August 25, 2018 Volume 1 Issue 2 Page 1 Registrar Section Page 2 Referee Section Page 3 Referee Section Page 4 Referee Section Page 5- Disabled Section Page 6 Disabled Section Page 7 - Coaching Page 8- Coaching Checklist/Clinic Info Page 9-Girls & Women s Section Page 10 Girls & Women s Section Page 11 Shootout Showcase Page 12 Screening Page 13- Screening/Adult Classic Tournaments Page 14-SafeSport Page 15-2&2 Challenge Page 16-2&2 Challenge Page 17- Columbus Blue Jackets What s Happening Page 18-Important Notice Paul Day President Lori Billings Mid Am Administrator administrator@midamhockey.com District Newsletter Registrar Section Preparing for A New Season USA Hockey Registration Wow, the summer has really flown by and it s time for another hockey season which begins with registration with USA Hockey for the 2018-19 Season as a player, coach or volunteer. Simply go online to www.usahockey.com and click on Become a Member in the upper right-hand portion of the screen. The process is very similar to previous seasons. The good news is USA Hockey and Mid Am registration fees remain unchanged from the past several seasons, with the USA Hockey fee still $40 and the Mid Am fee still $5. Also, as in previous years, for players whose playing age is 6 or under there is no charge for USA Hockey or Mid Am registration. Once you have completed the USA Hockey registration, simply provide your registration confirmation number to your local program and they will take it from there. We also encourage all local association board members and volunteers to register online with USA Hockey as a volunteer. The best part of the volunteer registration is it is also free. In addition to USA Hockey registration, coaches and volunteers, especially any volunteer with access to children, such as managers and locker room monitors need to make sure their Safe Sport training and Mid Am Screening is current. Both Safe Sport and Mid Am Screening are valid for two playing seasons. Safe Sport training is completed from a link on the USA Hockey website. It requires a current USA Hockey Registration number and is free. Please note Safe Sport Training now consists of 3 Sections and all 3 Sections must be completed. Screening is completed by logging onto https//www.midamhockey.com/youth hockey/screening-processlog-in/and completing the screening process. Coaches also need to make sure they have completed the appropriate age specific Coaching Education Module for the team(s) they will be coaching. If you have any questions on USA Hockey registration and/or coach and volunteer SafeSport Training or Mid Am Screening, please email keith.kenitzer@gmail.com and we will help in any way we can. Have a great 2018-19 Season. By Keith Kenitzer District Registrar
Roy Davis Publishing/Layout rdavis9874@midamhockey.com Web Site www.midamhockey.com Disclaimer The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information within this newsletter was correct at time of publication. The author does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from the Mid-Am District. REGISTRATION: District Newsletter Referee Section Referee registration for the 2018-19 season in the Officiating Program opened on August 1, 2018 on the USAH website. Referee registration is separate from player, coach, or volunteer registration. Referee registration closes on March 1, 2019. Any official that has not completed all the registration requirements listed below by March 31, 2018 will have to wait until registration reopens for the next season. Registration for the 2019-20 season will open June 1, 2019, two months earlier than previous seasons. Complete Registered officials from 2017-18 season can continue to officiate until November 30, at which time they will have to be completely registered for the 2018-19 season to continue beyond that date. New this season, officials age 16 and older are limited to two years registration at Level 1. They are required to register as Level 2 in their third year to continue their progression in the system. Referee registration is valid for all USAH Districts and membership in an official s association is not required, as referees are independent contractors. The following components, listed below, are required of all new and returning officials, regardless of level or experience. OPEN BOOK EXAM Each season, every official must successfully complete an online Open Book Playing Rules Exam. A link to that exam is emailed to each official within 48 hours the completion of their initial on-line registration. New Level One officials will be mailed a copy of the USA Hockey Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey. New this season, all open book exams will be 50 questions and the questions will be level-specific for Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4. Minimum passing scores are: Level 1 35; Level 2 40; Level 3 & 4 45. If an official does not pass on their first try, they will be given access to the re-take exam, after a one week waiting period. The re-take exam will have new questions, related to the same rule reference to the missed question on their first exam. Officials only have one retake exam opportunity per season. IN-PERSON SEMINARS Attendance at a sanctioned USA Hockey Officials Seminar is required for all applicants, regardless of Level every season. These seminars must be conducted by USAH trained instructors and include both classroom and ice sessions. Officials must complete their initial on-line referee registration prior to signing up for a seminar. Once registered, officials can access the Seminar Registration tab on the USAH main website for a listing of all seminars to select from the seminar that they wish to attend.
