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2023/24 Directors Reports
2023/24 SPRMHA Directors Reports
Development Coordinator Report
This year was the start of a great relationship with Andrews Hockey Growth Programs. Andrews was fantastic this season, they took care of the pre-season conditioning camps, player development sessions as well as goaltender development. They also hosted an in-person coaches’ session. All of these programs were well attended by every age group that they were directed to.
Pre-season conditioning camps were almost overwhelming with attendance (especially the younger groups) and were by far the most successful camps that we have hosted here in Sherwood. A total of 38 ice times in pre-season spread out between all age groups. With a cost of $5700. This is an increase of $2325 over last season but the attendance and the positive feedback from parents speaks for itself.
Thanks to Curtis Lumsden for delivering the checking clinics again this year! More than 100 players attended over 4 sessions. The cost to put on the clinics was $600 plus the ice time rentals. Each player in attendance paid $20 leading to a small profit for the clinics.
The regular season development program this year was very robust compared to non-existent the previous few seasons. In the first half of the season we had 68 players (44 U9/U11, 24 U13/U15) register and 21 goalies (13 U9/U11, 9 U13/U15). Andrews Hockey delivered a great 6-week program to all four groups. The players’ development was on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and the goalie sessions were Saturday and Sunday Mornings. We collected $10 per session for each attendee to ensure a commitment to the programs. The second half of development taking place in the new year had 59 players (45 U9/U11, 14 U13/U15) register and 19 goalies (14 U9/U11, 5 U13/U15). The total gross cost to SPRMHA from Andrews for the player and goalie development program this season was $16800 for a total of 48 ice times. With collected player contributions it netted down to around $6800.
Based on the data. It is recommended that, because of the success of the program and the overall approval from the membership, we continue to deliver these programs into the future with the following modifications:
-Taking into account the registration numbers by age group that we offer regular season development programming for players aged U7/U9 together as well as U11/U13. The U15 age group did not really attend. If any player requests attendance we could accommodate.
-For the goaltending program the recommendation would be to invite Charlottetown Minor Hockey to participate. Attendance for the goaltending program was lower than expected and the ratio of Andrews staff to goalies could easily accommodate more players. Combining with Charlottetown on this initiative would also reduce the cost.
U7 Director Report
Thanks to all of the coaches, parents and players for a fantastic season for the U7 Division. This year Sherwood U7 had a total of 64 players, 53 Male and 11 Female. The Black Group which is comprised of mostly second and third year U7 kids had 27 players. The Gold Group which is comprised of mostly new skaters and some second-year kids had 37 total players.
This year there was three separate teams at each age level. This seemed to work very well for not only drills but lots of games as well. Team colors were Leafs Blue, Flyers Orange and Bruins Yellow.
This was also the second year for the “FUN FIRST!” program. It was highly emphasized throughout the season in both groups that the kids were on the ice primarily to have fun while learning the skills that will carry them on through their minor hockey careers. This seemed to have been an overall success as attendance remained high throughout the entire season.
There were several events that the young players seemed to very much enjoy throughout the season and which complimented the U7 program very well. Both age groups attended a Jamboree hosted by North River, The Islanders Jamboree and a year-end awards party. Special thanks to Lacie Dunsford and Katleen Stevenson for organizing and coordinating the extracurricular activities this season.
Black Group Summary
Head Coach – Nick McGregor
On Ice Support – Chantel Jackson, Nathan Saunders, Jamie MacInnis, Brett Vessey & Devan Riley
Building on the foundations established last season these players worked hard on developing new skills. The format was mostly a quick 10-minute warm-up and a fun game, followed by a half ice game for two of the teams with a drill going on at the other end of the ice for the third team, they would rotate. The players seemed to look forward to the gametime and competition aspect while still keeping it fun and upbeat. Having music playing during the ice times seems to encourage effort from the kids. At the end of the season this group played games against Charlottetown with the half boards at Simmons and Cody Banks. It would be great to do a little bit more of this kind of thing next season. There were no major injuries and no incidences at all throughout the entirety of the season and at this level that should be considered a success in itself.
