Latest news with #PremierHockeyLeague
NDTV
03-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Pakistan Hockey Team Must Play In India And India Should Reciprocate: Ex-Captain Rehan Butt
Describing the sports ministry's decision, which has paved the way for the Pakistan hockey team's participation in two major multi-nation tournaments here, as a "positive step", former Pak captain Rehan Butt said the Indian team should also cross the border in future and play in his country. A source in the Indian sports ministry said on Thursday that Pakistani hockey teams will be allowed to compete in next month's Asia Cup and the subsequent Junior World Cup. While the Asia Cup is scheduled in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27 to September 7, the Junior World Cup will be organised in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. "I think it is a very positive step. I don't know what our government decides but my personal opinion is that sports should be kept away from politics and the Pakistan hockey team should definitely go and play in India," Butt, who has represented Pakistan in three Olympics and two World Cups, told PTI Bhasha from Pakistan. "Someone should have taken the first step and if the Pakistan team goes to India, then in future India should also cross the border to play here," added the ace forward, who was a member of 2010 Asian Games gold-winning Pakistan team. India and Pakistan have been avoiding bilateral sporting engagements after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks but even multi-lateral face-offs were in doubt after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were gunned down in April. In May, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, leading to a tense military showdown. Rehan, known for his play-making and goal-scoring skills, also feels that the two countries playing against each other is very important for the popularity of Asian hockey. "Hockey lovers in the sub-continent love to watch aggressive and artistic hockey of these arch-rivals. The Indian hockey team has won consecutive Olympic bronze medals and has improved immensely in the last 8-10 years. Now, they are aiming to win an Olympic gold. Pakistan hockey is also trying to regain its old glory but for that it is necessary to play in the World Cup and the Olympics," he said. Rehan, who has played a lot of hockey in India, was the architect of Bangalore Lions' title win in the Premier Hockey League (PHL) in 2006. He also captained the Chandigarh team in the unsanctioned World Series Hockey in India. He came to India as part of the Pakistan coaching staff during the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai last year and the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar. "India always felt like a second home to me because it was the same culture, the same language and everything was the same. When we played in Europe, we used to miss home but in India it felt like home. I have always received a lot of love in India and I've enjoyed playing in Punjab," said Rehan.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City policy could keep some Cold Lake, Alta., minor hockey players off ice, league says
Some minor hockey officials in Cold Lake, in northeastern Alberta, are worried players in non-profit leagues could lose ice team, after the city changed how it prioritizes ice sporting events to try to generate more revenue for local businesses. Amendments to the Arena and Athletic Field Use and Allocation Policy, which were approved in March, give "special events" and tournaments precedence over local youth sports organizations for its rinks. "It's very disheartening," Melissa Coggar, president of Cold Lake Minor Hockey, said while on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. Coggar is concerned her association — which is part of Hockey Alberta, doesn't cap registration and works with other organizations, like Kids Sports, to help families be able to afford to play — now falls below groups like the Premier Hockey League, a standalone for-profit association with minor teams peppered throughout the province. "[The city is] focused more on for-profit than we are non-profit," Coggar said. The decision was made to provide avenues that would push more resources into the local economy, said Mayor Craig Copeland, adding that, historically, council has overlooked such opportunities. Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland says the changes are an opportunity the city had to take for local businesses. (City of Cold Lake) "If you're bringing in a tournament of a magnitude where people are going to be staying in our hotels, that is a big deal for our council, because a lot of our hotels are virtually empty," Copeland said. He added that other businesses, like restaurants, would also get a boost from visitors. "Here's an opportunity to give back to the business community, by having these big tournaments in our community," he said. Coggar argued non-profit leagues do help the city's economy, except "we do not fill the hotels when we have our teams come." Sharing the ice Cold Lake, with a population around 17,500, has four ice-rinks, Copeland said, which is plenty for minor hockey leagues to work with. "There are communities in Alberta that would give a lot for that kind of ratio," he said. Council can designate a bigger arena, like Cold Lake Energy Centre, when bigger groups come for tournaments during weekends, leaving three other rinks for the minor hockey leagues, Copeland said. "Council does not distinguish a 13-year-old hockey player between the Premier Hockey League and Cold Lake Minor Hockey," he said. "We're not going to get into that sandbox. Everyone needs to just work together and move forward." Coggar said one of the rinks is owned by the military base, and so the minor hockey league does not get priority in that facility. But according to Brad Revell, a Cold Lake Minor Hockey coach and parent, it's not that simple. "It's disappointing because it puts us on the road more," Revell said, adding that his team often had to travel outside the city before the city's amendments were approved. The changes, he said, give the league three other weekends every month to fit in all its home games, and teams will either end up playing early in the morning, or later in the evenings. Coggar said the league is willing to work with the city to share the ice rinks, based on the new with only seven weeks left to book ice times for all the regular season tournaments, she said time is running out to re-organize the schedules. The league may have to look to book outside of Cold Lake. Coggar is also concerned that few kids may be able to participate in local hockey, if parents cannot make it work around their schedules, she said. "Our minor hockey children are very important," she said. "It's a great part of development for children and it would be unfortunate if we have to send away kids."
