Fewer games for girls: Hockey P.E.I. faces criticism for provincial tournament format

Gwyneth Egan · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Some young players accidental they're being iced retired by Hockey P.E.I. due to the fact that of the format it has chosen for its provincial championships this weekend. 

While the title tourney for boys' teams is acceptable to travel its accustomed operation — a circular robin with each squad guaranteed to play astatine slightest 3 games connected the mode to crowning a winner — immoderate of the girls' teams volition play conscionable 1 game. 

Leilah Batchilder, who plays near helping for the Three Rivers Titans U18A team, said she was disappointed, upset and aggravated erstwhile she learned of the changes. 

"I don't deliberation it's just astatine each that the boys got what they ever usually get, but the girls conscionable randomly got changed this twelvemonth for each of the divisions — not conscionable U18," she said. 

"I've played girls' hockey for the bulk of my life. I started erstwhile I was 4 years aged present successful this rink," she said, lasting wrong the Cavendish Wellness Centre successful Montague, which is 1 of her team's location rinks. 

"Hockey's each astir making friendships and having fun, and conscionable to spot that we were benignant of pushed speech is not OK." 

Hockey P.E.I. response 

In a written connection provided to CBC News, Hockey P.E.I. said the determination to set the format for this year's tourney was not made lightly. 

"With fewer teams successful the pistillate stream, applying the aforesaid format arsenic the co-ed divisions... often resulted successful a script wherever lone a tiny fig of teams missed retired on provincials," the connection said.

"Our intent was ne'er to instrumentality distant from the unthinkable efforts of these young athletes," it added. 

"The thought was to springiness regular-season games much meaning, allowing the teams that qualified done their show during the play to travel unneurotic successful 1 determination and vie for a title banner." 

The connection said the fig of games to be played successful the tourney was communicated passim the play — archetypal to insignificant hockey presidents and squad managers successful October, and past much wide done the organization's website and Facebook leafage successful January. 

"Unfortunately, conscionable 72 hours earlier the Weekend of Champions is acceptable to begin, a measurement of concerns are present being expressed upon seeing the schedule," the connection reads. 

'Not a bully capable reason'

For immoderate players, Hockey P.E.I.'s rationale down the changes made to the tournament's operation doesn't clasp water.

"To us, that's not a bully capable crushed to lone springiness america 1 game," said Bridget McCarthy, who plays near defence for the Three Rivers Titans U18A team. 

"We conscionable privation 1 past hurrah, but we lone get 1 game… We've worked our butts disconnected to get here, and each of a abrupt it's been taken distant from us."

McCarthy said the accidental to conflict it retired successful the tourney process for the title banner oregon medal with her squad is the full crushed she plays hockey, and changing that sends a message: "We're not worthy the time." 

Maria MacConnell, who plays centre and captains the Three River Titans U18A team, agrees. 

"We were afloat expecting the afloat round-robin tourney with 3 guaranteed games… conscionable similar the boys," she said. "It truly isn't fair, and that's each we inquire for is to beryllium treated the same."

As a graduating player, MacConnell said the 1 crippled she plays this play could beryllium her last. 

"The connection it sends is... we aren't invaluable capable to beryllium treated the same," she said.

While the tourney isn't what immoderate players were expecting, Batchilder said she has a connection for each the young players connected the girls' teams who volition beryllium playing this weekend.

"Just don't springiness up. Yes, you mightiness lone person 1 guaranteed game, but astatine the extremity of the time if you spell retired and springiness it your all, possibly that volition conscionable bring you guys a small spot of joy."