Gold Group Summary
Head Coach – John MacAdam
On Ice Support – Brock Richard, Travis Jay, Ryan McGuire, Brad Collicutt & various other parents
There seemed to be a lot of first-time skaters this year. The gold group focused a lot on basic skills like skating and stopping for the first part of the season, then moved into some fun games and drills involving puck movement. Early in the new year we introduced small area games and this carried on throughout the remainder of the season and seemed to be a successful introduction to gameplay. There were no major injuries and no incidences at all throughout the entirety of the season. Some of the second-year players graduated to the Black Group for the last couple months of the season as they had accomplished all of the goals in the Gold Group.
Summary of Extra Activities/Initiatives
This year the groups took part in two separate jamborees, one hosted by North River and one by the Charlottetown Islanders. These were both well attended. The Charlottetown Islanders once again did a fantastic job with free pizza, entertainment and a team photo in the Islander’s dressing room. Compliments to the Islanders organization for providing this jamboree for free and also for providing discounted group tickets for the game the day after!
Team photos were a highlight of this season and some of the individual photos were made into hockey cards by Pressed4Time. Thanks to Ashton Willis for taking care of the photography this season and to Matt Dunsford at Pressed4Time.
The Super Sport program package was delivered to the kids this year in the form of a personalized encouragement letter along with freebies from super sport including a water bottle, hat, $5 off a purchase and free skate sharpening courtesy of Source for Sports. Thanks to the sponsors of this package.
At the end of the season the entire U7 group had a combined ice time where they had a shoot-out competition with music. This went over very well and should be made an annual event! After the shoot-out the U7 group got together in the Maplewood Room at Cody Banks for an awards banquet. There was over $800 worth of pizza/pop donated by Domino’s for the occasion. Thanks very much to Domino’s Pizza for that. The players received a Timbits Medal and Sidney Crosby hat. Over 150 people attended this event and it was a great success.
No additional funds were spent by the U7 division this year down more than $1600 from last season.
U9 Director Report
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season
report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs.
Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our
achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season
report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs.
Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our
achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement
Introduction
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs. Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement.
Team Performance
Our division consisted of three teams, each demonstrating significant progress and dedication throughout the season. While only one team submitted a formal report, verbal feedback from all coaches indicates a positive experience for players and parents alike. To improve communication and feedback, we encourage all teams to submit reports in the future. This will help us better understand the challenges and successes experienced throughout the season and make necessary adjustments.
Scheduling and Practice Opportunities
The scheduling framework implemented this season proved effective. Allocating Saturdays for either practice sessions or makeup games provided flexibility and ensured that teams could maximize their ice time. However, for next season, it was recommended by coaches scheduling fewer games and incorporating more practice sessions. This balance will allow our young athletes to focus more on skill development.
Equipment and Training Tools
To further improve the quality of our on-ice practices, the coaches suggested the following additions:
- Metal clips for the boards to facilitate quicker setup and transitions during drills.
- More tires and other training tools to diversify and enrich practice activities.
These tools would benefit the coaches and players, making practices more engaging and effective.
Support for Coaches and Managers
A key area for improvement is the support and resources provided to our coaches and team managers.
Specifically, I recommend:
1. Practice Plans: Developing a set of standardized practice plans that can be used by new and experienced coaches alike. This would ensure a consistent approach to skill development across all teams.
2. Manager Templates: Creating a comprehensive template for team managers, which should include:
- Guidelines for parent meetings
- Expectations and roles of coaches, players, parents
- Budget guidelines
- Tournament information
- Icetime cancellation policies
Having these resources in place would streamline operations and help new managers and coaches get up to speed quickly.
Conclusion In conclusion, this season has been a successful one for the U9 Division. Our coaches have done an excellent job, and the scheduling has allowed for flexible practice opportunities. Moving forward, by addressing the equipment needs and providing better support for our coaches and managers, we can enhance the overall experience for our players and their families.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to a fantastic season. I look forward to working together to make next season even better.
