Print this pageFebruary 2007 Newsletter
This roving reporter is new to the SMHA but that hasn’t stopped me from picking up some fascinating news from the last SMHA Council meeting. I’m sharing it here and if you’d like to have more news like this delivered to your email inbox about once a month, Sign Up Here. You can also check out previous versions of this newsletter here.
New Website
You may have noticed a new look to the Stittsville Minor Hockey website. Hope you like it! We've tried to keep all the good bits of the old site and have reorganized it to meet the needs of a few key groups - parents, bench staff, and other associations looking for tournaments. We've used some new software that lets us keep content up to date more easily and we've added a bunch of hopefully useful information that we've gathered from all over the hockey universe. There are going to be a few mistakes and some missing bits and I hope you'll take time to point them out to us. I am most excited about the possibility of making the site more interactive and getting you the members more involved in setting the direction for what comes next. So take the poll on the home page, and use the FAQ section to give us feedback, and to tell us what you'd like to see on the site next - or just email me to share your thoughts. We'll do our best but as you know we live for your feedback.
Sens Alumni vs Stittsville Hockey Coaches
On March 3, 2007 for the 7th year in a row, two teams of SMHA coaches will lace up their skates for a huge game - against the Ottawa Senators Alumni (ex NHL players aged 36-60).
The Alumni game is a great tradition we started 7 years ago and I want to take this opportunity thank all of you who have participated and contributed to its success. The hockey is very good and it's one of the Senators Alumni's favorite stop on their yearly game circuit.
There will be two fun and entertaining games played at the Stitsville arena, first the All Star "Coaches VS Coaches" game at 6 pm, then the Sens Alumni VS SMHA Coaches game at 7 pm. Mark your calendars now so you don't miss out.
Interested players please submit your name to Terry Hudson to request a spot in the Coaches VS Coaches game or the Sens Alumni VS SMHA Coaches game. As in previous years all players in the team playing the Sens Alumni must have a $100.00 Sponsor. The names of all sponsors are put into the handouts and on name bars on their sweater and all proceeds go towards covering the costs of the event. This is not an association fundraiser but rather an event put on by volunteers and supported through sponsorships. Register soon as these teams do fill quickly.
Party to celebrate hockey in Stittsville
Following the Sens Alumni game on March 3rd, there will be an evening full of fun and great entertainment for all adult SMHA members. For the 7th year, SMHA gets to show their appreciation to the many coaches, managers, trainers and to those countless volunteers who operate behind the scenes to make our association a wonderful community to be part of. Join us upstairs at the Stittsville Community Center for food, drinks, prizes and a live band Take Five. It's absolutely free thanks to the generosity of our event sponsor Waste Management! Festivities start at 9 pm.
Did I mention prizes? There will be a Free Draw for a chance to win one Free SMHA Hockey Registration but you must be in attendance at the time of draw to be eligible.
Book those babysitters now and tell your SMHA friends, parties are better when they're bigger.
Fitness Tax Credits
The Government of Canada proposes to allow, starting in 2007, a non-refundable tax credit on eligible amounts of up to $500 paid by parents to register a child in an eligible program of physical activity. This program only starts for the 2007/2008 hockey season. No parent can claim for the 2006 tax season. Program information can be found here. More details will be available next season.
Kudos to Peter
As a followup to the enormously successful Pink Panther's game that raised $10,000 for Breast Cancer Awareness (see article and pictures here if you missed it), SMHA coach Peter Lefebvre was one of 17 volunteers selected to be profiled on the CBC website. Rick was chosen among 100 submissions that were received in the weeks leading up to CBC's Hockey Day in Canada on Jan. 13, 2007. Way to go Rick and thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy a fun, successful and incredibly emotional event.
Hockey Canada Summit
The ODMHA is presenting a Hockey Canada Summit February 5 – 8, 2007. The governing bodies of this great game want to hear what you have to say. This season, Hockey Canada has asked its branches to conduct summits in their regions to address two key questions:
- What are the current issues in the game?
- What are the solutions?
The Ottawa District Hockey Association views this initiative as being crucial to hockey’s future. It has thus designated the week of Feb. 5-8, 2007, as Hockey Canada Summit Week in the branch during which eight summits will be conducted. The ODHA will be hosting 8 sessions, two per evening from 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, on February 5, 6, 7 & 8. Each summit will run from 7-10 pm under the guidance of the branch’s professional and highly respected program leaders. It is hoped that coaches, trainers, officials, parents, administrators and players from minor hockey, girls hockey and Jr leagues will attend and actively participate in the discussion groups.
The Summit closest to us is:
February 6th at Scotia Bank Place, Coliseum Rooms C & D, 7 pm to 10 pm
Door Prizes Courtesy of Ottawa Senators Hockey Club include use of a suite to the Ottawa Senators vs. Atlanta Thrashers on February 17, 2007. Two tickets to be drawn at each meeting.
Signing Off
I get paid for writing this column in the form of emails from readers like you telling me a) what you think of it, b) giving me news that I can add to future editions, c) asking me questions that I can go research and answer for you here. No emails mean no future editions, so please talk back! Click here to email me and share your thoughts. Also you can Sign up Here if you want to receive these columns via email about once a month.
Lynda Partner, your roving reporter and SMHA Communications Director