OPEN BORDERS HAVE ARRIVED

Recently, the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) announced a major change that will take effect in the 2025/26 season: open borders for player movement across Ontario. This means that players aged U8 and older will have the freedom to play at any location and level within the province.

As one of the most significant changes in minor hockey, WBMHA is excited to embrace this new era of open borders. We remain committed to providing top-quality programming for all players who choose to be part of our organization. Our goal is to build on our past successes and continue to enhance our small-town hockey excellence for the future.

WHY CHOOSE WASAGA BEACH MINOR HOCKEY OVER OTHER CENTRES

Wasaga Beach Minor Hockey Association (WBMHA) promotes a supportive, community-focused environment for young hockey players. From providing development opportunities for all skill levels to fostering strong community engagement, WBMHA is making a strong impact on and off the ice. The structure of our programs ranging from U5 to U21, ensures that players at all stages of their hockey journey are supported.

WBMHA strives to achieve retention, attraction, and development of players at all ages for both local and representative hockey, providing an opportunity for players to thrive in an encouraging, homegrown atmosphere.

WBMHA is dedicated to keeping players within the local community. By offering a developmental and competitive environment right here in Wasaga Beach, we give players the chance to grow without having to leave their hometown. This local focus not only helps retain talent but also strengthens the connection between players, families, and the community.

A strong emphasis has been and will continue to be placed on player development - From foundational skills at younger age groups to more advanced training at higher levels, programs offered this season have been structured to ensure players receive the right support at the right time to continue their growth and development.

Our programming includes regular practice sessions, development sessions, goalie clinics (both pre-season and throughout the regular season), and game play.

This season, WBMHA has hosted four Regional Silver Stick Qualifiers in November and December, a U8 Jamboree in January, and a U7 Jamboree in mid-February. Looking ahead, we’re excited for the U9 End-of-Season Wrap-up in March, where we’ll welcome 25 teams from across the league. We’re also preparing for our league's All-Star Weekend on April 5th-6th, which will feature both our Georgian Bay Local League and Georgian Bay Minor Hockey League - Region 5 representative teams. These events play a key role in nurturing a strong sense of community and sportsmanship among players, coaches, and families.

FOSTERING TEAMWORK, SKILL AND A PASSION FOR HOCKEY

• We offer the best hometown hockey experience, allowing players to compete alongside friends and classmates while supporting other WBMHA teams.

·        Our Wasaga Stars are proud to call the Wasaga Stars Arena home. The Wasaga Beach Twin Pad facility is a state-of-the-art venue, featuring two ice rinks and offering top-notch amenities for hockey players.

·        Community Support: With strong backing from local families and sponsors, we pride ourselves on fostering a positive, inclusive atmosphere. By partnering with local businesses and organizations, sponsors have made a direct impact on the growth of our programming. These sponsorships not only help reduce costs for families but also strengthen community ties and promote healthy, active lifestyles for youth.  

·        Consistently pursuing Sponsorship for our hockey tournaments to help support the growing costs of hosting these events while ensuring that we can provide the best possible experience for our players and fans. Sponsorship helps us cover essential expenses like ice rentals, room rentals, trophies and mementoes and officiating fees, allowing us to continue offering high-quality tournaments. Additionally, it creates opportunities for local businesses to gain exposure and show their support for the community, all while contributing to the success and growth of youth hockey.

·        Charitable Giving: WBMHA takes pride in giving back to the community. This season, we hosted our first annual Hockey for Hunger Campaign, donating over 3,000 pounds of food to our local food bank before Christmas.

·        Structured practices are designed to support players at every age and skill level. Whether they are just beginning their hockey journey or working toward higher competition, practices provide tailored instruction and progression to help each player reach their potential

·        Competitive Opportunities: Whether you're playing local league or looking to take your game to the next level, we provide opportunities to challenge yourself in both developmental and competitive settings.

• Additionally, an emphasis has been placed on development opportunities through specialized clinics, goalie training and strategic partnerships with local businesses - Elite Hockey School, owned by Dan McNamara, former member and Coach with Wasaga Minor Hockey and next season we plan to also include Pro Puck Academy— Run by Riley Pitt, a former OHL player and Wasaga Minor Hockey participant, whose focus is on helping players develop both their skills and confidence. Goalie development is an equally important component of our programming. We have had the opportunity this season to foster a strong working relationship with former Alliston Hornets General Manager and OMHA Goalie Coach Blair Molto.

·        Hockey registration continues to grow, with steady increases over the past three seasons, putting us back on track to achieve pre-pandemic registration levels. Additionally, players are returning, motivated by the positive experiences they've had and increased programming being offered.

·        As we observe neighboring centres struggle with limited ice availability and booking increasing amounts of ice in our Wasaga Stars Arena as well as the upcoming changes to OMHA, particularly the introduction of "Open Borders," WBMHA is being approached with the idea of amalgamation.

STAY TUNED FOR THE 2025 TRYOUT DATES AND REGISTER WITH US TO BECOME A WASAGA STAR💫