Thank you for making the commitment of becoming a team manager. As an all-volunteer organization, EPHA depends on our members to give their time in support of our association. Managers are critical in establishing the environment for a smooth season. This document contains information to help you in your role as manager. While we have tried to include answers to many questions as possible and help prepare you for your role. We also have included a list of experienced managers that you can reach out to for additional questions. While the manager role will require a lot of effort (mostly in the beginning of the season), remember that hockey is a team sport. All parents should be contributing to the responsibilities of the team. Delegate, delegate, and delegate whenever you can! Also remember that by assuming the role of manager, you will be fulfilling your required volunteer hours for ALL your kids in the association. Beginning of Season Priorities 1. Coach/Manager Meeting You should meet with your team s coach ASAP to clarify roles, expectations, etc. for the season. Essentially, the coach should be responsible for leading everything on the ice and the manager is responsible for everything off the ice. This meeting will be helpful in aligning expectations for a successful season. 2. Parent Kick Off Meeting A parent/coach kick meeting should be held within the first two weeks of the season to make introductions, provide an overview of the coach s philosophy, establish team expectations, identify assignments for parent/family responsibilities, discuss team communication platforms, provide an overview of the team budget, collect team funds and paperwork, and highlight key dates (i.e. tournaments). The EPHA has recently renovated the board room, the Eagles Nest, which can be reserved for team meetings free of charge. More information coming shortly on this! 3. Establish Budget (Manager Example Documents) for Team Fund & Identify Treasurer Money is always a sensitive issue with families. Best practice is to have a separate treasurer to manage the team funds. The amount of the team fund is very team dependent, but historically the fund tends to get larger as teams get older (Bantams more expensive than Squirts) and tends to be higher based upon level (AA historically higher than B1). The only required expenses are for lodging for non-parent coaches at out of town tournaments. It is also common practice to cover the meals of non-parent coaches at any team meals at out of town tournaments. All other expenses are subjective and team dependent. Best practices recommend establishing a separate bank account that doesn t have ties to a personal account. Additionally, we recommend publishing the budget and establishing team access or regular reporting on the budget with actual spending to maintain transparency with the team. We have developed an example team budget with potential representative items to consider for your team fund. 4. Team Apparel General Sports is the preferred vendor for the EPHA apparel for the 2017-18. We encourage you to finalize apparel as soon as possible to ensure that your team can get it as quickly as possible. - 1 -
Selecting, ordering, and receiving apparel has historically one of the biggest challenges for teams. The sooner you get orders in the better. This is a great assignment to delegate to another parent to lead. Work with coach and/or other teams at your level to align on required and optional items. General Sports contact for this season is Janelle Dokken at jdokken@generalsports.us or 612.767.0982. 5. Establish Team Communication Platform Most teams leverage various platforms of communication (email, text, google docs) throughout the season. It is a best practice to send out a weekly email to the team to provide them an overview of the weekly schedule and address any upcoming events. Try to limit these emails to once per week to minimize email overload. Please also stress to your team the importance of reading and responding to emails in a timely manner. For day of game or out of town tournament updates, most teams establish a GroupMe account. GroupMe enables free easy group text messaging (with or without an app) on any device. Finally, we recommend keeping all team documents and sign-up sheets on a google doc or folder that can be accessed by your team. We have included examples of google documents on the EPHA website (Manager Example Documents). 6. Set Up Team Website/Calendar The team schedule and roster is maintained on the EPHA website, which is hosted by SportsNgin. Please contact Chris Howes (located under the board website page) for administrative access. There also is a website training manual to help get you started on the EPHA website. Once you understand the basics, the website is fairly easy to navigate. This year, your team roster information should be pre-populated for you. Only first names of the players should be included on the website. You should also customize the team home page with a team picture, coach and manager contact info and links to any team documents (google docs) that you might like to share. The website also serves as the master calendar for your team and should include all the details for each of your events. You or a designated parent should be responsible for updating the regularly. Items to include in the event description should include the following: Team level (i.e. 12A practice) Many families have multiple kids in the association Parent locker room duty (POD) and/or parent game assignments (i.e. clock, box, scoresheet) Location & duration - For away games, include arena name and address Note: Scheduling games must be done in the game section of the website 7. Parent Volunteer Sign Up (Manager Example Documents) The best teams are the teams where all the parents are engaged and supporting the efforts of the team. There are different ways to engage parent volunteers. You might bring a sign-up sheet to the first parent meeting or you can post a first-come sign-up sheet online. Regardless of how you decide to do it, we encourage you to ensure that all parents have some team duties. Develop the same number of volunteer positions as number of players on the team. 8. Collect Team Paperwork There three required forms for parents to complete, which are located on the EPHA website. These should be completed as soon as possible (and required for before any tournament). Consent to Treat - 2 -