Referee Section ONLINE OFFICIATING EDUCATION All officials must complete online education regardless of level or experience. Online Education consists of a series of Course categories. All course categories must be completed to finish online training. All modules within the Pre-Required and Required categories must be completed. The remaining categories contain a menu of elective modules and an official must complete the required number of modules (e.g. 4 modules of 7 offered) within the category to complete the category. There will be a short quiz at the end of each module that the official must pass to complete the module and continue with education. If the official does not pass the quiz, the module will reset, and the official must complete the module again. Online Membership Registration must be completed 24-hours before access to the Online Education System is granted. New this season, returning Level 3 & 4 officials are permitted to test out of their elective modules by passing the quiz at the end of selected module first. If the official does not pass the quiz initially, the module will reset, and they will watch the entire module before having access to the exam again. MIDAM HOCKEY SCREENING To provide a safe and fun environment for our participants and volunteers, Mid- American Hockey requires that all new volunteers, including coaches and referees, submit to a background screen before they have routine access to children who participate in our organization. As such, we have designed a very user-friendly process to help achieve this goal. This is accessed through the Screening portal on the Mid-Am District website. Please select the Officials Screening Link when prompted in the process. Please be aware that everyone will be responsible for a $25.00 fee to undergo this process for certification. Thank you for assisting us in providing a safe and fun environment for all our children and participants
Referee Section SAFESPORT As part of USA Hockey's continued effort to create a safe playing environment for all participants, those officials who are 18 years of age or older (as of August 1 of the current registration season) are required to complete an online SafeSport Education Program every two seasons. The online program is free of charge. You will need your current USA Hockey Membership Registration Confirmation Number (not your Officials Number) to complete training. Registration confirmation numbers can be obtained at the main USA Hockey Registration page. ASSISTANCE The Mid-Am Officiating Staff consists of the District Referee-in-Chief and several Local Supervisors of Officials located through the five states that make up the Mid- Am District. Any of them can answer your questions about officiating or assist you in the registration process. Their contact information can be found under the Directory tab on our website: www.midamreferee.com Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable hockey season, Jim Weaver Mid-Am District Referee-in-Chief
Disabled Section Please educate your coaches, players and families about SAFE SPORT: what it is, why it matters, how to implement; if you have any questions or need advice, please contact Mid-Am SafeSport Coordinator, Todd Naylor at: ToddN@midamhockey.com Lindsey s Law: cardiac arrest in young athletes. Read here https://www.odh.ohio.gov/landing/lindsays-law.aspx This is required for participation in Ohio Elevator speeches: have a 15 second speech prepared that says it all for the times coaches, players and volunteers run into someone who might be a future player, parent or volunteer! The upcoming USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Workshop offers educational sessions and coach training. This year it is in Las Vegas, Oct 4-7, 2018. Beginning in 2019, the educational sessions will be offered every other year with the coach training sessions the opposite years. Coach training is for both sled and special hockey at this time. If anyone is interested in learning more about Blind hockey, there will be a Blind Hockey Summit in Pittsburgh, Oct. 12-14. Contact the Pittsburgh Blind Hockey Program for more information. Please share the following dates with your programs: o Warrior Classic presented by Terry Fator, Oct. 4-7, 2018 Las Vegas o Blind Hockey Summit/Learn to Play Blind Hockey, Oct. 12-14, 2018 - PGH o Mid-Am Special Hockey Invitational (MASHI): Oct. 27, 2018 Nationwide Arena Columbus, OH o Special Hockey Classic, Nov. 16-18, 2018, Pittsburgh, PA o NHL Sled Hockey Classic TBA Remember to register/pay for the USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival BEFORE DECEMBER 1st each year to take advantage of the lower Early Bird fee
