CHA Minutes
10/26/2019
A/B/C Meeting started at 6:30.
League Representation:
A: no league representation
B+: Arnot, Honeybadgers, Knutson, Snowcocks,
B: Knutson, B-Team
C: Redman, Polar Bears, Schulte, Sunnyvale
What’s going right:
teams are having fun, seem pretty even.
What needs to be addressed:
ISSUE ONE: Non-captain players aggressively pursuing refs. Incident in C was escalated because a non-captain entered the ice and attempted to talk to refs. Was not on the ice when in occurred, was seen as an aggressive action.
SOLUTION: Captains will introduce themselves to the referees prior to the game. This will clearly identify who is allowed to talk to the refs. During game if there is a question, captain can skate to the ref crease. No other players are allowed.
ISSUE TWO: Reffing is inconsistent. Some refs will talk to captains and explain penalties, others will not. Any simple discussion helps players to understand penalties and prevent future infractions.
SOLUTION: Referees will explain the call if asked. This may be as simple as “this is what I saw my position.” Players need to remember that the ref is watching the puck and may miss a call. Please remember that everyone makes mistakes. If players didn’t, they’d be in the NHL, not playing adult league in Cedar Rapids.
People who need to move up/down:
Alex Howell needs to not be in B- but in B+ and A if he is double rostering.
ALL LEAGUE ISSUES
IDs: IDs are needed because Roughriders want players to have recent IDs to get the $3.75 discount per ticket for the 2019-2020 season. Also, there are deals on pitchers at the Stadium and Heather has to touch base with Union Station to determine the specials they will offer our players.
BUDGET: The arena changed their pricing when they published our contracts at the end of August. This was the first Heather had heard about it. We were paying $230 for the first 150 hour and $195 for each hour after that; prices went to $235 and $200 after 175 hours. This change added about $1800 for the fall season. Additionally, insurance went up about $400 for the year, bringing the total for insurance to $3700. Website costs are consistent at $450. All of these will affect the budget this season (although next season will be less as the ‘discount pricing’ will be in effect all season) but they all need to be paid THIS season. Heather will wait until all the bills are paid at the end of the season before getting paid.
REFEREES: How we can affect more referees? Bottom line: play clean hockey. If teams can remember simply to go out and play a fun, clean game, reffing is easy and people will sign up. If players come out with a chip on their shoulder or angry or bringing incidents from previous games with them, tempers flair and often it is taken out on the referees. This makes people less likely to sign up and leads to a ref shortage. Please keep this is mind when you unleash your verbal assault on your ref. It’s easy to apologize the next day, but no not so easy to convince them to come back.
PLANNING FOR FUTURE GROWTH: everyone looked at the numbers to see where we are at.
A league has 80 players on 6 teams, an average of 13.3 players per team
B+ League has 63 players on 5 teams, an average of 12.6 players per team
B league has 101 players on 8 teams, an average of 12.6 players per team
C league has 73 players on 6 teams, an average of 12.2 players per team
D league has 88 players on 8 teams, an average of 11 players per team
E/F leagues have 62 players on 6 teams, an average of 10.3 players per team.
Optimum team size, to me, is 12 and a goalie. Gathered data indicates that 90% of teams have at least 1 person absent per game, 50% have 2 or more. This leads to short benches, which leads to frustration and errors, hard feelings, penalties, and referee issues. HOWEVER, traditionally our number increase by 5-7% for spring league, meaning we may have enough players to create new teams at the A, B+(this is desirable), B and C levels.
This increase in teams will increase the need for ice time. Those present voted the “preferred” addition of games to be 10:45 on Sunday (as there is already an 11am game), 8:30 on Thursday (this would be a lone game) and 9:15 on Tuesday (this game is currently the ‘swing’ game for B+ teams; bye weeks). I have already submitted these times to the rink and they will be held until we can verify the need for additional ice.
