On March 28th the 2020-21 Chatham-Kent Cyclones season will officially end.
I would like to apologize to the U10 players in Chatham-Kent who were not afforded the opportunity to tryout with us this season. For a small zone Organization like ours this was worst case scenario. I genuinely hope that you decide to give our great organization a chance to show you what we're all about in 2021-22. There are some people out there who truly care about this group and they proved it this year, the effort didn't go unnoticed.
I would like to commend the U11 group for being a positive beacon of things to come for this organization. The future is bright and "if you develop them, they will come...."
The U12 group is a team I can't wait to see back in action next season. I am so proud of the level of commitment this young group has to hockey, a shining reflection of the coaching staff and their positive approach to the game.
I have so much admiration towards the U13 team. "Passionate" is an understatement when describing this entire group, and with the right leadership the possibilities are endless. I and very hopeful for the future of this team and just remember your last official game was a playoff championship win, I was there!
The U14's dodged the first and what I think is the most difficult year of body contact. But with that being said, be ready and keep your head up because everyone is bigger and faster in U15. I have the utmost confidence in this groups ability to adapt and excel moving forward.
I feel as though the U15 team even though they didn't get to play any real games to prove it has made significant strides toward preparing for the U16 season. Having the opportunity to see them practice many times this year I look forward to what the future holds for them.
I'm not sure how to describe a year like this for the U16 team. I watched this team grow and develop, succeed and fail, win and lose over the past 7 years. I would like wish the players all the best moving forward in your hockey endeavors, remember this isn't the end and is just the beginning of the next chapter in your growth and development. I would like to also thank the staff for so many years of dedication, it truly was a pleasure.
Lastly I would like to thank the Chatham-Kent Cyclone Board and all the volunteers who have spent countless hours ensuring our kids had a safe, fun hockey environment to play in this season. In a season without games there aren't wins and losses but we were all victorious in achieving that goal.
Now it is with a heavy heart that I announce I will be stepping down as the Chatham-Kent Cyclones President at our Annual AGM in April. I like to consider myself a passionate volunteer who sometimes takes on too much. I feel the Organization will be better served with a leader who can commit more time to it. The Cyclones have so much potential for positive growth and I look forward to still being a part of it in a reduced capacity moving forward.
Thank you, and I hope to see you all in the fall for tryouts.
Jack Brown
President