Prince George OldTimers Hockey Association
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| This article appeared on page 39 of PG This Week Jan 16/04. The good old hockey game Oldtimers integral part of community since 1978 by Michael Matsumaru This Week StaffThe PG. Oldtimers Hockey Association is about more than just blazing speed and bone-crunching hits. In fact, if you see any of that on display during one of their games, rest assured, it's only an accident. Once in a while, the league- welcomes some former rec-league hot shot into the fold, but before that they must be given an orientation on how the league works. Wes Zapotichny has been president of the P.G.O.H.A. since September 2003. "They have to learn how to have fun," says referee Keith King. "We get them away from their re--league talent and mentality." Sure, there are still many players in the league with relatively, young legs (minimum age is 35) but there are rules in place to make sure that they don't hog the puck, or dominate the score sheet. For example, no player can score more than three goals per game and each year at the beginning of the season, all of the, 9.0 players and six teams are organized so that the teams are even. "That's one of the nicest things in the league," says Glen Parrett a Supreme Court justice and member of the Rouge Restaurant team. "The league concept is that we t ix players so that you get to know everybody." One of the highlights of Parrett's 17year career in the P.G.O.H.A. when the league sent a team down to the first oldtimers World Cup in Surrey. "We played against a team from Finland that had 11 former members from the Finnish national team," recalls Parrett. "We didn't lose as bad as we could have." The P.G.O.H.A. doesn't house any former national team players but it does boast many notable Prince George citizens, The oldest of the bunch is 71-year-old Orv Claffey, who came to the city to play for the Mohawks back in 1958 and Ron Epp, former Chamber of Commerce president, has been a member for a while as well. Throw three ministers, a crew of RCMP, several doctors and lawyers and numerous tradesman and you've got a little taste of the melting pot that makes up the PG.O.H.A. Bob Nihei, a business manager has been in the league since 1983 and has seen a lot of players come and go but the ones that stay all have the same philosophy. "It's all about the fun of hockey and being with buddies and friends," says Nihei As well as contributing to the community, something league president Wes Zapotichny takes a lot of pride in. "We donate all the proceeds from our Easter tournament to a worthy cause in town," says Zapotichny. Various organizations throughout the community, from the PG Hospice Society, to the P.G. Track and Field Club have all received a part of the $40,000 that the league (a non-profit society) has given back to t6he community since 1997. "That's what makes it fun, when you know it's going somewhere and you enjoy doing it," says Keith King.
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