SCAHA MEETING

MARCH 9, 2005

LAKEWOOD MALL MEETING ROOM

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESENT

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

 

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS PRESENT

Ducks, Red Wings, Lightning, Bears, Stars, Sun Devils, Wild, Jr. Kings, Maple Leafs, Gulls, Sabers, Mariners, Wolves, Blackhawks, Express, Dragons, Jaguars and LA Hockey Club.

 

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS ABSENT

Riptide, Tigers, Wave, Jr. Ice Dogs and Eagles.

 

Commissioner Robert Doherty called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.

 

MINUTES

The February minutes were distributed for review. Lisa England moved to accept the minutes. MOTION WAS SECONDED AND CARRIED.

 

GUEST

Bob introduced Luc Beausoleil, Vice President of PSW (Power Skating Weight) an innovative company that distributes specially designed weights that are attached to ice hockey skates. He distributed a handout explaining the product. He gave a short presentation of the product and explained to the board some fundraising possibilities.

 

COMMISSIONER REPORT

Regular Season Banner Presentation:

The Executive Board handed out the regular season championship banners to each division.

 

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER REPORT

SCAHA Playoffs:

Sandy Blumberg informed the board of an individual’s (parent/coach) request to expand the Bantam A division from 8 teams to 10 teams. She stated that the request was not a formal appeal and that the Executive Board only entertained discussion on it as a courtesy to the member club. Unfortunately, the member club presidents during rules discussions prior to the season’s start should formally make requests such as these.

 

Sandy recommended that presidents should attend the various venues hosting the playoffs so as to make it a professional and wonderful experience for all. She presented to the board the new SCAHA Playoff pin and water glass with the 30th anniversary logo on them. The pins sell for $3.00 each and the water glasses sell for $5.00 each.

 

Sandy stated to the board that SCAHA is still finding assistant coaches (that have been removed from the bench for lack of proper coaching certification levels by 12-31-2004), coaching games during regular season. There is a CAHA policy in place to deal with these issues and clubs are obliged to conform to the rules.

 

SCAHA Playoff Rules:

Sandy handed out a summary and gave a quick overview of the playoff rules. There will be a one- (1) minute time out for each game. During round robin play, if the game ends with a tie during regulation play, there will be up to two 5-minute overtime periods. In semi finals and championship games there will also be two 5-minute overtime periods followed by a shoot out.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER REPORT (Cont’d)

SCAHA Playoff Rules:

Sandy advised the board of the Inappropriate Behavior Rule new for this year’s playoffs. She stated that Tony Romo, SCAHA Playoff Committee Chair together with Sandy were going to call every coach at the Bantam and Midget level prior to the start of playoffs to remind them of the new rule that was distributed to all the club presidents and registrars by email.

 

The club presidents were reminded that Zero Tolerance would be in effect for these games for all participants and spectators. SCAHA suspensions must be served during the playoffs only and not during exhibition or tournament play. Coaches are responsible for certifying the score sheets with regards to the players present and must sign all score sheets. Parents and coaches are to speak to the SCAHA representative on site regarding any issue. They will not be allowed to approach the referees before or after any game.

 

Dave Bigelow asked if the playoff penalty minutes are included in the season totals. Sandy stated they were not.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

No report at this time.

 

MEMBER SERVICES REPORT

Wendy Goldstein informed the board that delinquency lists should be forwarded to SCAHA by April 15. Each club should be sending out letters to these offenders prior to this date advising them of status. Wendy to forward a sample letter to all member clubs. The league wide delinquency list will be released to all the member clubs on May 1st.

 

The question was asked if a ‘problem parents list’- those that violated the Zero Tolerance Rules, was made available by SCAHA to the member clubs.  Wendy answered that no such list was available.

 

ICE CONVENER REPORT

Chris Carcerano stated that all playoff information would be updated on the web site. The individual venues will be updating the scores and all games will be added to sportability. With regards to those divisions that had odd number of teams, a number was drawn and the scores of week #3 during regular season play were thrown.

 

STATISTICIAN REPORT

Annie Fisher informed the Presidents that the souvenir program books will be made available to all the playoff venues and distributed to all of the playoff participants.

 

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS REPORT

Charlie Knotts has agreed to assume the Director of Communications duties. He will start taking over from Chris and will work with Sandy during the playoffs.

 

ACE COACHING COORDINATOR REPORT

No report at this time.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Tier II Weekend Bids:

Bob reminded the presidents that the Midget Tier II schedule bids are due to Melissa Fitzgerald, CAHA Youth Council Chair by March 15, 2005.

 

Time-Out Rule for next season:

Larry Cahn stated that he would like to see a time out rule implemented for next season. Sandy stated that now is the time to be reviewing rules and possibly coming up with proposals for new rules to be implemented and/or modified for next season. The Rules committee will be meeting at the end of April and those that are interested in sitting on the committee should indicate so by the April board of directors’ meeting.

NEW BUSINESS (Cont’d)

Larry Cahn motioned for SCAHA to provide a full Tier II schedule for next season. Laura Ryan seconded it. Discussions followed. Rosemary Voulelikas stated that CAHA will be providing a Midget Tier II schedule for next season and has designated four weekends for the divisions. The games scheduled during these weekends will not be rescheduled by CAHA due to conflicts and would deem a team post-season ineligible should they decide not to honor the schedule. In other words teams are not permitted to opt out of this schedule for any reason including SWYHL or SCAHA. Rosemary also stated that there was some discussion regarding CAHA designating these weekends for the Peewee and Bantam Tier II divisions as the weekends where the teams must play California teams in order to meet their 100% CAHA playing rule requirement. Rosemary stated that it would be difficult for SCAHA to schedule a full schedule with these four weekends already taken by CAHA. Larry amended his motion to have the SCAHA Tier II schedule to take in account these CAHA weekends. Alex Dunaev seconded it. More discussions followed. Sandy stated that the SCAHA rule 26.08- 26.11 allows for flexibility in rescheduling and as it stands SCAHA has no ‘teeth” to ensure that games will not be rescheduled by the Tier teams as was indicated this season as well as last season. Bob Doherty called for a vote on the motion and clarified the voting. A No vote indicates that the motion is to be tabled for further discussion and a Yes vote indicates approval for a full schedule. Nine (9) voted yes and eight (8) voted no with 1 abstention. The MOTION CARRIED.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Carmen Starr Scholarship:

Lisa England reported that the committee met and formalized the forms and requirements. She stated that she would present at the next SCAHA Board of Director’s meeting.

 

Playoff Committee Report:

Tony Romo reiterated Sandy’s summary of the issue regarding expanding the Bantam A division. Bay Harbor representatives stated that they were not in support of this request and that the club would not file a formal request. Mariners also stated that they would not file any formal appeal and they too were fine with the existing rules.

 

Joe Francis (individual coach who instigated the informal request) interjected that SCAHA has violated its own rules by allowing the Jr. Ducks and the Riptide teams to reschedule a game where no formal appeal was made to do so. By having that game replayed it changed the standings and his team the Bantam A Red Wings ended up just shy of making playoffs. At this point, the Commissioner stopped Mr. Francis and informed him that he did not have any legal right to bring up this issue and only the club president and/or his designated representative can file a formal appeal. He directed Mr. Francis to file with his club first. Heated discussions followed and Kevin Culbertson motioned to adjourn the meeting. Lisa seconded it. MOTION CARRIED.

 

Next meeting is April 13th, 2005.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:12 pm.