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The following is an except from a recent Toronto Star article by Lois Kalchman regarding “2 year cards” with quotes and response from John Gardner (President of the GTHL)
March 11
Q: Your (hockey) poll regarding the 2 year card was a great idea. Is there any chance the results will be put in front of Mr. John Gardner for his response?
Name withheld
A: Absolutely, I told him and the numbers on our poll with over 90 per cent in favour of abolishing the so-called two year card. Gardner said he does not disrespect the wishes of the parents but they should know the history and understand that the GTHL is the only league in Canada that allows children to move freely until the older age groups.
"We can't abolish it," Gardner said and gives some history about the 'card' that gives the organization the rights to a player once they hit minor bantam. "We would have to get permission from the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada to do that."
Hockey Canada rules say that you need a release at each and every age group but the GTHL got special permission back in the early 1970's to allow 'free agency' up to and including peewee (12-years-old).
"As far as I know, we are the only league in Canada that will entertain an appeal if a player feels aggrieved," he said "We used to need a release from novice up to move from one organization to another."
This freedom that GTHL players enjoy is not well-known by parents and each year parents ask me about it.
"It was about coaches walking off with whole teams in the older age groups," Gardner explains, recalling how one coach took 13 of 15 players from one organization to another in the older age groups. That was not uncommon at that time but that number was very high – too high.
"Parents have to understand there is no such thing as a two-year card," he said. "It is an ongoing (registration) card (as required by Hockey Canada) and you need a release so long as the organization has a team in the next higher age category. It does not matter what the calibre A, AA or AAA"
An organization may have a double-A minor bantam team and the next year ice a single-A bantam team. The minor bantam player still belongs to that organization at the bantam A level. The calibre does not matter.
"Could we request from Hockey Canada that everyone have free agency?," Gardner asks rhetorically.
"The answer is probably 'yes'," he said. "I know that there would be teams changing to other organizations and I'm not sure that is what hockey is about. Hockey Canada rules say that you play where you live."
Therefore, outside of the GTHL most of the children in Canada play on one or maybe two competitive teams, depending on the city, town or village, during their minor hockey years. They make friendships on the team and stay together.
Gardner says in today's setup, there are parents who request releases for what he calls 'frivolous reasons such as a team not making playoffs'
Many organizations are still run by volunteers that invest a lot of time and, yes, even money (sometimes their own) to keep afloat and if there is a good team they take pride in it and resent it going on a whim of a coach to another organization to reap the rewards of championships or a special camaraderie.
I spoke with Chris Paul, president of the North York Knights, this week who had seven teams finish first in their respective age categories of the GTHL.
He said, "We put good people (coaches) in place and hope for the best."
I hope this has shed some light on what parents call the two-year card.
Another thing, do not believe a coach who promises a player a release at the end of the year. He has no authority unless he is a signing officer of the organization. But tryouts and promises are another issue that people have asked.
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