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Page 12, Terrace Bay-Schrelber News, Wednesday, February 15, 1984 ethers to the editor. -- Dear Editor: * In my letter printed in the February 8, 1984 edition of the Terrace Bay-Schreiber News, I wrote of the need for greater understanding and cooperation among the adults involved in Minor Hockey in Ter- race Bay, and began a discussion of the two and three minute rules as an example of how misunderstandings be- come "hot seat" issues. Leconcluded my letter with a list of assump- tions which appear to underlie the two and three minute rules, assumptions which re- quire a closer examin- ation. The first assumption was that the two and three minute rules per se guarantee equal time. There is no need to point out to people who have attended hockey games during the trial imple- mentation period of these rules that certain players were receiving more than equal time (in at least one case, two- thirds of the ice time). This unequal time was presumably arranged within the existing | framework of the two and three minute rules: since no official pro- advantages. it your decision. See the Yellow Pages under Recruiting Have you considered combining post-secondary studies with officer training in the Canadian Forces? The Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) offers unique opportunities and Working towards a degree in Engineering, Science, Arts or Business Admin. at a military college or civilian university, you'll receive year-round military training. Your academic fees will be paid for. So will your books, supplies, uniforms and health care. And you'll draw salary too. On graduation you'll be an officer in the Canadian Forces ... and there's no life like it. Travel. Adventure. Professional wages and benefits. The challenge of a lifetime. ROTP: make tests were made. It could be argued that it is up to the local Minor Hockey Associations or the North Shore to police its rules, and that in- fractions of the rules do not minimize their value. This may be true, but it is nevertheless irrelevant to my argu- ment that the two and three minute rules do not per se guarantee equal time. The second assumpt- 'jon was that equal time is impossible without the two and three min- ute rules. There is no evidence to support such a claim although it must be admitted that, in actual practice, it may be more difficult to en- sure absolute equality of ice time (or keep track of it) when there is no buzzer sounding the alarm every two or three minutes. More de- cisions are necessarily left to the coach(es). it is no. doubt true that, in the past, there were abuses in the matter of giving players an equal opportunity to play hockey, and in many places, judging from the literature, this continues to be a problem. How- ever, important strides were being made in Ter- race Bay to balance the_ player's skill develop- ment and level of confi- dence with the competi- tive aspects of the game, to provide equal time - without the benefit of the two or three minute rules. The third assumption, "That equal time is always possible and al- ways the best proce- dure' will require more discussion because it goes to the heart of what hockey and coaching are "Let's pull together" all about. Engaging in the sport of hockey is an opportunity to learn - to grow in skills, interper- sonal relationships and self-confidence; it is an opportunity to meet in- creasingly difficult per- sonal and group chal- lenges as the player moves through the var- ious levels from Mites to Midgets and beyond, operating as part of a team. The "fun" of hockey comes from a feeling of accomplish- ment in the individual and in the team. With- out this feeling, the players soon become disenchanted with the game. (Accomplish- ment is not synonymous with winning!) Such a developmental hockey programme requires considerable planning and dedication on the part of the coach(es). A further point needs to be emphasized: we are not all equal in skills and degree of matura- tion. Our differences are a source of richness and challenge for growth in our lives. In an attempt to include all children, to give benefits to all child- ren, to give "equal time" to all children, we should be careful not to fall into the opposite error - the downplay of those who do have greater ability. The "star" mentality may be destructive to those of 'lesser' ability (or sometimes it may be only lesser drive or a slower maturation rate), but the lack of recog- nition of those who do achieve, is equally des- tructive. A balance is sorely needed. (Dis- cussions of "stars" seem to occur most fre- quently among adults; interest to you. P.O. Box 40 Schreiber, Ont. H.H. Fischer Reeve Municipal Office Phone 824-2711 THE TOWNSHIP OF SCHREIBER Township of Schreiber If you are 60 years of age, or a family with at least one child, this may be of The Township of Schreiber in conjunction with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and R.V. Anderson & Associates, Consultants, are conducting a survey to determine the need for market rent and rent-geared-to- income housing for senior citizens and families. A questionnaire will be mailed to all senior citizen households and tenant families asking if any persons are interested in market rent or rent-geared-to- income housing. Residents who do not receive a questionnaire by mail or would like additional information, may obtain forms and further information from: We urge you to complete the questionnaire in order to assist the Township in conducting a meaningful survey, and we ask that you return the completed forms within the time period specified in the questionnaire. stardom doesn't seem to be an issue among the players. What are 'stars' anyway? Why is "'stardom" such a dis- turbing concept for some adults? Why is this such an emotional issue?) Returning to the third assumption, I will ask the question "Is equal time always possible?". I would like to suggest that the answer is no, with or without the two and three minute rules, and give some examples of possible hitches parti- - cuarly in the imple- mentation of the two and three minute rules. The goalies (when there are two) each play half the game, thus receiving more ice time than the - other players (unless the team has only exactly two lines). When a play- er is sick