A Heartfelt Thank You to the Hockey Community
Wow. Over the past 48 hours, my family and I have been overwhelmed by the incredible outpouring of support from the Ottawa community and the greater Hockey Canada family. Whether it was emails, social media messages, or heartfelt conversations, your response has been nothing short of amazing. It’s a powerful reminder that our journey isn’t just about us—it’s about something much bigger.
Before we dive deeper, I want to take a moment to say a sincere thank you. Thank you for standing with us, for sharing your words of encouragement, and for showing that together, we can navigate even the toughest paths. While we’re working to respond to everyone personally, we needed to pause and express our gratitude. Your support means everything.
Addressing Concerns About Minor Hockey
For those of you in the minor hockey community who were worried about whether we’d still be coaching or involved with our beloved Rams family—rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere. Over the past four years, my wife and I have poured our hearts into this community, giving everything we have for the kids we care about so deeply. That commitment hasn’t changed. We are proud to be part of the greater Ram’s community.
As I mentioned in my earlier blog post, our fight is about the bigger picture. Not one specific person, organization or area. It’s about creating positive change both inside and outside of minor hockey. We’re determined to have the tough conversations, to call out poor behaviour, and to work toward a culture that prioritizes transparency and accountability. This shift is essential, and we’re committed to being part of the solution.
Our love for the SMHA community runs deep, and we’ll continue to give our all for as long as our kids—and yours—need us. This journey isn’t about one specific hockey organization; it’s about making hockey better for everyone.
A Call for Collaboration
To the convenors, coaches, and team managers who tirelessly dedicate themselves to minor hockey: thank you. You are the backbone of our sport, giving countless hours to ensure that kids across the country have opportunities to play and grow. Your efforts matter, and we’re standing with you as you continue to put all kids first—not just the ones closest to you.
If hockey is going to return to where it needs to be, it will require collaboration at every level. From the grassroots to the pros, and across both private and public hockey systems, we need to work together. We need to push for a culture that values fairness, opportunity, and integrity.
About My Role with Klevr
To my team kiddos and fellow coaches who’ve reached out with concerns: don’t worry. Coach Brad isn’t going anywhere. My work with Klevr is a separate pursuit focused on providing opportunities for U9 players. While we’ve received a lot of messages asking about expanding to older age groups, that’s not currently in the plans.
I want to be clear: this isn’t about competing with Hockey Canada. We fully support the way Hockey Canada is operating from a hockey perspective beyond U9. In fact, in countless other parts of the province and country, this issue is a non-factor. HEO remains the only governing body in Ontario who is working hard to create fear and put these unnecessary boundaries up for our kids. My work with Klevr is about creating additional opportunities for kids while coexisting and thriving alongside the public hockey system.
For example, our spring teams bring together players from both private and public hockey streams. We love seeing friends from different winter teams come together to create unforgettable memories in the spring. That’s the kind of collaboration and joy we’re all about.
Updates on Tryouts
To everyone who’s been asking about spring tryouts, thank you for your interest! Our spring teams are now full, but we promise to work on expanding to more teams next year.
For those asking about winter Klevr tryouts, those dates were just released on our website and social media channels!
Thank You Again
To everyone who has reached out, whether to share words of encouragement, ask questions, or show support: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your kindness and belief in what we’re doing mean the world to us.
This journey is about so much more than hockey. It’s about creating a space where kids can thrive, where integrity matters, and where we can all work together to make the sport we love better for generations to come.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us.
– Coach Brad
