A movement is afoot to bring high-level hockey back to the Pontiac, and that should be welcomed.
Nick St-Laurent and Danick Boisvert are looking to bring senior hockey teams to Fort Coulonge and Shawville, along with other communities across the Ottawa Valley.
I didn’t grow up in Shawville, but I’ve heard stories.
A friend of mine played for the Shawville Junior B’s and said it was a great experience.
Other have told me about how the arena would be packed to the gills on a Friday night to cheer on the home team.
High school kids would get a chance to meet up with their friends and hang out on a Friday night. Parents would get a chance to catch up with some old pals – with the added bonus of being able to keep an eye on those previously mentioned high schoolers.
Even where I grew up in Kanata, we had a Junior A team – the Kanata Valley Lasers – that we supported until it too folded and moved across town as the Kanata Stallions.
Although we didn’t lose our team outright, it was just never the same.
And although senior hockey may not be the same as junior, it’s still a pretty exciting prospect.
In junior, the oldest players are 20-years-old. Many of the players still haven’t fully developed physically.
With senior hockey, these players will be fully-grown men. Oh, and it’s full contact, which should make for some interesting games.
For those who want to dismiss senior hockey, it occupied a fairly prominent position in the Pontiac hockey hierarchy.
Bryan Murray and his brothers played senior hockey in the area. The Shawville team even won back-to-back championships in the only two years the Algonquin Senior League was in existence in 1965 and 1966.
Although some people will dismiss hockey coming back to the Pontiac as something trivial, they’re wrong.
Hockey can build civic pride and engagement. Just look at the reams of volunteers that help out during the many tournaments hosted here.
Not only can it boost community spirit, but it’s also a great way for kids to make friends. I still play beer league with many of my friends that I played minor hockey with.
And let’s be honest, there are plenty of talented hockey players in the region who would be a blast to watch. The tournament finals hosted at the Shawville Arena regularly feature former college, junior and even some former professional players.
The talent pool is deep enough. The hockey-mad spirit is alive and well in these parts.
It’s time to bring back high-level hockey to the Pontiac.
Chris Lowrey
