OkillSportsSPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011 23Teeing offMOHA might stilloffer body checkingfor non-rep playersBy Jon KuiperijMOHA president Mark Bentley, BEAVER SPORTS EDITORwho said last month that the associ-ation would abide by the OHFs rul-Body checking this upcoming ing, told theBeaver Monday that the hockey season might not just be association is simply looking to give limited to Oakville Rangers rep play-its members what they want. ers after all.According to Bentley, nearly 70 per In response to the Ontario cent of players who signed up for Hockey Federation (OHF) ruling house league hockey this upcoming last month that bodyyear before the OHF Eric Calder of theAfter the OHFchecking be removedannounced its no body-Oakville Whitecapsfrom nearly all housechecking policy had ruling, I was okay takes a big swing league hockey in thewanted to play in the during the T-ballwith it, and I amprovince, the Minorred division.tournament still okay with it.Oaks HockeyAfter the OHF rul-Oakville Little But when... two-Association (MOHA) ising, I was okay with it, League hosted lastthirds of peoplecurrently consideringand I am still okay with weekend at the introduction of ait, Bentley said. But wanted body Cornwall Park.new select league. Thewhen I was presented checking in housenew league wouldwith these numbers by MICHAEL IVANIN / league, I said replace the MOHAsour registration people OAKVILLE BEAVERmaybe we can house league red divi-that two-thirds of peo-still do this.sion that has alwaysple wanted body check-allowed body checkinging (in house league), I MOHA president for players between thesaid maybe we can still Mark Bentleyminor peewee anddo this.major midget ageBentley said he was groups.told by the Ontario Minor Hockey The MOHA sent a survey out this Association (OMHA) that if the week to the approximately 1,200 MOHA were to form a select league, players that would be affected by the that league would be exempt from OHF ruling this season. Whether or the OHFs no body-checking policy. not the MOHA introduces the select MOHAs request for approval to league would depend on the results reclassify its house league red divi-of the survey, which concludes today sion to select was granted by the (Thursday).See Nearby, page 24