Gretzky house league tourney remains popular
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Although he stopped playing hockey years ago, Chris Blank maintains a passion for the sport that is evident through his contributions that span decades.
“I stopped playing in my teens when I realized that I really wasn’t going to go anywhere,” Blank, 53, said Saturday. “I became a referee and did that for 28 years and I coached for 12 years.”
He has been a member of the Brantford Minor Hockey Association’s board of directors for six years and is currently first vice-president.
Later this year, he will take over as association president but, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Blank, like a lot of other volunteers, was busy helping with the association’s annual Walter Gretzky House League Tournament at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.
The event attracted 90 teams, with some coming from Sudbury and Ottawa. This year’s tournament had fewer teams competing than in past years, a reflection of a minor hockey trend, said Blank
“There’s no doubt participation in minor hockey is on the decline, the statistics prove it,” he said. “For people of my generation and people who were born here, it (hockey) is the thing to do.
“For new Canadians, however, it’s different. They’ve grown up with other sports and they’re not all that familiar with hockey.”
Still, Brantford remains a popular destination for minor hockey teams to visit when planning their season tournament schedule, Blank said.
“We’ve got a lot of things going for us, including the facility,” he said of the Gretzky centre.
“The improvements to the Gretzky centre have made a huge difference. People enjoy coming here to play and I think you can see the impact it has in the community.”
Blank also noted that the city now boasts more hotels to accommodate visiting players and their families.
“We also have volunteers who work really hard to make sure the tournament runs smoothly,” he said. “Mind you, we really could use a lot more volunteers and we’d like to be bringing in more teams.”
Brantford minor hockey is working to promote the sport to young people. The association offers First Shift, a six-week program for boys and girls, aged 6 to 10, who have not previously registered in a hockey program.
Blank said the focus of First Shift, which costs $199, including equipment, is on having fun while learning how to play hockey.
He added that the association is looking for ways to encourage those who enjoy First Shift to continue playing.
Hockey has changed a lot over the years with rule changes, including the introduction of three-on-three for overtime to resolve a tie game.
“I’m a bit old-school but I do like the three-on-three because it puts the emphasis on skill and puck control,” Blank said. “If you’re playing three-on-three you really have to think about taking an opposing player out with a body check because when you do that, you’re taking yourself out of the play as well.”
One improvement Blank would like to see is better training for referees and on-ice officials.
“There may be some training for some officials but for most the only training they get is on the job,” he said. “They’re handed a whistle and they learn as they go.
“If they get hassled by coaches and fans, they end up getting frustrated and don’t want to do it anymore.”
Blank said that better training for officials would help keep the sport fun for everyone.
“It’s a great game and a lot of fun and we want to keep it that way.”
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