Disabled Section If you have any questions for the Disabled Section of USA Hockey, please feel free to forward them to me and I will present your comments/questions at our board meetings. We have two national meetings per year (January, June). Remember, to check if you are in the Columbus Blue Jacket s TV market to know if you are eligible for a Learn to Play Hockey event. For $75 pp, it includes all the necessary gear, a hockey stick and ice skates. 8U is a market we can all tap from re: sled, special and blind hockey. Thank you to everyone for participating in the annual meeting for our district. We are one of the only districts to meet face to face in order to communicate, share ideas and network. -Remember- Not every victory shows up on the scoreboard By Renee Loftspring
Coaching Section The following is some coaching information to help you prepare for the 2018-19 season. Level 4 Clinics We will have two more Level 4 Clinics this year. o September 22 & 23 in Columbus, OH o December 29 & 30 in Cleveland, OH They are posted to the USA Hockey website at www.usahockey.com Level 1, 2 and 3 Clinics: In the months of July and August we will be posting clinics on the USA Hockey web site at https://www.usahockey.com/coachingcertification There will be many more clinics posted as we set them up in the summer The clinic season starts in late August and goes thru late December Coaches have until December 31 st to attend a clinic. Note: Coaches ARE allowed on the ice before taking a clinic since they have until December 31 st to attend one. Coaching Checklist: The following are the five steps that a coach needs to do to be eligible to coach: 1. Register as a coach with USA Hockey for the 2018-19 season. A coach only has to register once. If a coach is registered as an Adult hockey player, he/she does not have to register a second time. Registration is done at https://usahockeyregistration.com/login input. action 2. Do the appropriate background screening. This is good for two years and this can be done at https//www.midamhockey.com/youth hockey/screening-process-log-in/ 3. Register and attend a coaching clinic (If it is required). Level 3 is good for two seasons and Level 4 is good for life 4. Complete the online module (If it is required). Online modules are already up and running online.
Coaching Section: 5. All coaches have to take SafeSport training which is done online. There is no charge, but your USA Hockey membership number is needed to register and is also your ID for having completed the course. Registration is at https:www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining a. SafeSport is good for two years If you have any questions, feel free to email me at wswitaj@kent.edu By Bill Switaj, Mid-Am Coach-in-Chief We are always updating our clinics listing. Please see the updated listing of our clinics and registration information for these clinics at: https://www.usahockey.com/coachingclinic Check it out today!
Girls & Women s Section GYHA and Gilmour Academy represented at BEANTOWN CLASSIC: The Gilmour Gladiators U16 AAA girls team and the Gilmour Academy Girls Prep team each competed at the BEANTOWN CLASSIC hosted by Rush Hockey in Boston, MA. Each team had a lot of fun and it was a great chance for the players to get to know each other. Both teams had some great wins with the Gilmour Academy Girls Prep team losing 1-0 in the semi-finals in a really tight game! We can t wait for the season to start! Mid-AM Girls District Tournament at the Gilmour Academy Ice Arena The Gilmour Youth Hockey Association is very excited to welcome back the Mid-Am Girls District Tournament at the Gilmour Academy Ice Arena for the 2018-2019 season. Having this event in Cleveland, OH is very exciting for our area and the growth of Girls hockey. We hope we can be incredible hosts to all of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams within the district! Welcome Back! The Indy Fusion held a Welcome Back to Hockey Day August 11 th. We had over 45 participants age 4 to 14 which included kids from the Indiana communities of South Bend and Bloomington. The day started with some office training on the skating treadmill, followed by a cookout lunch. A 3 on 3 competition was conducted on the ice and the day ended with a great pool party. The kids had a ton of fun and kids from three Indiana communities are excited about hockey!