Sincerely,
Aaron Gill
Director, U9 Division
Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey
U11 Director Report
The U11 Boys division for SPRMHA had a very large number of registered players again this season, with over 80 players registered. This necessitated 5 teams this year (1 AA team, 1 A team, and 3 B teams).
We would like to thank the coaches, managers, and all other volunteers for helping make this season a success.
U11B Team 1: COACH JONNY STEVENS
The team came together around a set of values we developed as a team - positivity, passing, positional play, and power. We have been involved in fostering lifelong relationships and a love of the game.
The team participated in the George Trainer Holiday Classic with one of our players coming in 2nd place in the shootout competition and all kids enjoying the tournament. We also participated in the Summerside Tournament and the Evangeline Tournament. We tried to get into the Moncton tournament and had rooms held, but the tournament sold out, and we were placed on the waitlist. An "off Island" tournament was something the kids really wanted to participate. The team made it to provincials and while we were not successful, the kids all felt a level of accomplishment in developing their skills and team work over the course of the season.
The coaching development offered by the association and provided by Andrews was excellent. I would love to see more of this. Goalie development is a gap and even though one of my coaches was a goalie parent, we could have used more.
Thanks to the coaches, managers, and parents who brought the right energy to the team and made it special for the kids. Thanks to the volunteers for keeping the train on the tracks.
U11B Team 2: COACH MIKE FITZPATRICK
U11B Team 2 had a great season. Our kids enjoyed the season and really bonded well as a team and we had no issues on the bench of players not supporting each other or picking/bullying. We saw lots of improvements in the development of our players, which we had a development first focus. Our goaltending team worked really hard in the year and we brought in a goalie coach to assist with the practices.
The parents of the team really wanted to attend an off Island tournament and so we ended the year with a tournament in Moncton. Although the competition was stiff, the kids had a great time.
My recommendations from the year are as follows;
The boys had another successful year this year with lots of fun times both at the rink and outside of it. We had a lot of returning players from our team last year, so there was already a high level of friendship. The new players integrated seamlessly.
We were involved in three tournaments, the George Trainor, one in Summerside, and another in Quispamsis. The tournament in Quispamsis was particularly enjoyable, as none of the boys had ever been off-island for a tournament. One of our coaches was able to secure us tickets to a Sea Dogs game, so between that and the hotel and the hockey, there were a lot of positive memories made that weekend.
One area for potential improvement is related to practices. While the Hockey Canada website has many drills, the reality is that very few of them are applicable to the skill level of the players in U11B, as they are far too complex. We were fortunate enough that our coaching staff had a lot of hockey experience and were able to develop drills that were designed to focus on areas we noticed in games, but I think there is a real gap for basic skill development in the coaching materials available. I would also reiterate what others have said in regards to the need for goalie specific coaching, as frankly that is not an area where we feel capable of helping them improve.
I was very fortunate to have strong support in my fellow coaches Rob Stavert, Tim Cheverie and Cory Arsenault, and my managers Katie Beck and Amanda Cheverie. In addition, we had two younger coaches as part of the pilot project to get players involved in coaching, and I would highly recommend that the Association continue with that program as it was beneficial to both the team and the volunteers.
Thanks to everyone at the Association for all their tireless work this year. I know it is an extremely large amount of work to keep the organization going, and it is greatly appreciated.
U11A: COACH CHRIS DOYLE
The team had an up and down season. When the boys showed up and played the way they could we could compete with anyone in the league. There were definitely a couple teams that had the boys number as we were a young team and they were mostly all second years. Overall the team that I had from the first of the season would definitely not stand a chance playing against the team I had at the end of the year.
The kids that showed up to every practice / game and that worked hard to get better definitely excelled. When I started the season my goal was to show the kids systems to the game of hockey, which a lot of them were coming from U9 half ice. This is definitely something that I believe should be addressed. When the kids have to move up and go from half ice to full ice it's definitely a disadvantage right off the get go. What I would recommend is possibly the last month or so to get the second years moving up to try out for the U11 the following year to play some full ice games. This would help them with the simple things of the game; offsides, icings, faceoffs etc. This would keep them from being behind in tryouts and the first of the season. It took me a solid month and a half to get them used to playing their positions and being in the right positions on the ice.
