GTA Junior Boys Championship Tournament - March 2010

Coach, some problems with your post:

1. The Peel final will still take place before March Break so, like "most schools", they are wrapping up their winter sports before March Break.

2. Their dates have nothing to do with stacking teams for OFSAA; that was a comment in response to Coach Clement's older post where he mentioned that allowing juniors to play up was one reason for holding the tournament earlier rather than later.

3. Once again, the rationale takes a very basketball-centric approach. The dates for finals are based not just on the desire of one sport; they have to be balanced with the needs of the other leagues playing in the winter so they can't simply tell the head of ROPSSAA - make our final 2 weeks earlier than normal. Peel hasn't tweaked anything; others are telling them to tweak for the self-declared GTA championship. It's not as simple as snap your fingers and it happens.

I think a lot of your post misunderstands the situation in Peel and the arguments I ma making.

And, by the way, the OFSAA analogy doesn't work. Teams qualify for OFSAA based on winning their league (or finishing second in the case of a few regions). The tournament proposed for junior is going to end up having a sizable portion of its line-up based on the choices of the convener and perhaps a small group of coaches who happen to read and post on this board. That's why I classify it as an invitational and OFSAA as a championship.

Peel Fan,

The March Break comment was referring to the fact that if Peel wraps up their finals JUST before the March Break, the GTA Championship is forced to occur after the break.

OFSAA is run before the break so it's tough to justify running this tournament after the March Break.

I don't want to speak for Coach Clement but I'm pretty sure he wanted things settled before the break too.

I do agree with your basketball-centric comment... But if Peel can get things done for Seniors by the end of February, why can't they do it for Juniors too?

Peel is like every other board - they have the same number of teams, sports, and gyms per school and all the other regions are able to wrap up early.

All new ventures have growing pains.
Coach Bob has come up with a great idea and if it is to be without Peel this year, then that's what it will be. Our final in Metro East is February 9th. Why are we so early and Peel so late? I still think it merits the name 'GTA Junior Boys Championship'. If it turns out to be a great event, then maybe dates can be moved around a bit next year. Let's go with it this year and see.
The Olympics were still the Olympics with or without the U.S.A. Canada, U.S.S.R. etc. during the boycotts. There is no inference here that Peel is boycotting this tourney but just that a name is a name.
I believe we finish our b-ball much earlier than Peel so our athletes and coaches can start indoor training for track, flag football, soccer and rugby. If Peel can still start these sports while b-ball is still being played, then our facilities in Toronto are not nearly as good as those in Peel.

Here's a novel thought: Peel sends it's top two or "most likely to reach the Peel finals teams" to the GTA tourney. I highly doubt any of the other regions would mind them doing this, would they? Within their Peel region, if the 3rd seeded and lower teams who felt they might have had a shot at upsetting the top 2 at the Peel finals have a problem with that, then they can go about exerting pressure on Peel to change things within their own region for next year. It's not the GTA tourney's fault and the winners/finalists will in no way have an asterisk beside their win, they will the GTA champs. Adapt or get left out, it's pretty simple.

I guess Peel wont be involved.

I cant see Peel changing dates and schedules for a single tournament any time soon.

By changing the junior basketball season it would require a restructure of all other winter sports.

Another reason I think Peel will not switch is because of the availability of Sheridan College for the Championship game.

even if peel teams end late if the top 2 teams get invited i know they'll go many ccoaches in peel wont miss this kind of oportunity
dont worry guys peel will be in it.
trust me
right now the best teams in peel
right now is St joes and DY

haltonelite wrote:Here's a novel thought: Peel sends it's top two or "most likely to reach the Peel finals teams" to the GTA tourney. I highly doubt any of the other regions would mind them doing this, would they? Within their Peel region, if the 3rd seeded and lower teams who felt they might have had a shot at upsetting the top 2 at the Peel finals have a problem with that, then they can go about exerting pressure on Peel to change things within their own region for next year. It's not the GTA tourney's fault and the winners/finalists will in no way have an asterisk beside their win, they will the GTA champs. Adapt or get left out, it's pretty simple.

We would welcome representation from Peel. I have wanted them included from the outset!

Make no mistake, Father Henry Carr A will be invited as a wildcard.

I believe they will likely accept!

Coach Clement .. I believe without the champion of peel it will not really be a good representation of GTA Championship. Unfortunately, the schedule does not work to permit the peel champions (too bad ... life moves on). Have you ever thought of maybe changing the name of your tournament so it will not imply the whole GTA and save you the grief from all of this complains. If from the very beginning it would have been called something else (ie. Elite Invitationals) and you just invite the champions anyways (whose schedule permits) then you would achieve the same thing (having quality games with good teams) and not have this issue of justifying the GTA champions .. Inviting Carr A as a wild card is a whole different discussion that I'm sure people will have a lot of opinion ... Let's all work on keeping the Integrity of the game.

it seems like peel is getting ignored
coach clement isntt that smart, if he wanted a tru gta championship he wait for the peel teams,
that would be great but instead goes ahed and ignores' the peel region
there are good team s from peel
it seems to be all about toronoto ballers
and people are ignoring the talent from peel

y dont u reead the posts, coach clement said lots of times that it is impossible to wait any longer for peel. because juniors need to be called up for OFSAA
and u cant do it after the break

