To all 2021 registered Parents PLEASE read and understand this entire message. It may be better to read it from a big screen computer monitor. SORRY for this lengthy email but I want everyone to know as much about our league and season as soon as possible. Sorry if you get this more than once, I copied all the addresses from our data sheet. and with multiple registrations I may have missed deleting some duplicates. We will be sending another email soon with more information about COVID. We have a lot of new families joining our league this year. Welcome and thank you for joining us. This as you can image is not the typical way that we run the league. COVID restrictions have made things different. Thank you to all the returning families that came back from our 2020 cancelled season. I am sending this email to everyone that has registered with us for 2021. Thanks for giving us another try to have a fun filled, successful, SAFE ballhockey season. Hopefully COVID will allow us to play this spring. There are a number of things we need to let you know about. I will put them into groups so as to make it easier to read. SCHEDULE TEAMS GAME COVID RETURN to PLAY PROVINCIALS FACEBOOK SPONSORS SCHEDULE Our schedule will be available on our website on the "Schedule" page. You will be able to access it from your phone. It will be updated soon once we get things worked out with the arenas. As it stands as of now our schedule will be: April 6th - May 10th in the Bewdley arena From May 11th - June 25th in Millbrook arena
This may change as area's change through the different colour zones.
The reason for this is because Millbrook has recently decided to leave their ice in for the month of April to allow the ice hockey players more time to make up lost games.. That means we will have to move our league to Bewdley for the first 4 games (4 weeks). The Squirts (learn to Play) and Bantams will use that rink all season. We will move the Tyke, Novice, Atom, Peewee back to Millbrook once the ice is out, unless they decide to extend it longer. Because April 5th is Easter Monday the Bewdley rink will be closed. We are going to have the first two Bantams games on Tuesday April 6th and Wednesday April 7th at 8 - 9pm after the Atoms and Tyke games. TEAMS Due to COVID we are only allowed 50 players in a division. So I have reduced our divisions from 6 teams to 4 teams with 11 players per team. Only 2 coaches allowed per team. That allows us 2 lines and a goalie. So if a player can't make it please let your coach know. Coaches will have added responsibilities this year attending to COVID self screening assessments forms. This will be in the email that Dana our registrar will be sending out asap. Coaches will also have to wear masks and eye protection while within 2 meters of players. So on the bench. This is a Health rule not a PMBHL rule.This is because the players will probably not be wearing masks, but can if they wish to. I am not sure how restrictive they will be while playing. Coaches will be given their teams list on or before March 27th. The coaches will contact everyone on their team and talk to a parent directly and go over information with you. Especially finding goalies for their team. If one team has two full time goalies and another does not please let me know and I will move them around. All those that indicated on their registration form that they are interested in playing goalie have been put into those positions. All our divisions are close to being filled, except the Bantam division. If any major peewees (2007's) would like to play up in the Bantam division let me know asap. The Bantam's play every Monday night in the Bewdley arena for the entire season. That will open up spots for other peewee players to still sign up. We only have 1 peewee spot left as of this email. If you have friends that want to play and are born in 2005 or 2006 (15 or 16) encourage them to sign up asap. REGISTRATION fees MUST be paid before the end of this week. After March 13th the rate will be increased to $195.00. GAME The game is played the same as it always has been played with possible small COVID restrictions rules. We will know more about them by season start, as we progress through the zone colour restrictions. Northumberland Health Unit (Bewdley) is in Orange as of now and is expected to move to Yellow soon Bewdley arena and the new Millbrook arena are both new to ball hockey so neither arena has the lines painted on the floor yet. Once the ice comes out and the floor warms up enough they will paint all the hockey lines on the floor. So the first week or two will be challenging, but workable. Same exact lines as ice hockey. All the basic rules of our game are on our website. Just place your cursor on the "Registration" tab and a "Rules & Equipment" tab will drop down ALL COVID rules, restrictrictions, and regulations will be in effect. We are committed to working together for safety ! Due to COVID we may all need to wear our playing pants, either long or shorts, shin pads (mandatory, soccer style are the best, covered by socks or pants) and our jersey to the rink. Once there players only need to put on their running shoes, helmets and gloves. Dressing rooms at the Bewdley arena will be available to us 15 minutes before and after games, but players MUST stay 2 meters apart and MUST wear masks the whole time until they put their helmets on to go on the floor. Coaches MUST monitor this. COVID Everyone is walking on glass with this, so where do I start? This is extremely difficult making this work for everyone to be able to play. Thank you Dana Ardiel , our registrar, who has gone above and beyond her roles as a registrar. We APPRECIATE you and all your hard work !! First of all, we ALL know how serious this virus is and how we NEED to protect yourself and others. We could get shut down at any time, you have ALL seen it and experienced it in some way. We have many things that we ALL MUST do to allow this season to run. We NEED everyone's cooperation 100% of the time. If we get one case of COVID in our league we could have the whole league shut down for the season. Dana has created a great Self Evaluation form that MUST be filled out before you come to the rink and before you enter the facility. It will be an online form that you can access from our website. It is lengthy and thorough. She used questions that are asked at the schools. Our goal is to keep EVERYONE safe. PLEASE help us as well. The Bewdley arena has a waiver that everyone MUST fill out and send back. We will collect all the returned responses and send them to the Bewdley (Northumberland Township) They will not let us in their facility without these forms being sent in advance releasing them of all liability of anyone catching COVID from their facility. Masks MUST be worn at all times by everyone except the players while on the floor and on the bench. Coaches must also wear eye coverings, either goggles, safety glasses or shields. Coaches will supply their own to meet their comfort and desire RETURN to PLAY: The return to play policy is mandated by the OBHA through health departments in accordance with the local arena's. We will be receiving this from the OBHA soon. PROVINCIALS Provincials for 2021 are probably not going to happen this year. Although we are playing in a "Yellow" zone as of today. Kingston and Belleville are in "Green". All other ball hockey centers are Orange, Red and Grey. Some of these centers will not have leagues this year. If they do they wont be able to travel outside their zone. That means that there will not be teams to enter into the provincial champions tournament.
FACEBOOK We have a Facebook page that Catherine McGrath, our treasurer/secretary administers, and updates. Check it out and "Like" us. "Peterborough Minor Ball Hockey League (OBHA)" We update things about our league. We have posted our sponsors on there to give them extra attention. Without our sponsors your registration cost would be much higher. If you are looking for local services please look to our sponsors first ! SPONSORS Sponsors are SO important to us. Without our sponsors the registration cost would be much higher for all players. THANK you to our sponsors. PLEASE check them out on our "Sponsors" page. click on their logo, their website will pop up.Tell them that you saw them through us. We want them to know that we are helping them like they are helping us. Also each sponsor has a team named after them. Catherine also advertises the sponsors on our Facebook page, one a week. The last 5 facebook posts appear on the homepage of our website. Stay safe
Guye