We had a trip to Moncton and represented Sherwood in a professional and respectable manner. For the most part it was a lot of the kids' first time playing off island and it was a fun experience for them on and off the ice. The friendships that were made will last a lifetime which is what the game of hockey is all about.
Despite finishing last in the regular season the boys definitely were not a last place team. We had a lot of one goal games and games where it could have gone either way. That being said I would like to see more opportunities for goalies to get more work besides their team practices. Personally, I would reach out to Drew MacIntyre an ex professional or Paul Drew who is the Islanders goalie coach to see if they would do a clinic once a week or once every two weeks to show the kids a few things to improve their games. There are definitely things out there that we should be taking advantage of.
Thank you for the opportunity to coach and I hope to share my knowledge of the game of hockey to the kids for years to come.
U11AA: COACH BRAD LARTER
During our tryouts we had 56 kids register, we then went to 24, our final roster was 16. Our team was made up of 8 second years and 8 first years. Overall I think we had a positive year. The U11 AA team competed in 5 tournaments; Summerside, Buster Harvey (1 - 3), Early Bird (1 - 2), Spud (0 - 3), and our provincals (0-1-2).
Our regular season record was (2 - 25 - 3) our record was poor but I felt we completed in most of our games. Everyone was played equally and played in all situations. We kept things positive all year and I feel like our players had a good year of development.
We practiced Tuesday Morning @ Cody Banks and usually practice once more either in Morrell Sunday or Thursday evenings @ UPEI.
Mike McGuigan, Adam Bradley, Shannon MacDonald, Victor Steele were our assistant coaches.
Monique Steele was our manager and did a fantastic job!
U13 Directors Report
Sherwood-Parkdale Rural Minor Hockey Association
Submitted by Mike Gauthier
There was a silver lining for the U13s in our association this past year, four of them in fact.
Out of the five provincial championships for that age category, four of our clubs — Chris Silvaggio’s AAA; Wayne Roper’s AA; Chris Linzel-Waddell’s A (tier 1) and Denton Gorrill’s A (tier 2) — all came second in their respective championships.
Allan MacKinnon’s U13AA team ended up third in provincials.
The U13 AAAs lost in the semifinals in both the Buster Harvey Memorial in Fredericton, N.B. and in the Edd MacNeil Memorial in Summerside, but won the Edd’s coveted skills competition.
In their own tournament, the Spud, the AAAs lost in the quarter finals to the Moncton Beavers, which ended up winning the Atlantic championships in April.
Roper’s AA team came home with an off-Island tournament championship, winning the February Freeze in Saint John, N.B. with a 4-0-1 record.
There were roughly 60 players who signed up for U13 hockey in the Sherwood association this past year.
U15 Directors Report
This was my first season on the SPRMHA board as the U15 Director. We had 3 A teams and 1 AA team.
All teams had a great season on and off the ice and all teams had a number of players who got to AP with a higher team and experience practices and games throughout the season. There were no major issues that came up this season as all Sherwood teams represented the Falcons as expected.
Sherwood Team 1 Weatherbie made the semi-finals in the Summerside tournament and lost in the finals of the Dieppe & Tier 1 provincials. Coach Darren said it was a very successful season and the team had an amazing year.
Sherwood Team 2 Macpherson had a strong showing in the Riverview tournament and made the semi-finals in the Summerside tournament. With a young team it took a bit for the 1st year players to adjust to the size & speed of U15 but once they adjusted they really showed how good of a team they had. They placed 2nd overall in tier 2 and made it all the way to the semi-finals in provincials.
Sherwood Team 3 Gibbs had a great year with a young team, they played in the George Trainor, Pownal and SEDMA tournaments this year where they had strong showings.
