SCAHA MEETING

FEBRUARY 9, 2005

LAKEWOOD MALL MEETING ROOM

 

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESENT

Commissioner – Bob Doherty, Deputy Commissioner - Sandy Blumberg, Associate Director – Larry Brislin, Legal Counsel – Louis Pacella, Associate Director – Rosemary Voulelikas, Associate Director at Large – Charlie Knotts, Financial Secretary – Lori Boaz, Ice Convenor – Chris Carcerano, Member Services – Wendy Goldstein, Statistician – Annie Fisher and Secretary - Shari Osborn

 

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS PRESENT

Ducks, Dragons, Red Wings, Lightning, Bears, Stars, Sun Devils, Wild, Jaguars, LA Hockey, Jr. Kings, Eagles Gulls, Mariners, Wolves 

 

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS ABSENT

Wave, Riptide, Jr. Ice Dogs, Tigers, Maple Leafs, Sabers, Express, & Blackhawks

 

GUEST

Tony Romo – SCAHA Playoff Committee

 

Commissioner Bob Doherty called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m.

 

MINUTES

The January minutes were distributed for review.  Amendment to minutes:  SCAHA will pay $30. of the CAHA Select fee.  Raoul Smyth moved to approve minutes with amendment.  MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED

 

COMMISSIONER REPORT

Bob reported brief highlights from the CAHA meeting.  The CAHA meeting was held in Lakewood during the CAHA Select Camp.  Regarding PDR as a reminder CAHA has not waived PDR for any team this year and will not be changing their stance on this issue.  Make sure that teams you field for next season meet PDR.

 

D&O insurance is in place for $1.0m for all affiliate clubs.  If you haven’t paid you will need to remit your funds to CAHA ASAP - $15.00 per team. 

 

USA Hockey dues are increasing next year from $25. to $30.  They  are also eliminating next year the $20. team fee.  This is also a rule change year this year for USA Hockey, if there is any rule in USA Hockey you have a desire to change, submit through CAHA.   

 

Ron White won the Dempsey award from USA Hockey for his involvement with coaching education. 

 

CAHA has asked that the funds that are donated to players who move on to Chicago Showcase be funded directly to CAHA instead of the player. 

 

CAHA has formed an ethics committee.  No other information at this time.

 

SCAHA must submit by 3/15/05 a date for next year’s SCAHA pre-select camp.  Tentatively looking at the weekend after Thanksgiving.  The rule next year will be with absolutely no exceptions that if you do not attend the SCAHA camp, you will not be advance on to the CAHA camp.  Also will open up to more players next year to allow for more players to attend.  Camp will be run not for profit; whatever funds are made will be applied to the CAHA camp.

 

USA Hockey is still working on a parent screening program.  Will be a nationwide program.

CAHA still working on the parent education program – no news at this time.

 

Tier II schedule – will be doing the same thing next season as was done this last season.  Plus CAHA will be putting together a Tier II schedule for Tier II Midget 16 & 18AA.  Will be 4 weekends a year, the weekends will be announced and no SCAHA Tier II games will be scheduled for those weekends.  Between the CAHA and SCAHA schedule each Midget 16 & 18AA team will have 2 games scheduled against every team.  Teams must play both the SCAHA and CAHA scheduled games.  The same weekends will not have any Bantam or PeeWee AA games scheduled to allow for those teams to schedule games against the Norcal teams.  In the following years CAHA will probably move Bantam and PeeWee into this master CAHA statewide schedule.  Rosemary stated that this is a test program next year and if it works then it will expand into other levels.  The teams will not be allowed to opt out of the games.  Bob reiterated that if any team opts out of the scheduled game, they will not be playoff eligible.  Have also received contact from some Club Presidents and coaches about helping to facilitate a Tier I schedule next year and helping to facilitate Tier I becoming apart of SCAHA next year.  Looking at forming a committee to look into this request.  Rosemary added that the Midget weekends will be bid on by the rinks.  CAHA will not be running the games; they will just be scheduled games.  They are asking the rinks along with the clubs to put in bids for those weekends.  Bid packages are being sent out to Presidents, Club Registrars and Tier Team Managers.  Southwest League was also discussed, CAHA and SCAHA will have a schedule, Southwest will have to schedule around the schedules, and you will not be allowed to opt out of games.  

