Peewee AAA coming to the area?

The North Bay Hilltop Variety Bantam AAA Blades are the youngest AAA program in the area. That could change this fall. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The Nipissing District Hockey League is preparing an application in hopes of becoming the fourth team in a new Northern Ontario Peewee AAA League which would include teams from Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and the Nickel City district.

The NDHL oversees 11 hockey associations in the area including the West Ferris Minor Hockey Association in North Bay.

Randy Edmonds, a former professional hockey coach in Sweden whose currently running a summer Peewee AAA program, is part of the NDHL organizing committee along with NDHL president Todd Daley.

Edmonds says the NDHL is working alongside the Nickel City Sons association in Greater Sudbury. That association got NOHA approval for a Peewee AAA program last fall. The NDHL has until mid January to complete its application.

Edmonds believes a new Peewee AAA program would be a huge benefit for the development of young hockey players in the area.

“This would help players get ready to play for the Blades, Trappers and Skyhawks,” said Edmonds.

“It is not the solution but it is a step in the right direction.”

Currently North Bay area players don’t get their first taste of AAA hockey until Bantam and current Bantam AAA Blades coach Rob Ladouceur has already admitted that his players are playing catch-up to Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie players because they don’t have a chance to play AAA hockey until age 13 at the earliest.

At this time there is no Peewee AAA league in Northern Ontario, however, Edmonds adds that the three other Peewee AAA programs in the North are pushing for North Bay to get approval so they can create a Northern Ontario Peewee AAA league to start in the fall of 2008. Currently the Sudbury Peewee AAA’s play in a Sudbury minor bantam league and compete in AAA tournaments in Southern Ontario.
Edmonds has heard that Timmins is also considering sending in a Peewee AAA application.