The North Okanagan Minor Hockey Association (NOMHA) is a volunteer-run minor hockey association serving youth in the North Okanagan region. NOMHA serves Armstrong, Enderby, Spallumcheen, and the surrounding areas. We offer hockey programs for kids ages 4 through 17, including recreational and competitive streams.
Our programs align with Hockey Canada, BC Hockey, and the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA).
Purpose of NOMHA
The purpose of NOMHA is to:
- Foster, improve, and grow youth hockey
- Encourage sportsmanship, teamwork, and good citizenship
- Ensure minor hockey is played in accordance with rules from NOMHA, BC Hockey, and Hockey Canada
- Support players, coaches, volunteers, and families as part of a safe, inclusive community
Our mission is simple: “Where the Kids Come First.”
NOMHA Programs
We offer a full range of minor hockey opportunities, including:
- U7 to U18 Recreational hockey
- U11 Development Competative hockey
- Competitive Representative hockey through OMAHA
- Coach and official development
- Tournaments, events, and community engagement
History of the North Okanagan Minor Hockey Association
The North Okanagan Minor Hockey Association, known today as NOMHA, was formed in 1991 through the amalgamation of two smaller community associations: Armstrong Spallumcheen Minor Hockey and Enderby and District Minor Hockey. The decision to merge was driven by necessity, but also by vision. Both associations had struggled to consistently field teams, particularly at older age groups. Amalgamation created stability, league choice, and long-term opportunity for players and families across the North Okanagan.
Early NOMHA years
The formation of NOMHA immediately changed the trajectory of minor hockey in the region. Player registration increased dramatically, growing from roughly 140 players across the two separate associations to more than 275 after amalgamation. For the first time in years, players could reliably choose between recreational and representative hockey without last-minute roster scrambling. The association expanded geographically, encompassing communities north of Vernon and south toward Sicamous and Salmon Arm, and established the foundation that still supports hockey in the area today.
Bill Greene
One of the key figures behind the formation of NOMHA was Bill Greene, a long-time volunteer whose influence on minor hockey in the region, and across British Columbia, is still felt today. Greene served as President of Armstrong Spallumcheen Minor Hockey for more than twenty years and played a central role in guiding the two associations through the 1991 amalgamation with Enderby that created NOMHA. He also created many of the foundational procedures we still use today. Bill went on to become the President of BC Hockey for two full terms.
NOMHA values
NOMHA exists to foster and perpetuate the game of hockey, to ensure the sport is played according to the rules set out by NOMHA, BC Hockey, and Hockey Canada, and to provide equitable opportunity for all players. NOMHA has never positioned itself as a pipeline to junior or professional hockey. Instead, it focuses on development, enjoyment, and community, with the understanding that higher levels of play emerge naturally from strong grassroots programs.
NOMHA today
Today, NOMHA continues to serve families across the North Okanagan with the same core objectives set out at its founding. The association relies on volunteer leadership, community partnerships, and a shared belief that youth sports matter. Hockey teaches teamwork, resilience, and citizenship, and for generations of players, NOMHA has provided the structure and support that makes those lessons possible.
The legacy of NOMHA is found in the thousands of players who have stepped onto the ice, found belonging, and carried those experiences into their lives beyond hockey.
NOMHA’s affiliation with OMAHA
NOMHA is a member of the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA), the district-level governing body responsible for league formation and competition across the Okanagan region.
OMAHA fosters, improves and encourages amateur hockey, sportsmanship and good citizenship in the Okanagan Mainline District in the Province of British Columbia. It assists with the formation of leagues and organizes league competition within OMAHA.
The Okanagan Valley Minor Hockey Association was formed in November, 1952. Within the BCAHA, the Okanagan was composed of Penticton, Vernon and Kelowna. Armstrong joined the OVMHA in 1971. In 1984, the association changed its name to the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association.
Connect with NOMHA
General inquiries: admin@nomha.com
Mailing address: Box 116, Armstrong, BC, V0E 1B0
Instagram: @northokanaganmha
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575903938746