Medical Waiver Player/Parent Code of Conduct Forms 9. Schedule/Assign Parent on Duty (POD) Assignments (10U, 12U, Squirts, Peewee) The USA Hockey rule is simple. One responsible adult must be in the hockey locker room at all times players are present. Because a coach frequently must leave the locker room, USA Hockey recommends having gender-correct parents present. These assignments should be pre- scheduled so that at least one parent is in the locker room before and after practices and games when the players are there. Upon arrival, the POD is also responsible for securing the locker room key and inspecting the room to ensure that it hasn t been misused by the previous group. Report any team room issues to the community center. The POD is also responsible for securing the room when the players are on the ice. Upon departure, the POD should inspect the team room to ensure that it is in the empty, free of valuables, in the same condition as when you entered and ready for the next group. Return the team room key in exchange for car keys. Beginning in the 2017-18 season, these parents will also have to complete a background screening. Details for background screening will be provided by Bryan Haines. Best practices recommend assigning POD duties at beginning season (Manager Example Documents) and including POD duties on the website calendar to ensure accountability. 10. Prepare a Manager Binder Every team manager should have a team binder that they bring to every game (or give to another parent in case of their absence). Below is a list of typical items included in the binder. Team Calendar Game Volunteers Parent Volunteer Duties Official USA Hockey Roster Current Budget Extra Scoresheets & Roster Stickers Team Roster & Contact Info D6 Referee Rate Schedule Parent/Player Forms Waiver, Medical Release, Ethics Form Checks for Referees Other Season Priorities 11. Complete Manager Registration Requirements Register with USA Hockey as a Volunteer. There is no cost for this and at completion you will receive a confirmation number. This will also be emailed to you. https://www.usahockeyregistration.com/login_input.action - 3 -
Complete Background Screening - You will need to fill out a back-ground screening form through Minnesota Hockey. You will register under All Others link. You will need your USA Hockey registration confirmation number for this as well. Most of your contact information will already be populated. Please add any requested information and complete the process. http://www.d6hockey.net/page/show/367163-screening Safe Sport: This step will take around 2 hours and must be completed by October 31. This is video training on portions of the USA SafeSport Act. As a first-time user, you will need to register before taking the training. It is composed of 3 sections with short tests after each. There is also a 10 question final test as well. Training is good for 2 years. http://training.safesport.org/ Forward to Board: Send the USA Hockey confirmation number email to Bryan Haines @ bryanhaines@msn.com. Make sure you include what team you will be managing and that you have completed the background application. 12. Additional Scrimmages Regular games are included in registration fees. This includes the cost of the ice and the cost referees. All details for regular games are managed in advance by Joel Klute. However, most coaches like to schedule additional scrimmages early in the season. You will need to connect with the coach to understand if they would like to coordinate/schedule or if they will need your assistance in scheduling with the other teams. Often, scrimmages between other associations are done in pairs so that each association can share the existing ice and costs with the other association. For additional scrimmages, there are a couple of extra steps that you will need to take. Locker Rooms: For home scrimmages, you will need to reserve another locker room for the opposing team with Joel Klute @ joelklute@velocityhockeycenter.com Referees: You will need to schedule a ref at the D6 website. Once you submit a referee request, Terri Loken will set you up on the web page that the referees will be using to get their game schedule. www.arbitersports.com is the site and you will have to go to that page to verify your scrimmage. She creates a log in for you off the e-mail address you request a scrimmage from. You will have referees assigned to the game information that is listed on the form and that will represent your confirmation for the game. The number and costs of the referees by levels are located on the website. The referees must be paid before the game. Squirts and 10U have game limits. Any game that has referees and/or a scoreboard are considered games. 10U/Squirts are limited to 35 games/scrimmages per season. No game limits at other levels. 13. Prepare Effectively for Ice Draw October 28 th @ 8 AM Cambria Room Season ice schedules are determined by the ice draw. Successful ice draws only happen if your team is well-prepared. Best practices recommend bringing 3 people to the ice draw (first person - 4 -
records ice selections, second person marks off taken dates, third person makes selections for team). Plan ahead for the ice draw by talking to individuals that have participated in the ice draw in the past. Block out dates that do not work for the team (i.e. out of town tournaments), prioritize practice dates, and prioritize draft selections based upon anticipated high demand time windows or limited ice selections. 