CBC
20-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
City policy could keep some Cold Lake, Alta., minor hockey players off ice, league says
Some minor hockey officials in Cold Lake, in northeastern Alberta, are worried players in non-profit leagues could lose ice team, after the city changed how it prioritizes ice sporting events to try to generate more revenue for local businesses. Amendments to the Arena and Athletic Field Use and Allocation Policy, which were approved in March, give "special events" and tournaments precedence over local youth sports organizations for its rinks. "It's very disheartening," Melissa Coggar, president of Cold Lake Minor Hockey, said while on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. Coggar is concerned her association — which is part of Hockey Alberta, doesn't cap registration and works with other organizations, like Kids Sports, to help families be able to afford to play — now falls below groups like the Premier Hockey League, a standalone for-profit association with minor teams peppered throughout the province. "[The city is] focused more on for-profit than we are non-profit," Coggar said. The decision was made to provide avenues that would push more resources into the local economy, said Mayor Craig Copeland, adding that, historically, council has overlooked such opportunities. "If you're bringing in a tournament of a magnitude where people are going to be staying in our hotels, that is a big deal for our council, because a lot of our hotels are virtually empty," Copeland said. He added that other businesses, like restaurants, would also get a boost from visitors. "Here's an opportunity to give back to the business community, by having these big tournaments in our community," he said. Coggar argued non-profit leagues do help the city's economy, except "we do not fill the hotels when we have our teams come." Sharing the ice Cold Lake, with a population around 17,500, has four ice-rinks, Copeland said, which is plenty for minor hockey leagues to work with. "There are communities in Alberta that would give a lot for that kind of ratio," he said. Council can designate a bigger arena, like Cold Lake Energy Centre, when bigger groups come for tournaments during weekends, leaving three other rinks for the minor hockey leagues, Copeland said. "Council does not distinguish a 13-year-old hockey player between the Premier Hockey League and Cold Lake Minor Hockey," he said. "We're not going to get into that sandbox. Everyone needs to just work together and move forward." Coggar said one of the rinks is owned by the military base, and so the minor hockey league does not get priority in that facility. But according to Brad Revell, a Cold Lake Minor Hockey coach and parent, it's not that simple. "It's disappointing because it puts us on the road more," Revell said, adding that his team often had to travel outside the city before the city's amendments were approved. The changes, he said, give the league three other weekends every month to fit in all its home games, and teams will either end up playing early in the morning, or later in the evenings. Coggar said the league is willing to work with the city to share the ice rinks, based on the new priorities. But with only seven weeks left to book ice times for all the regular season tournaments, she said time is running out to re-organize the schedules. The league may have to look to book outside of Cold Lake. Coggar is also concerned that few kids may be able to participate in local hockey, if parents cannot make it work around their schedules, she said. "Our minor hockey children are very important," she said.
