The NMHA is pleased to announce our 2017-2018 Rep Coaches, New Tryout Format and New MD classification!
2017-2018 Rep Coaches:
The NMHA would
like to express their sincere thanks to the volunteer time provided by this
year’s Coach Selection Committee Members.
With 29 Coaching positions to fill, they invested countless hours
combing through resumes, interviewing and gathering feedback from our 60th
season to make their selections from the 48 applicants who stepped forward.
The process has resulted in the selection of 1st time Coaches, Non-Parent Coaches, and returning Veterans who are 100% committed to building upon the successes of this past season, coupled with the ongoing development of players who demonstrate the athletic skill and compete, which is the foundation for our rep hockey program.
Positions still remain where successful candidates were not selected. Please monitor the NMHA.ca website for opportunities to submit applications for the 2017-2018 season.
To view our 2017-2018 Rep Coaches visit: http://nmha.ca/Pages/9424/2017-2018_Coaches/
Thank you to all applicants, congratulations to all 2017-2018 coaches, and good luck to everyone next season.
Rep Hockey Tryouts: Saturday April 22, 2017 to Sunday May 7, 2017
We are putting together the final details for the 2017-2018 Rep Hockey Team Tryouts and the format, schedule and policy will be announced very soon. Tryouts will run from Saturday April 22, 2017 to Sunday May 7, 2017. Over the last couple of years, coaches, players and parents have all provided some great suggestions to improve the tryout process and the NMHA has listened!
The format will be similar to last year with the following improvements.
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Goalie tryouts will take place on Saturday April 22, 2017, the day before regular tryouts begin. We are working with our goalie tryout facilitators to provide pre-approved station drills to share (in advance of the tryout) with coaches and goalies. This will maximize the effectiveness of the on ice session without needing to invest significant time explaining the drills as athletes rotate from station to station. This change to the process should allow coaches to invest more time evaluating the goalies in action.
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A third AA tryout has been introduced which will be an Exhibition Game against the Aurora Teams from Minor Atom to Minor Midget (Sorry, Tyke MD and Novice athletes/parents, schedule and ice availability did not allow us to offer at your age group). Final AA cuts will be made after this exhibition game. A and AE/MD coaches have the option to run their second tryout as an exhibition game if they wish.
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The Tyke MD Team will be selected by an independent NMHA Team Selection Committee consisting of our Coach Mentor, Peter McBride, and a number of seasoned NMHA Head coaches. The Tyke MD coach will be announced after the tryouts are finished and team has been selected.
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The on ice portion of the first 3 tryouts for Novice to Peewee (and all 3 Tyke MD) will be facilitated by Hill Academy Head Coach, Doug Orr, and a number of Hill Academy Varsity Players. This will provide a consistent and professional approach for all drills at these age levels, allowing coaches to focus on player selection.
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We now have a written policy for athletes wishing to play up a birth year for all NMHA members. This policy does not include players coming to the NMHA as Non-Resident Players (NRPs). Please refer to our “Rep Hockey Age Exemption Policy” in the documents section of our website at the link below: http://nmha.ca/Public/Documents/NMHA_Rep_Hockey_Age_Exemption_Policy_14MAR2017.pdf Requests to play up a birth year must be submitted in writing to the NMHA at [email protected] no later than 3pm Friday April 7. Please include player name and current age/classification/team. The NMHA will review each applicant and notify parents no later than 1 week prior to the start of tryouts.
Please keep checking our webpage for more information on the 2017-2018 team tryouts and good luck to all athletes.
New MD Classification to replace AE (Body Contact) from Minor Bantam to Midget
We all know the spotlight has been on body checking in rep hockey for a number of years. More and more athletes are dropping out of rep hockey programs because of this. Leagues like the GTHL (Greater Toronto Hockey League) have gone as far as to remove it from certain classifications all together. In an effort to keep more athletes playing at the highest level, the OMHA (Ontario Minor Hockey Association) is taking a different approach and have asked the YSMHL (York Simcoe Minor Hockey League) to offer non-body checking at certain levels. As a result the YSMHL will offer a non-body checking classification (Rep MD) from Minor Bantam to Midget.
Given the choice, the NMHA would have liked to offer AE AND MD from Minor Bantam to Midget. Unfortunately given the declining numbers in our rep programs and the fact there was very little interest from other local centres to ice an AE team, we have been guided to the decision to replace the former AE program for players at the Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, and Midget age groups entering the 2017-18 hockey season. The AE program will remain as-is for the Tyke, Novice, Atom, and Peewee age groups.
Athletes will be given the option to choose the traditional AA/A Body Checking route OR the MD Non-Body Checking route when purchasing your online tryout passport. Players wishing to try out for the MD team DO NOT have to attend the AE/HL/New Player skate…they go straight to MD tryouts.
I would like to thank all the parents, athletes and coaches at these age groups who have provided feedback regarding body checking in rep hockey. All your opinions were heard by the NMHA and helped guide us to this decision.
If anyone has any questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Kevin Winsor, VP Rep
Newmarket Minor Hockey Association