 

Ed Tar stated that the CAHA Select camp went well.  He thanked everyone who put forth an effort to help the camp.  It was also reiterated that if a player does not skate at the precamps, they will not be eligible to participate in the CAHA camp.  No exceptions.

 

There has been an issue year this year with as soon as there is a problem parents and/or coaches saying that they are going to seek legal counsel whenever a problem arises.  As soon as a person brings in discussion of legal counsel, SCAHA will close line of communication, based on USA Hockey bylaws.  If a club is contacted by an Attorney, need to forward the information to Louis.  USA Hockey Bylaw 10A governs the dispute resolution process, which everyone agrees to when they sign their USA Hockey forms.  If you initiate any legal proceeding for a USA Hockey dispute you are immediately suspended.  Bob also mentioned regarding 10A, if a player comes forward with a lawyer, we can begin charging for Louis’ time resolving these issues.  Based on 10A they are liable for any and all expenses and costs, direct and indirect.  If you want the protection of the USA Hockey bylaws, then the club also needs to follow the bylaws.  The steps are listed in the USA Hockey guidebook.

 

Tryouts for next season:  Tier I – 2nd Friday in July; Tier II – 3rd Friday in July; A&B – 1st Friday in August

 

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER REPORT

Sandy reported that an important rule that is going to be instituted as a special playoff rule for this year.  Playoffs are beginning March 12th & 13th, the following weekend is semis.  Then off the following weekend for Easter and then the finals are April 2nd & 3rd are the finals.  Normally SCAHA will say, if you have a previously scheduled game before an infraction that’s where you may serve your suspension and then you’re free and clear. Not going to allow during the finals, teams are already scheduling games to be played between the semi’s and the finals.  If a player receives a game suspension in the semi-finals, they must serve the suspension in the final.  In addition because of USA Hockey rules, they will also have to serve the first game of any tournament game following the game suspension.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

No report this month.

 

MEMBER SERVICES REPORT

Wendy reported that 4 teams are not eligible for playoffs.  PeeWee A:  Wave, Wolves, Jr. Ice Dogs, Midget 16A:  Jr. Ice Dogs.  Certified rosters were distributed, coaches may be listed on the roster that have not been credentialed, just because coach is listed does not mean they can be on the bench.  Must be credentialed.  New player patches were distributed.  Playoff credentials is done different, all Wendy will receive is the grid.  It will go to the registrars, who will forward to the managers.  The managers will put the packets together and submit to Wendy.  It will be a grid, copy of score sheets with rosters.  Mark the grid with the games they have played.  Last month the requirement for 10 league games was changed to 6.  Each player must play 6 league games, 10 games total with the team.  The team must submit 20 score sheets.  Playoff venues will be responsible for reviewing the manager’s books for Code of Conduct, Consent to treat, Waiver of Liability, etc.  Packets will either be returned to managers at playoffs or forwarded onto CAHA for States.

 

Sandy reminded everyone that any coach on the bench, must be properly credentialed.  Head coach will receive match penalty.

 

ICE CONVENER REPORT

Chris reported that there are a few divisions with odd number of teams.  Will have to draw a number out of the hat.  They will have to play an extra game.  Only Sandy & Chris will know which game is drawn.  Teams affected are:  Midget 18A Gulls, Midget 16A Express, Bantam B Sabers, PeeWee A Wild, PeeWee B Riptide. Mite A Jr. Kings & Mite B Maple Leafs.  The schedule is missing one game in the Midget B division between Wild and Sabers.  Game is being scheduled for March 6th.

