Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
Parent’s Manual
www.lethbridgeminorhockey.com
Introductory Letter
Dear Parents,
Another hockey season is upon us and it seems that we only finished last season a week ago! To those of you who are returning members of our Association, we sincerely hope that you continue to support the Association by volunteering a small part of your time. The strength of our program has continued to grow over the past years because of the commitment of our volunteers.
To those of you who are new to our system, a special WELCOME!! We hope that you will find our Association a great place for you and your children to enjoy the game of hockey. If you have any questions or new ideas to contribute to our program, do not hesitate to call on any of the members of the executive. And by all means, volunteer if you are able.
As always, let us remember the primary reason that our children participate in this great game. It is for FUN and RECREATION. Let us all demonstrate positive reinforcement to the kids. Remember that regardless of the skill level, every boy or girl, in every game or practice, does at least one thing well. Focus on that one thing, however small. It will make them want to come back to the rink another day!
SEE YOU AT THE RINK!!!
Lethbridge Minor Hockey Executive
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introductory Letter 2
What is Sportsmanship and Fair Play? 4
Fair Play Code for … Parents 4
Overall Goal 4
LMHA General Meetings 5
Annual General Meeting 5
Registration 5
Registration Refund Policy 5
Fundraising 6
Sponsorship 6
Insurance Coverage 6
Overview of the Hockey Season 6
Mass Practice 6
Regular Season 6
Playoffs 7
Tournaments 7
Overview of Ice Allocation 7
Division Overviews 7
Timbits 8
Junior Hurricanes 8
Novice 8
Atom 8
Pee Wee 9
Bantam and Midget 9
Female Program 9
Lethbridge Athletic Association, Taber Golden Suns & Southwest Rockies 9
Volunteers 9
Mass Practice and Team Selection 10
Mass Practice 10
Team Selection 10
Selection of Coaches 10
Important Notice Regarding Criminal Record Checks 10
Freedom of Information Privacy Act (FOIP) 10
Team Overview 11
Players 11
Parents 11
Coaches 12
Team Registration 12
Team Players 12
Team Officials 12
Affiliation 13
Team Positions 13
Team Budgets 14
Team Apparel 14
Hockey Improvement 15
Equipment 15
Miscellaneous General Rules 16
LMHA Policy regarding Co-ed Dressing Rooms 17
Discipline 17
Referees 18
Coaches Appreciation Dinner and LMHA Awards 19
What is Sportsmanship and Fair Play?
Integrity, Fairness and Respect- these are the principles of fair play and sportsmanship. With them, the spirit of competition thrives, fuelled by honest rivalry, courteous relations and graceful acceptance of results.
A fair play parent believes and teaches that sport is an ethical pursuit, one that builds character and shapes attitudes.
As a parent, your fair play aims should be to:
- help your child develop a positive self-image
- promote respect for the rules, officials, coaches and their decisions, and opponents
- develop a sense of dignity under all circumstances
- encourage a constructive attitude toward competition.
YOU are the most influential person in your child’s life. Your job is not only to teach them to win or lose, but to do both graciously. You must also remind them that sport is meant to be FUN. The athletic skills these young people learn may only be used a few years. The attitudes they develop toward themselves and others will last a lifetime.
The medals should never be the ultimate goal because, in the end, the only thing you take away from sport that is of any real value is yourself.
Fair Play Code for … Parents
1 I will not force my child to participate in hockey
2 I will remember that my child plays hockey for his or her enjoyment, not for mine
3 I will encourage my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence
4 I will teach my child that doing one’s best is more important than winning, so that my child will never be defeated by the outcome of the game
5 I will make my child feel like a winner by offering praise for competing and trying hard
6 I will never ridicule or yell at my child for making a mistake or losing a game
7 I will remember that children learn best by example. I will applaud good plays by both my child’s team and the opposing team
8 I will never question an official’s judgement or honesty
9 I will support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from children’s hockey
10 I will respect and show appreciation for the coaches and volunteers who give their time to coach my child
Overall Goal
The Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association has been established to develop and maintain a minor hockey program for the City of Lethbridge.
The hockey program will at all times be based upon the following principles:
1. The primary purpose of the Association will be the enjoyment of the game by the participants.
2. The programs offered by the Association and their delivery shall at all times hold the welfare of the participant as paramount.
3. All programs will have as their emphasis the development of basic hockey skills, of sound attitudes of sportsmanship, fair play and teamwork.
Website Information
The LMHA website has current information about all aspects of minor hockey in Lethbridge. Visit our web site at www.lethbridgeminorhockey.ca for information concerning:
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
Hockey Registration
LMHA Executive Contact Info
Division Schedules
Association News and Events
Team Photos
LMHA Tournaments
Elections and AGM
Sponsorship Opportunities
Hockey Links and Resources
Arena Locations and Maps
Hockey Forms
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
You can also contact our Minor Hockey administration office at 403-320-0745, by fax at 403-320-1345 or by e-mail at for minor hockey information. Each executive member is given a LMHA mailbox which is located at the Adams Arena. You may place correspondence in the appropriate mailbox.
LMHA General Meetings
Annual General Meeting
The Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association (LMHA) holds its elections annually, typically in the spring after hockey season is over. Election notices are posted in the local papers and on the Lethbridge Minor Hockey web site advising of the date of the meeting. We encourage you to volunteer your time and serve on the Board of Directors. We also encourage you to attend the annual general meeting to show your support for our Association. Volunteers are vital to the successful operation of your Association….BE AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER!!
