FAQ (Deep River Area Minor Hockey Association)

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FAQ

Q. I'm new to hockey. What equipment does my child need?
A. For a list of required equipment Click Here 
Mouthguards are not mandatory for on-ice activities within HEO but are strongly recommended at all levels. See policy here. Players participating in on-ice activities outside of HEO may be required to wear mouthguards.  When purchasing mouthguards, they must not be clear or red in colour.
Insurance regulations do not allow players to be on the ice without full equipment.
Most sporting goods stores can help you with selecting equipment that is the proper size and type for your child.
Initiation players are issued Timbits jerseys to keep.
U9 to U18 levels must provide their own practice jerseys. Team jerseys remain with the coach or the jersey designate
Q. My child wants to play on the same team as their best friend. Can that be arranged?
A. One of the objectives of minor hockey is provide a fun hockey experience for all involved, and while for your child that may mean playing on a team with their buddy, from a larger perspective that means ensuring balanced, competitive teams, whether House League or Rep. While consideration is given to requests such as yours, other factors such as skill level, positions, parental involvement etc may mean they cannot always be accommodated. Most players find they enjoy the game anyway, and make new friends with their teammates
Q. Will the coach drive my child? I don’t like driving in the winter
A. Getting your child to and from the rink and games is a parental responsibility. Neither Minor Hockey nor your team's staff arranges drives for players.
Q. I've just registered my child for the U7 Initiation Program. Can I go on the ice as a helper?
A. You should speak with the IP Coordinator to determine whether help is needed. All on-ice help requires the courses Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders, Gender Identity and Expression, and a Criminal Background Check as a minimum. (see Certification Requirements for the latest updated list of volunteer requirements). With the U7 group, HEO regulations also require that coaches and assistant coaches take the Intro to Coach course. Anyone on the ice with the children must appear on an official team list generated by the minor hockey association.
Q. Will there be body checking?
A.There is NO body checking in House League at any level. In addition, in 2013 Hockey Canada removed bodychecking from the Rep level for U13. Bodychecking remains part of the game for competitive U15 and U18
Q. What teams will my child play against?
A. Deep River is part of District 5 of the Hockey Eastern Ontario and belongs to the Upper Ottawa Valley Minor Hockey League. Its member Associations are Arnprior, Renfrew, Pembroke, Petawawa, Muskrat (Cobden, Beachburg, Westmeath), Eganville, and Barry’s Bay. The schedules are made up by the UOVMHL, and with the exception of U9 and U7, your child’s team will most likely play in all of those towns at some point during the season. Most teams also choose to participate in tournaments in addition to regularly scheduled games. Decisions regarding how many, where, and when are usually made with parental input
Q. I'd like to help, but I'm busy. How much time would I have to commit?
A. That depends on what you’d like to do and where you feel you could best contribute. There are many different ways to help, from being a coach or trainer to being the parent who looks after the team jerseys to volunteering on the executive. Keep in mind that no one is a full-time employee of minor hockey, so everyone helping out is a volunteer, and everyone is busy, so the more people who offer to help the less work there is for each person to do. The added bonus is that your child’s experience will be enhanced by seeing you commit to something she enjoys. Talk to your coach or an executive member if you’d like to help out
Q. Most of my child’s friends are a year younger. Can they move back a level to play with them?
A. No, HEO and Hockey Canada rules stipulate that players may not play at a lower level/age group. The exception to this is players in U9 and U11 (ages 7, 8, 9, 10) who are less skilled and may benefit from taking part in the Initiation Program.  
 
Q. I want my child to affiliate to a higher level team. How can I arrange this?
A. Affiliation has two objectives:  1) to give players and associations a chance to develop their skill level by playing for a higher level team, and 2) to round out a higher level team’s roster where that roster may experience poor attendance from time to time due to players’ other commitments, illness, etc. Depending on team sizes, levels and requirements, affiliates may not be required or possible. Normally, affiliation is not initiated by a parent. Instead, the higher level team’s coach will scout the lower teams and select players for whom he feels affiliation would be mutually beneficial. If the parent is in agreement, an affiliation process is initiated by the higher level coach to approve the affiliation.
Q. Do I get a receipt for income tax purposes?
A. Income tax receipts are generated for you automatically when you register online. Simply print off your receipt at the time of registration. You can also log in to your account at a later date and reprint the receipt.  If you did not register online contact the registrar to request a receipt
Q. My child wants to try out for Titans/Aces. Do I still need to register with DRAMHA?
A. Yes. Titans/Aces generates a list of registered players from the online registration system. Players who have not registered with their home associations will not be allowed on the ice for tryouts. Titans/Aces return to home Association registrars a list of players trying out and making their teams
Q. How many games are played in a season?
A. That depends on the league and level your child belongs to and how many teams are in the league. Rep teams typically play a 24 game schedule with roughly half home games. House league teams from U11 to U18 usually play a 20 game schedule, with 10 home games. U9 is considered by the HEO to be a learning level and may play a slightly shorter season.
Q. Can anyone come and watch a minor hockey game?
A. Yes! We love to have supportive fans in the stands. We try our best to post upcoming games on the website and on the Minor Hockey bulletin board at the arena so as many Knights fans as possible can come and cheer for the home team
Q. My child’s team wanted to have a parent/kid game for fun during their practice ice time at Christmas but were told they couldn’t. Why not?
A. HEO regulations do not permit parent/child on-ice activities. If the team wanted to use an ice time supplied by DRAMHA, the Association would have to deny the request due to insurance restrictions.
Q. We're moving!  What do I need to do so my child can be transferred to our new town's association?
A. The receiving association will process the transfer.  Each district/region will have slightly different requirements to complete a transfer.  Contact your new association's registrar to get the process started.  Don't forget, if a parent has helped out in the past, they too, will have to be transferred before they can help out again.