northern teams

i think what needs to be noted is northern teams:
- often don't play in girls hockey leagues
- often play against boys in minor hockey leagues (where is the owha on this one? one of the first pages of the handbook clearly state this is a no-no. God forbid what would happen if we, in southern Ont,played our local association's minor league team!)
- often put together select teams from girls playing in many centres, hundreds of km apart
- often play only two tournaments against girls teams to qualify for provincials (the minimum 5 games)
- often play in tournaments often one or two levels higher than where they are registered.  They say its because of a lack of appropriate categories in the north.  Often do quite well at these higher levels or win the tourney and don't think they should categorize higher. OWHA should be looking at these teams and specifically their tournament results with a fine tooth comb.

For many years these teams play atom, peewee, bantam at C or B levels and then suddenly they have a bantam BB or midget AA teams among the best in the province.

We have had a history of playing these centres who win gold at provincials regularly for the past few years: Hearst, North Bay, Schreiber.

I think the OWHA should closely be following/monitoring teams that DO NOT PLAY in girls hockey leagues. It is pretty transparent what is happening when you are openly playing in girls leagues in the llfhl, woaa, woghl etc... These northern teams play under the radar and for years have been using it to their advantage. Time to shut it down.