Photo: Kyle Bray/WBZ NewsRadio
QUINCY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Due to declining enrollment, two former South Shore rivals are combining teams in the hopes of keeping the city's high school boys' hockey program viable.
Quincy and North Quincy used to be a storied, crosstown rivalry.
But a steady decline in the number of players made it increasingly difficult to make up a competitive roster at each program.
With Quincy High reportedly only having about 12 players on the team next year, it's joining forces with North Quincy starting next season.
Matt Gibbons is the North Quincy coach and will be coaching the new team. He said combining the two teams will help improve overall hockey in the city. "The numbers the last couple of years have been so small, it's like no one earned their spot," he said.
"Everyone was just given a spot, so we'd have enough for a team."
But Gibbons said building competition will be good for the city's hockey program starting with the youngsters.
He added that this issue of declining enrollment in boys' hockey has been building for years.
One of the reasons he said is how costly it's become to play organized ice hockey. "When I was younger, my parents threw me into hockey. But I wonder today if my parents would have thrown me into hockey."
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.