Agreed, if peel can't participate so be it- I'm sure if you invite the team ranked highest by a designated date that team will represent the region well otherwise like someone said earlier invite the team with best record in league play. Waiting until after the break is NOT an option.
Hopefully the tourney goes well this year and the different associations CONSIDER changing their dates and participating because in theory this is a great idea that allows junior aged players to compete for a regional/provincial style championship.
Coach Bob are players that play senior eligible to play in this tournament since there are a few very good grade 10's playing senior such as Mikyle, Kaza, Duane, watkins etc even though I doubt senior coaches would agree possibly risk injury a week before Ofsaa

This was the original plan :

Tentative Dates: March 4 , March 5 and March 6 2010

Eastern Site :
Toronto Public (2) Champion and Finalist
Toronto Catholic (2) Champion and Finalist
Durham (2) Champion and Finalist
Wildcards (2)

Western Site :
Peel (2) Champion and Finalist
York (2) Champion and Finalist
Halton (2) Champion and Finalist
CISAA (1) Champion
Wildcards (1)
Playoff Round: To be played at a local College or University (March 6)

We now know the eastern site is Mother Teresa, the western site is Vaughan and the site for the Finals will be Seneca College. All dates have been confirmed.

Since the Peel Champion and Finalist will not be available I will attempt to get the two best representatives available from Peel.

Senior players who are Junior age will not be eligible to compete.

With regards to peel, If this tournament runs as presented by Coach Clement, and no reason why it shouldn't be, Peel coaches should see what they are missing out on and will press the convenor to swithcing their dates.

The Peel league will listen to coaches, but the coaches have to get involved and interested in this for any change to occur.

panathas can attest to the effort that went in to include Peel in this tournament.

In fact he was the one who tried to affect change from the inside. The powers in Peel were not prepared to make changes to bring this into the realm of possibility.

We began these efforts in June of last year and continued in September and October. The Peel Athletic Association was not prepared to adjust their playoff dates.

So here we stand! However we will seek representation from Peel, I can do no more than I have done!

I would like to add to the Peel discussion. I have talked with Coach Tucci and Coach Miles personally at 2 different sites, during the Jr. Rimrocker Tourney, and mentioned that we would like to encourage Peel's representation. They both agreed that some type of representation should happen even though the Peel finals and maybe the semis are scheduled before the GTA date.
I think there is definitely a behind the scenes push to get peel representation. Just ask your coaches in peel with teams that may have a run at being in the elite 8 in the peel playoffs.

That is good to hear!

I have sought to contact Dexter MacDonald from d'Youville. We will seek the best available teams.

I think it will be good for Carr A to play in the tournament. Good call coach Clement. For all fans one can only imagine it may be the last time you see some of these guys play in Canada. As coach Melnik mentioned (he may know something we do not), but I can tell you I'm going to get my fill of Carr ball from this point on. Can only hope that they attend the tourney, Coach Clement have they been invited and accepted yet?

I have been in touch with Coach Melnik and I do intend to invite them.

There is one wildcard berth available in the West.

I may have a worked out a possible solution for the Peel teams but it will mean they will have to play in the middle of their semi-finals.

The Peel semi-finals go on the 4th and the Peel teams could be involved in the GTA Championship on March 5 only.

We will seek the winners of the semis if possible if not we will invite one or both of the losing teams.

It's up to the schools involved, will they be willing to participate in the GTA Championship in the middle of their playoffs?

Coach Alkins and myself had a great conversation of having a two PEEL representatives, as it only makes sense.

Peel dates will not be changed and that's fine. Thus, we must look at another alternative.

In my opinion, the two Peel spots should go to the top two Peel teams in the Junior Coaches Poll before the GTA Championship.

Currently from the Junior Super Sixteen CP- Peel teams sit as:
1. D'Y (7)
2. Sandalwood (10)
3. Fr Goetz (11)
4. Ascension (14)
5. Campion (16)

Also, we can look at the match-up we have had amongst each other. We had two tough games against D'Y, Sandalwood whom we beat and one tough game against Ascension to whom we lost to. Peel South has two strong teams, with St. Joes and Fr. Goetz at the top of their division.

This may work I hope, as this is a great opportunity for two strong Peel teams to compete and represent amongst the best the GTA has to offer.

We will look at the top teams in the semi-finals for Peel and fill accordingly.

The Super Sixteen would be a helpful indicator if the semi-finalists opt not to attend.

We will definitely seek two Peel teams possibly more!

That would be GREAT Coach Clement,

Teams like

- Ascension
- Sandalwood
- d'Youville
- Campion
- Goetz
- St. Joes

Are 6 teams that are incrdibly strong in Peel. I woulden't be surpisrsed to see 2 teams out of these 6 at your torunament.

Coach Miles, it seems like you are begging... for your team to get invited to this tournament. it is simple.... get to the finals and you should be invited. How does your team lose to Bramalea... and you still think you deserve to be invited to the GTA Championship.....? Next time you play Sandalwood...the score might be different.

Where in my post Prime Time, may you suggest that I am begging. I have given props to all the teams that sit ahead of us in our league plain and simple. To diminish what Bramalea has done this year without ever seeing them play is quite foolish. They are first in Tier 2, and having played this team and speaking the coach, we both agreed that they could have easily played Tier 1 this year.

Now back to the real topic:

My only concern and I think other coaches from Peel would have the same concern, is the short turn around time to decide whether to go to the tournament or not. I think the two highest represented Peel teams, from the coaches pool a week before should represent PEEL.

Prime Time, that means currently we would not be one of the representing teams. No begging here my friend I hope you follow what I am saying. You win and lose with grace.

I say this, with regards to budget and getting the students to and from the games, this takes about a week or two to organize.