or misses a game for some reason, does this mean he/she will be played more in the next game to make up for lost opportun- ity? What happens if someone is injured dur- ing a game? What hap- pens if a team does not have enough players to draw up neat sets of five players? The point being made is that absolutely equal time is a worthy ideal, but one which can only be approximated even under the best of circumstances. Is equal time always the best procedure? Some coaches, especial- ly those more experien- ed in the game, have argued that an import- ant part of hockey is the strategy employed in matching lines and usi- ng the talents of the players to the team's greatest advantage, and in devising penalty kill- ing and power play lines. None of this stra- tegic play is possible when the two and three minute rules are in ef- fect. Strategic play can mean that only certain players will receive ice time, but it can and has also been used effect- ively in a context where all players receive a healthy portion of the ice time. Some coaches even use strategic play to reward players no matter what their levels of development. More seriously, under the two and three min- ute rules, the coach no longer has the ability to exercise any sanction on a player who has en- gaged in inappropriate behaviour such as the use of vulgar language, disobedience, maliciousness, or lack of teamwork on the ice, when the player knows he will get his turn on ice no matter how he behaves. There is a sub- tle message here which says that it is not neces- sary to try hard or earn a place; all that is requir- ed is to exist, to be in the box, to be automatically played. Is this a good preparation for life? The emphasis in this para- graph has been on work- ing hard and on trying to improve, not only on the level of success. In other words, putting out maxi- mum effort, showing a desire to improve, and demonstrating gentle- manly conduct seem to me to be good criteria for getting plenty of ice time. Why handcuff a coach? What is wrong with setting high (not impossible) standards? Children usually rise (or fall) to our expectations of them. I have attempted to show that the issues involved in a decision for or against the two and three minute rules are complex and §far- reaching. It is evident that some form of policy statement regarding equal opportunity for all players is needed. Even more necessary is a clear understanding of what is meant by "equal opportunty."" The two and three minute rules present one solution to the problem of equal ice time for all players - a solution which I have shown to be problem- atical as presented and 'implemented on the North Shore. This is not to say that with better definition and ground rules the concept could not be acceptable. All parties might do well to listen sympathetica- lly to the arguments presented by all con- cerned so that a consen- sus which benefits all children without bend- ing the game of hockey, could be reached. Once the issues (personalities aside) have been clearly stated and a policy adopted, perhaps we could all pull together for a successful imple- mentation. No one wants to see children warm the bench! There remains the question of winning. It's only human to admit ~we'd rather win than lose. If we want to eliminate this aspect of hockey, then there should be no games, no tournaments, and no awards banquets. Even adopting a skills levels programme (one was re- cently described in the Terrace Bay-Schreiber News as operational in some parts of the pro- vince of Quebec) opens the gates of inequality: some children would in- evitably pass levels of skill more quickly than others. Winning is the goal of a hockey game, but what is really im- portant, is how victory is sought. Is the object to win at all costs, or to win while playing to the best of one's ability as a team member in a fair and sportsmanlike way? I suggest that the latter should be our objective. We will, of course, not always attain our ob- jective of winning, but we can always be win- nets in the sense that we tried our best, played a fair game, and were good sports in victory or defeat. Perhaps we could apply this concept of winning and losing to the two and three min- ute rules debate. The children and Minor Hockey in Terrace Bay would be the win- ners. Yours truly, Betty Hanley Skating... continued from page 10 Megan Jowitt: Silver - sub-juvenile Ladies; - Ashley Riley: Silver - Pre-juvenile Ladies "A" Flight 1; Jackie Glad: Gold - Pre-juvenile Ladies "A"' Flight 2; Shane Jowitt: Gold- Pre-juvenile Men's; Rejean Johnston: Bronze - Pre-juvenile Men's; Tracy Clark: Silver - pre-juvenile Ladies; Kristin Bouchie/ Shane Jowitt: Gold - Pre-juvenile Mixed Pairs; Ashley Riley/Shane Jowitt: Gold - Pre- juvenile Mixed Dance Pairs; Paula Bouchard plac- ed second in the Junior Ladies Event. The Fort William Figure Skating Club placed second and the Marathon Figure Skat- ing Club placed third. A total of 10 Clubs parti- cipated in the Compe- tition. : The following skaters successfully passed C.F.S.A. tests: Clark, Deborah Bucknell and Colleen Gulley - Senior Bronze Free Skating. Mark Saranpaa - Fox- trot Dance. A low test day for the Terrace Bay Figure Skating Club will be held on March 2nd and 3rd. Several of the Terrace Bay F.S. Club skaters are working ex- tra hard these days to prepare for the "Make-it-a-Date'" Com- petition on March 9- 10-11 in North Bay, as well as the "Scarbor- ough Invitational' com- petition on April 20- 21-22. Plans are well under- way for the Terrace Bay Figure Skating Club Ice Carnival to be: held on April 6th and 7th. Mark these dates on your calendar and plan to attend. being laughed at. "The Poet's Corner", c/o The "NEWS"' Box 579, upcoming issues! Poets Needed The '"'NEWS"' is in desperate need of poetry. Be it serious or everyday thoughts. We are running short of material for our weekly feature entitled "Poet's Corner" and need to replenish our supply. If you are a "'serious" poet or a "not so serious" poet - if you're a student who just wrote a terrific poem as an assignment - please allow us to share it with our readers. Pen names may be used, if you're the shy type, so don't worry about Just drop them by to us at the '"NEWS"' office or send them to: Terrace Bay, Ontario, POT 2W0. And look for your published poem in