Provided By:
TABLE OF CONTENTS AN INTRODUCTION TO HOCKEY CALGARY...2 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVICE DEVELPOMENT LEAGUE (NDL)...2 HOCKEY CALGARY COMMUNICATION PROCESS...3 SPECIAL RULES GOVERNING THE NDL...3 LEAGUE STRUCTURE...4 HOCKEY CALGARY REGULATION EMPHASIS...5 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT...6 GUIDE FOR COACHES...7 GUIDE FOR PARENTS...8
AN INTRODUCTION TO HOCKEY CALGARY Hockey Calgary, or the Minor Hockey Association of Calgary (MHAC), is an organization committed to the development of amateur hockey within Zone 9. Hockey Calgary is a volunteer driven organization that has been dedicated to helping young hockey players since 1949. Hockey Calgary is a branch of Hockey Alberta and is the governing body for all minor hockey in Calgary from Timbits to Junior (ages 4 to 21). Hockey Calgary has the mandate to provide a hockey environment suitable for the enjoyment of the players, coaches, managers, officials, parents and administrators. Our goal is to encourage good sportsmanship and to help players form good character as well as develop hockey skills. Hockey Calgary provides several programs to its players, coaches, officials, and parents that are tailored towards development, both on and off the ice. Our Mission To provide a safe, fun, fair environment for all by building strong partnerships through shared leadership and support with our member organizations. Our Vision To be the benchmark of sports associations by providing leadership, life skills and development to our members for the enjoyment and success of all. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVICE DEVELPOMENT LEAGUE (NDL) The NDL encourages an environment in which children can learn hockey through skill development and FUNdamentals. NDL Overview The Novice Development League (NDL) is a partnership between Hockey Calgary and its community associations in which they operate the Novice age category as a skills based age category. The NDL focuses on skill development and the fundamentals of hockey for kids aged 7 and 8. The purpose of this league is to address the need for more skill development in the novice age category. Our goal is to provide a positive environment for learning the fundamentals of hockey, and to stimulate interest and desire to continue playing the game of hockey. The NDL is a league in which the associations promote coach, parent, official and player education during the season. Each player will be evaluated fairly within each association and placed on a team where they are best suited. Associations are limited to when and how many games they can play. As a result, players will practice more and play fewer games to increase their skills before playing full ice games compared to that of other divisions. 2
HOCKEY CALGARY COMMUNICATION PROCESS Parent Coach / Manager Local Representatives (President, Registrar, Director) Hockey Calgary League Chairperson Hockey Calgary Age Category Director Hockey Calgary Officers and Staff SPECIAL RULES GOVERNING THE NDL The Novice Age Category has the following special rules: All teams must adhere to the Novice Development League format. All positions (defense, forward, center & goaltender) must be rotated equitably throughout the season. The season includes practices, exhibition & tournament games and preseason, seeding & regular season games. The NDL Goaltender Rotation form, provided by Hockey Calgary, must be maintained and adhered to. This form is subject to review by a Hockey Calgary Representative. No child will be told they cannot play goaltender. Please see the form for any exceptions. There is to be no pulling of goaltenders during the course of any game to allow for an additional skater. No statistics and or standings will be kept or publically displayed. No team will name a captain or an assistant captain for any games. Coaches are permitted to use up to 50% of their ice time to scrimmage within their own team. It is the responsibility of the Coach and every team official to ensure these special rules are followed throughout the season. In the event these rules are not being followed, it will result in the coach being automatically suspended indefinitely until the matter is ruled on by the Hockey Calgary Novice Governor or depending on the severity the Special Committee of Hockey Calgary. 3
LEAGUE STRUCTURE Important Dates The NDL season is comprised of the following scheduled activities (approximations only, always refer to the Hockey Calgary website for exact dates): Evaluations September Pre-season October Travel Permits will not be granted until October 14 th Schedule Window deadline Seeding round in Early October, Regular season in late November Seeding round last Saturday in October through the second Sunday in December Regular season January 2 through the last Sunday in February Esso Minor Hockey Week (EMHW) the second Friday in January running for 9 days Seeding Grid Once evaluations are complete, Associations will place their teams in one of seven divisions based on the NDL Seeding Grid. For those Associations with less than 5 teams, they must request seeding of their teams directly to the Hockey Calgary Novice