The Lambton Shores Minor Hockey Board and the LSMHA Development Committee would like to Thank-you for taking the time to fill out last years Coaches/Association Evaluation Forms and attending the Annual General Meeting. The feedback that we received was done in a professional manner, everyone did an excellent job filling out the forms and a lot of this years ideas or programs came from your suggestions or comments. We received a lot of suggestions, questions and comments and at this time we would like to take the time to answer some of them.
Our goal is to make this upcoming season as positive as possible and with that we will require your help. Please take a few minutes to read the questions and answers below and if you have any further questions or comments please feel free to contact any LSMHA Board member or LSMHA Development Committee member. Thanks for input....Looking forward to a great 2015/16 Hockey Season
1. Will LSMHA ever have power skating for the players and goalie clinics for the goalies?
The LSMHA Board and the LSMHA Development Committee are happy to announce that this season we will be offering regular skills clinics for both players & goalies. TPH (Total Package Hockey) is a professional hockey skills clinic that have been hired to help increase player development for our players and coaches at all age levels.
Paul Burgess Goalie Consulting has been recruited for the upcoming season to help with the development of all LSMHA Goalies. Paul offers a great program for any aged goalie and we really encourage the goalies to take advantage of these clinics this year. The clinics will be scheduled and your childs coaches will be sharing more details in the near future. By attending these clinics regularly it shows that there is an interest in additional development and that will help to justify the need for these clinics in the future.
2. Are we ever going to have Girls hockey in Lambton Shores?
The LSMHA Board and the LSMHA Development Committee have been working hard over the last few years to try and gain interest in Girls Hockey. Registration numbers are tight and that is what dictates whether a girls team is possible or not. We encourage the parents of any girls registered in the Association to consider the option but we do understand that it is their choice.
3. Is it possible to have full ice practices for younger aged teams?
For the upcoming season you will see a change in how the practices are structured for all age divisions. There is going to be a new practice schedule that all teams within the Association will have to follow. By going to this new practice schedule all teams will be able to take advantage of some time on "Full Ice".
4. Can we have better communication between everyone? (parents, coaches, Minor Hockey Board)
There is always a need to further increase better communication. We are implementing some new ideas to try and increase communication for everyone. Web site training will be given for team representatives to try and get the information to you in a timely manner. The LSMHA Development Committee has assigned a Committee member to each age group within the organization. That Division Representative will make themselves available to handle any minor concerns or to try and answer any questions you may have toward that particular age group. The Division Representatives will be working closely with the LSMHA Development Committee and the LSMHA Head Coach. Any issue that can not be sorted out or that doesn't pertain to the job scope of the LSMHA Development Committee will be handed over to the Minor Hockey Board. The LSMHA Development Committee has been working closely with the Minor Hockey Board throughout the off-season to try and improve the Association and the two parties will continue to work together to try and make this years hockey experience the best it can be for your child.
5. Is it possible for the Coaches Committee to come to more practices and evaluate them?
The Coaches Selection Committee will be available to attend more practices and provide the coaches with more feedback than other years. The Development Committee will also be available to provide support to our coaches this year also. A Division Representative for each age division will be available to observe practices and games along with the LSMHA Head Coach. They will periodically stop by and chat with the Coaches and will make themselves available to any player or parent in the Association who would like to discuss a concern. Monthly Coaches meetings will be taking placethis year to try and increase communication. At these meetings it will give all parties an opportunity to sit down and discuss how the organization is functioning. The Development Committee is going to schedule a list of training topics that will assist our coaches and will hopefuly help eliminate any communication barriers from the past.
6. Can the new parents of the Association be better informed? More communication on what is actually going on.
Our goal for this season is to try and increase communication for everyone. We have been actively working throughout the off-season trying to find ways to help break down the communication barriers.
A team representative will be trained on how to properly get the most out of the LSMHA web site, by using the web site regularly it should help better inform the members. Also this season the LSMHA Development Committee has added a Division Rep for each age group, that Rep is there for everyone at every hockey level to use if a question arises. Our Division Reps will be available to possibly help get an answer for any questions you may have. Please do not feel that your question maybe "not that important." The only way to find things out is to get involved. Our Division Reps will be more than happy to talk to you and will do their best to make themselves available and approachable.
7. Can all Coaches attend Goalie clinics's?
Yes all coaches and their entire bench staff will be encouraged to attend as many Goalie Clinic's as possible this year. These clinics do not only benefit our goalies, but it also helps further develop our coaches and helps provide them with some additional resources that they can take back to their own team's practices.
8. Can you please explain the cost of the Rep fee?
The Rep fee was put into place as the Rep teams usually get more ice time than LL team as they get more ice time at the beginning of the season to select teams as well as they get 2 sets of playoffs, League and OMHA. All girl teams in LSMHA pay this fee as well due to the fact that OWHA rules state there are no gate fees charged for games. So we charge this fee to recoup costs for referees.
9. Are Coaches allowed to help out on more than one bench?
Yes, coaches are allowed to help out on more than one bench.