Girls & Women s Section LADY BARONS ENJOY SUCCESS IN BEANTOWN!!! Congratulations to the Cleveland Lady Barons U14 Elite team who won the BEANTOWN CLASSIC hosted by Rush Hockey in Boston, MA. The Lady Barons were undefeated winning 6 games straight. A tight semi-final win and championship game on Sunday gave the Lady Barons the BEANTOWN CLASSIC title!!! The team was led by Alaina Giampietro who scored 16 goals. Kylie Coughlin and Lyla Tsu each finished with 8 points. The team was backstopped by Danielle Hoover (3 wins with 2 shutouts) and Allison Schuh (3 wins and 1 shutout). CONGRATS LADIES!!! GYHA Girls Hockey College Commitments; Congrats to each of the following players from Gilmour Youth Hockey Association Girls teams that committed to play college hockey during the 2017/2018 season: Karlie Acord Adrian College (commencing Fall 2018) Kathleen Droba Adrian College (commencing Fall 2018) Marielle Parks Mercyhurst University (NCAA DI) Jennifer Wilson Lebanon Valley College (NCAA DIII) (commencing Fall 2018)
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER Shootout Showcase Save the Date: Oct 20 @ Nationwide Arena Ohio Youth Hockey Association Presidents - The Columbus Blue Jackets are excited to once again feature Ohio youth hockey associations in the return of the Shootout Showcase! The Shootout Showcase is an annual event featuring a Squirt-aged shooter and goalie from your youth hockey club competing in a single elimination shootout tournament to be featured on FOX Sports Ohio during Blue Jackets broadcasts. For more information on last year s event visit www.bluejackets.com/shootoutshowcase. This year s Shootout Showcase will be held on the afternoon of Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Nationwide Arena prior to the CBJ vs. Blackhawks 7pm game. Registration is free and will be limited to 16 teams. To participate, Ohio youth association Presidents will nominate their team of one shooter and one goaltender from the same SQUIRT age level team. Presidents will receive an email with the registration link in early September. In addition to representing your association on TV, the winning shooter and goalie will have the opportunity to represent the Blue Jackets at the 2019 NHL All-Star weekend in San Jose, California on January 25-26, 2019. Airfare, hotel and tickets will be provided. *A TEAM is defined as one shooter and one goaltender from the same team within the same youth hockey association. All eligible players must be registered and represent a USA Hockey sanctioned program in Ohio. This competition is open to Select, A, AA, and AAA levels.
Screening 2018-2019 Screening must be completed BEFORE COACHES or VOLUNTEERS are placed with minor participants in any environment Beginning July 1, 2013 screening began a two-year active cycle (required by Safe Sport). Currently a date is placed electronically on every letter indicating its active and expiration date. Screenings done from this date until the end of the season will be good for the 2018-19 season and the 2019-20 season. Go to: https//www.midamhockey.com/youth hockey/screening-process- log-in/ Sign in (or register as a new user) Pay $25.00 through Pay Pal (the balance is paid by Mid Am); keep your receipt until screening results are received (there is a tracking number) Enter information on all screens as requested (identify all associations you are associated with so that a copy of your screening will be available to each association). In 3 10 days results will be completed, and a letter should be available for download (it will NOT be mailed to you. You must go to the site and download so that you can have a copy in your possession (or file). You may go back online at any time to download additional copies. If any information is missing, EBI will automatically send one (1) email to the email registered by applicant.
Screening 2018-2019 If your report is under review for more than 2 3 days, email me at Hckeemom@aol.com. As a volunteer, I attempt to respond within 24 hours, usually from 4-6 a.m. All screening issues are resolved via email and not by phone. It is the responsibility of the association to verify that their coach/volunteer has been screened before they are with minors. You must have a copy of each letter on file. It is the coach/volunteer s responsibility to have their screening approval letter before they go on the ice or into a locker room By Kaye Pinkowski USA HOCKEY District Director USA Hockey Adult Classic Tournaments USA Hockey's Adult Ice Hockey Department and Adult Council will once again have a full slate of Labatt Blue Adult Classic tournaments for the 2018-19 season. These events are invitational, recreational, non-check tournaments held in destination locations. Mid-Am has two of these tournaments. Indy Adult Classic Carmel Ice Skadium March 22-24, 2019 Columbus Adult Classic Chiller Arenas April 5-7, 2019
