The World Senior Championships occur every two years on odd numbered years, while World Junior Championships are held on even numbered years.

Players for Junior Team Canada are scouted mainly at the annual National Junior Championships, with some advance scouting being done at large provincial events with eight or more junior teams participating. In order to be considered for Junior Team Canada, players are encouraged to qualify for their provincial team(s) competing at the Nationals, because a player's ability is more effectively measured against the best competition available.

The men's program is somewhat similar with players being scouted at National Championships. Provincial events may also be scouted with notable players encouraged to qualify for their provincial team(s) competing at the Nationals. Whenever possible, an evaluation camp will be held with as many as 44 selected players attending. The final roster typically will have between 22 and 25 players.

If you would like a chance to play for Team Canada, you must:

• play in a CBHA member league
• be selected to compete at your provincial championships or national qualifying tournament
• ideally, be selected to compete for your province at the National Championships
• It is the goal of the CBHA and ISBHF to one day offer a world championship for women, once enough countries are able to field a competitive team.

There are no words that can justify the cruel world we live in when someone is taken from us too early. Robert Wilfred Mentis was a wonderful person.

Mr. Mentis was the consummate gentlemen both in and outside the sport of ball hockey.  The man was a fierce competitor in the game of ball hockey and it didn't matter if it was at the League, Provincials, Nationals or Worlds. He was a winner.   He was one of the most accomplished players ever winning numerous individual honors, all star selections and championships, but what was his greatest accomplishment was the time he gave away from the floor enriching the lives of his teammates and opponents.

What he did inside the walls was magical, but what he did off the floor and in the dressing rooms, foyers, parking lots is what we will always cherish, the stories, knowledge and perspective on the sport, but always relating it to life. Work to always be better and plan to achieve your own greatness.

He was a great fan, supporter and player within the game and ball hockey family.  He was a pioneer, one of the original building blocks of the Brampton Midnight Express.  He along with Terry Griffith and brother James Mentis were the life blood of the team from its inception first National Championship in 1996.  He was a great promoter of the game who had a sincere passion and love for the sport.  He was a proponent of expansion of the game throughout the province at all levels.  He honestly believed it was indeed’ A Game Anyone Can Play” and he lived it. 

When Team Canada came calling in 2001, there he was at camp setting the tone for the entire team and winning gold in Toronto that June.  

In the summer of 2013, he returned to the National program as an assistant coach to teach, guide and share his knowledge with the next generation, the consummate professional in assisting wherever he was required and showing the leadership and again the team won gold.  

For those who had the honor of playing and coaching against him you considered yourself better for it.  He played the game fearlessly, but when it was time to chat, there he was in the parking lot, advising his opponents that they were a good team, but just keep working at it.  Always respectful and with that infectious smile.  You see he wanted to bring out the best in everyone and he always did, the better they were the better he was.  He was our sports greatest left winger on the best team of all time and always made time for everyone. 

Mr. Mentis was also a wonderful father and near the end of his Tier 1 career began playing on his son’s team where he enjoyed teaching the next generation of players the game and not just what was done within the boards, but off the floor.   The ‘family’ of ball hockey players that make our game what it is.

Today, all we can do is think back to the discussions each of us had with him and we all will miss him, but his legacy will always remain with the people his life touched.

As a player, just close your eyes for a moment and you can see racing down the left side of the floor and cutting to the middle and releasing his shot and scoring a goal and then being joined by his teammates and flashing that smile.

Our prayers are with him, his family as he indeed was a wonderful brother, father, special talent, teammate and friend and we were all better for having had him in our lives.  

Forever in our hearts #27

Men’s ‘D’ participation in the OBHA has become one of the most popular and enjoyably competitive venues in recent years due in large part to the number, diversity and range in the ages of the players at that level in recent years.  In addition, travelling has always been an attractive incentive for the teams involved and this years event was no exception as 24 teams competed in the 2014 ‘D’ Winter Provincial Championship.      

Off the heels of their league and provincial qualifying victory they kept the ball rolling to cap off a great season as the team defeated the Paragoons from Mississauga in overtime 4-3. 

The  tournament was anything but a walk in the park as the majority of the games were tightly contested right up to and including the championship final.  The next stop for the Shwas is the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada Tier III Nationals in Moncton the weekend of July 24-27.

Click here for game by game results

The Masters division of play, home to many former great players who once played at the elite level in the OBHA, has produced some of the most competitive and exciting ball hockey in recent years.  The Falco Steelers have a collection of many of those players and are a perennial powerhouse in the sport of ball hockey in Ontario. 

They have a strangle hold on the Masters Provincial Championship Trophy both in the winter and summer and have set the standard for the divison.

In the most recent victory, the Steelers outlasted D-12 9-5 to win the gold medal and have now qualified for the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada Tier III event in Moncton the weekend of July 24-27.

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The preliminary games determined that the championship would go through the Norstar as they had emerged as the front runners going undefeated in the round robin portion.

In semi final action, the Chargers defeated Bad Girls 2-0 which set up the final.   The team played stellar defense only allowing two goals in the round robin portion en route to a 3-0 victory and champions who have now qualified for the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada Tier II event in Montreal the weekend of July 24-27.

Click here for game by game results