With so many people around our community asking the same question: ”What happened to SWO Ball Hockey?”, it has become a necessity to explain the demise of the largest ball hockey program in our region.
In early 2011, Clayt Brown elected to appoint Julie Robbescheuten to take the Vice Presidency role in the SWO Ball Hockey Association, the governing body of the SWO Ball Hockey program. Along with Robbescheuten’s appointment, additional directors were appointed, including, among others, Allison O’Shaughnessy (who interestingly also goes by the alias of Allison Ashley).
As the fall program approached, long-time directors who did not get along well with Robbescheuten’s appointment and whom did not fit well with the ”Association Brass” were either asked to step down, or simply removed from their board positions.
In a final stage to take control over the Association’s control, the association’s bookkeeper of 6 years, and who kept a tight rein on association expenditures, was ”bullied” to quit by Ashley/O’Shaughnessy, Brown, and Robbescheuten. When questioned on Brown's motive for his appointments of Ashley/O’Shaughnessy and Robbescheuten, Brown’s response was consistently,”I need them!”. Robbescheuten and Ashley/O’Shaughnessy were quickly provided signing authority on the SWO Ball Hockey Association cheque book along with Brown.
In the week leading up to Fall 2011 program, the largest youth fall program to that date, with over 340 children registered and looking forward to playing, SWO Sports, the program’s management group for the past 5 years, asked for the Association to begin paying for Spring 2011 services and products that they had enjoyed. Immediately Brown and Robbescheuten made it obvious that paying these invoices to that vendor would never happen. Instead of paying those invoices, the Association directors in place elected to cancel the fall program on the families and children anticipating to enjoy the indoor program. Not one cent has ever been paid to the long-time vendor.
Near the end fall of 2011, with the SWO Sports vendor now out of business and no longer able/willing to work on the program they helped for so many years, the directors elected to close the SWO Ball Hockey Association doors to the public. Subsequent to this, no monies have ever been paid to SWO Sports. Rather, some ”volunteer” directors have written the following cheques:
We do want to take this opportunity to send our condolences to Sophie Oakman and Julie, on the passing of their mother/grandmother.
Now you know the demise of the SWO Ball Hockey program for the hundreds of families in Waterloo Region.
It is with deepest regret that after 8 amazing years of providing SWO Ball Hockey to the many families in our area, we are officially closing our doors.
The SWO Ball Hockey Association has canceled the Fall 2011 program and is providing a full refund to all its registered members and teams. For refunds and all other SWOBHA related questions, please contact Association President Clayt Brown at 519-884-3131.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the families that have participated and contributed to this wonderful program and helped make this a great place for children and adults of all ages to enjoy the sport of ball hockey.