Announcement – the NMHA will be changing the Redmen name and logo for the 2020/2021 hockey season and we’d like your input!
It’s official – the Redmen name is changing and we’d like you to be part of the process.
Our community has a rich history of hockey dating back to the late 1800s with the formation of the Newmarket Maple Leafs hockey club, whose playing rink was Fairy Lake, their jerseys adorned with a maple leaf with the letter “N” stamped on it. After the Newmarket Hockey Association was established in 1956, the NMHA officially adopted the ‘Redmen’ name in the early 1990s as a tribute to the red uniforms donned in the 1920’s and 30’s by the Newmarket Junior Redmen (also known as the Red Shirts), who won the coveted OHA Memorial Cup in 1933.
Although “Redmen” may have been commonly used in the past, it, along with other terms has since fallen out of usage, regardless of whether it is intended or perceived as derogatory. While acknowledging and celebrating the history of hockey in our community, the Newmarket Minor Hockey Association has made the decision to respectfully retire the Redmen name after this season. It is the NMHA’s goal to continue the proud traditions that we’ve honoured for more than 130 years, but also to ensure that hockey is seen as welcoming, inclusive and culturally sensitive.
Our mission remains unchanged: To provide a fun, healthy, competitive experience in organized hockey for all talent levels of young people in Newmarket. As we look forward to the next chapter, we would like to invite the Newmarket Minor Hockey community to participate in the renaming/rebranding initiative by contributing to the name selection process. It is our plan to roll out the name change and new logo for the 2020/2021 hockey season. To that end, the NMHA is inviting name suggestions via online form (using the link below), commencing November 25th through December 8th. If you have ideas, we want to hear from you!
Submissions must be received via online form by 6pm on Dec 8th, 2019 in order to be considered. Final selection will be made by committee with the new name and logo being unveiled at the end of this season.
>> SUBMIT YOUR NEWMARKET MINOR HOCKEY NAME SUGGESTIONS
Stay tuned for more updates on the NMHA rebranding initiative!
NMHA Executive