Central Attack AA had a great season with strong performances in Dieppe and Summerside tournaments, they went 5-0 in the Montague Norsman capturing the banner. There was tons of team building/volunteer and fundraising done by this group. Coached by Mike Trainor and managed by Shawn Rodgerson they had the boys involved with many community events (Santas Angels and playing BINGO with the residents at Whisperwood Villa) and hosted a Pink night at BAC where they raised $1075.75 for cancer research. Finishing 5th overall on the season they had a very successful showing at provincials placing 2nd and coming home with a Silver Medal.
U18 Directors Report
U18AAA:
Of course, our season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but only one team can win. Going into the season, the coaching staff realized we had a group that hasn’t really played together a whole lot throughout minor hockey. We began focusing on team chemistry and reviewing the basics in practices.
We started the season very well and went to a tournament in Fredericton where we ended up being successful and winning the tournament. After that we went on a little bit of a losing streak especially in 2024 where we didn’t win a game until playoffs. We faced Mid Isle Matrix in a best of three series where we beat them two games to one as the underdogs. Having played our final two games of that series in three days, we started right away the next night against a tough and strong opponent Kings County Kings. We ended up playing four games in five days and battling injuries; we went down two games to zero in the second round of playoffs. We gave everything we had in the third game against Kings County, but with their strong and skilled team they came out on top beating us in the best of five series.
As far as issues go, we only had minor ones that were easily fixed with a conversation. We didn’t hear a whole lot from the parents group. I’m sure not everyone agreed with some of our decisions, but at the end of the day not everyone will. Overall, it was very smooth sailing.
Had a couple of parents reach out after the season to thank us for giving our time and effort to coaching their kids. They told us that their kids really enjoyed having us and that they learned a lot throughout the season. From simple defensive/offensive/neutral zone coverages to more complex and in depth situations that they haven’t been taught before. As a coach, at the end of the day that’s really our intentions is to teach the players so those were nice messages to receive.
Our six graduating players are:
Alex Coady / Jonathan Baglole / Easton Fitzpatrick / Ethan Clark / Juan Cifuentes / Kyler Barrett
In our last regular season home game, we hosted a little ceremony and awarded our graduating players with some hardware for their hardwork and dedication throughout their years with either Sherwood or Charlottetown minor hockey.
Thank you for everything this year Wade, it was a pleasure!
U18AA:
The Central Attack U18AA male team had a very successful 2023-2024 season, winning 3 out of 5 tournaments and finishing 1st place in their league. The coaching staff is happy to report that for a third straight year, they didn’t experience any issues with any players or parents through out the season.
The attack captured another off-island banner this year, winning the February freeze tournament in St. john NB for the 2nd year in a row. The team would follow that up with a very impressive performance in the Summerside tournament beating some of the best teams in the maritimes on their way to another banner. To top things off the attack finished the regular season undefeated with a 21-0-3 record, and would eventually go on to win the provincial championships for a 2nd year in a row.
The on-ice success that this team has experienced over the past season is nothing short of impressive. It is a true reflection of the dedication and respect these young men have for the game and one another. This team knows the importance of teamwork and coming together to work towards the same goal.
Although, it’s not all about on ice success when dealing with minor hockey. One of the best story lines from this season was the number of veteran players we had on the roster. 11 graduating players, who have grown up playing together throughout their minor hockey years. For the coach’s, having the privilege to coach a lot of these graduating players over the past 3 years and watch them mature into young men has been pretty special. As a team we were able to honour these 11 graduating with an on-ice ceremony at our final home game of the season. We individually presented each player with a plaque during the presentation.
This was the type of season that the coach’s, players, and parents will look back on with very fond memories.
Graduating players: Kaelib Callaghan, Desmond Cunniffe, Ethan Shaw, Sam Howatt, Jonah Bowie, Chase Bell, Ben Matte, Patrick McMonagle, Will Yeo, Lucas Mackenzie, Noah Carver.
