SYDNEY, N.S. — The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education has released a statement regarding the 2020 Red Cup Showcase on Friday.
The centre confirmed the local high school hockey tournament, hosted by Riverview High School, will take place Feb. 6-8 at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre in Coxheath.
According to the dates, the tournament will in fact see a format change, running Thursday to Saturday instead of the traditional Thursday to Sunday.
Details of the tournament were released two weeks after the Cape Breton Post first reported changes to the Red Cup Showcase tournament.
The Post has learned the original plan for the tournament was to feature the four local teams — Riverview, Sydney Academy, Glace Bay and Memorial — but that format was rejected by the Cape Breton teams.
Since then, the centre has confirmed the tournament will feature six teams — with three of the six teams being from mainland Nova Scotia.
The teams scheduled to participate in the tournament include host Riverview, Memorial, Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional High School of Antigonish, Northumberland Regional High School of Pictou County, Cole Harbour High School, and Strait Area Education Recreation Centre of Port Hawkesbury.
Four of the six teams participating in the tournament are Division 1 clubs. Meanwhile, Cole Harbour and Strait Area are listed as Division 2 teams.
The Sydney Academy Wildcats and Glace Bay Panthers are not scheduled to participate in the tournament.
“Both Glace Bay and Sydney Academy were invited, however they declined, with thanks,” said centre for education spokesperson Michelle MacLeod.
Panthers head coach Dwayne Doucet told the Post the team declined to play in a tournament with just the four local teams but told the committee they would join if visiting teams were part of it.
“It’s shocking to say the least, we had no idea and never got an invite to it and never spoke to anybody about it,” said Doucet. “We were at the understanding that it was only going to be the four local teams and that was it — the only thing we ever declined was the four local teams.”
The centre for education announced the new tournament chair will be Rhyan Coleman, replacing John Hanna, who is currently the assistant general manager for the Cape Breton Eagles.
Sources have told the Cape Breton Post the reason for the format change is due to the possibility of underage drinking among students during Redmen evening games, which has been the subject of speculation in the past.
MacLeod was asked about underage drinking being the reason for the format change.
“The Red Cup committee has been in discussions with representatives of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Cape Breton Regional Police, Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education, and local high school principals collaborating to provide the safest, most memorable experience possible,” said MacLeod.
Doucet said he believes not having Glace Bay and Sydney Academy participating in the tournament may hurt the Red Cup.
“They’ve put together basically a Division 2 tournament …. They’ve weakened it and have hurt the reputation of the Red Cup, for sure.”
Doucet said it’s too early know what the Panthers will do during Red Cup weekend with not being in the event, but he expects it to be hockey-related.
“All the Grade 12s were looking forward to the tournament and this administration took it from them and it’s not something that sits well.”
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