TimminsToday received the following letter from Peter Politis, mayor of Cochrane, about hockey and community pride:
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On Saturday the Cochrane Crunch were successful in moving onto the division championship series by defeating our highway 11 rivals in Iroquois Falls in game six of the NOJHL eastern division playoff series.
If you were one of the hundreds from Cochrane who attended the game in Iroquois Falls, you witnessed an incredible atmosphere, along with witnessing the extraordinary relationship between our two northern towns that has been carved from a hundred years of history together – the type of atmosphere that Stompin Tom surely had in mind when he put pen to paper on writing a piece of Canadian hockey lore.
This series, founded on our national game, is proof positive that all that northern Ontario town’s need to be reminded of the greatest way of life we are privileged to know, is an opportunity to put our community pride front and center.
During this past ten days I found myself craving the game between the Crunch and Eskis and relishing the fact that I could watch every game live with a simple thirty minute drive.
More so, I found the atmosphere in both rinks absolutely electric for both teams as hundreds of supporters came from both directions for each game.
Economically, it should obvious how important these junior hockey teams are to our northern communities.
One just has to look at communities who sadly lose their team and the extraordinary effort made to replace them respectively.
However, economics tends to overshadow the other very important benefit to our communities and that’s the social impact each of our communities realizes at the same time.
The terrific rivalry that developed between the Cochrane Crunch and the Abitibi Eskimos clearly demonstrates the true benefits of such circumstances.
While generating a significant increase in economic impact from having so many more fans in our buildings and respective communities; so many that an unprecedented convoy of vehicles as far as one could see, driving both ways to and from games was created; the comradery and friendly competition also allowed us to beam with pride at a time when it seems like we have far too few opportunities to do so together.
While I’m obviously overjoyed by the excitement created right here in Cochrane, I found myself just as overjoyed by the warm and welcoming spirit of the fans and town of Iroquois Falls.
Clearly, a fans base that could have been anything but, all considered, was an inspiration to all communities seeking to host junior hockey teams and seeking to be part of such a historic and beneficial rivalry.
Iroquois Falls has been a small market northern town beating the odds of being a far north hockey market since their inception into the NOJHL.
Their motto is “a winning tradition” and one could not have chosen a better caption to describe the culture that made the Eskis a terrific role model to every other community, for having success at this level, so far from the typical market.
Before the Crunch were established, Cochrane supported the Eskis in our sister community and did so with enthusiasm.
Once again demonstrating that when push comes to shove, 100 years of building the greatest way of life together, means something.
The city of Timmins will become another great place for junior hockey and will be inheriting one of the most successful junior hockey organizations in the league, to start off their own well deserved traditions (and rivalries).
At the same time, the Town of Iroquois Falls has been a model hockey town and the NOJHL has benefited greatly from their support and enthusiasm.
What a shame it will be if all effort isn’t made to secure another junior team for our great northern cousins.
What a shame it will be if this established and solid market is left to become another page in the leagues historical journals.
However, to miss out on an opportunity to not only keep the fire burning on the fabulous rivalry between our two towns, but to also miss the opportunity to add in the city of Timmins, to miss out on the opportunity for all three northern cousins to beam with pride on a weekly basis, while kindling a regional socio-economic freight train that will surely be the envy of any hockey enthusiast, that will be the greatest shame of all!
On behalf of our Council and the entire community of Cochrane, we congratulate the Abitibi Eskimos for all the wonderful memories and the many years of maintaining a winning tradition that opened the door for other communities in the region; we congratulate the city of Timmins for once again rejoining it’s regional cousins in the NOJHL; and here’s to the NOJHL, along with the town of Iroquois falls, together finding the path to establishing the next era of junior hockey in a town known for its hockey pride.
But for now, our region is represented by the Cochrane Crunch and our entire community looks forward to the continued support of all of our regional cousins as we attempt to be the first expansion club to win an NOJHL championship, while showing the world that the greatest way of life in the best backyard on the planet, starts with unbridled pride in all of us together as NORTHERNERS first! #GOCRUNCHGO
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