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Changes and Challenges

09/20/06

By Chuck Anger

The 2006-07 Hockey season will be here before you know it. This season promises to provide us with a number of changes and challenges.

Our Website has taken on a new look. For the past number of years we were fortunate to have a Website that was designed and managed by Mike Sand. However, as we become more and more dependant on the Web to provide us with scheduling, and a means of communicating the site became more labor intensive. At Mike's suggestion we found a Web host that specializes in Hockey Associations. We owe a great deal of gratitude to Mike for the many hours he spent over the years maintaining and upgrading the former website. The new site will allow us to provide up to the day scheduling, email announcement as well as on line registration. It has many unique features that you will become familiar with over the course of the season.

Under the Leadership of Luke Strand and Pat Rolbiecki a committee of Hockey coaches has been formed to provide development, instruction and consultation to Eau Claire Youth Hockey. This committee consists of Youth Hockey, High School and College Coaches. (See list of members below) Under their guidance a Quality Assured Orientation, Curriculum and on-going in-service will be provided to ECYH coaching personnel. This group experience will be instrumental and relevant in our Skater's performance measurement and improvement.

Again this year we will provide a Dry-Land training facility in order to augment our ice time. At this time we are working out the details as they relate to schedule, protocols and new equipment. The cost for this will be minimal and included in our fee.

Anyone who has read the rules of Hockey or Officiated a game knows that over the years the enforcement of the rules and their interpretation have become watered down. In the spirit of returning the game of hockey to how it was meant to be played, USA Hockey, The WIAA as well as The NHL have adopted “The Standards Of Play.” These are not new rules, they are just the enforcement of the current rules. Because of this change players, parents and coaches are going to experience penalty calls at less tolerant levels. As responsible adults it will be up to all of us to help usher in the new standard of play and not criticize the officials for simply doing what is in the interest of returning skills to the forefront of the game. We will hold a brief USA Hockey Sponsored in-service for all Association members prior to the season opener

The cost of hockey has continued to out pace most other sports. The board has taken action in the interest of keeping the cost down. By having shared ice practices we will increase our weekly practices for travel teams from an average of 2 hours to an average of 3 hours and for recreation from 1 hour to 1.25. This will be done without increasing the ice time cost. We will also limit the number of game to 30 for travel teams. This will help us to get closer to the USA Hockey recommended ratio of 1 game to 3 practice hours. It will also mean less travel, therefore less travel cost. It will help in the recruitment of coaches who can’t commit to every weekend from Oct-March. In addition we set a limit of 15 skaters and 2 goalies minimally on a team when numbers allow. These changes together with tournament sponsorships will allow us to set a fee less than the preceding year.

The past efforts of our association have provided many kids a wonderful hockey experiance. The competitive spirit and skill of our High School teams started with a volunteer helping a Mini-Mite stand on blades that will some day take him or her to the goal. Lets have a great season.

The EC Hockey Coaches Association members
Luke Strand; Chair
MATT LOEN
MIKE COLLINS
BOB THORP
TOM BERNHARDT
ANDY AKERVICK
MIKE SCHWENGLER
JEFF SCHEMBERGER
TIM O'REILLY
MARTY HICKEY
KEVIN HICKEY
ERNIE CHAMBERS
PAT ROLBECKI
LUKE STRAND
CHAD OLSON
DAVE VERHAAGH
MARTY FADNESS

Tag(s): Association News