The Parent Meeting

This is a post that you would expect to be much earlier in the blog because one of the first things you do as a coach, is hold a parent meeting to set up expectations for the year.  But to be fare to you I needed to get a number of sessions under my belt so I'd know if there were things that I should have covered in the parent meeting.  This meeting should only take about 10 minutes.  I held mine during the first 10 minutes of a practice.  I asked the coach of the other team we share the ice with to take care of the first 10 minutes of practice.

So what I've done here is copied/pasted the email I sent out following the meeting (minus people's personal information). I highly recommend covering these topics off at your 'Parent Meeting' as well.  As usual, feel free to copy as much information as you like, everyone's situation is different.

Hope it helps.  
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Bench Staff

Coach - Chris
A. Coach - Andy
Manager - Paul R
Trainer - Jim G
Helper 1 - Nicole
Helper 2 - Jim L
Helper 3 - Brent

Key Dates:

·         Oct 13 & 14 Trainer Course at the Legion.

·         Oct 15 Deadline to submit Police Record Check (PRC) receipt to coach (ALL registered staff must complete)

·         Oct 22 & 29: Speak Out at the Legion (ALL registered staff must complete)

·         Nov 3 – Picture Day (times & location TBD)

·         Nov 30 Deadline for all staff to submit a completed & stamped PRC to coach

·         SMHA Fun Day will be held the last ice time before Christmas

Mandatory  & Safety Requirements:

·         At least 2 parents in the room at all times.  Adults are never to be alone in the dressing room with a child. (if unavoidable then stand in doorway with door open where you are visible)

·         All players must have a medical information form completed.

·         Only team staff on benches, everyone else in the stands.

·         Only those on the team roster allowed on the ice.

·         Maximum of 7 insurable spots per team

·         Mouth guards & neck guards on every player.  (Tip: buy cheap & use juice to mold mouth guard)

·         Helmets & mask must have CSA stickers on them

·         Ensure proper size equipment & comfort, length of stick, etc.

·         Keep gloves on the all the time while on the ice.  We’ll help with water bottles.

·         ***Dressing Room: Footwear at all times, no hands on the floor.  Accident on an IP team last year.  Try to not have the kids running around. (18 Players + 18 parents + second parent + siblings = a lot of people in dressing room)***

Coaching Style

·         Focus is on FUN, Safety, building friendships & fostering a passion for hockey with basic skill development.

·         This is Developmental Hockey, not Competitive Hockey: primary focus is on skating ability - backwards, frontwards, balance, agility, stopping, turning, crossovers, etc.

·         Passing & Shooting

·         Games (tag, cops & robbers, etc.)

·         3 Stars every weekend.  “Praise the effort, not the result”

Goals

·         What goals do you have for your child this year? (e.g.) improve backward skating; able to do cross-over’s; etc.  For Luke, he doesn’t do a proper hockey stop on his right foot, cheats a little.

·         My stretch/fun goal: every child on the team is able to raise the puck off the ice (flip-shot)

Drills

·         We have a big team so will be watching for kids standing around, so sometimes may send 2-3 at a time.

·         Sometimes may have to stand around if I’m explaining something new that requires more explanation, or I need to see them do it individually to ensure proper technique.

Budget – Paul R (manager)

·         Approx $1500 (Tournaments; year-end party & trophy’s; name bar’s, toques, etc.)

·         2-3 Fun Days (tournaments): 2-3 after Christmas only

·         Roughly speaking:

o    $20/player for tournament (2 tournaments)

o    $10/player name bar

o    $25/player year end party with trophy

o    $10/player toque with team name & number

·         Fundraising ideas:

o    Someone on the team can get a sponsorship

I was able to get 2 sponsors this week, each for $250 (more information is coming)

o    Ask parents for cash ~$80/player (is now more like $50/player)

o    Someone able to get a donation from a company for us to raffle

o    Team number for Restaurant is coming.  Will have a couple of team breakfasts. Team #: 5555

o    All Ideas Welcome

Discipline

The 3 strike rule is good:
 
First time: take player aside and warn them what they're doing is not acceptable.
 
Second time: player sits on bench for a couple of minutes (apologizes to other player if one involved)
 
Third time: player is asked to leave the ice for remainder of that practice.

All on-ice helpers know that they are permitted to discipline the children using the above steps.

Feedback for coach(s)

Speak to me directly, or via email, text, etc.  Or if you’re more comfortable speaking to the convener, here’s his email: convener@sympatico.com. Please be as open, honest & as specific as possible.  Also if you have a suggestion on how something can be improved, let me know.  I’m interested in everyone’s input, no matter how much hockey experience you have.  You are experts when it comes to parenting, particularly as it relates to your child.

Miscellaneous

·         Goalies: will be dressed only in the second half of the season.  Everyone will get a chance to be goalie.

·         When do we start full ice games? – after Christmas

·         Please let me know if your child is not themselves that day.

Hockey Canada - Practices

A coach must emphasize FUNdamental skill development during practices.  It is the responsibility of each coach to teach these FUNdamental skills to each player.

Players enjoy time to themselves, unstructured.  2-5 minutes per practice should be sufficient.  This enables players to be creative & try new things.

Each player should have a puck on their stick for 8-12 minutes.

Each player should have 30 shots on goal.