Winnipeg Table Hockey League

Winnipeg Table Hockey League
City Winnipeg, Canada
Founded 1989
Home arena WTHL Place
Colours                    
President Sal Capizzi
Affiliate(s) ITHF table hockey Canadian Table Hockey Association
Website Official website

The Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL) is a non-profit league of table hockey players located in Winnipeg, Canada and surrounding areas and is committed to the advancement of the sport of table hockey.[1] The WTHL's love of Table hockey games was born through many years of play that allowed the players to practice their timing, speed, rhythm, fine motor skills, concentration and hand-eye coordination all while displaying good sportsmanship throughout their tournaments.[2] The Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL) is 1 of 19 table hockey leagues in Canada that belong to the Canadian Table Hockey Association (CTHA) at the National level.[3] The Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL) is also 1 of 622 table hockey leagues in the world that belong to the International Table Hockey Federation (ITHF) at the International level, an organization that currently keeps track and the ranking of more than 11,000 players from around the world.[4] The International Table Hockey Federation (ITHF) holds the Table Hockey World Championships every 2 year with the last one being held in 2017 in Liberec, Czech Republic.[5]

Members of the Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL)

About the WTHL

Games are played on the various models including Coleco, Stiga, Super Chexx, Benej,[6] Munro, Carleco, Aristospel, Irwin Power Play 2, NHL Ice FX, Gretzky's Overtime, Cresta, Eagle, Perma and Gamecraft tables. In January 1989, the six founding players – Sal Capizzi, Tony Capizzi, Mike Capizzi, Antonio Capizzi, Brian Clement and Zachary Mesman – formed the Winnipeg Table Hockey League, following years of exhibition table hockey matches in Winnipeg. Sal Capizzi was elected president and the six founding players remain in the league today.[7][8] To avoid judging a players ability solely on one or two key games, the league combines the results of all the tournaments played. Since teams can play a different number of games, the winning percentage is used.[9] The league has grown to have 39 different players who have participated at one time or another. To increase variety in their games, the league has used 34 different models over the years. This is intended to make tournaments more interesting and increase the chance of upset victories as many players are best at one specific game. In 2019 the Winnipeg Table Hockey League will be celebrating their 30th season.[10]

Game

Various models of the game are used. Current models include Coleco, Super Chexx, Benej, Munro, Carleco, Stiga, Aristospel, Irwin Power Play 2, NHL Ice FX, Gretzky's Overtime, Cresta, Perma and Eagle.

Rules

WTHL Rules.

Season Structure

The Winnipeg Table Hockey League season runs from January 1 to December 31 of each calendar year. During the season, several tour dates and tournaments are scheduled throughout the year. Ties can occur during the round robin play of each tournament but sudden death overtime is used to determine a winner in the playoff rounds. Wins and ties are accumulated and each player earns a winning percentage for the season. Since not all the teams play the same number of games, the champion and winner of the WTHL Cup is determined by the player who has the highest winning percentage at the end of the season.[11]

League Records

The Winnipeg Table Hockey League has 10 records that it keeps track of. The list includes: Best Winning Pct., Season Best Winning Pct., Season Longest Winning Streak Longest Undefeated Streak Longest Losing Streak Longest Winless Streak Best Goals Against Avg., Season Best Goals For Avg, Season Most Goals, One Team, One Game Most Goals, Both Teams, One Game.[12]

Events

WTHL Challenge Cup

Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League with assistance of their sponsors try to do their small part in the fight against cancer and put on the annual WTHL Challenge Cup tournament with 100% of the proceeds going towards Manitoba CancerCare.[13][14]

WTHL Stadium Series

Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League with assistance of their sponsors put on the annual WTHL Stadium Series games.[15]

WTHL Winter Classic

Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League with assistance of their sponsors put on the annual WTHL Winter Classic game.[16]

WTHL Heritage Classic

Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL) in action.

Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League with assistance of their sponsors put on the annual WTHL Heritage Classic game where (2) players faceoff on a classic vintage table hockey game.

WTHL All Star Game

Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League puts on the annual WTHL All Star game which pits players from the Eastern Conference to team up and play against members from the Western Conference.[17]

WTHL 30th Classic

In 2019, the Winnipeg Table Hockey League will celebrate their 30th year by reliving the WTHL opening game from 1989.[18]

30th Anniversary Classic

In 2019, the Winnipeg Table Hockey League will celebrate their 30th year with a day-long 30th Anniversary celebration.[19]

WTHL World Cup of Hockey

Winnipeg Table Hockey League (WTHL) in action

In 2016, (8) members of the Winnipeg Table Hockey League held the WTHL World Cup of Hockey tournament with each player representing a nation.[20]

WTHL Awards

The most prestigious award of the Winnipeg Table Hockey League is the WTHL Cup, which is awarded to the player at the end of the season. The player that has the highest percentage points at the end season is awarded the WTHL Cup. Six other awards are also awarded for play during the regular season.[21] Awards are won for:

  • The regular season champion of the Western Conference.
  • The regular season champion of the Eastern Conference.
  • The player with the highest goals per game for the season.
  • The player with the lowest goals against average for the season.
  • The player with the highest percentage increase from the previous season.
  • A player who has played 1000 games in the WTHL.

The WTHL Challenge Cup is an annual tournament put on by the Winnipeg Table Hockey League. Each year the Winnipeg Table Hockey League with assistance of their sponsors try to do their small part in the fight against cancer and put on the annual tournament with 100% of the proceeds going towards CancerCare Manitoba.

Sponsors

Budweiser is the league’s official sponsor of their annual tournament, the WTHL Challenge Cup and the WTHL Winter Classic game. Ticketmaster Custom Tickets is the league’s official sponsor of the annual WTHL Stadium Series games. Pizza Pizza is the league’s official sponsor of the annual WTHL Heritage Classic game.

World Table Hockey Championship 2017

References

  1. ↑ "Winnipeggers take love of table hockey to next level". Global News. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  2. ↑ "The story of table hockey". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  3. ↑ "Leagues". canadiantablehockeyassociation.com. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  4. ↑ "Selected club". stiga.trefik.cz. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  5. ↑ "Open". www.ithf.info. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  6. ↑ "FISCHLER: Charting popularity of Table Hockey". New York Freeman. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  7. ↑ "Table Hockey League". Winnipeg. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  8. ↑ "Table hockey passion keeps grown men young". Winnipeg Sun. 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  9. ↑ "Table hockey!". Winnipeg. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  10. ↑ "WTHL 30th Anniversary Classic". winnipegtablehockeyleague.com. Retrieved 2018-08-17.
  11. ↑ "Winnipeg Table Hockey League". winnipegtablehockeyleague.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  12. ↑ "League Records". winnipegtablehockeyleague.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  13. ↑ Birnie, Sheldon (2015-03-31). "Leaving it all on the table". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  14. ↑ "Table hockey tourney raising funds for CancerCare". Winnipeg Sun. 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2018-08-05.
  15. ↑ "WTHL Stadium Series". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  16. ↑ "WTHL Winter Classic". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "WTHL All Star Game". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  18. ↑ "WTHL 30th Classic". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  19. ↑ "WTHL 30th Anniversary Classic". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  20. ↑ "WTHL World Cup of Hockey". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  21. ↑ "Awards". WTHL. Retrieved 14 August 2018.

See Also

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.