Welcome
Welcome to the role of Team Manager! This role is vital to a successful hockey season, acting as the core communication hub for the team and handling key operational tasks, including:
- Scheduling and Coordination: Organizing games, practices, and events.
- Fundraising and Budgeting: Planning and executing fundraising activities.
- Volunteer Coordination: Managing team roles like treasurers, timekeepers, and jersey parents.
- General Support: Providing day-to-day team assistance.
Expect to dedicate about 2-3 hours per week, with time commitments easing as the season progresses.
Tips for Effective Team Management
- Communication: Keep messages clear and concise. Over-communicate when needed.
- Delegation: Distribute tasks among the team to ensure efficient management.
- Set Clear Expectations: Align with the team’s needs and preferences by gathering input and feedback.
- Fundraising: Popular options include bottle drives, raffles, and popcorn or chocolate sales.
QUICK REFERENCE
DURING THE SEASON [MONTHLY GUIDE]
TEAM MERCH
EXHIBITION GAMES
MINOR HOCKEY WEEK
END OF SEASON CHECKLIST
Season Launch Checklist
Ο Set up a team survey [template] to gather information from parents. Google Forms is a great (free) platform for this.
Ο Set a time for the initial parent meeting and host the meeting with the head coach. [agenda template]
Ο Send a welcome email to all parents from the head coach and manager [template]
Ο Secure team volunteers and establish communication tools for scheduling and updates. [information on team positions >]
Ο Have every parent fill out the Player Medical Information Form [get the form here > ]
Ο Develop and approve a team budget, then set up fundraising activities if needed. Arrange with the treasurer for a cash call if necessary [template]
Ο Load all practices and games into TeamSnap
Ο Begin the search for extra ice times if your team would like more practices [jump to Extra Ice > ]
Ο Apply for tournaments early [jump to the Tournament section > ]
Ο Ensure the Fair Play Pledge Form is signed and submitted to the Hawks. [jump to the form > ]
Ο Get the RAMP ID and Login from the registrar and load your roster into the back end of the Ramp platform. Include all coaches who have a valid Respect in Sport Activity Leader, their emails, a phone number for the manager and head coach, all of the players, and all the players' jersey numbers. You will need to list affiliates on here as well once they are submitted and approved. [Jump to RAMP Gamesheets > ]
DURING THE SEASON
September
[Go to Season Launch Checklist > ]
October
- Tournament applications [it is recommended to only do one or two in-town tournaments for U9 teams who have more than a 50% makeup of first-years] [read more about tournaments >]
- Ensure team understands when and where their team pictures are. [read more about team pictures >]
- Confirm hard card (roster) with the Hawks Registrar [read more about hard cards >]
- Talk to the head coach about affiliate players and ensure they identify a selection of goalies and players [read more about affiliation >]
- Watch the [EFHL website >] for schedule updates after the 'tiering round' is done. Usually updated first Monday in November but sometimes earlier.
- Rally your team to purchase Oil Kings tickets (depends on the date of the Oil Kings Night)
- Launch initial fundraising campaigns [read more about fundraising >]
November
- Input new games and practices into TeamSnap for your team [see the TeamSnap guide >]
- Book extra ice if necessary [read more about buying ice >]
December, January, February
- Watch your hard work pay off, attend tournaments, have successful fundraising campaigns etc.
- Continue using the Ramp Gamesheets app for each game
- Be aware that the end of the season is approaching. Work with the treasurer on the budget, pay any ice invoices, and start to plan an end of the year party if you are having one.
March and April
- Playoffs!
- End of year wrap up. Have your most social parents plan this one!
- Work with treasurer to bring the bank account to $0. Provide reconciliation of the account to the Hawks registrar [submit reconciliation here >]
- Recruit a group of parents to carefully remove the name bars from the back of the game jerseys.
- Ensure the coach returns all equipment - pant shells, game jerseys, puck bag, training aids and cones, coach boards, pinnies, Player of the Game necklace. There is a fee for each item that does not come back in good condition.
