Blue Jackets Community Spotlight

Youth hockey season is winding down in Columbus.  Most teams in town are finishing up their President’s Day tournaments and are preparing for the upcoming league playoffs.  It is also the time of the year where youth hockey associations accept nominations for open positions on their board of trustees for the following season.  It seems that most times parents submit nominations for trustee just to push an agenda or to try and advance the aspirations of their children.  It’s because of this stigma and associated politics that qualified volunteers who truly are assets to the community are often overlooked come election time.

CCYHA, or the Columbus Chill Youth Hockey Association, today announced the nominees running for 3 open trustee positions.  The CCYHA is an area youth hockey association that has an affiliation with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.  The CCYHA has the honor of bestowing upon its travel teams the uniform, logo, and namesake of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  One of those nominees for the CCYHA board I’ve had the privilege of coaching with over the last two seasons, Albert Iosue.

Al is just not a great coach and role model for the kids, but he is the type of person every youth athletic association should feel lucky to have in their organization.  Al has spent his adult life volunteering throughout the community, not just in youth athletics.  Albert is an incumbent member of the Hilliard City council, is an active member of a very worthwhile charity, and a board member of too many other organizations to list.  If you are curious, you can check out his CCYHA trustee application here.

Sometimes I tease Al about his volunteer involvement throughout Columbus, but it is very humbling to see him with the desire and compassion to serve his community.  Al always has input how to better serve our kids on the team and keeps his focus on their best interests.  If you’ve taken the time to read his application, you should know that’s exactly how Albert presents himself to people every day.  It’s not just fodder for silly political commercials or charming words to get him elected to position of power.  If we had more people like Al involved in the community, not just youth athletics, I think the cynicism that exists in government today would quickly evaporate.  This is why I’m taking a little time to write a shameless plug for a person that I’ve had the pleasure of working with the past two years.

 Voting for the CCYHA board of Trustees will be held starting tomorrow Monday, February 18th and will conclude Wednesday, February 21st at the Dublin Chiller.  Voting tables will be set up during the evening practices all three nights.

If you have a child participating in the CCYHA, please take the time to vote. 

I will be voting and chanting - VOTE IOSUE!  VOTE IOSUE!