Canadian Senior AA Men’s Championships) may not allow BC teams to participate. When originally asked by Bob James, BCAHA, Director Senior Men’s Division to put a team together Bobby Love, CIHL President accepted the challenge (refer to the December 2004 article “ CIHL to represent BC in the Western Championships ”). “The likelihood of getting enough players to represent the CIHL would be much greater if we canvassed all eight teams in the league instead of asking just the winner”, Love said.

The CIHL Executive is currently determining which of its eight teams would be willing to represent BC should they win the Coy Cup. A decision on this matter is pending feed-back from CIHL Team Executives. “While we are hopeful that the two CIHL teams that will be attending the Coy Cup will be able to represent BC there are many factors to consider”, said Love. When asked if the CIHL would be able to provide some financial assistance to a CIHL team that is given the chance to go to the Western Canada Championship, Love stated “that is matter that the league executive and General Managers have to decide should we even get a team to identify their willingness to attend”.