Rescheduling of Regular Season Games

The web page provides information to team managers and coaches on how to reschedule a game. Rescheduling of games usually occurs due to conflicts with tournaments. The task of rescheduling a game can be quite challenging and confusing. This page is meant to guide you step by step.

Remember,

• this page is intended as a GUIDE and is not a rule. Team officials are encouraged to be fair and open minded when negotiating arrangements with other teams.
• DO NOT LEAVE THIS TO THE LAST MINUTE. This process can be quick and easy OR long and complicated. As soon as you know you have to reschedule a game, do it immediately, even if the game you're moving is 6 months from now. The earlier you do this, the more flexibility you'll have.
• It is the responsibility of the team to reschedule their game, not the convenor, not the CMHA and not the GHA. Keep this in mind when registering for tournaments.

For information on registering for tournament and examples of the type of conflicts that can occurs, click HERE.

*** Re-scheduling of league playoff games is not permitted. ***

*** You are not allowed to participate in tournaments during the GHA playoffs. ***

Summary of Steps

Rescheduling a game consists of the following steps:

• 1) Notifying the other team that you are trying to reschedule the game.
• 2) Finding available ice time to play your game.
• 3) Confirmation of the change with the other team and depending on the situation, obtaining their approval.
• 4) Notifiying the league of the change.
• 5) Booking the appropriate referees for that arena and ensuring they're paid.
• 6) Indicating on the gamesheet that a 'rescheduled game' has been played.

STEP 1 - Initial Notification to the Other Team

You should call or send an email to the other team. The phone numbers and email addresses for all Cumberland coaches is availabe on the CMHA web site HERE.

The phone numbers and email addresses for all other teams is available on the GHA website HERE. Look in their House Leage Coaches area.

Send an initial email advising them that you are trying to reschedule the game, since they may have other options that can help you. They might also be trying to reschedule the same game, if they're registered in the same tournament as you are!

STEP 2 - Finding Ice Time

This is the tricky part. You have to be creative and do some leg work. You need to look at the league schedule for all teams and possibly the practice schedule for Cumberland teams. You have three choices here:

• 2a) Use an existing GHA league game ice time. Most desirable method.
• 2b) Converting one of your practice ice times into a game. Most complicated method
• 2c) Buying ice from the city and playing your game. Least desirable method.

It is highly recommended that ice times be exchanged between teams playing at the same level in order minimize the disruptions to the schedule of referees assigned to the block of games at your level

Case 2A - Most Desirable : Use an Existing GHA Game Ice Time

• Check the GHA league schedule for Atom B to see if another team in your group is not scheduled to play that day (Feb 6th). In our imaginary schedule, Orleans B2 and Russell B1 are not playing on Feb 6th..
• Looking at the schedule some more, it turns out that Orleans B2 has already played Leitrim B2 and there are no more regular season games scheduled between the two teams. This means that you cannot do the swap with Orleans B2 since there is not a league game remaining between Orleans B2 and Leitrim B2.
• Fortunately, Russell B1 has not played Leitrim B2 yet. Their game is scheduled for Jan 10th at Barrett arena. This is perfect since you do not have a game on Jan 10th either. You have a practice, but we'll discuss that later.
• At this point, you need to contact both the Russell B1 and Leitrim B2 teams and propose the following game swap:

Original Schedule

Proposed New Schedule

• There should be no objection from the Leitrim B2 coach at this point since there is no impact to his team nor his schedule. If there is, contact your convenor for escalation.
• The Russell B1 coach may not have any issues as well. However, you must take into consideration the fact that the Russell team is now driving further (Ray Friel instead of Leitrim) on Feb.6th.. Also, the Russell B1 team is now the HOME team. This means the Russell team must run the Ray Friel clock and do the gamesheet. Remind them to bring their HOME jerseys. The same thing may be asked of you. Be considerate and remember the important thing is that the kids get to play the game.
• There is no change for the referees either, since 'Atom Level' refs are sent to both games.
• Advise the following people of this change:
  • Leitrim B2 coach and Russell B1 coach.
  • The GHA so they know that the game sheet will be arriving on a different date, otherwise you might get a fine.
  • Your convenor.
  • Your parents!

Step 2B - Most Complicated : Converting one of your practice ice times to a game

If you could not find ice time using step 2A, then you should try converting a practice ice time to a game.