 

Bob discussed that the Cal Selects team played a few games in Squirt and then moved onto Mites.  The question was asked if those games would count in the standings.  Five teams played against the Cal Selects.  Discussion followed regarding effect on division if games are not counted.  The teams affected include Jr. Ducks (2), Gulls, Lightning, Wild (2) and LA Hockey Club.  Louis mentioned that LA Hockey Club is currently in first place and would not affect their team.  It was suggested to schedule the four teams to play each other.  Further discussion followed.  Jerry Wilhite moved to delete the Cal Select games and have LA Hockey Club bow out with a 16 game schedule and have the four other teams affected play an additional game, which will be pulled out randomly.  MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED.   Question was raised as to who would pay for ice, it was stated that the league should pay for the ice.  Louis Pacella moved to have SCAHA pay for the ice for these games.  Lisa England seconded the motion.  Raoul Smyth made an amendment to the motion that would authorize the Commissioner and Ice Convenor investigate available ice and give them authority to reimburse for ice slot.  MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED.

 

STATISTICIAN REPORT

Annie reported that on Friday she would be sending out an update on penalty minutes and missing score sheets. Chris commented that the official comment form is now available online.  Bob reported that SCAHA has an automatic berth for Tier II teams.  Annie, Bob & Sandy selected the following:  18AA & 16AA LA Hockey Club; Bantam AA Stars and PeeWee AA Stars.  These were the teams with the best record in SCAHA. 

 

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS REPORT

Bob reported that Charlie Knott may be stepping forward to take this position.

 

ACE COACHING COORDINATOR REPORT

No report this month.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Bob turned the meeting over to Tony to discuss the playoffs.  Playoff venues were announced as:  Midget 16 & 18A – Easy Street Arena;  Bantam A & PeeWee A – Iceoplex, Escondido; Bantam B & PeeWee B – Ice Town, Riverside; Squirt A – Center Ice; Squirt B – Pickwick, Burbank; Mite A & Mite B - Westminster.  Semi-finals will be Ice Station – Valencia and Finals will be Healthsouth – El Segundo.  Still working on budget – upped the vendor fees this year.  Have been guaranteed that apparel vendor will be at all locations.  At the semi’s and the finals there will be other vendors such as video.  Walter Kellerman will be used for the video for the semi’s.  Michael Forbes will be used for the finals.  Discussion followed regarding Walter putting microphones on the benches.  Tony will let Walter know that we do not want microphones at the benches.  Bob reported that each playoff venue will have an Executive Committee member present, who has sole authority over the playoff venue, host rinks/clubs are responsible for scoresheets and to check manager’s books.  Executive Members at the venues will be:  Easy Street Arena – Wendy & Sandy; Iceoplex – Louis & Chris; Ice Town – Larry Brislin; Center A – Charlie; Pickwick – Rosemary; Westminster – Bob & Lori.  Issues should be brought forward to the Executive Committee Members present at the venues.  Costs for playoffs:  Midget B - $650; Mite A - $800; All other divisions - $1,050.  Goal is to break even, cost will cover trophies, banners, pins & patches. Tony will bring all banners to next SCAHA meeting for distribution to hang in rinks during playoffs.  It was voted last season to give out to regular season winners a banner.  Discussion followed regarding distribution of banners.  Lisa England moved to have Club Presidents responsible for distribution of banners at their club banquets.  MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED.

 

Annie discussed the playoff programs, programs will be the size of the guidebooks and will include all teams making playoffs.  Will include team photo and roster, looking to include hockey grams, also looking for sponsors.  Goal is to give each player and coach one program.  Annie will send out an email to request team picture.     

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

Laura mentioned that at the previous meeting the Wolves representative brought forth the loss of ice due to the SCAHA preselect camp.  Clubs lost money on the ice.  Gulls had two slots that were cancelled the day before and now have to reschedule these games and use additional ice slots.  Discussion followed regarding ice slots lost.  Bob suggested that Chris research and forward information to Bob. 

 

Next meeting is March 9th – Lakewood Meeting Room.

 

Meeting adjourned 9:10 pm.