CONTROLLING THE GAME: Discussion ensued about what to do about players who “don’t necessarily score” but control the game. This includes defensemen who don’t let anyone get near the net, and players at lower levels who take 4-5 minute shifts so no one can score. This is not in the spirit of good sportsmanship. No one was really sure how to monitor or quantify “players who control the game”, but we all agreed it needs to be addressed. TEAM CAPTAINS can help by making sure shifts are balanced and encourage ALL players at ALL levels to play to the level of the person in front of them.
POST MEETING NOTE: a new GM was transferred to the arena from Birmingham, AL. He is a “washed up A goalie” (his words not mine) and I’d like to see him play, possibly for a new A/B+/B team. I am optimistic as he has worked at rinks for many years and comes from a rink that hosted an SAHL team (much like our USHL) as well.
D/E/F Meeting started at 7:10
League Representation:
D: Iverson, Foxes
E: Iverson, KGB; Hart, Goaldiggers, Chambers, Rats, Seeley, Stickmen.
What’s going right:
teams seem pretty balanced. There are a few players who are struggling to play down who will need to move if they do not correct their actions.
What issues need to be addressed:
ISSUE ONE: Puck Hogs. Certain players do not pass and consistently take it end to end.
SOLUTION: Three goal maximum must be enforced. D players, LEARN TO PASS. If you have scored three goals in one game, that should be your ‘sign’ that you’re in the wrong league. Please sign up for the next level in the spring, or you’ll likely be placed there anyway. OR PLAY TO THE LEVEL OF THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU.
ISSUE TWO: Inconsistency with referees. Goalies not being protected, especially from slashing.
SOLUTION: Heather will talk to ALL refs about special needs of D and E leagues: regardless of the intention, if a penalty is committed, it MUST be called. If it is an ‘accident’ due to poor skills, this will encourage them to learn to skate better; if intentional, it will penalize them and encourage cleaner play.
In regards to goalies, the act of COVERING the puck signals it is out of play; the whistle is just verification. Any player who touches the goalie or his equipment after that will be called for slashing.
Players who need to move up/down:
D: Todd Young needs to move down.
E: Kyle Cortez, Brian Davis, Jim Meyer, Viktor Hanak need to move up.
F: Kyle Cortez, Bronson Kepner need to move up.
E and F combining next season.
As all the Captains of E league were present, we sat down and formulated “fair teams” for next season, keeping a main core of 6 and creating a main core of six for each of the two ‘new’ teams. This will bring the total number of teams to six and eliminates the need for misplaced players to move from E to D.
NEWLY FORMED TEAMS will have jerseys provided for them in the spring season.
|
RATS |
GOALDIGGERS |
STICKMEN |
KGB |
NEW #1 |
NEW #2 |
|
(G) Herb |
(G) Vogts |
(G) Bose |
(G) Iverson, K |
(G) Liuzzo |
(G) Iverson, B |
|
Chambers, C |
Davidson, B |
Dalziel |
Carlson |
Cortez, K |
Donahue, B |
|
Chambers, M |
Davidson, J |
Hopkins |
Ceaglske |
Cortez, S |
Loren |
|
Haars |
Hart |
Langerman |
Collins |
Farrier |
Kepner, Bra |
|
Hanna, B |
Shaw |
Meyer |
Deegan, P |
Wiedenman |
Kepner, Bro |
|
Hanna, T |
Storey |
Recker |
Hulst |
Duffield |
Mayer |
|
Jamosky |
Trent |
White |
Iverson, B |
Bjork |
Simpson |
|
Lively |
Deegan, L |
Manthe |
Tang |
Elmer |
West |
|
Readnour |
Young |
Fossum |
Adams |
Peterson |
Lovell |
|
Martin |
Tripp |
Wagner |
Rivera |
|
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|
|
|
|
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These teams look small right now, but we typically have more people in spring league. I will distribute veteran players to the 2 new teams and newer player to the named teams.
There will still be Instructional offered, however, it will be at a “drop in” basis and will include a goalie coach as well. This will occur 3-4 times each season based on demand.
Respectfully submitted,
Heather
