Coaches here is all the info you need!

Welcome Coaches!!

This is where you will find all kinds of information and forms. Please check out the menu on the left hand side for really important information that will help you have a successful year - if you have any questions or can't find what you need, please contact your convenor. You can also find information such as our Constitution, Policies, and Executive contact information through the web site. It is your responsibility as a coach to be familiar with our policies.

The LOWMHA Executive meet on the first and third Wednesday of each month. If there is something that you need to bring forward, talk to your convenor. If it is not resolved, please email the Secretary to be added to the agenda for the next meeting. 

Training Requirements

HNO requires mandatory coach training for different levels of hockey. Please find clinic info on their website. You will also need to submit either a vulnerable sector check (if you are a new volunteer) or a criminal record check (every 3 years). There is no cost to you for these as it is a volunteer position.

Teamlinkt

We are using a new website and app called Teamlinkt. ONLY USE THIS APP TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS besides your email. Do not use other apps to conduct LOWMHA communications, because this app has everything tied right into it. It'll automatically have your roster, contact info etc. It has the schedule, messaging capabilities and attendance settings. USE THE TEAMLINKT APP.

Ice Scheduling
The schedule will be posted to the website/Teamlinkt as soon as possible. Please make sure to check the schedule often - and encourage your parents to do the same. For short notice changes, you will be notified.  The loss of ice time is usually completely beyond our control, especially during playoff and tournament season so please exercise patience.
You need to contact your convenor as soon as you have chosen your tournaments and submit your tournament fee request form. The convenor will forward it to both the Treasurer for payment or re-imbursement, and to the Ice Convenor so that your team doesn't get scheduled while away.
If you have questions about your ice time, contact your Convenor.

Co-Ed Dressing
Co-Ed Dressing is permitted up to and including the Atom level. Players should ensure they are dressed at least in long underwear at all times when there is a co-ed situation. Peewee and above - female players must change in their alotted change room. In Kenora, that is dressing room 1A. In Keewatin, they can either use the small meeting room off the lobby. The keys for the girls' change rooms are kept in the player's box and are to be returned to the player's box when they are done with them. In Keewatin, it is a requirement that they must have skate guards to walk across the lobby. Girls are permitted and should be expected to join their team in the dressing room up to 15 minutes prior to ice time, and can go back to the dressing room for up to 15 minutes after the ice time to alllow for team communciation. Boys should remain dressed until their female teammate(s) have left the dressing room, and should be dressed 15 minutes before ice time. There will be a dressing room policy coming for 2017/18 that speaks to providing separate change facilities due to religious reasons or relating to the player's transition or gender identity.

Games, Running the Clock and Rosters
It is up to the home team to provide the gamesheet and have it signed by the away team. It is also the duty of the home team to run the clock for the game AND TO REPORT THE SCORE ON TEAMLINKT. If we don't have scores reported, we don't have accurate standings for playoffs. Make sure you delegate parents to take turns running the clock. It helps to offer an informal training session during a practice so parents get comfortable. Come tournament time, everyone needs to pitch in and if they are already comfortable with the process then the better they will feel about it. You'll be provided with game sheets at the beginning of the season.

Away Tournaments

Standings and Play Offs 
We run playoffs from Atom - Midget at the end of the year. There are Championship Trophies for each division.  It is up to the home team to upload their game results to Teamlinkt. This can be done on the app with a smartphone or by logging in to the website. 

Medical Information Form

It is very important that we know who to contact in an emergency, and if there is any medical history that we need to know about when a player has been injured. Each player needs to have a medical information sheet filled out. It should be kept in an envelope with the coach or trainer in case of an emergency, and shredded at the end of the season.
Medical Information Form

On-Ice Volunteers
Sometimes it is helpful to coaches to use older players on the ice during practice to help run drills, etc. This is permitted as long as the child is registered with LOWHMA, wears a helmet, neck guard and gloves, and the older player must actually be helping the coaches. This practice time is for the younger kids; it is not an appropriate time for the older players to practice shots, or shoot the puck against the boards. Anyone over the age of 16 must obtain Respect in Sport. Please remember our Branch is HNO when registering for Respect in Sport. Anyone over the age of 18 must obtain a criminal record check. All parents who volunteer on the ice must also have a criminal record check.
ALL adult on-ice volunteers need to have a criminal record check, their Activity Leader Respect in Sport, and need to be approved by the Board of Directors. DO NOT allow any parent on the ice without all of those things.