After 30 players were drafted onto four teams, the league began late September 2005 at the Leo Hayes High school gym. We ended up playing our first two seasons there. We had to move for our 3rd season and Doug Taylor, our league president at the time, secured a location at a school in New Maryland. We played here for the next four seasons and we’re all set for another when the ax fell.
Due to increased interest we decided to expand to 8 teams. We’d played the previous two seasons with 6 teams. Doug was able to secure the additional time required to accommodate the extra games. But there was a catch. District 18 schools outlawed ball hockey and no longer allowed the sport in their gyms. So after over 70 players were drafted to the 8 teams by their captains and we’re all set to go, they give us this news a week before we’re scheduled to start our 7th season.
We did get started soon after but ended up in Harvey for the first week. We got to play until close to the end of the first half of the season at the UNB south gym but lost the gym for whatever reason a couple of weeks before the Christmas break. We couldn’t have the gym after Christmas as university inter-murals started up shortly after the break.
After diligent efforts, we had to settle with finishing the season in Harvey. We lost about 25% of the league’s players in the process. A few new players were added and a waiver draft shuffled a few guys around and we finished the season. We remained in Harvey for our 8th season, but dropped back to 6 teams. The numbers continued to dwindle throughout and it became obvious that we needed somewhere to play in Fredericton.
After relentless efforts from the league committee, especially current President James Campbell and now CEO Doug, they were able to arrange two locations before the start of this season. Priestman Street and Park Street school gyms. We started with both but due to Park Street being smaller, we decided to go with just Priestman Street. After a few weeks under the scrutiny of the school, the school board asked all ball hockey groups to move. So off we move to the old Marysville school. Despite player complaints about the floor, we at least seem to be safe from being kicked out. Then over the break, freezing temperatures busted some water pipes. Since the school is not being used, motivation appeared low in respect to repairs. So again we needed a home and again the relentless work of our executive committee paid off. After trying a week at the exhibition center, they acquire the floor time at the old YMCA building that’s been turned into a multicultural center. Players took part in some pick-up hockey this past Sunday and reports have been very positive. They seem happy to have us. The league hasn’t felt that in this city for awhile. It seems ironic that it took a multicultural center to welcome us in our own city.
Great work guys.
