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No Hockey at BG this year!!!

Click Bait. Lol

Seriously though there will be no hockey at Bowling Green High School this year and possibly years moving forward. This will be the first time in over 40 years BGHS doesn't have a team. Lack of interest. BGHS only had 8 people interested in playing hockey this year. Even more troubling is BG youth hockey has gone from over 350 participants to 110. It's a shame that BGHS won't have a hockey team dating back to 1977 season. BG has won 5 state titles, most noticeably during their dominance in the 1990s.

Better check your facts!

I thought this was a one year event and that they are planning for the team to play again next year.

gmartin wrote: Even more troubling is BG youth hockey has gone from over 350 participants to 110.

It's directly related to the state of the University's program. When current high schoolers were the age to start playing hockey, hockey wasn't fun in BG.

factman wrote:Better check your facts!

What facts did I get wrong? My nephew is a current freshman at BGHS and he told me he was told this is the first time in 40 years without a team. He said its likely no team next year either unless some existing 8th graders who will be freshman play but they had freshman this year too and they opted not to let them play varsity so it's likely the incoming freshman next year won't play. So what did I say was incorrect?

From what I've read, it sounds like this is a one year deal for BGHS.

I was told there were 4 Seniors, 2 Juniors, 2 Sophmores and 4 Freshman going out for the team. The school did not want the Freshman to play Varsity Sport which is probably why the article says maximum 12 players, which I believe includes the 4 Freshman. So next year if they get the same interest you will have 2 Seniors, 2 Juniors and 4 Sophmores. That's 8 players again. So how will they field a team next year? My nephew said he was going to transfer to St Johns as he wasn't given a 100% definite for next season. Hopefully it returns.

I have mixed feelings about this. My BGHS class (1996-2000) won the state championship three of our four years. We grew up watching the falcons in the late 80s and 90s - Blake, Brimanis, Yzebart, Holzinger, etc. Hockey in BG was tops back then. So on one hand I'm saddened by this, as my sons play hockey through BGYHA, as I did 20 years ago, and I'm incredibly nostalgic about it.

On the other hand fast forward 20 years and the reality of Bowling Green and what it has been through since then. BgBill also mentioned just how bad the hockey culture took a hit in the mid-2000s when BG was getting pummeled in the CCHA. Many industries were losing jobs; it wasn't a great situation for growing or investing in hockey.

So I Skyped my nephew early this morning. While I Skyped him 2 former members of BGHS hockey team was at his house. I asked him what the status of the BGHS hockey program is going forward. He said the high school didn't want it's freshman to play this year and said they won't allow incoming freshman to play next year. Of the players remaining no one wants to play for Coach Powers. My nephew said the practices last year were run like the movie Miracle and games are no longer fun. My nephew thinks, but this isn't certain, but thinks BGHS won't field a hockey team for several years. I will wait and see what happens but doesn't sound good. May need a new coach before players come back eager to play.

FWIW, the dislike of Powers goes back more than a decade. Also, fwiw, the nut didn't fall far from the tree concerning his son that is still in high school.

BGFan wrote:FWIW, the dislike of Powers goes back more than a decade. Also, fwiw, the nut didn't fall far from the tree concerning his son that is still in high school.

His predecessor wasn't too high on many people's favorite list either. That program (and BGYHA) has been on a downward spiral for a long time. Hopefully, the continued success of the University's team will drive interest again and some new blood can get in and take over.

pdt1081 wrote:

BGFan wrote:FWIW, the dislike of Powers goes back more than a decade. Also, fwiw, the nut didn't fall far from the tree concerning his son that is still in high school.

His predecessor wasn't too high on many people's favorite list either. That program (and BGYHA) has been on a downward spiral for a long time. Hopefully, the continued success of the University's team will drive interest again and some new blood can get in and take over.

The interest in youth hockey is on the upswing but, with open enrollment, there are now a lot more choices of where to play when kids hit HS. That wasn't the case a few decades back. BGHS had its choice of kids to choose from regardless of whether or not the coach was liked. Times have changed, unfortunately that fact has escaped the coaching staff.