Each year, the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association holds its annual general meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to approve the budget, set the fees for the upcoming year and to discuss matters of concern to the hockey public. All too often, members of the executive hear complaints about one aspect of the program or another and their response is “where were you during our annual general meeting when this matter was discussed?” Please attend this meeting and take part in the decisions that are made by the Association.
The following is a list of elected positions that are 3 year terms and must be filled every year:
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
President Vice President
Past President
Director of Coaching
Director of Competitive Hockey
Director of Recreational Hockey
Director of Program of Excellence
Director of Public Relations
Director of Resource and Development
Director of Female Hockey
The following is a list of appointed positions by the umbrella associations with LMHA:
LAA Liaison
Taber Golden Sun Liaison
South West Rockies
Magrath Minor Hockey
Raymond Minor Hockey
Referee in Chief
The following is a list of the Governors for LMHA
Timbits
Jr. Hurricanes
Novice
Atom
Pee Wee
Bantam
Midget
Female
A list of all current executive members along with e-mail and/or phone numbers can be found on the LMHA web site at www.lethbridgeminorhockey.com .
Registration
The major source of revenue for the Association is the collection of registration fees. The LMHA has attempted to keep registration fees as low as possible. Registration is held from the Annual General Meeting until October 1 of the current season. LMHA encourages you to take advantage of early registration as at this time we offer an early registration discount, and a chance to win back your registration fee for the upcoming season. Registering early also allows for the necessary preseason preparation of administration for the upcoming year.
LMHA has allotted funds in cases such as hardship. Please contact the Minor Hockey office for further information.
Registration Refund Policy
Lethbridge Minor Hockey will refund the player’s registration fee less an administration fee on a pro-rated basis depending on date of request. The player / parent must complete the Refund Request Form and the appropriate refund shall be calculated and forwarded. After January 10 NO REFUNDS WILL BE APPROVED.
Fundraising
Sponsorship
The financial support from the business community sponsoring teams makes it possible for the youth of the community to participate in LMHA. Sponsorship is an extremely important part of the overall success of our Association and helps to control costs. We are always looking for support to help raise funds and very much appreciate our sponsors.
If YOU or YOUR Company would like to sponsor a team for this season or in the future, please contact the Director of Public Relations. Sponsorship information is available on the LMHA website. Your sponsorship name will be located on the team sweaters and a team photo will be presented to you at the end of the season. In addition, sponsors receive recognition on the LMHA web site.
Insurance Coverage
Upon registering your child with LMHA, your child is registered with Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada. Through Hockey Canada, comprehensive insurance coverage is provided for players, referees, coaches and volunteers at a fee to LMHA. The definition of a volunteer does not include a person who drives hockey players.
Hockey Canada insurance is a secondary coverage program: i.e. it only applies once all other forms of coverage have been exhausted (such as Alberta Health Care, Blue Cross or insurance from work or private insurance).
Any injury must be reported to Hockey Alberta within 30 days of the accident. Injury Report Forms are available on the LMHA web site or from the hockey office. The completed form should be forwarded by your coach to the General Manager as soon as possible. You should also make note (date, time, and place) of seemingly minor injuries as complications may arise later.
Overview of the Hockey Season
Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association offers programs that run from early October to late March. Lethbridge Athletic Association, Taber Golden Suns and South West Rockies tryouts run through September and some teams may enter tournaments well into April. Please contact the Lethbridge Athletic Association, Taber Golden Suns or South West Rockies for more details on the Rep. Program.
The season is made up of three sections: mass practice, regular season and play-offs.
Mass Practice
Mass practice and mass practice games may start as early as September for some divisions and will run well into October for others. There may be a least one goalie session. Parents should be watching the LMHA web site for the timing of all sessions. To be effective, the mass practice sessions require enthusiasm and participation. You as a parent can be helpful to your child through positive reinforcement.
Regular Season
The regular season will consist of practices and games. During a game, players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds and will take an average of 1-2 shots per game. We know that players are more active, have the puck on their stick more often, take more shots, and give more passes during a practice than during a game. Therefore, with properly structured practices it all adds up to more fun for the individuals that count-THE PLAYERS.
Your games and practices may be held at any one of the following arenas:
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
Adams Arena
Henderson
Henderson small ice (Generally for Timbits)
Civic
Enmax
Labor Club
Nicholas Sheran
Picture Butte
Fort Macleod
Raymond
Magrath
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
Practices for all divisions are typically one hour in length.
Playoffs
In the months of February and March, teams enter into playoffs. Although the format of playoffs may vary somewhat between divisions, the playoffs will be structured so that all teams participate and have an equal opportunity regardless of regular season standings.
Tournaments
Each division of every category may have an opportunity to host a tournament during the season.
Every tournament committee is made up of volunteer parents. This aspect is of paramount importance to the success of your child’s tournament. This committee is formed to organize the tournament itself, and will look to all parents in their category to volunteer some time to assist in ensuring that the tournament is successful. We cannot stress enough the importance of having every parent contribute in some way to what is an exciting part of your child’s hockey season.
Remember, whether hosting or attending tournaments, our teams are the ambassadors of our Association and everyone (players, parents, team officials) should conduct themselves accordingly.
Overview of Ice Allocation
Ice Allocation can be broken down into the following areas:
All minor ice users (i.e., hockey, ringette, figure skating) meet with the city to divide up the available ice that can be used for each of their respective programs.
Setting of Games and Practices:
Some teams will have their game schedule planned right from the start of the season until the beginning of playoffs. Other teams will have ice times set only for the first half or third of the season due to these teams being re-tiered periodically through their season. It is for this reason that the entire year of ice allocation cannot be done all at once.