Josh Gorges has had his day in the sun.
A veteran of 783 games and 13 NHL seasons, the now-retired former Montreal Canadiens defenseman just wants to give back to the game by coaching his kid91裸聊视频檚 team with Kelowna Minor Hockey.
Unfortunately for Gorges he can91裸聊视频檛 do so as he and others are pawns in a political war that is going on between the B.C. Hockey League and Hockey Canada.
This past summer, the BCHL decided to break away from the jurisdiction of Hockey Canada due to philosophical differences, with the main issue being the fact that 16 and 17-year-old players had to have their parents have residency within the province if they wanted to play in the BCHL. The same rule applies nation-wide to all junior leagues except the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
That rule was a deal-breaker for the BCHL, whose main selling point is providing NCAA prospects with an extremely high level of competition and exposure. The 61-year-old league is a feeder system for NCAA hockey with 321 alumni currently playing at that level according to the league91裸聊视频檚 website.
The BCHL91裸聊视频檚 approach also conflicts with Hockey Canada91裸聊视频檚 model which likes to see kids graduating to the three major junior leagues rather than the NCAA 91裸聊视频� even though they have no issue with having NCAA players on their national teams representing the country in international competitions.
According to BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb, the league prepared a 35-page white paper to suggest a coordinated effort with BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. The latter didn91裸聊视频檛 even respond to the initiative while the former was dismissive.
The end result is that BC Hockey and Hockey Canada are coming down hard on players, coaches, referees, teams or organizations that are associating themselves with the BCHL and promising dire consequences as Ben Lypka of Black Press Media pointed out in his story .
As for Gorges, all he wants to do is give back to the game he loves.
As a Player Development Consultant for the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL and as a hockey dad who wants to coach his kid91裸聊视频檚 team, Gorges has been caught in the middle of this conflict.
91裸聊视频淚t was at some point, late spring or early summer, I can91裸聊视频檛 remember exactly but we knew that the BCHL was moving away from B.C. Hockey. That91裸聊视频檚 when I started to ask questions about what my status would be as a volunteer coach for minor hockey. At the time I was like, wow, they91裸聊视频檙e not going to say I can91裸聊视频檛 coach eight-year-old kids because I work with a junior team because I don91裸聊视频檛 understand where the conflict would be. It91裸聊视频檚 not like I can take my eight or nine-year olds and switch them over to the BCHL. But then I filed for my application to coach my son91裸聊视频檚 minor hockey team and it got denied. That91裸聊视频檚 when I was like, 91裸聊视频淥h, this is real,91裸聊视频� explained Gorges, who placed an appeal with B.C Hockey and Hockey Canada but ultimately was denied an exemption.
Gorges is certified to coach rep hockey up to U-18 but would have needed to take additional courses to be qualified to coach his boy91裸聊视频檚 team. He was planning on doing so, but once his appeal was denied, he decided there was no reason to go ahead with the process.
With one son already playing in the HPL (High Performance Level) League which is also not recognized by Hockey Canada, Gorges opted to remain with the Warriors, help coach the HPL team and help with his other son91裸聊视频檚 Kelowna Minor team in a limited capacity.
91裸聊视频淚 can go on the ice for practice and assist in practice. I91裸聊视频檓 not allowed to take control or direct any of the practice and I91裸聊视频檓 not allowed to be on the bench because of an apparent liability issue,91裸聊视频� said Gorges, who retired from the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres in 2018.
Gorges strongly emphasizes that this isn91裸聊视频檛 about him. It91裸聊视频檚 about giving back which I know from personal experience is part of his DNA. He91裸聊视频檚 always been involved in charity events in the Kelowna area, whether it91裸聊视频檚 been fundraisers for the Kelowna Hospital Foundation or golf tournaments, he91裸聊视频檚 selfless with his time.
Now he just wants to be able to give back to kids 91裸聊视频� and give back to the game.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 nothing in my life that91裸聊视频檚 given me greater joy than being with these little kids and seeing them develop and grow and knowing that I can help them be a part of their dream that they91裸聊视频檙e chasing. I love it - I just love it. It91裸聊视频檚 not like I91裸聊视频檓 doing it because I have nothing else to do. I actually want to. I just love being on the ice with these kids. I have fun with them. I push them hard in a way that they seem to enjoy - they don91裸聊视频檛 get frustrated with it,91裸聊视频� said Gorges.
91裸聊视频淚 build relationships with these little kids and I become close with them to the point where I walk through most rinks in Kelowna and there91裸聊视频檚 usually two or three that come right up to me and say 91裸聊视频楬i Coach91裸聊视频�. To me that91裸聊视频檚 the greatest feeling - these little kids who might look up to me and acting on the things that I tell them 91裸聊视频� it provides me with a lot of joy. I know if my kids had to learn from somebody who91裸聊视频檚 been where they want to go, I91裸聊视频檇 want them to learn from them. And I91裸聊视频檝e always thought, there comes a responsibility with us as players to give back to the next generation - to come back and help continue to grow the game so that it91裸聊视频檚 better than when we got to it.91裸聊视频�
As far as the ongoing saga, Hebb and the BCHL have requested a meeting with Federal Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough to voice their concerns of what the perceive to be actions contradictory to Hockey Canada91裸聊视频檚 mandate which is to promote the game in Canada.
In the meantime, Gorges and others continue to pay the price.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 91裸聊视频渢he Moj91裸聊视频� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