- Attend the Hawks Volunteer Appreciation Banquet in April!
Player Medical Information Form
These forms are for internal team use only and should be kept securely in the Manager’s binder or folder. The information is confidential and should only be accessed in a medical emergency when a parent is unavailable, and vital information may need to be shared with the coach or medical personnel to ensure the player’s safety.
If a parent discloses a medical condition on a form that may be relevant for the head coach to know, please consult with the parent directly. The parent should be encouraged to discuss this information with the head coach personally to maintain confidentiality.
Fair Play Pledge
Injury Report Form
Game Day! U9 Boards, Warmups, Referees, Score Keepers, Time Keepers, Penalty box and DJs
U9 Boards
For U9 home games, you will need four parents with helmets and gloves to help install the temporary boards at centre ice. These boards just slide together but they are awkward and are known to fall during installation. If they fall, don't try and catch them but instead make sure it doesn't land on your foot. If the boards are already on the ice from a previous game, they need to be moved out of the way by the team before you so the ice can be resurfaced. You will need to move them back after the ice is finished. Be careful, as resurfaced ice is incredibly slippery. Move the boards out of the way or completely off the ice and onto a trolley when your game finishes. When you see your team on the screen to find your dressing room, it will say "BOARDS OFF" after any game in which you need to completely remove the boards from the ice and onto the trolley.
Organize parents to serve as timekeepers during home games only. You should have one time keeper for U9 games. For U11 and U13 games, you should have one time keeper, one Gamesheets person/score keeper, and, if you would like music between whistles, you should also have a third person for this. More on time keepers below.
Score Keepers
All volunteers who have expressed interest in being score keepers will need to download the free RAMP Gamesheets App from their App Store of choice and login with the information provided to the team. Using the RAMP Gamesheets App, note the following things:
- Players who are present and playing. You'll need to do this before the game as both the home team and as the away team.
- Coaches who are serving on the bench for that game (maximum of 5)
- For all home games [U11 and U13], you will need to include all penalties, all goals, and the players responsible. It is recommended to purchase a notebook at the beginning of the season to allow the scorekeeper to have paper on hand in the box at all times. Often things move quite quickly in the game and it is much easier to write the information down when the referee gives it to you and enter into the app when play resumes.
- Ensure you record all penalties accurately. Ask the referees for clarification if you need to. THe EFHL tracks penalty minutes and suspensions automatically.
- The away team must verify the game in the game sheet app
Warmup
The home team must provide pucks for both teams for warm-up - at least one puck per player.
Time Keepers
Most of the rinks that the Hawks would be the home team at have the Nevco 871 model of time keeper hardware. These rinks include Castledowns, Callingwood, Westwood and Grand Trunk. During tournaments, you'll find yourselves as the home team at rinks sometimes clear across town (or in another city!). Some of these rinks have the Nevco 871 and some have the Oaktronics All Sport 5000 Series. These rinks include Kinsmen and Kinex.
Penalty Box Volunteers
Historically, the home team would need to provide two penalty box volunteers - one for the home and one for the away penalty box. If the visiting team would rather have one of their parents in the away penalty box, that is permitted.
Music
Many U11 and U13 teams like to have music playing between whistles. You are welcome to do this if someone on your team is savvy enough with the technology. Some rinks (Castledowns) requires a 3.5mm Stereo Aux to 2 x RCA Audio cable cord, such as this one here. Other rinks use this same setup and some rinks will have a Bluetooth receiver that you can connect to. For an extra oomph in your game (totally optional, as is music), you can download the Ballpark DJ App and create goal announcements for each member of your team. The app is around $6.99.
Referees
You will need to pay the referees before every game. The money for this will be transferred into your team account at the start of the season. $200 is held back to ensure all teams' equipment and finances are reconciled at the end of the season so you will need to cover the final games and playoffs with team funds and then get reimbursed by the association.The referee fees vary depending on which age group you're part of.
