GOJHL Again Pushing For Junior A Status

The conversation of the GOJHL becoming a Junior A league continues.

The league is circulating a petition online regarding the change in classification of the loop from Junior B to Junior A.

Southwestern Ontario, which is full of talented hockey players and vibrant hockey communities is the only region in Ontario which has been continuously denied a Junior A loop.

Below is the full statement posted with the petition, which can be found HERE:

“The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) has been recognized for years as having “Junior A” caliber teams and players. However, its status within the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and Hockey Canada remains “Junior B”, which poses a number of challenges for the 70,000 registered hockey participants including decreased visibility amongst professional hockey scouts and fewer post-secondary scholarship opportunities.

The GOJHL is requesting that the OHA grant “Junior A” status to the league in order to level the playing field for players across Southwestern Ontario and enhance the overall quality and competitiveness of the sport. 

In addition to decreased visibility amongst scouts, Junior B players and their families are forced to make life-changing decisions if they want to play in a Junior A league. With most Junior A teams located in the GTA, Junior B players in Southwestern Ontario have to uproot their entire lives and relocate up to eight hours outside of their district, just to be “officially recognized” as playing top-tier hockey.

Simply put, this is not fair. GOJHL players should not be punished because of bureaucracy. They already lost the 2020-2021 season to a global pandemic. Now is the time for the OHA to reassess the GOJHL’s classification and commit itself to lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences.”