Message from Minor Novice Coaches:
As the 2013-14 hockey season approaches, we thought it was important to address the parents of players registered to tryout for the West London Minor Novice MD program.
There are some significant changes to the program this year and we wish to outline these changes and offer a broad view of what to expect this coming season.
As many of you know, the West London Board has decided to ice 2 Minor Novice MD teams. Each team will play in the West Alliance Novice 3 league, which consists of other teams from North London, London Bandits (South/East), Oakridge, Sarnia and potentially Stratford. Teams will play home and away games and weeknight travel to either Sarnia or Stratford is a possibility throughout the season. Please also keep in mind that most tournaments start on Friday which will require both you and your child to take time off from work and school when required.
As communicated by the West London Board, the intent of icing 2 teams is to develop a larger number of skilled players who will ultimately remain in the West London program and contribute to the increased success of its teams in subsequent years. While the addition of a second team might suggest a “diluted” talent pool, we strongly believe that this format will strengthen players of all skill levels and ultimately lead to a broader talent pool next year. In addition, we strongly believe that this year’s Minor Novice players have the depth to form 2 teams that will be competitive.
There has not been any discussions amongst coaches as to which players will play on which team and we will not accommodate any requests for players to play on a particular team.
Tryouts for both West teams (Black and White) will take place together on September 4,7,8,9, 14 (Check out:http://westlondonhockey.ca/Categories/1004/Tryouts/ for details) These dates may include scrimmages and/or exhibition games TBD. All registered players will have the opportunity to participate in 5 tryouts and no players will be cut until after the fifth skate as per directives by the West London Board. All team and tryout communications will be done through the West London Hockey Website.
We are committed to a fair and accurate evaluation of each player’s skill level. We will also seek advice from some independent evaluators and board members to ensure an unbiased assessment of all players.
Teams will be selected (via draft) by September 14/15 and will most likely include 13 skaters and 2 goalies. (A member of the West London Board will be present during the selection process to ensure a fair and unbiased result). The goal will be to create two equal and balanced teams.
A detailed season plan and team budgets will be presented in September by each coach to its team but in the meantime we wish to outline some key points:
- Expect us to be on the ice 3-4 times/week (1-2 practices and 1-2 games)
- There may be mandatory development sessions for both skaters and goaltenders throughout the season which could either be by each team separately or combined sessions with both teams.
- Each team will play in 4-5 tournaments (2 or 3 out of town)
- This year’s “Alliance Surcharge” for playing on an MD team will be $350. This is in addition to those fees already paid to West London. This charge covers the additional ice-time, refs etc. and cannot be recouped via team fundraising.
- Team fundraising – Any team activity or tournament cost not covered by the initial registration fee or the Alliance Surcharge. There are additional costs such as equipment, additional ice, development sessions, team apparel, hotel hospitality rooms, etc, which are not covered by the initial registration fees. As such, each team may look to raise funds to cover these costs. A team budget will be established at the beginning of the season and approved by a 2/3 team majority. Any budget deficit or surplus will be shared equally amongst the parents. (Most tournaments are about $1000 entry fee).
The decision to coach these teams is not taken lightly, especially during a year of significant change to the program. As with any season, there will be many challenges. But, we can assure you that we are committed to a fun and successful season and we are confident we can build 2 strong West London teams this year and beyond.
Parents that feel for any reason that either they or their child are not willing to commit to the above season outline should contact the coaching team prior to any team selections to address their concerns and ensure that everyone’s expectations and commitment are aligned. We want to create an enjoyable and fun season for everyone involved in this program.
It takes an enormous effort by many people to make the season a success. There will be a need for many volunteers to assist with both teams throughout the season, both on and off the ice (trainers, assistant coaches, team managers, team treasurers, parent reps, etc.). If you are willing to assist with the upcoming season in any capacity please let both Brent and Rob know via e-mail so that we can further plan for the upcoming season.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the upcoming season and please look to the West London Hawks website for any additional information and announcements.
See you at the rink on September 4! We are looking forward to a fantastic season!
Rob Hawrelak –
[email protected] / 519-851-3855
Brent Landers –
[email protected] / 519-808-8770