The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
December 16, 2008
WE CAN STILL DO IT!
It could have been disastrous.
The KIJHL could easily have killed any hope of Princeton's team ever making it to playoffs this season.
Let me explain: a mistake in the paperwork left a Princeton Posse player unregistered, making him an ineligible player. Basically what that means is that the team played someone they shouldn't have according to league rules and regulations.
By all accounts, it was an error. Maybe an oversight, but a mistake just the same. Stuff happens and the league weighed it out and dished out a ruling late last week.
The Posse were in second place in their division with 33-points. Had the league taken away the 22 points earned with the ineligible player, it would have sent the team to the bottom of their division with 11 points and very much ended the season for the team - one of the best Princeton Posse teams ever assembled in the eight year history of the franchise. It would have decimated the team, scared off fans and wiped away the dedication of many volunteers.
Clearly the league considered that.
The league could also have levied a hefty fine on the team sending a message that would have rippled through the entire league and set an example. A fine would also have been viewed as penalizing the club and it's volunteers and I think the league also considered what affect that would have had on the community-owned team.
So instead, the league took away a total of seven points (dropping the team to fourth place, but still with playoff hopes) and nailed team coach Dale 'Duner' Hladun with a nine game suspension.
While you may not see the fairness in what the league did, the decision was fair as far as I'm concerned. Earlier in the season the team from Beaver Valley had a similar problem and the league stripped away points.
If potential fans who never go to a local game are ever expected to start going to Princeton Arena I think the league has done the right thing to hold teams accountable without forfeiting credibility of the product.
When was the last time you went to see the local team - owned by you and me as it's a community-owned club - just to show your support of the hockey program?
This is the time to start going to games, making noise and cheering on the home team.
They dodged a bullet this time and hopefully will never find themselves in this situation ever again. And one way you can help keep the Posse accountable is to become a volunteer with the club.
There's no doubt in my mind mistakes with paperwork happen where there's too much work and not enough workers to spread the workload over. Which the league may have also considered in their decision.
And there are many perks to helping a team you and I already own - you get to watch them play for free!
