OT: ping Elise re: youth hockey

Posted by Sara on October 3, 2009, 7:06 am

Elise (or anyone familiar with youth hockey programs):
Our rink (www.skateatthefair.com) has been playing fast and loose with
coaching, ice times and programs that have already been paid for. The
rink director and hockey manager were fired a month into the season
with no replacements on the horizon. There are now 16 yo uncertified
kids "coaching" 12 and 13 yo and the skills sessions are basically
chaos. AFAICT, this contravenes USAH rules. Rink management has been
evasive and utterly unhelpful as to when this situation might be
resolved.
I can give more info (a little, anyway, since the rink won't actually
"tell* the parents anything) off list if you want. Any suggestions on
how to proceed? The situation as it stands is neither educational nor
safe.
Thanks for any assistance and if you don't have time, just ignore.

Sara
bmciowa@aol.com or
bmciowa@gmail.com

Posted by Cheryl Isaak on October 3, 2009, 9:13 am

On 10/3/09 7:06 AM, in article pdbec5h926lk64jan9vh3kkmeeu46lmsvc@4ax.com,

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Contact USA Hockey at the very least.
Cheryl who has plenty of youth hockey experience...

Posted by Ellice on October 5, 2009, 2:43 pm

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n
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Sorry - I ddin't get to this sooner, but have just switched to reading
via google.

Anyhow, if your team/club are USAH registered, I suggest that you
contact your local Affiliate representative. If you go to the
USAHockey website, you will find the different regions, and click
there, get to your state, and there will be a list of ocntacts. They
should be able to help you - in particular as insurance liability,
safety, etc are involved with respect to the coaching. THere are
minimum certification requirements for the coaches at different levels
of youth hockey, WRT who can be on the ice or bench during a USAH
sanctioned event. This is all predicated upon your child, and
teammates all being USAH registered. In fact, if the coaches on the
ice are not cert'ed, or the refs aren't, or players aren't - but the
team supposedly is - the USAH coverage for all is voided.

WRT skills sessions - if the rink is putting them on, then that is an
independent thing and you may have just paid the rink. In that case,
unless they insisted everyone be USAH registered and are considering
them as practice for registered teams - not much can be done except
parental complaining. For most things like puck'n'stick, or paid
skills sessions - the rink usually is covering the session with its
own general liablility insurance. It's a buyer beware thing WRT who
is doing the coaching/instructing and what their skills may or may not
be.

Also - WRT officials - if they are playing sanctioned games, then the
officials must be USAH officials. At the 12-13 age (PeeWees) even
Level 1 (1st year) officials are eligible to do the games. Generally
they should be working with a more experienced official as this is the
checking age group. Also, youth officials are supposed to be in an
older age group (not the same) as any youth hockey they officiate.
Again - if the officials aren't appropriately credentialled, then it
voids the insurance for everyone. Although, frequently for non-league
type games some folks will get whoever. However, even in non-league
or house games, if the only coverage for the team is USAH (i.e. the
rink itself isn't indemnifying the group) then the officials should
both be certified. Most of my fellow officials won't work games with
a non-USAH or non-credentialled partner. Around here we have other
sancitoning/credentialling bodies for hockey officials - NIHOA (which
covers alot of college stuff - which DH does) and Federation (which
covers alot of high schools).

If you want me to give you some more specific advice, I'm happy to try
and help. I've spent some time on USAH District staff, and helping
with a bunch of discipline, tournaments, etc. Plus had the thrill
(sarcasm on) of running a "men's" league. BUt, I've had my sr.
coaching card for about 11 years now, and DH has had an advanced one
for about 7 - coaching for at least 15. Anyhow - sorry about the
length - essentially - go to your local affiliate, and if there isn't
someone there to help then go up the chain to the region or district.
Certainly the "risk"person will be interested if things are sounding
sketchy. And if you're really stuck - call the USAH main office -
they are very nice there and will guide you. One year I lost
something, and called the number for the official's office - and
instead of getting the admin person (who I know) the Referee in Chief
of all USAH answered the phone. I was completely stuttering for a
moment - and he just laughed (we'd met several times at tourneys, etc
- but still). You never know - and he did help me out.

Sorry about your having a hard time - that stinks.

Ellice in No VA

Posted by Sara on October 6, 2009, 6:23 am

wrote:

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Thanks so much, Elise. Very helpful. Just for clarity, everyone has
to be USAH registered to even sign up for hockey at any level.
DH actually knows someone on the USAH board from back in our Iowa days
and we're starting to take it up the ladder.

I'll offlist you if anything happens.

Sara

Posted by Ellice on October 6, 2009, 8:43 am

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You're very welcom. I hope things work out. There are issues all
over the place with how programs are run, implementing rules, etc.
I'm pretty fond of the "coaches must wear helmets" on the ice rule. I
worry when I see them out there without - especially kids helping with
younger ones - it's just too cool to not have a helmet on. Always
seems as soon as someone takes it off they fall back and crack!

Let me know off-list if I can give you any other info, and that things
get better - I hope!
Ellice

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