Governor. The Seeding round will be scheduled based on these divisional placements, however teams may be moved to a different division for the Regular season based on their competitiveness in the Seeding round. The decision to move a team will be made by the Novice Governor after consultation with the League Chairperson. Teams Div 1 Div 2 Div 3 Div 4 Div 5 Div 6 5 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 9 1 2 2 2 1 1 10 2 2 1 2 1 2 11 2 2 2 2 1 2 12 2 2 2 2 2 2 13 2 2 2 2 3 2 14 2 3 2 3 2 2 Games Breakdown Teams will be scheduled the following league games within their division: 8 Seeding Round Games 10 Regular Season Games (1 st game of Esso Minor Hockey Week is included as a regular season game) Esso Minor Hockey Week minimum of 2 games, any additional games played during EMHW will not count towards the 45 game limitation. Teams may play a maximum of 25 preseason, tournament & exhibition games during the season. Teams may not exceed the 45 game limitation with the exception of additional games played during EMHW. 4
All games will follow the Hockey Calgary Regulations Handbook. HOCKEY CALGARY REGULATION EMPHASIS The Hockey Calgary Regulations Handbook is available at www.hockeycalgary.com and contains the rules and regulations that govern all minor hockey played under Hockey Calgary s jurisdiction. Although a complete review of the Regulations Handbook is a must for all Team Officials, the following are emphasized and relate to some of your basic league obligations. Summarized descriptions are below: Regulation 18 Officials All major officials (referees and/or linesmen) for games played within Calgary will be assigned by the Central Zone Referees Committee (CZRC) in cooperation with Hockey Calgary. This will be handled through the of the submission of the appropriate web form using a Team Manager or Coach user account. Each team must also supply two off-ice officials for all games the Home team will be responsible for the Timekeeper and Home Penalty box and the Visiting team will be responsible for the Scorekeeper and the Visitor Penalty box. Off-ice officials are responsible for conducting themselves in a manner that displays sportsmanship and shows fair play and respect to all participants. Regulation 23 Travel Permits A travel permit must be obtained prior to participating in any exhibition or tournament game played outside Calgary. The Travel Permit ensures your team is covered by the Hockey Canada Insurance Program when travelling to and from the arena as well as while staying at a hotel if required. It also verifies to your opponent(s) that you are a registered team with Hockey Canada and therefore eligible to participate in the game. Travel Permits may be requested through submission of the appropriate web form using a Team Manager or Coach user account. No Travel Permit will be granted prior to October 14. Regulation 24 Exhibition and Tournament Games Please refer to the Important Dates (see Hockey Calgary website) for scheduling of exhibition and tournament game. Games can only be played against other teams registered with Hockey Alberta or affiliated branches of Hockey Canada. Regulation 25 Hosting Tournaments To host a tournament your team must follow the Hockey Calgary Tournament Sanction process found under the OPERATIONS tab at www.hockeycalgary.com. Once the web-form has been submitted it will be reviewed by Hockey Calgary. If it falls within the guidelines of this manual it will be approved. The tournament must be played under all Hockey Calgary Regulations; however teams from outside Calgary who are not required to wear mouth guards in their home Association are exempt from wearing them while playing in the tournament. Regulation Community 17 Schedule Changes If your team wishes to attend an out of town tournament during the Seeding round or the Regular season, you must submit the Play in a Tournament web form using a Team Manager or Coach user account. The deadline for submission form is in early October for the Seeding round and late November for the Regular season please refer to the Important Dates for the current season for the exact date. If you do not submit the form prior to the deadline you will have to schedule all team activities, including participation in out of town tournaments, around your league schedule. Seeding round and Regular season games will not be rescheduled. 5
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Coaches will follow Hockey Canada s skills and drills and will focus primarily on skating and puck handling drills. Practices must be skilled based and the development session should follow the Hockey Canada Skills Development program Model: 75% Technical Skills 15% Individual Tactics 10% Team Tactics 0% Team Play 0% Strategy According to Hockey Canada s Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) novice aged kids (males 6-9, females 6-8) fall under the fundamental age grouping. According to the LTAD skill development in the fundamental stage should be well structured, positive and fun (LTAD 38). The Novice Development League focuses on the fundamentals of the game of hockey. The NDL follows the LTAD recommendation for teaching the