Other Press SPORTS FEATURE © February 9, 1994 Is university hockey biased against central canada? by Tina Quelch OSHAWA, ONT. (CUP) —Acadia twelve, Toronto one. The score reads more like a misprint than the final score in the national university hockey championship game last spring between the Acadia Axeman and the Univer- sity of Toronto Varsity Blues. How could Acadia, with a mere 3,000 students, put together a hockey team which could demolish a school twenty times its size? Why did Acadia have such a large number of top-rated players on its roster? How could a championship game be so one-sided? During a post-game interview, Varsity Blues coach Paul Titanic stirred the rumor mill. He raised the question of fairness within the CIAU (Canadian Inter-university Athletic Association) league and claimed that the system makes Ontario schools un- able to compete with their counterparts in other re- gions. “Obviously, there is not a level playing field in CIAU hockey,” Titanic said. “Schol- arships are allowed in other parts of the country while Ontario schools are not al- lowed to give any assistance.” Titanic’s complaints about scholarships were only the tip of the iceberg. Some CIAU teams are ac- cused of “buying” quality players, and east-coast uni- versities are frequently rumored to be giving under- the-table financial incentives to athletes. The allegations include everything from players receiving cash in en- velopes and plane tickets home at Christmas to the in- volvement of booster clubs, all of which contravene the CIAU rules. wh wh wf The Globe and Mail published an editorial last March 19 saying the game “pointed to the dilemma of Cana- dian university sport.” The article went on to explain that Ontario schools aren’t allowed to offer athletic schol- arships. But eastern and western universities can offer financial incentives to players — drawing many star play- ers out of central Canada. Titanic stands by his comments after last year’s cham- . pionships. He points to the higher academic standings required by Ontario schools. According toTitanic, the junior hockey system is par- tially at fault. He contends the rigorous schedule of Jun- ior A hockey makes it difficult for players to achieve an academic average high enough to make it into Ontario universities. Jason Corrigan, a University of Ottawa forward and economics major, disagrees. Though Corrigan, who played Junior with the North Bay Centennials, spent an extra year in high school to complete his university en- trance courses, he says it is possible for Junior A players to attain grades that will admit them into Ontario uni- | versities. He also feels the university practice schedule is just as rigorous as junior hockey. Acadia Axeman hockey coach Tom Coolen also dis- putes the validity of the lack of academics among Junior hockey players. Acadia has several players named to the Academic All-Canadian team. He also scoffs at the infer- ence that a serious hockey player cannot be a good stu- dent. He notes that no one questioned the level of the play- ing field when Toronto won several championships un- der Tom Watt and Mike Keenan. dw wwe hGH On closer examination, the scholarship imbalance isn’t as extreme as its Ontario critics contend. Universities in the east and the west can grant schol- arships of up to $1,500 to players. Money in subsequent years cannot be guaranteed. AN | hs 6 y" University of Manitoba Bison hockey coach Mike Sirant explains that a $1,500 scholarships would only pay for the lowest tuition rate in Manitoba. “Moving from Toronto, it is not financially all that appealing,” he says. an John McConachie, director of marketing and com- munication for CIAU, says his league has no restrictions on scholarships by junior clubs and adds that he is sur- prised by the allegations of scholarships being used to entice hockey players from one region to another. “There haven’t been too many cases of this type, but if there is a complaint in writing, [CIAU] would investi- gate. There are a number of different penalties outlined running the gamut from fines to suspension from play in the sport for a period of time.” Still, Ontario coaches, includingToronto’sTitanic, have regularly complained that the best talent is drained from Ontario. There is one major demographic fact underlying this — Ontario has the largest number of Junior A players to draw from. According to Canadian Amateur Hockey As- sociation statistics for 1992-93, Nova Scotia had 121 players in four major junior and junior A teams, while the Ontario Hockey Federation had 672 players on 32 teams the same year. By these figures alone, Acadia coach Coolen says it is necessary for his team and the four other schools in the east to recruit from outside their local population. “Recruitment-wise, the coaches work harder than the next guy to get players,” says Coolen. He adds that if it were possible to compile a team exclusively of Wolfville, Nova Scotia natives, he would. Coolen also points out that there were just as many Junior A players on his championship team as Guelph, Ottawa and Waterloo. He also makes an important ob- servation — juniorA players are not necessarily the best players on the team. Four of the six all-stars at last year’s championship were former Tier II junior A players. wh af The question remains, if the academics and financial incentives are so over- whelming, why do any junior players stay in On- tario? One reason players may chose one school over another may be due to what players want in an educational institution. Guelph Gryhons coach Marlin Muylaart says there are three attractions of Guelph: a good hockey program with its own rink, solid academic pro- grams in science and other areas, and a good social life. “A good number of players are looking for the complete package,” says Muylaart. Muylaart also claims there is “more to going out east than just schol- arships,” and the real story is the involvement of booster clubs. But Acadia’s Coolen says this implication is “really a reflection of ignorance. All we do is play by the rules outlined by the CIAU.” “Acadia has a lot to offer,” adds Coolen. “We were number three in Maclean's for undergraduate study. We have a great facility with an Olympic-size rink and the community supports the team much like in the States.” Ottawa Gee Gees coach Mickey Goulet admits he has lost three to five recruits due to money. “We try to stress to the players the quality of the edu- cation,” says Goulet. Manitoba coach Sirant stresses that his campus places equal emphasis on academics and athletics. All but four of the players on their current roster are from Manitoba and four of last year’s players made the Canadian Aca- demic All-Stars. “We offer the best of both worlds — a high-calibre program and education.” As for players, Brad Woods, originally from Saskatch- ewan, chose to play for the University of Manitoba, not for financial reasons, but on the recommendation of his Junior A coach. Phil Comtois, Ottawa's All-Canadian goalie, feels that although better players may be attracted to leave On- tario, there is “still great hockey in Ontario. We can still compete but Acadia had a very powerful team last year.” The general consensus on the Canadian university scene is that Ontario teams remain competitive and play- ers are looking for more than money. They want an edu- cation as well as top-calibre play.