Following the 2018-2019 season, Fairfield Co-op Boys Ice Hockey team agreed to stay together and enter the CIAC 2-year phase out period, making the team eligible to play in the state tournament for only 2 more years, rather than splitting up the two high schools.

However, after this agreement was made the COVID-19 pandemic hit, resulting in the CIAC cancelling both state tournaments.

This year Fairfield Co-op asked the CIAC to grant us at least one more year of eligibility to play in the state tournament, but the CIAC denied our request. We appealed the CIAC’s decision, which was also unsuccessful.

We have continuously tried communicating with the CIAC, but we are continuously met with the same statement, that Fairfield Co-op agreed to enter the 2 year phase out period and knew what that meant for their program.

While this statement is true, when we agreed to enter the 2-year phase out period we did not expect a global pandemic - something totally out of our control - to shut everything down, including states for the next 2 years.

Everyone has had to adjust, adapt and be flexible over the past two years, so we are asking the CIAC to do the same. If the NCAA can be flexible, giving players an extra year of eligibility to play their respective sports due to COVID-19, why can’t the CIAC do the same with us in regard to the state tournament?

Not only do we have the written support of our community and local representatives, we also have the support of every D1 hockey coach in the state. They have all written letters to the CIAC asking for Fairfield Co-op to be eligible for this years tournament, given the unprecedented events that have transpired over the past 2 years. However, all of this support has been unsuccessful, but we are not giving up yet.

We are just kids who want to represent our schools and community on the biggest stage in the state. Winning a high school state championship is something every kid dreams of. We show up to the rink every day, working as hard as we possibly can to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, as of now we are being robbed of our chance to do so, due to no fault of our own.

We would greatly appreciate it if you took the time to sign our petition and pressure the CIAC to do what is right. 

On behalf of the whole Fairfield Co-op Boys Ice Hockey Team, we thank you for your support.