President's Page and Club News
August 2011 Letter
Dear Mountaineer Parents;
September is just around the corner and the 2011-2012 hockey season will be starting. Your Board of Directors and Hockey Director have been very busy over the summer getting the season organized. Based on results from the end-of-season survey we have modified September's ice schedule (see News article) to accommodate fall sports and take some pressure off players as the new school year begins. Registration for the 2011-2012 hockey season will soon be open on the Mountaineer (VEHA) website.
Your Board of Directors and concerned parents are undertaking a major fundraising campaign. VEHA is in need of $120,000 in addition to player fees to operate this year. During the past couple of years VEHA has kept player fees artificially low due to economic conditions using reserves to fund the program. VEHA is at a point where this is no longer feasible. We need each parent to help us raise the needed funds and to help build the program to be bigger and better. To locate and help acquire sponsors and donors who believe in the benefit of a solid sports program and ice hockey in particular (as it is the most difficult to master) can benefit the youth of the valley.
Since my last letter, I have met with several parents discussing their concerns about the program and how to improve our image in the community and how to be more transparent. To that end, any parent is welcome to attend our Board meetings. You can find the time and place on the home page of the VEHA website. New this year, our Director of Hockey, has asked each Head Coach to call each potential player of the division they are coaching, welcoming them to the program and introducing themselves. Parents are expected to discuss any concerns with the coaches. Brian and I are available to meet with parents. Please email either of us to set an appointment to discuss any issues.
July 2011 President's Letter
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.
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.
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,
June 2011 President's Letter
June 10, 2011
To all Mountaineer Hockey Families and Friends;
Your Board of Directors held their monthly meeting on Wednesday evening June 8th. Several lengthy discussions took place with results I believe will benefit the Club.
To begin, Brian Houlihan reported on the first meeting of the 2011-2012 Coaching Committee. Brian stated the meeting was very productive. The BOD has tasked the Coaching Committee with many tasks which need to be accomplished in short order. Brian stated the Committee had made significant progress in contacting possible coaches for next season, organizing the summer skates, developing team tryout procedures, etc. I want to thank Barry Biegler and Dave Bishop for volunteering their time to this important committee. Prior to their first meeting I gave them a rather extensive task list. One of the priorities is to present the BOD their candidates for Head Coaches to be affirmed by the BOD at its July meeting.
I also wish to thank T Fox for volunteering to serve on the Coaching Committee. The BOD chose to limit the Committee to 3 members.
Second the BOD is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Houlihan as Director of Hockey for VEHA. This is a paid consulting position for the 2011-2012 season. The BOD strongly believes this appointment continues to move the association in a positive direction. Utilizing Brian’s talents and experiences will help unify the program.
Stephanie Ratkowski has stepped forward and is assuming the VEHA Registrar’s position. I appreciate her taking on this arduous task. Welcome Stephanie!
Due to a number of issues VEHA has chosen to not go forward with its summer camp with Barry Smith and the Detroit Red Wing Alumni. I wish to thank Andy Clark for volunteering to put together and direct the 2011 summer camp. Unfortunately for VEHA, but a big positive for Barry Smith he has taken a head coaching position in Italy. Additionally, several area schools are starting the week the camp was scheduled, this substantially decreased the pool of potential attendees. The BOD believes based on prior year financials a substantial risk of monetary loss exists, and such loss would not be in the best interest of the association at this time. Recruiting attendees from outside the area in Front Range Communities as schools are generally started also.
The Golf Tournament Committee is hard at work organizing the yearly outing. They are looking at several late summer early fall dates and a new location.
Lastly Mike Stevens and Brian Houlihan will be contacting players and families to participate, decorate, and have fun in the Eagle Flight Days Parade, and The Vail Fourth of July Parade and activities. Let’s all pull together and have some fun with these events and show the community the banners you worked so hard for.
Sincerely,
Alan McLean
President
