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The 1989-90 season was the first year for the Tech Center Hockey League.    Marty Sell, Mike Parker and Dorian Tait started recruiting players during the summer of 1989.    There were four teams that season. One hour games were played at 7:30 PM on Saturday and 7:00 AM on Sunday (Sunday seemed to always be short of players, sometimes even goalies).     In 1990-91 games were moved to 4:30 and 7:30 PM on Saturday. In 1991-92 we managed to get back to back times at 7:30 and 8:30 on Saturday. We played at those times for 2 seasons.     The nice thing about those times was that you saw all of the players every week and could also watch the other game that was scheduled. For the 1993-94 season, Cranbrook revised their varsity schedule to have home games on Saturdays at 7:00 PM, taking away our 7:30 and 8:30 times.       They offered 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM on Saturday. Over the years, player turnover was high because the games were played on Saturday evenings and players didn’t want to travel the distance to Cranbrook for a one hour game. We compromised on a 1 ½ hour game at 5:30 PM and it has been that way since.    The teams were also cut from four to three that season.

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Rosters and Teams

For the first few seasons, Marty and Dorian selected the teams.    The first year was difficult since all of the players were new. Seasons after that were easier since any new players were usually friends of current players.     All paperwork was done manually and registration was held at Mr. B’s in Troy. After about five years of doing that, a draft was established. Captains were chosen and everyone was invited to a party at the old Wagon Wheel Saloon in Troy to help select the teams.    That draft team selection was done for about four years. With the advent of electronic registration, the draft was abolished and Marty and Chris Schlaf selected the teams.

Currently, the league holds a “Team Pick Em” Party and every player is given a 1 to 5 ranking and put evenly onto teams by a unanimous vote.    Usually after 5-6 weeks the league will make a trade to even up the rosters.

Local businesses donate money for league jerseys and are used for many years.

 

 

Personnel

Marty and Dorian ran the league for numerous years.   Chris Schlaf came in a few years later, taking over all of the finances while Marty handled all team and league registration and scheduling.     Chris later became the “Commish” while Marty handled the finances. Chris relinquished the responsibilities to Doug Herominski in 2011 and remains the current Commish to date.   

 

Other League Stuff

In 2011 Doug Herominski designed the League Logo, built a Championship Trophy and initiated a playoff system.

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The winning Team and Players names are etched onto the trophy and it resides in the Cranbrook Wallace Ice Arena Trophy Case year round.  

 

2016/17 the TCHL Logo was added to league pucks and team beer coolers.

 

2018/19 was the first year for the TCHL website for easy access to all stats and information.       

 

Mike Parker is the only player to earn the “Ironman” award for playing since the leagues conception.