Atom A Cougars – Amazing in Auburn, NY

November 27-29, 2009 It was the weekend of Black Friday in Auburn, NY but things were coming up GOLD for the Gloucester Cougars Atom A team! The Auburn Thanksgiving Classic, the first tournament of the season for the team, was indeed a successful one. The boys skated hard as a team and were supported tremendously by their stellar goalie, Darien Johnson-Boland, who only let in one goal over the course of the weekend. For many players, this was their first tournament win – and that experience, along with the fun that the players and parents had, will not soon be forgotten! Go Cougars! Read More

Cougars Novice A - Champions at Osgoode-Rideau Tourney!

The Novice A Cougars battled to beat some of the best teams in eastern Ontario and were rewarded as the 2009 Harold Hamm Tournament Champions. 

Cougars ATOM C take GOLD in Orleans Tournament.
It was Friday 5pm as the Cougar team started the tournament off with a skills competition involving agility, relay and shooter drill. The Cougars were victorious taking 2-3 events. Read More

NOTICE of Changes to the ATOM LEVEL Rep B Competitive Hockey Program inside the GHA

In reflection of the changing demographics inside GHA boundaries there have been changes made for the upcoming 2009-2010 Hockey Season, with respect to Rep B Competitive hockey. These changes, for this season, will only effect Atom level teams (both minor & Major Atom).

The Blackburn and Leitrim Minor Hockey Associations will continue to combine to make Gloucester Blackhawks Rep B Atom Teams and, effective this season - at Atom levels ONLY, the Gloucester Centre and Orleans Minor Hockey Associations will now combine to make Orleans Gloucester Blues Rep B Atom Teams.

This agreement will be for one season and will be re-evaluated next spring at which time a decision will be made as to continue status quo or to expand the agreement to include other levels.

Gloucester Centre Atom-aged-players who have already sent in their registrations to the Gloucester Blackhawks will be contacted, and their Registrations will automatically be moved over to the   Orleans Gloucester Blues .

Download Orleans Gloucester Blues Tryout Information Form

As Canadian hockey parents, it always strikes us as odd, the quite in the arena before our kids take to the ice. There is as well a time of beauty in that magical moment, as our youngster seem to leave the earth and we hear the first cuts of their skates scratching the ice into a world beyond our own. Often the first step of learning for us parents, that they are out of reach from our arms, that they will soon be independent from us, that they have become part of the fabric of our people. Playing the best game on the planet, a game that perhaps we ourselves played not so long ago. The arena becomes alive then with the sound of pucks hitting the boards, laughter, conversations and coaches giving instructions. These are moments that we will never forget, as Canadians, we couple their first time on the ice, often with their first steps in our living rooms and the first time solo on a bike. Hockey is not only our national obsession, it is glue that unites us all.

Making hockey happen though is no easy feat. In Gloucester Centre, we are blessed with the absolute best volunteers in the City of Ottawa (know it!).

Thousands of hours are spent each year making our children's dreams a reality, managing our organization and ensuring that our kids have the best season possible. There are others though, that live in the shadows of our hockey lives at Potvin Arena, our home rink. In this respect, we have as well been blessed with a fantastic team of City employees who look after the little and big details which provide us with such great memories as dividends. Driving the Zamboni is what we see, but like a duck underwater, the calm perception above quickly gives way to all the work that happens in the background before we arrive and after we depart our rink. Ice maintenance is a skill and a science that takes years to properly get just right (monitoring temperature, scraping the ice (so that the ice is even on the boards and into the centre of the rink)), constant vigilance in fixing chips and holes, the list goes on and on). Ask people that know this sort of stuff, and they will tell you that at Potvin we have excellent ice. That doesn't happen by chance. These are men that take great pride in their work. These are also men that have families, some, kids of their own in our association, some have played themselves. They know that this is a shared pride in our rink.

Which is why it should not come as a surprise to anyone, that when our President, Reg MacDonald was approached by Corrado Falcucci (Potvin Supervisor), about painting the Cougar logo in the ice this year, that they did not hesitate for a second to get the ball rolling. "For the kids? No problem at all". Guy Gratton (VP Ops) worked to have the graphics made, and in short order, the team of Corrado, Terry Bloom (Facility Operator), Colin Alexander, Shane and Travis Lebrecque (Rink Attendants) were painting it onto the ice. "The detail alone must have taken them hours" said Reg when he first saw the logo "It looks absolutely amazing.the kids will love it!".

With our 09-10 season fast approaching, the first cuts of the skates scratching the ice will be heard once again. And with certain wonder, little faces will look into the ice at our Cougar as another year will begin. The ice will be perfect, a new banner will be raised, the old ones will have been tended to and there will be new changes once again to our "rink of dreams".

On behalf of all of the players, parents and volunteers of the GCMHA, we would like to thank Corrado, Terry, Alexander, Shane and Travis for this gift and for looking after us so well throughout the hockey season. You're efforts do not go unrecognized and we are very thankful that your team works so hard to make our teams better. Thank you.