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Letter to Editor

The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.

The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.

I am writing this in response to the letter that appeared in Friday's newspaper, as not all the statements made were accurate. I coached the Pee Wee AA team for a number of years here in Flin Flon as well as sitting on the Minor Hockey board. To say that minor hockey in Flin Flon, especially rep teams, are all about politics is absurd. You said that you have never seen a team win because they roomed together. All of my teams have stayed together in hotels three or four players to a room. My teams all had curfews, usually 10:00 - 10:30 lights out. The players on the other teams that stayed with their parents were all running the halls until whenever. So we have won games because my players were well rested and the other team wasn't. I've also had parents yelling at the ref, taking a penalty for us in the last two minutes of a game when we were down a goal. Might have cost us, didn't help. I also have heard some coaches let players go because of the parents, but it's not because the parents don't fit in or how much money they make. You have to remember all minor coaches are volunteers who donate a lot of their time so that your son or daughter can learn some hockey skills, some life skills and have some fun. Now if a coach has a player whose parent just happens to be the biggest headache he has ever had, there's a chance the player will be let go, regardless of their ability. All of my teams, whether we had a winning team or a team that didn't win many games, represented Flin Flon and themselves better than a lot of junior teams. The players over the years have received plaques and letters from hotels and restaurants stating how well mannered they all were for their age. Not once have I ever had a problem with any of the players, individually or as a team. Where there are only two or three coaches looking after 17 players, we put a lot of onus on the guys to help out, and they do. Not once have I had a player come to me and tell me that they weren't learning anything or having fun staying without the parents, even with all the rules. As far as spending someone else's money, we don't go out of our way to try to make it as expensive as we can. Quite the opposite. We do spend a lot of our own time on the phones trying to find the cheapest transportation, meals for the team and rooms for the players and parents. As a rule it costs the parents about $225 a month, plus some fundraising for six months, for their son or daughter to play on a rep team. For that they get about eight tournament entry fees, bus, most team meals and team rooms paid for. I've also had a lot of players whose parents couldn't make the tournaments because of work or other commitments, and this program made it easier for them. Now if all the parents took their vehicles to any tournament, I am sure that it would cost at least $150 x 17 players, which is over $2,500, not counting wear and tear and providing somebody doesn't break down. My most expensive bus was $3,500 to go to Morden for four days and it was real nice to know that I didn't have to drive home Sunday night late, or in the middle of winter, possibly missing the next day's work. I am not sure how you can save any more money. Most of the programs and rules are not cut in stone and are always open for discussion or change. A lot of decisions are made by the coaches and parents together. Sean Dundas is now the coach of the Pee Wee AA's and I'm sure that he is going to do a great job, and I wish him all the best this year. If any other parents have any questions or concerns, they are more than welcome to call me or any of the other coaches in Flin Flon. All people are entitled to their opinion, which is good, but they should sign their name if they are going to put them in print. Thanks for your time and space, Trent Boak

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