Editor, The Times:
In hosting a sports event, a tournament that involves out-of-town teams, there are many courtesies to be considered. While reporting the performance of individuals and teams, whether local or from another town, may not be the most urgent issue to be dealt with, it does show a sportsmanlike attitude. When working with young athletes it is important to set good examples of sportsmanship.
So, what is this all about? I refer to the locally hosted Peewee Hockey tournament in Clearwater on Jan. 29 and 30 of this year. No time to get a report of this competition in the Jan. 31 Times. The following week there was one photo, credited to Keith McNeill, of four players in this event. The caption gave no indication of team standings. That issue of the Times, nor the following week on Feb. 14, contained no further coverage of this Peewee tournament.
I believe that lack of local media coverage was a sad, and rather serious, oversight. Yes, the local players did not win the tournament, but that fact will not be erased from their minds by a lack of courtesy in not publicizing the team standings at the end of play. I do think that when our local team attends a tournament in another town, and does well, they would like to know that their success has been recognized.
I hope that the organizers of this type of recreational activity will take heed and build on their good image by getting better game coverage in the future.
Lloyd Jeck
Clearwater, B.C.
