U11 News

Hello SMHA U11 Families,

Thank you for registering for the upcoming 2026–2027 SMHA hockey season. I’m Clare Fitzpatrick, your U11 House League Convenor. 

To our returning players and families, welcome back—and to our new U11 families, welcome to SMHA! We’re so excited to start the season together and can't wait to see everyone around the rink 

Please note that all U11 registrants have been included in these communication emails. This includes players registered for both House League and the competitive Rep B programs. All registrants will continue to receive U11 bulk communication until competitive tryouts are completed and teams have been formed. Once teams are finalized, the distribution list will be updated to include only House League players.

More correspondence will be sent out at a later date, but please see below for information on the first six weeks of the season, which will begin the weekend after Labour Day.

Schedule

House Conditioning Sessions (4):

These sessions give players a great opportunity to shake off the summer, get back on the ice, and start building confidence for the season ahead. Each session will include an on‑ice lead, on‑ice helpers/assistants, and student volunteers to support skaters and ensure every player has a positive experience and a fair chance to develop. Skaters will be sorted alphabetically by last name.

Evaluation Sessions (4):

These sessions are mandatory, as they allow us to properly assess each skater and place them on a team that best matches their skills and abilities. Evaluations help ensure balanced teams and a fun, competitive season for everyone. Skaters will begin sorted alphabetically by last name and will then be moved into appropriate tiers (1, 2, 3) based on their evaluation scores throughout the sessions. Goalies will also be evaluated during the combined sessions and will have an additional goalie‑specific evaluation session.

Volunteers

SMHA’s success is built on the incredible volunteers within our community. We have many roles to fill both on and off the ice.

Season Volunteers

If you haven’t already, please consider joining our list of interested bench staff volunteers (Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Trainers, and Team Managers) so we can connect with you. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5Iv5AIPP6nAjHLPuD5tB5eGfReFtzRBthw8yiu_hZIhKUwA/viewform

*Head Coaches who wish to volunteer and be considered for a bench position this season will be required to participate as on‑ice leads during conditioning sessions and serve as evaluators during the four evaluation sessions.* VSC Process
This is extremely important, and the process has recently changed. If you have a valid VSC, you MUST still complete a declaration form. If you do not have a valid VSC, you will need to obtain one.

If you are a returning volunteer for the upcoming season, please complete this as soon as possible, as each submission must be verified. For a complete overview, to submit your declaration, or to apply for a VSC, visit the HEO site: https://www.hockeyeasternontario.ca/vulnerable-sector-check/

Off Ice Volunteers

It takes many volunteers to make the hockey season a success, there are lots of opportunities to help. If you are interested in helping out, or have a high school student (13+) looking for volunteer hours, we would greatly appreciate your support. During conditioning and evaluations, we will need help checking players in, handing out pinnies, guiding families, assisting with administrative tasks, and in some cases helping on a bench. A volunteer sign‑up sheet for conditioning and evaluations will be sent out soon in a separate email. Please review the notes included on that sheet for further details on the specific roles we will be looking to fill.

I want to thank everyone in advance for giving their time -- your support is essential to keeping the process running smoothly, and we truly couldn’t do it without our volunteers.

New Mandatory Training – The Shift Forward:
This Shift Forward program replaces the previous Respect in Sport program. To support a smooth transition, Hockey Canada will continue to recognize existing Respect in Sport certification for this season. Beginning in the 2028-29 season, however, all participants engaging with hockey will be required to complete The Shift Forward. If you do not currently hold a Respect in Sport certification, you will need to register for the new program this season.

There are two versions of the course: one for coaches and bench staff, and one for parents and guardians. Please ensure you register for the appropriate version. More information is available here: ShiftForward | Hockey Eastern Ontario

U11 news, including the contents of this email will be posted on SMHA U11 News. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Wishing everyone a wonderful rest of the summer and a great start to the new school year! Looking forward to seeing you all at the rink soon.

Best regards,

​