Cleveland Suburban Hockey League

Minutes of General League Meeting September 14, 2004

Programs not in attendance: CYHA Panthers, Gilmour, Ohio Flames

Board Members not in attendance: Ron Short  Associate Members not in attendance: Barry Lulas

Motion to approve minutes of General League Meeting of August 17, 2004 made by Mike Cordish. Second by Betty Ann Maulorico. All in favor, motion passed.

Tom Gitowksi presented a new approach to team fundraising, printed team yearbooks. For a $100 registration fee per team you can enter a full season of team events, group and game photos, league and tournaments results, out of town trips, etc via a web based system. Teams can also sell ads and have these included in the book, which will increase funds returned to the team, or just offer these as memento books without ads to the players at a cost of $40 per book. There is no cost or requirement to participate, just seeking league endorsement. There were no obligations to league endorsement, interested programs can contact Mr. Gitowksi for more information.

Preseason Update: Tim O’Shaughnessy reported the majority of programs had submitted required ice times and projected team playing levels by last Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline, remaining few had information in by noon the next day. Data format wasn’t perfect, not everyone had excel, but it was workable. Games with conflicts were given 12/25 date and programs were contacted to work through conflict, eventually all were resolved and all blackout weekend requests were fulfilled. Each coach will receive his printed schedule on Saturday, assigned team number will indicate team ranking. For example, team #101 is top ranked Mite team, team #132 is bottom ranked Mite team. Unused ice times will be printed on each coach’s sheet. Not able to audit all 800 plus games, coaches will be asked to double-check their schedules and any remaining problems will be fixed on Saturday. Requests for game changes after Saturday must be for legitimate reasons or unforeseen events, not wanting to play 7 a.m. away game will not be considered valid reason to allow change.

Since formatting the schedule 3 teams have folded; 2 squirt and one peewee teams. Coaches with games against these teams will be notified the games are cancelled. Teams affected have the option to schedule an additional game, but are not required to do so and will be allowed to play a 7-game preseason. All teams may schedule as many additional games they wish over their required preseason minimum. Probably will keep all coaches in one room, divide into two rooms at most to pick up additional games.

If games conflict with coaches attending USA Hockey Coaching Clinics it is advised that attending clinic is first priority, have assistant coach or another coach from within program be at game. Game changes will not be permitted to allow head coach to attend coaching clinic. Coaches will not be permitted to leave clinic to attend game and then return to clinic.

Program heads will receive a master schedule showing changes made at Saturday scheduling meeting and additional added games

Report scores same as last year to cshloffice@aol.com, call or email in game number and team numbers with game results. No automated standings system in place yet. Results will be then incorporated into RPI program. Teams are only required to reports scores from scheduled preseason games, although teams are encouraged to report all preseason scores including those from tournaments and independent games. The more information the better to rank teams.

Teams 7-8-9 each division level dependent on number of teams in each division and skill level dividing point. Will not be decided until 2^nd half of preseason when sufficient results are in. Rankings will not be published until halfway through preseason.

Requirements from Program Directors for Preseason: $150 scheduling fee per team (Mite A through Midget, not required from Mite B. Mite C will have separate scheduling session in early December) is due on Saturday.  It is preferred to have one check for all program teams rather than separate checks. League prefers program directors be on hand Saturday to help out with any problems that arise during the scheduling process.

Requirements from Coaches for Preseason: Times for scheduling sessions extended to 2 hours to accommodate 1 hour coaches meeting, 1 hour for schedule adjustments and scheduling additional games. Head Coach does not have to be in attendance, assistant coach or team manager can attend for team, is responsible for transmitting all information back to team. This year league requires each team have an email address on file with league office. Email will be main method of communication between league and teams. Schedules, team contact lists, information on changes to website, inputting scores, updates throughout season and end of season/playoff schedules will all be sent via email. Team’s email manager should check at least weekly for messages from the league office.

Website: There have been several reports of people being unable to access parts of the site and there will be improvements in this area as the season progresses. Coaches/team managers will be able to enter their own scores directly with immediate updates to league standings. Announcements of when new website functions are ready and “how to” instructions will be sent via email to team contacts. The league will continue to require score sheet copies be mailed to the league office, to validate scores as well as track penalties.

Program Directors will be able to log in to the website and submit game change requests, will be notified if change has been approved or rejected, and if approved both coaches and program directors will receive confirmation of the game change.

