Hello Parents,
We have finalized all the details and I hope I am the first to welcome you to the 2019-20 Welland Minor Hockey Initiation Program (IP).
First of all, my name is Scott Plugers ([email protected]) and I'm the Director for the IP program. If you have any questions at all, please reach out and I will do my best to respond promptly. I would also recommend you reach out at the arena, say Hi, ask any questions you may have.
For this year, the first 7 - 9 weeks of programming will be hockey school. We will be making decisions as the season progresses as to the level of development of all kids to assess when we can start to play games. The 7 - 9 weeks of hockey school will be on ice once a week. Once hockey school is complete, players will be evaluated and divided into teams. At that point each team will receive 1 practice and 1 game per week (Saturday/Sunday). All games will be half ice. This is part of Hockey Canada’s programming structure that all associations must follow. All children will also have a chance to try goalie.
Our first hockey school session is Saturday September 21st, 2019. Depending on the group you were emailed, your following day and time is as follows:
|
Session
|
Day
|
Time
|
Location
|
|
Group A
|
Saturday
|
8:30-9:30am
|
Youth Arena
|
| Group B |
Saturday |
9:30 - 10:30am |
Youth Arena |
| Group C |
Sunday |
9:00 - 10:00 am |
Youth Arena |
. Call Out - We need Volunteers!
Every year we reach out to people asking for volunteers. Minor hockey has been built across Canada by volunteers who step up to provide mentorship and leadership to our youth. The IP Program needs volunteers this year! We currently have 70 registrants for this year. We do not have enough volunteers for our program as of today and this is why I am writing to you. If you are interested in volunteering a few hours a week on the ice we welcome the assistance. We will also accept WMHA major bantam and midget players as on ice helpers. Some students that volunteer can apply those hours to required community hours for high school credit requirements. If this is something that you are interested in or you know a WMHA major Bantam/Midget player looking to volunteer, please reach out to me directly. I have spoken with some of you, but if we have not spoken about it, please send me a message so we can further discuss availability, requirements, etc.
We will require volunteers to also be coaches. This year, Hockey Canada has mandated that each team, even in IP, has 2 registered Coach 1 certified volunteers. That means, at 4 teams, we require a minimum of 8 parents who have their coach 1 and are interested in coaching. Additionally, we require 4 people with their trainer certificates. This is a huge ask. We have several people already but not enough at the moment to ensure we can have 4 teams. We do have some time, but it will go by fast. We are holding an in house coach 1 certificate October 6th so if you are interested please reach out soon.
Please see attached for the agenda from last night's meeting that contains several links as well.
Equipment Requirements
· All players must be in full equipment. This includes neck guards and mouth guards. Helmets must be CSA Approved.
· Please put white tape on the front and back of the helmet and write your child’s name on the tape with black marker. This helps the volunteers learn their names fast and help build a teaching relationship early in the program.
· Please provide your child with a labeled water bottle.
· Please have a jersey and socks for your child during the hockey training camp. WMHA jerseys and socks will be distributed once games start when teams are allocated. If any new hockey players are in need of a jersey, see a volunteer this weekend. We may have a few spares left from last year.
Other Items
· Subscribe to Jr.Tigers Program on the WMHA website. News Feed and Scheduling will be posted online!https://wellandminorhockey.com/
· Please arrive a minimum 30 minutes prior to any game or practice. This allows us to prepare games sheets correctly and prepare accordingly
· Do not drop your child off and leave the rink without letting a parent rep or coach know. If your child become sick or injured we need to continue with the lesson/game with the rest of the group
· During practice if your child requires attention, one of the coaching staff will skate towards the door/bench with your child and have their hand in the air. This means we require your assistance and ask you come to us immediately.
Also, please make sure to check the board in the youth arena lobby when you arrive to see the dressing room allocations. This is extremely important to avoid taking another teams room.
Parents to complete Respect in Sport
‘Respect in Hockey’ is a concept that receives considerable attention in both minor hockey and in community sport. WMHA is committed to the prevention of abuse, bullying and harassment, and the education of our membership. In 2015 Hockey Canada mandated at least one parent or guardian of each player registered in minor hockey in the OMHA will be required to complete the Respect in Sport - Parent Program as a condition of participation. The one-hour online course is a proactive, educational program that empowers parents with the tools to ensure the game is enjoyable and respectful for themselves, their children and all other stakeholders in the game. Team Officials, On-ice Officials and On-ice volunteers will be required to complete a separate course. For those considering to become a volunteer please contact me for further details.
· Players registered born in 2004 and younger are required to have at least one parent complete the Parent Respect in Sports course. The course is a requirement and if your new to hockey you will be required to obtain this one time online training.
Many families have already obtained this in previous years. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Scott or myself.
· Link to website for Parents that have not completed the online RIS
https://omhahockeyparent.respectgroupinc.com/
****Please save your completion certificate***
Additional requirements
New this year is Rowan's law. There is a link off the main page at https://wellandminorhockey.com where you must read the law with your child and acknowledge that you've done so. We will need to track this for OMHA purposes so please complete prior to next week.
There is also a Gender discrimination course required for one parent to take (similar to respect in sport, only once). The link is provided in the attached word document.
We are look forward to a great season together with all. We are strong believers of progression and continuous improvements .Please encourage your child to listen and participate in a positive manner. Your encouragement off the ice makes the teaching and learning process flow smoothly and without interruption.
See you at the Rink!
Scott Plugers
WMHA IP / Minor Novice Director
289-968-5308s
[email protected]
