To all Mountaineer Hockey Families and Friends;

Your Board of Directors and the Coaching Committee has been hard at work this past month preparing for the new season.

To begin with the hockey game you think you know is changing. NO LONGER IS CHECKING ALLOWED IN GAMES AT THE PEE WEE LEVEL. However, checking is expected to be taught at the PeeWee age level, giving players more exposure to that aspect of the game. Players and parents can expect to see tighter enforcement of the playing rules at the upper levels. “Finishing the check” will most likely result in a penalty. You will witness increased legal contact at the Mite, Squirt, and PeeWee levels. Players need to play the puck prior to contacting the player. Use of the stick to play the puck will be an important aspect to the new game. There are several articles and videos on the USA Hockey web site to explain the changes.

Additional emphasis is placed on associations, including VEHA, to conform to USA Hockey’s ADM model (American Development Model). To that end Squirts will not have tryouts. Squirt aged players participating in our September skating sessions will be placed into one of 3 groups at the end of September. Advanced (Squirt B Travel Team), Intermediate (Squirt C Travel Team) or Beginner (our Mountaineer Recreational program). PeeWees and Bantams will have some early September Skills and Drill sessions followed by tryouts.

Mountaineer hockey plans to have a Midget Minor (15 and 16 year olds) team. Your BOD and Hockey Director believe first year Midgets and some sophomores will receive more benefit from playing in the Midget Minor CDYHL league rather than potentially sitting on the bench for the High School season. We understand many of these players would rather “potentially sit on the bench” for the High School team than play Club Hockey. History has shown the High School coach predominantly plays his first and second lines, rarely his fourth and fifth lines. Your Mountaineer coaches and Board are concerned that the younger players “sitting on the bench” with the high school team will not progress and may in fact go backwards in some cases. VEHA cannot guarantee a place on the minor team if your player fails to make the high school team. We have had preliminary discussions with neighboring associations about their minor age players joining with us for these critical development years.
 

The Coaching Committee has named the head coaches for the 2010-2011 hockey season. The BOD has affirmed the Coaching Committee’s decisions. The BOD and Coaching Committee realize some members may object to some of the named coaches. Coaching Director Brian Houlihan has stated he will be closely monitoring coaches and programs for any issues which may arise. The BOD and Brian believe this is the best group to put forward for the coming season. Please know that no Board member was present at the selection meeting. This year the Board decided it would be best to not be part of the discussions and only affirmed the list presented by the Coach’s Committee. Survey results and comments from past and present members had a part in the selection of coaches in addition to interviews with prospective coaches which were held prior to the Coaching Committee meeting.

New this year, all coaches and assistants must register with USA Hockey and CAHA prior to September 1st or, per USA Hockey, they are not eligible to coach for the coming season. In addition all Mountaineer coaches must complete a USA Hockey age specific on-line coaching class and on-line concussion training class prior to being placed on a team roster.
 

The CDYHL has accepted two new teams on a probationary basis for the upcoming season. The Boulder County YMCA played in the DNHL league for the last two years and dominated that league. Gunnison Youth Hockey is the other group accepted. Both groups will field at least one team at each division, most likely at the “B” level or lower level of the age division.

Additionally, the CDYHL has decided to modify its travel schedule by having associations playing each other as much as possible on a specific weekend rather than one team in Steamboat and another in Pueblo. Hopefully this will make it easier on families for travel purposes.

Lastly, my thanks to Kathy Dalbow, Tim Nary and the boys, Kennedy, Paddy Shea and Cory, and T Fox and family and our Director, Brian Houlihan for their help decorating the 4th of July parade float and getting everything organized on the 4th. A big “thank you” to Mike Charles for the use of his trailer and hummer for the parade. And a big “thank you” to Mike Testwuide for walking with the Mountaineer players and giving back to the program this summer. And most of all a big “thank you” to all the players and families who participated in the parade.

Sincerely,
 

Alan McLean