Hello
Eagles Families, we hope that you all are healthy, staying well and finding a
way to keep active. Despite the circumstances, hopefully spending time with our
families is providing some comfort to you all.
As we enter in Week 9 of social distancing, we wanted to provide you all with what information we knew in terms of what comes next for EGMHA. We are doing our best to plan ahead to ensure that when we do return, we will provide the best hockey experience
that we can.
At the end of April, the EGMHA Executive met "virtually" for our monthly executive meeting. We discussed next steps to officially close out the 2019/20 season, and preparations for the 2020/21 season. Below are some answers to questions we feel you may have. We will continue meeting "virtually" until we have received direction that it is safe to meet in person. Should you have any questions or concerns and are unsure on who to ask, please email Cathy Kopsala at [email protected] and she will direct your question to the appropriate people.
What happens with the House League banquets and Year End gifts?
Yes, the 2019/20 season was officially cancelled. All league awards and gifts for our House League players will be distributed at a future date when it safe for us to do.
What About Our Team Plaques?
All the sponsor plaques were received and distributed to our Rep teams. Our House League and Local League plaques were received and will be distributed once we are permitted to resume activities.
What About Player/Coach/Volunteer Awards For The 2019/20 Season?
Winners of EGMHA awards for the 2019/20 season are posted here. We are proud of all our award recipients and want to ensure we recognize them at a future date when it is safe for us to do so.
What About The Annual General Meeting?
Hockey Canada and the OHF recently released some information and guidance to help minor hockey associations navigate the rules for handling annual general meetings in a Covid-19 world. We are reviewing the information and hope to post an update soon. As it stands now, we have postponed our AGMs until a later date, likely in the summer or fall. The EGMHA Executive will continue to meet virtually to ensure day to day tasks still get completed.
With The Season Ending Early, What Happens With All The Ice That Was Not Used?
With the facilities closed, the Township is refunding ice that we did not use. Every year, we reduce the ice as of March break as teams get eliminated from playoffs and more families choose to go away during March break. With the cancellation of the Dunsmuir Jamboree and Memorial Tournament, we lost the revenue stream that directly pays our development programs. As a Not For Profit organization, we budget each year to break even, therefore the loss of that Jamboree/Tournament revenue stream is significant and as a result we are not in a position to offer any refunds for the lost ice times during the last two weeks in March. If you have any further questions regarding this, please contact Ed Vetere @ [email protected]
What Is Happening With Tryouts For The 2020/21 Season?
At this time, we have no definitive date for tryouts, we are hoping that come this fall we will be permitted to resume activities in some format. We have completed interviews and selected our coaches for next season’s rep teams, there is an announcement on our website with the new coach information. We will be organizing the house league and local league coach selection process over the coming months.
What About Registration, Non-Resident Passports and Permission To Skate Info?
We hope to have registration open in June, but we are waiting for some guidance on when next season will start and the format before we finalize our registration fees. We provide information as it becomes available from OMHA and OHF. Updates will be provided via an eblast email and posted on our website. Permission to Skates and Non-Resident Passport forms, will become available closer to tryouts.
Will there be any tournaments for the 2020/21 Season?
Given the current landscape the Province is facing the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) has decided, for the interim, to put a stop to any further planning of minor hockey tournaments. We are unsure at this time if that direction will change, all we know is that for now no associations can accept registrations or payments for a tournament and no teams are able to register for tournament either inside or outside the OHF.
Thank you again to all our hockey families. As we look forward to next season, please stay active and please be safe; wash your hands, stay home, and practice social distancing so we can all get back to the rink as soon as possible.