Minor hockey needs coaches, conveners

The Fort Frances Minor Hockey Association is facing an immediate shortage of coaches and conveners at a number of age levels.
“It’s quite common,” admitted FFMHA registrar Kelly Jolicoeur. “Usually once the kids get out skating . . . everyone wants teams and games and everyone starts stepping up.”
The organization began advertising the need earlier this week—and there still are a number of key jobs to be filled.
Jolicoeur said they still need volunteers to step forward to coach Atom, Bantam, and IP2.
Just as serious is the need for conveners to oversee the various leagues.
“We’re getting closer, but we need conveners in IP2, PeeWee, Bantam, and Midget,” Jolicoeur noted.
Conveners work with schedulers and directors, look after teams throughout their leagues, deal with some of the daily issues that pop up at the arena, and field concerns and complaints that may arise.
Not to mention the large undertaking of organizing the home tournaments hosted by their league.
“They play a very, very important part and they work close with the board,” Jolicoeur said.
While these positions are vital to the operation of league play, and games will not start until they are filled, Jolicoeur insisted the FFMHA is not in any sort of crisis.
“It’s kind of normal for every year,” he remarked.
Anyone interested in becoming a convener or coach should contact Jolicoeur at 274-1455 or FFMHA president Wayne Strachan at 274-4383.