U9 = $30 per team per game
U11 = $35 per team per game
U13 Tier 1 = $62.50 per team per game
U13 Tier 2 = $60 per team per game
U13 All Other Tiers = $48 per team per game
ARENA USE GUIDELINES
- Arrive no earlier than 1 hour before ice time.
- Keep equipment in vehicles until dressing rooms are assigned.
- Coaches/Managers must supervise players from arrival to departure.
- Report damages or excessive mess.
- Restricted Items: No alcohol, smoking, chewing tobacco, or personal skate sharpeners.
- Lost dressing room keys may result in a $100 charge.
SUSPENSIONS
- The EFHL tracks penalty minutes and suspensions automatically and the head coach will receive email notifications for player suspensions. It is important that scorekeepers record penalties accurately.
Ice Time
The hockey fees paid by the players on your team go towards purchasing the ice time for games and practices during the season.
| Division | Number of Games |
|---|---|
| U9 | 18 games |
| U11 Tier 1 | 24 games |
| U11 All Other Tiers | 20 games |
| U13 Tier 1 | 24 games |
| U13 All Other Tiers | 20 games |
Your games and practices will come to you at three points in the year for the tiering round, the regular season play, and the playoffs.
If you would like to purchase extra practice time or extra ice for an exhibition game, first ensure that your team budget allows. Then visit the Available Ice page linked below.
Team Photos
The Hawks Athletic Club will pay for the sitting fee for team pictures and a package which generally consists of a player mount of the individual player and team photo on a custom border and 9 standard trader cards. Families are welcome to order other products at an additional cost.
Families will need to go into the provided store link and enter their players' information for the back of the trading card.
Team Rosters, "Hard Cards"
The head coach and manager will receive the first draft of the roster, which is called a hard card, by e-mail in October. As information is received, updated hard card drafts are sent to the coaches. Only the coaches and players listed on the hard card are insured and permitted to be on the ice or bench at practices or games. Official (approved) hard cards will be forwarded to the head coach and manager of the team once all changes and additions have been made. The Hawks' internal deadline for all Hard Card information is October 31 in order to allow some time before the submission deadline. The coaching staff must have the hard card available at all games to present if asked. Minor Hockey Week will require you to show your hard card before all games, and tournaments will likely require this as well.
Affiliates are listed on your hard card for U11 and U13, but not for U9.
Tournaments and Blackouts
Tournaments are hard to find and even harder to secure so apply early and often. You are required to obtain a permit for tournament entries, but before you apply for a Tournament Permit, you should ensure there are no league game conflicts that need to be resolved. Any league games must be rescheduled BEFORE a tournament permit will be approved. Your permit request can remain pending until you resolve game conflicts. Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week does not require a permit and, historically, requests for permits for other tournaments happening elsewhere during this week will be denied. If you happen to be accepted into a tournament early enough, you can apply for a blackout for that weekend so that you will not be scheduled for ice times that overlap with your tournament. There is a fee for blackouts that will need to be paid from your team's budget. Check the EFHL site for deadlines to apply for a blackout. Blackout deadlines typically fall mid-to-late October for requests for November, December and January. Another blackout date falls mid-January for requests that fall after February.
When requesting a permit, you'll need the below information:
District: "NW"
Team Number: HK### (use your actual team number)
For all permit requests, you will use your EFHL Ramp Login to submit a permit on the EFHL website here: https://efhlhockey.com/
You are required to notify your home club (the Hawks) that you will be participating in a tournament. Click below to notify.
Affiliation
At the beginning of the season, speak to the coach of the tier below you to identify a few (usually around five) players who would be suitable to play up on your team in the event that you cannot ice a full roster. These players are called "affiliate players," or "affiliates." This is helpful to work out early in the season so you are prepared for illnesses, vacations etc.
The coach must identify the players but also obtain permission from the parents that it would be ok if the player occasionally got 'called up' to another team.
The names of all affiliates need to be provided to the registrar in order for them to be included on your official roster.
EXHIBITION GAMES