The Head Coach of the team has the option of choosing his or her own bench staff, they must select individuals that they can work with and communicate well with over the course of the entire hockey season.
10. What does the age difference have to be to help out a younger division? Do they have to wear full equipment?
As per the LSMHA ROO (Rules of Operation)
6.4.4 Assistant Coaches:
a) Assistant coaches must be at least 14 years of age, and at least 2 years older than the players they are coaching (Midget can coach up to PeeWee, cannot coach Bantam).
b) Any LSMHA player under the age of 16 participating as a practice coach must wear full equipment.
Anyone that wishes to be rostered to an official team roster must follow the guidelines of article (a) in the LSMHA Roo as listed above. Any LSMHA player (under the age of 16) who is volunteering as an on-ice helper must follow the guidelines of article (b) in the LSMHA Roo. The Head Coach of the team is responsible for making sure these guidelines are followed.
11. How was the feedback from this years evaluations?
First off the LSMHA Development Committee and the LSMHA Minor Hockey Board would like to thank all players and parents who took the time to fill out the Coaches/Association Evaluation forms this past season. The feedback that we received was done in a professional manner, everyone did an excellent job filling out the forms and a lot of this years ideas or programs came from your suggestions or comments. Our goal is to make this upcoming season as positive as possible. Please remember - "Open feedback can create positive change - negative criticism behind closed doors changes nothing."
12. How can we achieve more player development? Can Coaches get more help?
Throughout the off-season many meetings have taken place in order to bring new ideas and thoughts to the the rink. By offering different programs this season we feel that player development will increase at all age levels. These results will take time and will require continuous improvement throughout the organization for the years to come. By offering new programs and fresh new ideas it will help our Association stay up to date with changes as the game of hockey evolves. LSMHA Development Committee will be there to offer more support for our coaches this season. Regular Coaches meetings, new programs, outside professional clinics, more coaching resources, on-ice coach mentors will all be available for our coaches this season to utilize.
13. Is it possible for the coaches to get more resources?
The LSMHA Development Committee is going to be working closely with all coaches within our Association this year to offer support to any coach that is in need. By bringing in Skills Clinics for our players it will not only benefit them but it will give our coaches a chance to be on the ice to listen and watch the instructors. By providing them with this option it will help any coach further their coaching development and teaching techniques. Some of the resources that are available were already mentioned in question 12 answer.
14. Older players need more practice time..Is that possible?
Yes this is possible. We are trying a new practice schedule this year where teams that are practicing back to back will be asked to share some ice. So instead of being on the ice for only 50mins for a practice, your team will have the ice to themselves for maybe 30 mins and share the ice with the other team for 50mins. Which gives you a extra 30 mins of practice a week.
15. Is it possible for coaches to have a mid-term report?
The LSMHA Development Committee will be working closely with our coaches all year this upcoming season.
With having a good working relationship with our coaches and promoting the value of working together it should help provide a positive experience for your child this upcoming season. Also, by having a member from the Development Committee assigned to each age division it will also give players and parents the opportunity to communicate before the end of the season.
16. Use of the AP system.....How is it suppose to work? and why do we need it?
5. Affiliated Player Procedure - as per the LSMHA Roo - (Rules of Operation)
5.1 The LSMHA Affiliated Player Program (AP) is designed to help develop each young hockey player’s skills and potentially allow them to move up to the next skill level. The value of affiliation is player development and the betterment of the entire association. LSMHA promotes the effective use of the Affiliated Player Program to assure that it is appropriate for the circumstances as well as fair and equitable for all involved.
This upcoming season coaches will be encouraged to use the AP system whenever possible. By doing this it will give players the opportunity to play or practice at the next level and should definitely help with player development within the organization. The use of the AP system will be at the coaches discretion and when used properly the LSMHA Development Committee will promote it. Not only does the AP system help with player development, it also provides player relief when a regular rostered player is away.
17. If you have a young referee.....Is it possible for him to be matched up with a more experienced referee?
Yes, the Referee Coordinator tries to ensure an experienced Referee is matched up with a new/younger Referee whenever possible.
18. Can we have more off-ice training for older divisions?
Each team within the organization has to evaluate their own circumstances. The LSMHA Development Committee certainly encourages all teams to put together an off-ice training program to help with the players balance, agility and cardio. Not only does it help promote a healthier lifestyle it can be a great team bonding event.
19. Would it be possible for the Juveniles to have a regular practice all season?
This year the Juveniles will have a regular practice once a week once tryouts are over. Like all other teams if you play a game on your practice day or if it's a blackout date we will try and make it up but no guarantee.
20. Can we have non-parent coaches?
In some cases we will have non-parent coaches this season. But as everyone's life gets busier and busier it get's harder and harder to get volunteers. Volunteer Coaches have to give up a lot of your own family time in order to take on the role of Head Coach or be a member of a team's bench staff. The Coaches Selection Committee spends hours deliberating over the best possible coach for the upcoming season wiether it is a parent or non-parent applicatant.