HEADLINE
INTRODUCING THE CENTRAL CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE (CCHL)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Introducing the Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL)TORONTO, ON -We are pleased to announce the establishment of a new Junior "A" Hockey League within the Province of Ontario. The new league, known as the "Central Canadian Hockey League" or "CCHL", consists of 21 teams, each of whom until recently was a member in the OPJHL (OJHL), which is in the process of being dissolved. The CCHL includes Ajax, Bowmanville, Burlington, Cobourg, Dixie, Hamilton, Lindsay, Markham, Orangeville, Newmarket, North York , Peterborough, Pickering ,Seguin, Streetsville, Stouffville, St. Michael's, Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Upper Canada, Wellington, and Whitby.
The 21 teams of the CCHL are committed to following many of the principles and practices that were established as part of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) supported "Central Division" pilot program that was operated successfully within the OPJHL (OJHL) in the 2008-2009 season. These principles include a renewed emphasis on maintaining rigorous operating standards, the amateur status of players, player advancement, player safety and collaboration with other Canadian Junior Hockey programs.
The selection of the league name reflects its Canadian identity, geographic location and the commitment of its members to a set of values that are central to the operation of all aspects of the league.
"The establishment of the CCHL as a new Junior 'A' Hockey league in Ontario is an exciting first step in the revitalization of Junior 'A' Hockey at a time when many young Canadians are showing a decreased interest in the game", comments CCHL Board of Director member , Mike McCarron. Our goal is to bring back much of the excitement that seems to have gone out of Junior 'A' hockey over the years.
"Our league first operating model has all 21 teams working closely together to implement programs that promote a higher degree of parity and maximizing advancement options for players, such as the OHL, CIS and the NCAA, while taking stringent steps to maintain the amateur status of all players", reports McCarron, who is also the Governor of the St. Michael's Buzzers, one of the most storied Junior "A" franchises in Canada.
As part of the launching of the CCHL, the league is also pleased to formally announce the appointment of Perry Bowles as Director of Hockey Operations. Perry is not new to the league first "Central" ways of thinking - he most recently served as General Manager for the Cobourg Cougars, one of the original 8 teams involved in last season's Central Division pilot project and prior to that was General Manager for a highly successful program with the Bowmanville Eagles. Upon accepting his new role in the league office, Bowles resigned his position with the Cougars.
"It certainly is bittersweet. We lost someone very special to the Cobourg Cougars but we gained something much bigger in having such a highly capable and respected person in a role to support and advance all of the players of the CCHL to the next levels of hockey - and to have that person be a Cobourg alumnus is just the icing on the cake," said Marc Mercier, Governor of the Cobourg Cougars and member of the CCHL Board of Executive Directors.
Bowles has been vested with the day-to-day operations of the CCHL (with teams based out of the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe, and Northeastern Ontario) and meets all of the requirements necessary to run the largest junior hockey league in North America.
The CCHL began its exhibition schedule last week with the regular season scheduled to begin the week of September 7th. More information on and further announcements concerning the CCHL and the exciting year that lies ahead are imminent.
Media Contact: Kevin O'Connor, Member, Board of Directors, at koconnor@thecchl.com