• Call/Email the Leitrim B2 coach/manager and let them know you are trying to find a day when they are NOT playing a regular season game NOR do they have a practice. In our example, it turns out, Leitrim B2 only has one date open, Feb 1.
• Contact your convenor for the practice schedule for Atom. Try to find practice ice time on the day that Leitrim B2 is available. Remember that referee's don't ref early games (I believe the earliest is 9am), so your 6am, 7am and 8am practice ice may not useable for a game.
• Swap Practices Times - If you found an ice time, you're almost done. One last hurdle to overcome. You need to work with the other Cumberland coaches to switch around their practice sessions to allow you to have a 'full ice practice' on that day. This can be challenging since most practice ice is shared between two Cumberland teams. You should also check the GHA schedule to find out which Cumberland teams are not playing games the Feb 6 day as well.
• In our example, we found that only one practice ice time is available, its a shared practice on 01-FEB between Cumberland B4 and B5 at Navan arena.
• For our proposal to work, the Cumberland B4 and B5 teams must not have games or practices on Feb 6. If one of them does, then you might have to be very creative and work with more CMHA teams to juggle practice schedules. [Like the title says, this is the most complicated method]. If your team [Cumberland B1] had the full ice practice on Feb 1, then its very simple.

Original Schedule

Proposed New Schedule

Advise the following people of this change:

• Leitrim B2 coach.
• All affected Cumberland Coaches
• The appropriate referee association of the change. You might have to pay for the refs and later get reimbursed. This part can be tricky as well depending on where the arena is located. Visit our 'How to Book A Referee' page to learn more. Most referee associations require 72 hrs notice.
• The GHA so they know that the game sheet will be arriving on a different date, otherwise you might get a fine.
• Your convenor.
• Your parents!

Step 2C - Possibly Most Expensive : Purchasing Ice From the City or Elsewhere

The least desirable method since you MAY have to pay for the ice out of your team budget.

• From Step 2B above, you'll know which dates the Leitrim B2 team is available.
• Check the CMHA Ice Exchange to see if other teams are willing to trade or sell ice on that day. Click HERE for the CMHA Ice Exchange.
• Check other association web sites to see if they have ice for sale.
• Contact the City of Ottawa 'City Wide Ice Allocations'. Staff are available Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Contact staff by phone at 613-580-2595 or by e-mail at sports@ottawa.ca. You must mention that you are booking for a minor hockey association.
• Pay for the ice and the money will come from the team budget to reimburse you.
• The original ice time on 06-FEB is yours to sell. Try to sell at a good price to cover your new ice time rental, that way your team won't be out of pocket for the extra ice time.

Original Schedule

Proposed New Schedule

• In the above example, we have moved the game from Ray Friel arena to Potvin arena. Referring to our How To Book A Ref page, you realize that the game has moved from the District 12 Ref Association to the District 9 Referee Association geographic boundaries. You now need to cancel the District 12 referee for the Ray Friel ice time on 06-FEB and book a District 9 referee for the 01-FEB ice time at Potvin arena. You'll have to pay cash to the District 9 referees on game day and later get reimbursed from the CMHA since we didn't end up paying the District 12 refs since you cancelled them!! Again, keep your convenor aware of what you're doing.

Advise the following people of this change:

• Leitrim B2 coach.
• The appropriate referee association of the change. You might have to pay for the refs and later get reimbursed. This part can be tricky as well depending on where the arena is located. Visit our 'How to Book A Referee' page to learn more. Most referee associations require 72 hrs notice.
• The GHA so they know that the game sheet will be arriving on a different date, otherwise you might get a fine.
• Your convenor.
• Your parents!

NOTIFYING THE LEAGE OF THE GAME CHANGE

You must advise the GHA that you are going to reschedule a game, otherwise your team will get fined for not submitting a gamesheet on time.

Please send email to the following people:

• Karen Watts - VP House League - GHA krccb@sympatico.ca
• Tom Canham - Office Manager - GHA gha@storm.ca

INDICATING THE RESCHEDULED GAME ON THE GAMESHEET.

On the gamesheet, write:

• "Rescheduled Game # AB127 from 06-FEB". The game number (i.e. AB127) is availabe on the GHA website for the regular season schedule.
• Write the actual date the game was played, not the original scheduled game date.
• Write the actual arena the game was played at, not the original scheduled arena.

SUMMARY

It is imperative that you make every effort to have the game played, as it is the kids who lose out in the exercise & fun.