(Image Credit: Facebook/Kamloops Storm).

By Aaron Schulze

Junior B to Junior A

BC Hockey reclassifies KIJHL, two other Junior B leagues in the province to Junior A

Jul 25, 2023 | 7:59 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) has been given Junior A status.

In a news release issued Tuesday (July 25) morning, BC Hockey announced its Board of Directors unanimously voted to reclassify the KIJHL, along with the Pacific Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, as Junior A, Tier 2 leagues ahead of the 2023-24 season. The three leagues had been operating at Junior B status.

The move comes following the British Columbia Hockey League’s (BCHL) decision to leave Hockey Canada and become independent.

“We already have an outstanding group of 20 member clubs that operate at a high level on-and-off the ice,” Jeff Dubois, KIJHL commissioner states. “Operating under the Junior A Tier 2 designation with the opportunity to pursue Tier 1 membership in the future will help ensure that our league becomes even more of a destination for players who want to pursue their goals as student-athletes.”

The KIJHL has teams within the Thompson, Cariboo and Shuswap regions, including the Kamloops Storm, Chase Heat, 100 Mile House Wranglers and Sicamous Eagles.

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BC Hockey states the future goal for teams that achieve Junior A Tier 1 status will be to seek membership within the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the league the BCHL departed.

As part of its application to BC Hockey, the KIJHL states it made multiple commitments to increase operating standards and player experience, including:

• cooperation and engagement with an independent advisory board to evaluate Junior A, Tier 2 teams and determine which may be elevated to the Junior A, Tier 1 level
• a process and analysis, conducted over the next three seasons, allowing individual teams and communities to find the level of Junior hockey best suited to them
• an understanding that the advisory board will soon add other requirements aimed at optimizing the overall player experience with the intent of increasing them each season
• an ongoing structure ensuring that teams achieving the Junior A Tier 1 classification are ready to compete against the nation’s highest-level of Junior hockey competition

Additionally, the KIJHL states it has committed to a three-year plan to increase B.C. and Yukon player representation from 44 per cent in 2022-23 to 52 per cent by 2025-26.

The KIJHL says its 2023-24 regular season schedule will be announced in the coming days.