OLDTIMERS' HOCKEY

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

In October of 1974, John F. Gouett founded the Canadian Oldtimers' Hockey Association (COHA), and prepared the way for the most significant event in the history of Oldtimers' Hockey...the staging of the First National Oldtimers' Hockey Tournament in Peterborough, Ontario in February 1975.

The major success of the First National Oldtimers' Hockey Tournament that brought 56 teams and over 1000 players from across our nation together was the foundation that John utilized for his development of the COHA as a national sports' association with the recognition of the Government of Canada (Recreation Canada) to provide programs and services for it's membership across Canada and internationally.

The Golden Years of Oldtimers' Hockey from 1975 to 1980 was recognized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) with an associate membership status for the COHA with direct involvement with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and its member country associations.

Member country associations of the IIHF from Denmark, Great Britain, Holland, Japan and Switzerland worked closely with John to establish an International Cup of Oldtimers' Hockey that hundreds of teams participated in along with over 150 Oldtimers' Hockey Clubs and 3,000 players that traveled from Canada to these major international hockey events that were coordinated by John and his COHA national office staff.

In 1980 John passed the leadership torch of the Association to the COHA Board of Directors, and established his European Hockey/Holiday Tour programs providing his personalized services to a multitude of Oldtimers' Hockey Clubs from across Canada and Europe from 1980 onward.

OLDTIMERS' HOCKEY OF CANADA under the direction of John F. Gouett offers to the over 50,000 Oldtimers' Hockey Clubs and one million players in Canada, along with the thousands of teams and players in all 55 nations under the banner of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) his experience and personalized services with unique hockey/holidays in Europe.