Team Manager Guidebooks: generic versions of this very helpful document will be available soon for distribution directly to coaches, program directors may prefer to create their own program-specific version for their coaches.

Zero Tolerance Posters from USA Hockey were distributed, program directors are encouraged to display in their rinks. These posters are an example of the many helpful brochures, posters and handouts available free from USA Hockey via usahockey.com, link “Inside USAH”.

Associate USA Hockey District Registrar Cathy Fievet reminded program directors that Team Membership Applications (TMA’s) must be turned into her by Preseason Scheduling, along with MidAm registration fee of $20 per team for House/Rec (all Mite, Squirt, and most Peewee, Bantam & Midget teams and $30 for Tier II (those Peewee, Bantam and Midget teams intending on participating in the State Tournaments). Team Rosters are due at Regular Season scheduling along with USA Hockey fee of $20 per team. Those teams planning on playing in pre-season tournaments must have their rosters turned in and received back from Cathy prior to playing in their first tournament game.

Cathy also reminded all programs to make sure their registrars select the “no address” option when printing out their team rosters. Cathy is responsible for registering all local youth, girls and a few college club teams. Junior teams have one national registrar for all programs. Question was asked, the high school players who registered with USA Hockey for the high school summer league through the Junior Lumberjacks must now re-register as youth players with their regular season programs? Cathy will find out correct answer.

Screening: North Olmsted is considering having an independent firm conduct background checks on its coaches and adult volunteers. As affiliates of the MidAmerican District of USA Hockey we are responsible for following USA Hockey policy in using the MidAm screening vendor. The CSHL encourages our member programs to comply with USA Hockey in conducting screening.

Definition of Returning AAA Player to Home Program being non-select: clarification of this rule was asked, specifically for players who played on Team Cleveland, a Barons-sponsored team for Mite and Squirt age players the past few seasons. Since Team Cleveland does not play in an AAA league, rather an independent schedule which includes games against AA teams, and does not register Tier I (only peewee and above can register anything but House/Rec), is Team Cleveland a true AAA Team? What about CYHA Panthers, who this year are playing AAA but in years past have played an independent AA schedule?  The Barons are an AAA organization and consider Team Cleveland one of their member teams and not merely an affiliated team.

The intent of the select player rule was to discourage players from leaving the CSHL to join independent teams that sprout up and last for a year or two then disband, but to allow players to try AAA hockey and return to their home program without restrictions if they choose to do so. There will be no change to the wording of the rule this year, any situations that arise will be decided by the board on an individual basis. We can discuss cleaning up the wording of the rule next year for a stricter definition of what constitutes an AAA team.

Release Forms: these are primarily an agreement between two programs that the player being released is free of financial obligations to the releasing program. It protects the receiving program as well from accepting a player who is apt to default on fees if they are dissatisfied for some reason. If you are aware a player has signed up at another program without obtaining a release and still owes your program money, ask the Board to look into the matter. The player will not be allowed on the ice for a new program until release issues are resolved.

It was suggested all programs to hold tryouts the same weeks to discourage players jumping from program to program. This would not prevent players from attending tryouts held in spring/early summer and then testing the waters and disrupting CSHL program tryouts held in late August/early September. This will be included for future discussion next meeting.

Christian Youth Hockey update: Wooster Ice Rink has agreed to allow sponsor USA Hockey registration for CYHO teams. Wooster primarily registers in-House teams, some of which will be attending the CSHL scheduling meetings this year to schedule game as independent teams. CYHO will be welcome to attend CSHL scheduling session as the league has an open door policy and welcomes all interested teams to attend and pick up games. CSHL programs are not obligated to schedule games with CYHO or  any independent team.

Motion was made by Tim O’Shaughnessy on behalf of the Winterhurst program to move regular season scheduling from Saturday, November 7 to the Tuesday and Wednesday nights prior to or after that date, splitting Mite/Squirts and Peewees/Bantams/Midgets over two days.  Several Winterhurst teams will be out of town in Michigan tournaments. Motion was seconded by Tom Forcellini. All opposed, motion defeated.

Directors and Officers Liability Insurance: please inform the league whether or not you obtain coverage for your program, which type of policy, vendor and cost information. USA Hockey will be sponsoring D&O insurance and the league is looking into the benefits of this.

Motion to adjourn made by Dee Trobentor. Second by Don Lewis. All in favor, meeting adjourned.