West Seneca: Youth Hockey & Rink

[wnyfuture]

Does anyone think the town needs to force the youth hockey association in West Seneca known as the West Seneca Wings to adapt residency rule for our youth hockey teams? Currently, the association has no residency rule and allows kids from all over WNY to represent West Seneca while kids from West Seneca transplanted all over.

With West Seneca East & West joining the premier federation league in WNY – I think we need to have a proper feeder for our varsity teams to ensure success for those teams.

Amherst, Hamburg, Cheektowaga has residency rules

Amherst Rule
a player must reside in the Town and/or attend one of the Williamsville schools, Amherst, or Sweet Home. At minor P.W. and up, at the AAA (Tier One) level, each team may have FOUR non-residents. If a non-resident is selected as a HEAD Coach of a AAA team or is an Instructor ( ie; Dave Smith or James Patrick) then his child may play at any level of AAA or the Girl's program. There is no preference given to an Amherst player. In other words, if a non-resident is slightly better than an Amherst resident, then the coach is encouraged to pick the non-resident.

Cheektowaga
85% of the teams must be from the Town of Cheektowaga

I would propose the town force the youth hockey association to adapt similar rules. How can I contact the town board members via email or postal?

Also, anyone feel the rink is a money loser? What about naming rights for the rink?

[WNYresident]

That's odd you would have any kid from another town on your league if it's a town league. I would have assumed you would have to live in the town you were going to play hockey for.

[Psycho1]

I would have assumed you would have to live in the town you were going to play hockey for.

I'm afraid not. I know someone who lives in Tonawanda, and his kid played here. Who knows, maybe the price of gas will cause a residency rule.

[WNYresident]

I'm afraid not. I know someone who lives in Tonawanda, and his kid played here. Who knows, maybe the price of gas will cause a residency rule.

So these are basically sport leagues if they allow anyone to play.

How much do these leagues cost the tax payer?

I would expect the "cheektowaga" team to be 100% cheektowaga kids playing against 100% kids from another town.

[wnyfuture]

That's odd you would have any kid from another town on your league if it's a town league. I would have assumed you would have to live in the town you were going to play hockey for.

"Travel" is the competitive where they travel all over WNY and sometimes the state and country.

"House" is the less competitive where there is a residency rule, teams are drafted and play teams entirely within WS Youth Hockey at WS Ice Rink and Leisure.

AAA - Most proficient level of play
AA - Next level of proficiency
A - Next level of proficiency
House - Lowest Level

West Seneca's House program has a residency rule of 1st town residents 2nd school district 3rd non-residents

On some WS Travel teams (name's by birth years) have less than 6 residents on a team and coached by non-residents. Residents not given the priority over non-residents. It's a shame that our town teams that travel all over the country are represented by kids from Buffalo, Kenmore, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, Williamsville, Orchard Park, Elma, etc. In the past, teams have had 0 kids on the team.

What's the purpose of the name West Seneca? Why are residents from WS forced to play somewhere else because kids from the above mentioned towns want to play here. We allow them to use West Seneca as a banner name and without a true representation of the town of West Seneca.

Did I mention, we force House teams to play at Leisure because the ice is given to Travel teams. So much for house teams filled with West Seneca kids to use their own town rink!

[Sylvan]

I played A and AA for Amherst in the 70's and 80's and I remember some parents who didnt like the coach, so they bought land in Wheatfield so their kids could play for the wheatfield team. That team consistantly won State and went on to win Nationals. Some of those very kids made it to AAA and the Pro's. We were the only team in Amherst to always get Second place and always to Wheatfield.

I remember never having a problem beating West Seneca by half a dozen goals or more.

Perhaps West Seneca NEEDS to be able to recruit players from out of town to be competetive? The kids who tryout and dont make the good teams will still have a chance at playing in a league at their appropriate skill level.

[wnyfuture]

I emailed both of the female board members and got no response. Two days and no reply?

[Spirit of Ebenezer]

I'm somewhat confused here, are you stating you have a child who has nowhere to play on any hockey team in town because too many non-residents are playing in the town leagues ? I only ask for clarification because I know an awful lot of town residents who have children of all ages from 4 yrs. old and up playing in town leagues. It seems like their at a rink all the time. I will be seeing some this weekend, I will have to ask them about this situation you speak of.

[be true to yourself]

I emailed both of the female board members and got no response. Two days and no reply?

From what I heard at the board meeting tonight....parents have been asking questions on the hockey rink for 10 years without response.

Many parents left quite angry, as once again the board is doing nothing.

Talk about respect, none was given to the parents.

Graber stated the town did not want to spend the money on the rink that is why the rink is having issues.....not that he did not know about it.....he chose to do NOTHING ! funny, if his son was still playing, I wonder if his answer would have been the same . Have to love the dog and pony show Graber put on for the town to see... it was sad.