Team Start Up Checklist - Novice to Juvenile

 

This page contains a checklist of 'stuff to do' in order to get your team off to a good start. There is too much work for one person, so don't try to do it all. Ask for assistance from your assistant coaches, managers and trainers. Delegation is the key to a successful and semi-unstressful year.

The page is meant to help out coaches and team managers. If you have comments on this page, send an email to

Task 1 - Team Officials

Congratulations on becoming a coach. The convenor has given you the final list of players that are on your team. You now need to build your team of parent volunteers. You need to fill the following positions:

  • Assistant Coaches - one or two assistant coaches. During the game, they will work behing the bench and assist during practices. Click HERE for a description of this position. Assistant coaches are required to take the 'Speak-Out' training course. Click HERE to register.
  • Team Manager - is an extremely important position. You want someone that is easy going, organized, a hard worker and has access to the internet and email. Click HERE for a description of this position. Team Managers are required to take the 'Speak-Out' training course. Click HERE to register.
  • Trainer - the Trainer assists behind the bench and goes on the ice when a player is injured. They are required to take the "Trainer - Level I" course every three years and they are also required to the "Speak Out" course. Click HERE to register.

On the registration form , some parents will indicate their intention to help out in one of the above roles. Talk to your convenor and they will suggest candidates. Phone these candidates and discuss the positions. Otherwise, you will have to ask the parents at the first practice/game.

In addition to the above positions, there are minor roles such as treasurer, tournaments, fundraising that other parents might be interested in helping with.

 

Task 2 - Equipment Pick Up

Each team is supplied with equipment from the CMHA equipment managers. You will be given a time to pick up your team supplies. Each team is given:

  • Team Jerseys - Home and away for every player on the team.
  • Bag of Pucks.
  • First Aid Kit.

IP, Novice B and Novice C teams are also provided with goalie equipment.

All the above equipment must be returned at the end of the year. The time and location will be posted HERE.

Your team will need a set of water bottles and a tray to carry them. This you purchase from your team's budget since the association does not provide these.

 

Task 3 - Gamesheets

Your convenor will provide you with the ODMHA gamesheets. For instructions on how to fill in the gamesheet, click HERE. For scoreboard instuctions, click HERE. If you're the home team, you must provide a scorekeeper and score clock operator.

We recommend using labels for the gamesheets. Click HERE for the template.

 

At this point, your team should be able to play its first game.

Task 4 - Lots of little things

The following tasks can be done once the season starts.

  • Team bank account - click HERE for information on setting up the account.
  • Newsletter for the parents - The manager should prepare a newsletter to hand out to the parents listing phone numbers and email addresses of the coaches/managers/trainers (team officials). Please advise the parents of the time and location of the 'Info Meeting'. Remind them to bring their cheque books.
  • Preliminary Team Budget - After discussions with the coach and managers, the treasurer should prepare an initial team budget. This should get presented at the Parent Info Meeting. Click HERE for our fundraising policy.
  • Parent Info Meeting - book a meeting with all the parents. Either at someone's house, a restaurant or a community hall one evening. At that meeting, discuss tournaments, fundraising, expectations for the season. The coaches should introduce themselves and discuss their coaching style. The Fair Play policy should also be discussed. If the team decides to go to tournaments, you need to collect cheques from all the parents (~$100-$150) to cover these cost. Deposit the cheques quickly and start registering for tournaments quickly, before they are full.
  • Email Addresses - Get email addresses, cell phone for everyone on the team.
  • Clinics - ensure coaches, assistant coaches, trainers and manager are all enrolled in their mandatory clinics. Click HERE to register.
  • Health Forms - The trainer should get all the player health forms filled out.
  • Police Check Forms - These need to be filled out and submitted for all team officials (coaches, manager, trainer).
  • Code of Conduct Forms - the parent code of conduct and player code of conduct forms need to be signed and returned to the convenors.