Good Evening Tigers,
We hope everyone has been safe over the past few months. We have been working hard behind the scenes to prepare for a hockey season. WMHA has some updates to provide everyone. As everyone has seen over the past 6 months, our world looks much different. Changes have happened in our stores, schools and everyday face to face interactions. These changes are spilling over into our hockey community as WMHA gets programing information from all of our governing agencies (Hockey Canada, Ontario Hockey Federation, Ontario Minor Hockey Association).
https://www.ohf.on.ca/risk-management/return-to-hockey-covid-19-response
https://www.omha.net/covid-19
WMHA have been given guidelines for programing to follow and we are just working out the final details related to ice allocation and arena access requirements with local municipality staff.
Our plan for the upcoming season will look as follows;
1. In approximately 2 weeks time, WMHA will be contacting participants to start development sessions. These sessions will consist of 25 skaters per session in each age category. The development sessions are part of the OHF Stage 3a "return to play" programing. Our goal will be to get participants moving again and some physical activity.
2. Once development sessions are complete, WMHA will be offering 4 on 4 in house hockey programing for participants in the U9 age group and below. Each team will be formed with 9 skaters and 1 goalie. Each team will receive 1 game and 1 practice per week. Teams will be placed in cohorts of 4 per pod. Teams will play within their assigned group. Teams will only have 1 coach and 1 trainer per bench.
3. For U10 - U18 programing - WMHA will offering 3 on 3 in house hockey programing. Each team will be formed with 9 skaters and 1 goalie. Each team will receive 1 game and 1 practice per week. Teams will be placed in cohorts of 4 per pod. Teams will play within their assigned group. Teams will only have 1 coach and 1 trainer per bench.
There will be
no representative hockey programing offered for the 2020-2021 season. There will be
no tryouts this season. This has been communicated from our governing hockey agencies.
WMHA is keeping all programing in house to comply with all restrictions set forth by OHF, OMHA and Public Health.
WMHA will be creating 2 divisions for our in house programing.
Tier 1 Teams - will be a make up of last year representative players formed into cohorts of 4 teams with 10 players per team.
Tier 2 Teams - will be a make up of last year local league / house league players formed into cohorts of 4 teams with 10 players per team.
WHMA registration fees will be as followed.
U7 - $450
U8 / U9 - $600
U10-U18- $650
All registration fees will be required by October 15 2020. Registration will only be accepted electronically for this season. WMHA approved online payment is through https://www.playpay.ca Please contact Donny D'innocenzo, Treasurer for any payment inquires
[email protected]
Registration is limited this year because of limited ice availability provided by the city of Welland. We currently have a waiting list for U16/U18. All other divisions are filling up fast. For anyone still interested, please refer to our website. https://wellandminorhockey.com/
Some additional information WMHA can provide;
1. All players, coaches and volunteers will require attendance checklist to be performed related to COVID questionnaire.
2. City of Welland will only be permitting 1 parent per participant to stay and spectate.
3. Players must come fully dressed (except skates, helmet, gloves).
4. Players can only enter 15 minutes before required ice time
5. City of Welland is only opening the Main Arena - no youth arena.
As more information comes available WMHA will share with all our members through email, website and social media.Please be patient as we are working through all the details.
Yours in Hockey,
Welland Minor Hockey Association