Former Hound continues battle against OHL over education

Players who make it to one of Canada's top major junior leagues generally have their sights on the glitz and glamour of the National Hockey League. What those players don't realize is while they're concentrating on their career; their schooling is also something many teams place an emphasis on.

"There are unique circumstances but the bottom line is, if you don't go to school you don't play here," said Belleville Bulls coach and general manager George Burnett. "I would think that most teams in our league have a similar type of message."

The idea of academics throughout the OHL came to light earlier this season when former OHL forward Brody Todd brought a lawsuit against the Kingston Frontenacs, the OHL, and league commissioner David Branch.

"The league always told us, they would take care of our education costs," Todd told The Toronto Star in November, 2006. "I sure found out different. My experience taught me that players need to understand what is exactly in their contracts and not be afraid to ask questions."

"He wants to make things better for other players and he told me to sue them for whatever I can think of so that's what I did," said Todd's agent Todd Christie in an interview with The Hockey News in October, 2006. "They're going to pay for his schooling; there is no doubt about that. But he stands to make more money with these other issues."

Todd, who suited up for four teams in five seasons, brought the lawsuit after the Frotnenacs declined to pay his education package which was agreed to when Todd signed with the team prior to the 2000-01 season. The package would have the Frontenacs pay $7,000 per year for four years of schooling at the university of his choice. The Frontenacs were declining to pay the money because Todd was traded to Ottawa after leaving the team and requesting a trade.

Todd filed a statement of claim with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice suing the Frontenacs for $8,200 ($7,000 for his first year of university and $300 per year of off-season training money that he never received).

The lawsuit also claimed the OHL's maximum compensation on $50 per week per player as well as the league's draft system, constitutes illegal restraint of trade. The argument was the OHL draft system is the only one in sports that is not collectively bargained with the players.

Todd's lawsuit did see him win payment of his first year of schooling and the 22-year-old is now attending Acadia and majoring in history and English.

The Ontario Hockey League requires its players to be involved in school if they are of high school age though they are not forced to take courses at the post-secondary level.

The league has scholarships available to each player that enters the league. Once a player is drafted and enters the league, all of his schooling while he is a member of an OHL franchise is covered. The player does have his post-secondary schooling covered under certain conditions. The first component of the scholarship is while the player is actually playing in the league. While a player is a member of an OHL organization, all of their schooling costs, be it at the secondary or post-secondary level, are paid for. Any academic cost is covered, including books and tuition. If a player enters the league at 17 and takes college or university courses as their career progresses, all of the academic costs are free. Following their OHL career, they will have a scholarship to any Canadian school of their choice. The scholarship covers the number of seasons the player has played in the league.

The players have 18 months after they leave the OHL to apply to a post-secondary institution. The only way the education package would be voided is if the player signs a contract in the National Hockey League or American Hockey League.

All OHL teams are expected to set up their own plans with their players for their success in completing their schooling.

Burnett said the team can make sure that the player attends classes regularly and is on time among other things, but the motivation aspect lies within the player as well as his family. Once the player graduates from high school, Burnett said teams are hopeful those players have an option to attain a post-secondary education while playing the game.

Many southern Ontario-based teams, such as the Bulls have a limited travel schedule when it comes to time on the road. The travel is limited because of the location of the hockey club. The team attempts to schedule any overnight stays around holidays and Professional Advancement days to limit the amount of school missed by the players. The players also do not have a final period class which gives the team leeway when it comes to travel as well. The team generally will depart Belleville at two or three in the afternoon so the players are not missing a regular class. Burnett estimates his players will miss three to four full days of school over the course of the entire season.

Players who wish to make up the class have the option of taking correspondence courses to get the class they are missing while others who look to graduate early so they will take summer courses to stay a step ahead.

Over 90 per cent of the OHL's games take place between Thursday and Sunday, making it a weekend league. The league tries to limit the amount of games played during the week, which limits the amount of school the players have to miss because of road trips.

In comparison, the Western Hockey League, which is under the Canadian Hockey League umbrella along with the OHL and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, has a similar policy when it comes to players schooling.

Their policy includes players' tuition, compulsory fees ad text books at their choice of a university, college, or technical school. The coverage covers basically any career-enhancing post-secondary program.

Similarly to the OHL, for every season that a player plays in the Western Hockey League a full year scholarship is given. The player's academic progress is monitored throughout the term and all teams have an advisor who helps players with any schooling issues throughout the season and their career. During the season players also have tutoring services available to them as well full-funding for any post-secondary courses they take while playing in the league.

For each season a player is entitled to a full scholarship that consists of tuition, compulsory fees and text books. For example, a player who plays four full seasons in the WHL is entitled to a full four year scholarship to the post-secondary institution of their choice.

Since 1993, the WHL has awarded over 2,300 scholarships which represent close to $8 million.

All WHL teams are governed by strict league-wide education standards and policies that are in place to ensure players achieve their academic goals.

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PLAYOFF NOTES:

The Plymouth Whalers were fined $2,500 on Sunday after comments were made following game one of their series against the Kitchener Rangers.

Plymouth coach Mike Vellucci was quoted as saying "I don't blame our kids at all. I think it was a disgrace the way the game was officiated. (Thirteen to four) were the power plays. That's not right. It's not right for the kids to have to go through it. It's not right for the league not to do something about it."