Hockey Nova Scotia overhauls female hockey system by region

Hockey Nova Scotia is restructuring female hockey in the hopesof doubling registration over the next five years.

As of June 15,there will be six zones and teamsformed withinregionalareas instead of individual minor hockey associations.

Across the province, 1,500 girls now play hockey. Officials say those numbers have been steady over the past few years.

In Nova Scotia, around 15,000 boyssign up for hockey teams each year.

"The biggest issue is we've been trying to administer the femalegame the same way we administer minor hockey,"said Darren Cossar,the executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia. "The systems don't work the same."

The sixzones being created are:

• Cape Breton
• Fundy-Highland(Antigonish, Pictou, Colchester),
• Dartmouth (Dartmouth, East Hants,Eastern Shore, Cole Harbour),
• Halifax (Halifax, Sackville, Bedford & Tasa),
• Nova (Clare, Digby, Western Valley, West Hants & Acadia)
• Western(South Shore, Chester, Shelburne & Yarmouth).

In these zones, there willbe two tiers. The AA teams will includehighly-skilled players that will continue to play across the province. The A teams will play within their zones, in an effort to reduce the amount families have to travel.

"What this will do is hopefully enable us to have competitive teamsat both the AA and theA levels, so the girls will have a better experience," Cossar said.

This type of restructuring is also being done in Prince Edward Islandand Alberta.

Hockey Nova Scotia also plans to design new programs aimed atspecifically attracting young girls to the sport.