fundamentals. The LTAD model suggests- fundamental movements and skills should be introduced through fun and games. Fundamental sports should follow and include basic overall sports skills. The NDL league follows Hockey Canada s Skills Development model that focuses on skill development rather than full ice games and team strategy. Hockey is classified as a late specialization sport, which means that the complex skills of hockey need to be mastered after maturation. Over specialization in late specialization can lead to one sided sport training, lack of agility, balance and coordination, early burnout and early retirement. With the stipulations set forth for the NDL, the league puts strict stipulations on games to practice ratios, giving players more time to have fun and develop skills while still providing players with the opportunity to play other sports. One practice will give a player more skill development than 11 GAMES collectively. Each player should have a puck on his/her stick for 8-12 minutes in a 1 hour practice. Each player should have a minimum of 30 shots on goal in a 1 hour practice. 99% of the feedback coaches give players is when they have the puck. Ironically, players only have the puck on their stick 0.2% of the game. George Kingston did a study in 1976 and found that Novice Aged Players had the puck on their stick an average of 34.8 seconds during a 65 min straight time game. Source: Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada Hockey Calgary Statistic: 1 in 84,615 kids who play Hockey in Calgary will make it to the NHL. Therefore every 6 years one former Hockey Calgary participant will make it to the NHL. 6
GUIDE FOR COACHES Starting Out as a Hockey Coach: You don't need to be an expert to make a significant contribution Be prepared and organized Coach according to the players' level of play HAVE FUN Coaches Code: I will be reasonable when scheduling games and practices, remembering that players have other interests and obligations. I will teach my players to play fairly and to respect the rules, officials and opponents. I will ensure that all players get equal instruction, support and playing time at every position. I will coach on the bench, not from the bench. I will not ridicule or yell at my players for making mistakes or for performing poorly. I will make sure that equipment and facilities are safe and match the players' age and abilities. I will remember that participants need a coach they can respect. I will be generous with praise and set a good example. I will obtain proper training and continue to upgrade my coaching skills. I will work in cooperation with officials for the benefit of the game. I will respect the parents' role and communicate effectively with them. I will remember this league is about skill development and FUNdamentals, period. Checklist for Coaching Tools: Comfortable skates Whistle Track Suit Pylons Helmet Practice plan pads Hockey Gloves & Hockey Stick Dry erase and white board Proper undergarments Good carrying bag and a supply of 50 pucks Coaching Certification Respect in Sport - 24 Hour Rule It is imperative that we RESPECT the game and the process. There will be times when we may get frustrated, or get upset and that is understandable, BUT keep the 24 hour rule in check! Wait at least 24 hours before addressing your concerns to ensure you are using a level head. 7
GUIDE FOR PARENTS Become the best sport parent you can be! Novice is about skill development in a safe, fun and rewarding environment. It is mandatory that at least one parent complete the Respect in Sport Parent Program. This program provided by Hockey Calgary is a model for which all of our behavior should stem. At its core is RESPECT. It also emphasizes the following key points: What is Your Role? Children Play Coaches Coach Officials Officiate Parents Parent The role of the parent is to provide unconditional support to their child. It is your responsibility to encourage your child in a respectful and supportive manner. Help optimize your child s growth and development by: Setting realistic expectations - children want to please their parents Set a good example - self manage your own behavior Providing open communication - communication is key to life and to sport Being your child s safety net Ensuring your child has the necessary and proper equipment Playing by the rules Ensuring your child has a balanced life (sports, academics, etc.) Always being positive Supporting your team and its members there is no i in team Safe Environments Create and support safe environments for your child and watch out for and educate yourself and your child against: Abuse Bullying Harassment Neglect Sportsmanship Teach your child to play with grace, humility and sportsmanship. Teach your child it is not about winning. Respect in Sport - 24 Hour Rule It is imperative that we RESPECT the game and the process. There will be times when we may get frustrated, or get upset and that is understandable, BUT keep the 24 hour rule in check! Wait at least 24 hours before addressing your concerns to ensure you are using a level head. Additional information and handouts are available on the Hockey Calgary website. 8