Good evening, members of the London Junior Knights organization, fellow board members, coaches, parents, and supporters.
It is my honour to address you this evening at our Annual General Meeting. Before anything else, I want to say how incredibly proud I am to be part of this organization. The London Jr Knights continue to demonstrate a level of dedication, professionalism, and community spirit that truly sets us apart, and it is a privilege to serve alongside all of you.
As many of you know, the landscape of hockey has changed dramatically in recent years. Over the last five years we’ve experienced a period of rapid and significant transformation. From my time as President, we’ve seen changes from dressing room and privacy policies, to updated expectations around player safety, and of course the new introduction of open borders across Ontario all of which have all reshaped how minor hockey operates.
These changes have had a meaningful impact — not just on administration, but on competition itself and we are certainly beginning to see the effects reflected. It also can be seen in league standings and in the overall balance of play across the province. In many ways, these developments have helped position the London Jr Knights (as well as the Alliance) to be increasingly more competitive.
Through all of this, I want to take a moment to acknowledge a few individuals whose steady contributions help ensure our organization runs smoothly through changing times.
First, Kevin Gardner, our Vice President of Hockey Operations, has done an excellent job staying current with ongoing developments and keeping us aligned with league direction. His attentiveness at rep council meetings and his commitment to understanding each change as it comes forward are genuinely appreciated.
I would also like to recognize Ed Thompson for his exceptional administrative work. Ed consistently goes above and beyond in managing the operational aspects of our programs — much of which happens behind the scenes. His reliability and attention to detail play a major role in keeping this organization functioning smoothly.
In addition, Kevin Bergeron, our scheduler, deserves recognition for the tremendous work he puts into one of the most challenging and time-consuming roles in minor hockey. Scheduling requires precision, coordination, patience, and constant adjustment, and Kevin handles these responsibilities with dedication and consistency. His efforts are essential to keeping our teams on the ice and our season running efficiently.
Beyond these individual contributions, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the entire board as well as our incredible group of coaches, and all who volunteer to help support our program. Your commitment, your professionalism, and your willingness to adapt to change make this organization exceptional. Each of you here today has played a key role in maintaining the high standards and strong culture of the London Junior Knights.
As we look ahead to another year — and undoubtedly another round of evolution in our sport — I want you to know how proud of the London Jr Knights I am, and how proud I am to continue serving in this role. This is a strong organization built on strong people, and I look forward to the progress we will continue to make.
Thank you.