Greetings STORM Families!
I hope this note finds all of you enjoying your summer away from the rink. Hockey season may seem far away, but the wheels keep turning behind the scenes and your board is busy making sure the groundwork is laid for another successful season come fall. With that foremost in mind, I wanted to share a few key announcements and reminders to keep in mind:
1. Player deposit. If you pre-registered and you are not on an automatic payment plan, the next step is to lock in your slot for good with a deposit. This is CRITICAL as we have waiting lists at multiple age levels right now. Please make sure you submit your $100 deposit by check made payable to UVHA to Kylie Ammel by July 15. Again, this is only if you aren't on an automatic payment plan.
2. Payment in Full. Without exception, and regardless what type of payment plan you've elected, your balance to the Association must be paid in full by October 1, 2015. Your skater will not be allowed on the ice if this is not satisfied, and there will be not exceptions.
3.
Player petitions. While these are technically due September 1, I'd like to request that all parents wishing to petition a player to a level beyond that prescribed by his or her birth year to do so
by July 15, if possible. Roster planning is going on at all levels and this will be important to inform that process. Please bear in mind that no petitions are guaranteed, and all are subject to approval by the UVHA Board. Petitions will be considered based on player safety, team composition, and financial impact to the association. You can find our application in the Forms section of our website, but you can also email Kylie Ammel, our Registrar, at
registrar@uvha.org declaring your intent to petition your player.
4. Goalie Development and Team Planning. To all of you who have a prospective goalie in the family, the board asked that I send out some guidelines for expectation setting. These are essentially a restatement of USA Hockey's American Development Model.
- At the Mite level, there are no full-time goalies. Instead, all players are encouraged to rotate through all positions to develop a solid foundation in the game.
- At the Squirt level, players with a strong interest may elect to begin to specialize in the goalie position, but skating out as a player and the development of general skating is still encouraged. USAH recommends 1 goalie per team.
- At the PeeWee and above level, goalies are expected to specialize. As a practical matter, team planning necessitates that players commit to the position, and our coaches will be expecting that from prospective PeeWee and Bantam players. Due to the presence of waiting lists this year, this is an absolute imperative. USAH recommends 2 goalies per team. If your player is having difficulty determining a direction at any age level, please contact your coach for guidance.
5.
Call for Coaches. I'd like to issue my annual call for volunteer coaches for the coming season. If you're interested, please contact Alex DeFelice (
alexdefelice@ymail.com) to declare your candidacy. If you're new to coaching, we'll help you through the process, but please understand that all successful applicants must complete the following:
- Board Approval of Applicant
- Pre-season Coaches' Meeting (MANDATORY)
- Completion of all required USAHockey Age Specific Modules, Coaching Certifications, SafeSport Training, and a Background Check.
It sounds daunting and on paper it looks like a lot, but many of us have gone through the process and can help you navigate it.
That's it! If you made it this far, you have my gratitude. With that, I'll let you get back to your off-season (hopefully with an umbrella drink or a frosty beverage in-hand...). Have a great one and we'll see you in the Fall.
Regards,
Matt M.
President,
UVHA