12U/Peewee and older cannot select ice that starts or stops between 5 pm and 8 pm for the first 6 rounds. After the draw is completed, look to identify additional shared ice with other teams to expand ice time. 14. D6 Game Planning All D6 games are scheduled by the association and referees are paid for through your team association fees. There are several responsibilities that you need to prepare for each game. Schedule/Assign Game Volunteers (Manager Example Document) For home games, we must schedule volunteers to cover the penalty box and clock. For away games, the volunteers cover the penalty box and scoresheet. These volunteer assignments are team volunteer hours and do not go against association dib hours. Best practices recommend assigning these positions at beginning of season based upon a regular rotation and then including details of assignments within the calendar website. If a parent cannot make an assignment, they are responsible for finding an alternative. Many parents shy away from doing the clock. All hockey parents should learn how to run a clock. There is a helpful online tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzoldbasrq0. Scoresheets Away teams are responsible for supplying the scoresheets for the games. Both teams must bring 4 copies of their rosters on stickers (Manager Example Documents) for each copy of the scoresheet. We recommend always having scoresheets with you in case the other visiting team forgets. At the end of the game, the scoresheet volunteer is expected to get the officials signatures on the scoresheet. One scoresheet goes to the visitor team, one goes to the home team, and one technically goes to the officials (although they never take it). Additionally, a copy of the scoresheet must be faxed or emailed to D6 (information detailed on scoresheet) within 72 hours of completed game (D6 prefers scans vs. pictures of the scoresheets). Changes to Games: Any changes to D6 games must go through Joel Klute for approval at joelklute@velocityhockeycenter.com 15. Coach s Bench Kit It is inevitable that a player will forget something over the course of the season that could impact their ability to play in game. We recommend that teams put together an emergency coach s kit that the coach can have on the bench with them for games and tournaments. Items to include in the coach s bench kit are: extra team jersey and socks (from association), first aid kit, mouth guard, neck guard, sharpening stone, skate laces, and screwdriver/bolt set. - 5 -
16. Tournament Planning All team tournaments require some additional planning. Tournament Coordinator: Best practices recommend that you solicit parent volunteers to manage planning for each of the out-of-town tournaments. These tournament planners will be responsible for scheduling team events/meals, managing weekend team communication (via Groupme), arranging door hangers, goodie bags, etc. Tournament Coordinators are also encouraged to engage additional parents for support. Hotel Reservations: For all out of town tournaments, EPHA has established hotel blocks. These hotels will need to be reserved by players families before the reserve by dates. Contact Rob Schiel @ r.schiel@comcast.net with any questions or concerns about tournament dates, locations, or hotel blocks. Teams are expected need to reserve and pay for hotel rooms for non-parent coaches (max 2/team). Tournament Fees: This year, all tournament fees (including gate fees) have been paid for by the association in advance. Buses: Some teams choose to arrange for team buses to out of town tournaments. Please work with your coaches and families to determine if you will have buses for your tournaments and budget accordingly. Other: For most tournaments, you will need to complete or upload a team roster for the host association as well as coordinate for any tournament clothing purchases for your team. Please also make sure that you bring completed official USA Hockey roster and player medical waiver to each tournament. Most tournaments will review these at time of check in. 17. Dryland Teams will have access to the dryland area (shooting and weights) on Rink 2. Joel Klute will release the dryland schedule one month at a time. Space is reserved on a first-come, first served basis. 18. Outdoor Ice The association arranges for teams to have 1-2 hours weekly of outdoor ice (free) during the outdoor ice season. Connect with your team s coach to understand team plan for outdoor ice. Joel Klute will solicit location/rink requests sometime after the start of the season from the managers. 19. New Concussion Protocol for Starting in 2017-18 season, each coach will be required complete concussion training on an annual basis and provide an acknowledgement form with proof of training to Bryan Haines prior to participating in any team activities. The acknowledgement form and a list of concussion training options can be found at <http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0130/1799/coach_concussion_certification.pdf> - 6 -
The coach in charge of any team activity who has knowledge of a player sustaining a concussion or exhibiting concussion type symptoms must complete a Minnesota Hockey Concussion Reporting and Return to Play form relating to the injury. The form must be delivered to the team manager within 48 hours from when that player sustained a concussion or exhibited concussion type symptoms. The team manager shall provide a copy of the report to the player s parents. Until the completed Return to Play portion of the form is received by the team manager or coach, the coach and team manager shall ensure that the player does not participate in any team physical activities. The Minnesota Hockey Concussion Reporting and Return to Play form can be accessed at <http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0130/1798/concussion_medical_clearance.pdf> 20. Fundraising Info (EPHA Raffle) EPHA conducts a raffle fundraiser for its primary fundraising efforts. Each player is required to participate in the fundraiser or complete a buyout ($110). Each player will be required to sell 10 tickets at $15.00 each for a total of $150.00. You can manage or delegate the coordination of the fundraiser to another parent. Each player will receive one packet of 10 tickets that must be tracked per state law. (they cannot be replaced). All money and ticket stubs should be turned in by the end of January. If you have questions/concerns please email fundraising@ephockey.com. 21. New This Year - Manager Mentors (Emails/Phone Numbers) It is impossible to predict all the questions that may come up on a given team. To help you throughout the season, a group or experienced and nice past managers have volunteered to be available if you have questions. Please feel free to reach out to them as needed. We have included their email address as well as the level of team they have managed in the past. Jenny Mann: 12U Jkmann1@yahoo.com Sandy Pawlyszyn: Mite, Squirt, 10U, 12U sandy@clixmn.com Jenn Britton: Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam Jbritton@versique.com Ann Lillquist: 12U, Bantam ann.lillquist@gmail.com Trisha Pergande 10U, 12U trishapergande@gmail.com Sara Mulder: 10U, 12U mulderfryar@gmail.com Pete Gerhain: 8U, 10U petegeherin@gmail.com Thank you for your support of our association and our teams! - 7 -