After four years as treasurer of the Ponoka Minor Hockey Association (PMHA), Tim Rowland’s opinion of the organization continues to be positive.
His own son plays on a Ponoka team and Rowland feels kids gain valuable life-skills while at the same time learning to play the game. “I think the hockey program’s got a lot of merit for kids’ development.”
Although he never played hockey as a child, Rowland says the competitive nature of the sport helps players when they get older. Many successful businesspeople have hockey backgrounds, said Rowland, which provides them with a drive to succeed.
One thing the PMHA has been working on is increasing its number of users. To do that all first year players to minor hockey have their first year of sports fees waived, explained Rowland.
He feels all the sports groups in Ponoka are seeing a general decline in registration and suggests the town’s population needs to grow before recreation groups can see an increase. By waiving a player’s first year hockey fees, Rowland said they may enjoy it enough to continue on with the program.
Last year the PMHA worked closely with the Town of Ponoka to improve the arena at the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex. The association purchased a new score clock and sound barrier between the two rinks, and referee room was upgraded, explained Rowland.
The work put the group in a deficit for the year but Rowland said the board expected the shortfall. “We’re very happy with the improvements that were made to date.”
The group is also pleased with the town’s improvements to the arena over recent years. The expansion of the arena to include change rooms and an external room that has access to the Scott Seaman’s Outdoor rink have made hosting tournaments a source of pride for PMHA.
The majority of the registration fees go towards renting ice at the arena and Rowland says the cost is approximately $90,000 to $100,000. Their earnings for PMHA fees are about $90,000 so there is usually a shortfall. Rowland said compared to other associations, Ponoka is charges lower fees than municipalities such as Sylvan Lake and Lacombe.
To make up for the loss, PMHA usually has one large fundraiser each year. Previously the group had a raffle sale but this year they hosted the dueling pianos gala, which sold out quickly.
“Plans are under way to do something like that for next year,” said Rowland.
He is grateful to the parents and corporate sponsors for their support. Rowland said PMHA jerseys get replaced every year through $6,000 to $7,000 of corporate sponsorship.
When reporting game statistics at the North Central Minor Hockey Association (NCMHA) website, Ponoka News uses the names provided on the website. The NCMHA generally shows the names of the teams by their category rather than a team name and category.
While the teams’ names do not get showcased as much, Rowland said he would speak with the board to ensure those sponsors are appreciated.
The PMHA intends to undergo a second phase of improvements at the arena but Rowland could not say what that would look like.