Many people in Ottawa are still on the links, copying the golf swings of a Scottie Scheffler or Brooke Henderson, but fall is not far off. And that hockey bag in the basement, well it is begging to replace your golf bag. You just need a league for you and friends to show their playmaking skills, like a Connor Bedard or Natalie Spooner. Well, you have one; it is the Citywide Sports Hockey League – featuring men and women adult recreational leagues.
This year, City Wide Sports Hockey League, which has been operating for 25 years, will be holding two recreational women’s leagues (18 and older) and one men’s league for players, age 30 and over. The season runs every Wednesday from October 2 to February 26, except for December 25 and January 1.
All the leagues are non-contact and are officiated, with playoffs for qualifying teams. The league provides a fun and safe hockey experience for recreational players. Players must wear a CSA-approved helmet and a full-face mask is recommended.
The women’s leagues will play at the Lois Kemp Arena and McNabb arenas between 9 and 11 pm and the men’s league will play out of the Walter Baker Sports Centre between 9 pm and midnight. Teams must consist of a maximum of 15 players plus five spares. The men’s league capacity is a maximum of six team and eight teams for the women’s league.
Registration starts at 9 pm on August 15 and closes on September 18. Here is how you and your teammates register at Register Ottawa:
- The team captain registers a team, pays the team fee, and creates a team password. When prompted to input the number of players on your team please enter the number 20 to allow for spares.
- The team captain and each individual team member will "join a team" online, select their team’s name and use the password to join.
- Every team member, including subs, must join the team online before playing.
So don’t delay. Get your friends and interested players together to lace up and hit the ice this season. If you are an individual looking for a team, send an email to cwshl@ottawa.ca and organizers will try to find a team for you.
If you want to keep in shape on and off the ice, also visit ottawa.ca/recreation for various fitness programs and classes, including drop-in sessions for swimming and cardio-weight rooms.