Initiation/Tyke Update (Nov 27, 2017), News, Intro to Hockey, Under-7, 2017/2018 (Penetang Minor Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2017/2018 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Nov 27, 2017 | Duane Homick | 999 views
Initiation/Tyke Update (Nov 27, 2017)
We are approaching the midway point of our season and as we have mentioned previously, some changes are in store for our program's schedule starting on Dec. 1st (this week!). 

Good morning everyone,
 
We are approaching the midway point of our season and as we have mentioned previously, some changes are in store for our program's schedule starting on Dec. 1st (this week!). 
 
While I have included some information on the changes and attached our proposed schedule for the 2nd half of the year, please check the website for the latest as some unanticipated changes may still occur.
 
Intro To Hockey
Intro to Hockey will remain in the 11:55am to 12:55pm Saturday time slot for the rest of the year.  There are two exceptions to this (Dec. 16th and Jan. 13th) when the program will run on Sunday at 2pm instead.  The program is tentatively slated to run until Sat. March 3rd.  
 
Mite
The Mite program will practice on Friday nights at 5pm sharing the ice with the Tyke program.  Additionally, the Mite program will take over the 7am-8:30am time slot on Saturday mornings which will be used for a combination practice/cross-ice game.   We will be using this slot to schedule games with other centers - your team managers will let you know when these have been organized.  The Mite program is planning on hosting a Jamboree on Jan. 13th in Penetang where the kids will have a day full of fun and games.  Finally, the Mites will also pick up a few Sunday practices when the Tyke team is in tournaments or playing games.  Altogether, our Mites will have 2.67 hrs/week of ice time over the 2nd half of the schedule!
 
Tyke
The Tyke program will practice on Friday nights at 5pm sharing the ice with the Mite program.  Additionally, the Tyke program will practice or play games during the Sunday at 2pm time slot.  There is also some Saturday practices where they will share ice with the Intro To Hockey program.  The Tyke team will participate in two tournaments - Innisfil and Lincoln - and in the Elmvale Anti-Bullying Challenge Cup.  Including home & away games, tournaments and practices, our Tyke program will average nearly 3 hrs/week of ice time!
 
Winter Break
There will be no ice times on Sunday Dec. 24th or Sunday Dec 31st.  Additionally, we are planning on running a Family Hockey Skate on Saturday Dec. 30th for all Initiation/Tyke players & families.  More details to follow.
 
Shared Ice
Our program is able to achieve very high on-ice hours due to the fact that we share ice within our program at every opportunity.  This is great for the development of the kids as the biggest factor in their skill development is time on ice, not how much room on the ice they have. 
 
There are two drawbacks to this approach:
 
1) Dressing Room Crowding - with as many as 45 kids on the ice at a time, the rooms can get crowded.  We ask that only one parent go into the room and if players are fully dressed, that they wait outside the room to make space for others.  If you can arrive early to get dressed early, please do so.
 
2) Too Much Ice Time - Due to our ice times being Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it can seem like a lot for a player to be on the ice three days in a row.  It is up to each parent to decide what is enough and what is too much for their child.  We have chosen to give every program ample ice time with the understanding that players may not attend every practice/game.  Its up to you to decide. However, I strongly encourage you NOT to prioritize games over practices.  At this age, practices provide far more development opportunities than games do.
 
Schedule Changes
Please note that there are exceptions to the schedule described above and that the schedule is always subject to change.  ALWAYS check the website.  
 
Respect In Sport - Parent
If this is your first year as a parent in the PMHA, then you MUST complete the Respect in Sport - Parent program.  If you do not complete it, then your child will not be able to partake in any tournaments/festivals.  Please complete it today - https://omhahockeyparent.respectgroupinc.com/

Ice Time Totals [Incl. Home/Away Games] (through 11 weeks)
Tyke - 30.5 hours (2.8h/wk)
Mite - 21 hours (1.9h/wk)
Intro - 11 hours (1h/wk)
 
Questions, Comments, Concerns
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please let me know. 
 
Cheers,
Duane Homick
Tyke/Initiation Convenor