We, the undersigned players, coaches, team officials, and supporters of women’s hockey in Ontario, respectfully call on the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) to take meaningful action to protect the integrity, safety, and sustainability of Senior C women’s hockey.

Senior C hockey plays a critical role in the development and retention of adult female athletes. It provides a competitive environment for players who wish to continue participating in organized hockey while balancing work, family, and other commitments. This level is intended to reflect a specific and appropriate standard of play — one that is both competitive and safe.

However, there is a growing and widely recognized concern across the province that the current structure of Senior C competition is becoming increasingly inconsistent. Issues being experienced include:

Teams competing at a level that does not reflect the intended standard of Senior C
The presence of players with recent high-level experience (e.g., AA, university, or elite-level hockey) significantly impacting competitive balance
Situations where team strength fluctuates throughout the season, making standings an unreliable measure of true capability
Increased risk to player safety due to mismatched levels of play
Player frustration and declining participation as fair competition becomes less consistent
A lack of transparency and consistency in provincial qualification and categorization processes
These concerns are not isolated to one team, region, or season — they are being experienced across multiple areas of the province and are impacting the long-term health of the division.

 
🎯 What We Are Requesting
We respectfully request that the OWHA establish a Senior C Working Committee made up of representatives from across the province to support the ongoing development and oversight of this division.

This committee would:

Assist in the annual re-categorization (re-cat) process by providing informed, experience-based feedback on team placement
Support appeal processes, offering insight from individuals who have firsthand knowledge of teams and competition levels throughout the season
Help develop and recommend clear standards for player eligibility, including guidelines related to recent high-level playing experience
Contribute to improving competitive balance, ensuring teams are placed appropriately within divisions
Provide input on provincial qualification structures, promoting fairness and consistency across all regions
Enhance communication and transparency between the OWHA and participating teams
This committee should be composed of a balanced group of representatives from Senior C teams across Ontario — particularly those who reflect the true competitive middle of the division and understand the realities of weekly competition.

 
⚖️ Why This Matters
Senior C hockey must remain:

Safe for all participants
Fair and competitive across all regions
Accessible and sustainable for adult women in sport
Without appropriate structure and oversight, there is a real risk of:

Increased injuries
Loss of player participation
Erosion of confidence in the fairness of the system
The goal of this petition is not to exclude players or teams, but to ensure that all participants are competing in the division that best reflects their level — preserving the integrity of the game for everyone involved.

 
🤝 Our Commitment
We are committed to working collaboratively with the OWHA to strengthen Senior C hockey across Ontario. We believe that by introducing a structured, representative committee, the OWHA can further enhance fairness, transparency, and long-term success within the division.

 
✍️ Call to Action
We respectfully ask the OWHA to:

Establish a Senior C Working Committee
Engage directly with participating teams for input and feedback
Review and strengthen current categorization and eligibility standards
 
🖊️ Signatures
By signing this petition, you are supporting a fair, safe, and sustainable future for Senior C women’s hockey in Ontario.