SafeSport The start of the 2018-2019 hockey season is just around the corner. This season will be the first full season of the partnership between USA Hockey and the US Center for SafeSport that started in April of 2017. I see this as an opportunity to promote a culture of safety, respect, and enjoyment within the sport of hockey. Specifically, the Center will provide education and prevention resources related to: emotional misconduct, physical misconduct, sexual misconduct, bullying, hazing, and harassment. The SafeSport Training and Refresher Training are each valid for two (2) seasons. Thus, if you took the training during the 2017-18 season, it is valid for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. As of January 1, 2018, all relevant individuals who need to be SafeSport certified or are seeking recertification will need to complete the new threecourse SafeSport training, which features updated content. Complete information regarding SafeSport can be found on the USA Hockey website under the Membership tab. You will find the 2017 USA Hockey SafeSport Handbook as well as quick reference guides for Coaches and locker rooms. Currently, the following persons are the State Coordinators for SafeSport; Kentucky Brian Dettman brdettman@gmail.com JD Hobbs auerjdhobbs@yahoo.com Indiana Mike Feiwell Karl Popowics MFEIWELL@feiwellhannoy.com Kpopowics@goodinabernathy.com W. Virginia Dalton Haas haas873@gmail.com By Todd Naylor SafeSport Coordinator
2 and 2 Challenge The upcoming 2018-19 hockey season has multiple opportunities to drive growth and welcome new hockey players to the rink. With it being a post- Olympic season, we have a great opportunity to build on the excitement of new hockey families and find ways to retain those families. With that said, we need your help to inform your local associations about these opportunities available to them. 2 and 2 Challenge The 2 and 2 Challenge guides youth hockey leadership through national programs and tools to drive participation at the 8 & under age group. By growing hockey in this age group, programs will experience long-term growth as these kids continue to develop. 2018-19 Season 2 and 2 Challenge: http://www.2and2challenge.com/ To complete the 2 and 2 Challenge, participating associations will utilize programs that emphasize the main driving forces of growth - Retention, Acquisition & Conversion. 2018-19 Season 2 and 2 Challenge Registration: http://www.2and2challenge.com/registration Accept 2 and 2 Challenge www.2and2challenge.com Registration for the 2018-19 2 and 2 Challenge will open in May 2018. If you have any questions, please contact Membership Development. By completing the 2 and 2 Challenge, associations will receive up to $250 in Pure Hockey credit to help enhance growth initiatives.
2 and 2 Challenge Try Hockey For Free; November 10, 2018 & February 23, 2019 Try Hockey For Free Days provide youth hockey associations a national platform and opportunity to acquire new players locally. Associations will attract new players for this season as well as capture interested families for the following season. This initiative is a joint-effort between USA Hockey, the National Hockey League & NHL member clubs. 2018-19 Try Hockey For Free Host Site Information: https://programservices.sportngin.com/page/show/895439-2018-19-tryhockey-for-free-dates Girls Hockey Weekend; October 5-7, 2018 USA Hockey is looking for associations and rinks to host opportunities to build awareness, celebrate your current players and grow participation for girl s hockey as part of the eighth annual IIHF Girls Hockey Weekend. To participate, host sites can utilize; season kick-off party, cross-ice jamboree, try hockey for free, or create an original event to celebrate local female hockey players. *Events are encouraged to be focused on the 8U age group. 2018 Girls Hockey Weekend Registration: https://portal.usahockey.com/tool/signup_form/girlshockeyweekend Thank you for your continued commitment to growing youth hockey and supporting these growth efforts. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Shannon Webster Manager, Program Service 1755 Bob Johnson Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80906 (719)538-1118 shannonw@usahockey.org
What s Happening Equipment Sale Sept 16 @ Chiller North Throughout the summer fans can donate new or gently used hockey equipment at any OhioHealth Chiller location in exchange for a voucher redeemable for 2 free Blue Jackets preseason tickets. The equipment is collected, sanitized and then sold at affordable prices at the annual Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation s equipment sale in an effort to eliminate barriers to playing hockey. This year s sale takes place on Sunday, September 16 from 12-4 pm at the OhioHealth Chiller North. Proceeds are reinvested into the Central Ohio youth hockey community. The NHL Green net will be traveling to Chiller rinks this summer (Easton Aug 1-31, North Sep 1-15) fans are encouraged to take a photo of them donating their equipment in the NHL Green net and tag # NHL Green and #CBJ to win monthly prizes
ALL ASSOCIATIONS: If your organization has not completed the 2018-19 Association Disclosure Form you must do so before August 31, 2018. This is a mandatory form for all organizations to complete, youth, girls, adult, sled, high school and club to complete. This matter is very important as it relates to compliance with USA HOCKEY mandates. Associations not completing this form may be subject to fines. To receive a form or for answers to any questions please contact: Lori Billings administrator@midamhockey.com. By Lori Billings - Mid-Am Administrator Mid-Am District.