SHERWOOD U18A TEAM 2
Coaches – Tim Connolly, Matt MacDonald, Shawn Geldert
Managers – Angela Rose, Kelli Matheson
Our 2023/2024 hockey season went very well from the Coaches perspective. We had a really great group of kids who were very excited for the season and were very willing to learn. We found that the kids really came together well from the very beginning and that everyone was included in dressing room chatter. This year we introduced a “Hardest Worker Belt”. The idea behind it was that after each game we would present the belt to the hardest working player, not passing it out to the player with the most points per game but the player with the most compete. After the coaches picked the first game’s hardest worker we had that player pick a team mate that they felt deserved the belt the next game and that continued throughout the year. The awarded player would keep the belt until our next game. The boys really seemed to enjoy it and it brought the group together.
Our Team goal this year was to compete as hard as we could during league play and try to qualify for the Provincial Championships, which we were able to accomplish in Tier 2. This setup our season schedule nicely as it worked out that along with our league play we were able to be entered into a tournament December (George Trainor), January (Shediac), February (Pownal) and then to finish off the year in March with the Provincials in Summerside. Unfortunately we didn’t make it deep into these tournaments but felt the Team competed and represented Sherwood Minor Hockey exceptionally well.
As mentioned above I really felt we had a great group of kids as well as great parents who were willing to assist when needed. We did have 7 graduating players this year and to acknowledge those players we arranged an exhibition game along with Sherwood 3 who also had a couple graduating players. Prior to the game we had a brief ceremony where we introduced each player and presented them with a Sherwood graduating player plague and a little gift, we also allowed time for parents to come onto the ice to take pictures with their child during the presentation. We then played 2 - 20 minute periods of hockey to finish the evening. I think it went really well and both teams again represented themselves very respectfully so made it a great night for the graduating players and their families. Here are the players from our team graduating from Sherwood Minor Hockey:
Carson Rose
Alex Connolly
Elijah Merrit
Colby Matheson
Brendan Cheverie
Nick MacNeill
Braedon McKenna
Overall we were really happy with our year and the coaches really enjoyed being part of this group.
U18A Team LEWIS;
This past season was one that involved a few hardships for this team. We lost our best player to the AA team and then within a week or so, one of our graduating players suffered a season ending injury. This left us light on numbers and talent.
After a rough first half the season, the team rallied in the second half to make the provincials in the teir 2 level. Provincials were rough and did not end the way the team wanted. As the coach I am looking forward to hopefully larger player numbers and less hassle doing team selections in 2025 – 26 season.
Over all a pretty good hockey season had by all.
Graduating players:
Cameron Dowling
Adien MacDonald.
Female Director
For the 2023-24 season, SPRMHA hosted five female teams at the following levels:
We continue to work together with Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) to host Capital District teams at the A level, with CMHA hosting the following female teams:
The SPRMHA-hosted teams had a number of notable on-ice successes, including:
Team Feedback Summary
We sought and received feedback from all of our hosted teams. A summary can be found below:
Administration Feedback
Some of the administrative challenges identified during the season were:
On the positive side, we had excellent support from the SPRMHA association and board, including ice and official scheduling, registration support and executive involvement in communicating female hockey concerns directly with HPEI in support of our teams.
With the development of new and improved procedures already in process, we will seek to address the challenges identified going forward. Some of the work already underway, includes:
Referee in Chief
I would like to thank all of our officials for their continued commitment, and hard
work on the ice this season. It has been a very successful year with no major
incidents to report.
A special thank you to our tournament host committees of the Early Bird and
George Trainor Holiday Classic. Both tournaments were exceptionally well-run
and provided lots of fun for all participants and spectators. Additionally, SPRMHA
referees officiated games in the SPUD, Sweet Heart, and Pownal tournaments this
season.
At the beginning of this season HPEI approved the four official system for the
U18AAF division, and then U18A co-ed division after some suspension concerns
early in the year. I have always been a proponent of the 4 officials system and the
feedback I’ve received from coaches, parents, and officials in these leagues has
been very positive.
I would like to thank the great managers and coaches who diligently maintain their
team schedules on Goaline, enabling officials to be assigned to our home games. I
would also like to thank the Morell and Three Rivers officials for their assistance
covering our home games in Morell.
The collaboration between Sherwood and Charlottetown Minor Hockey officiating
programs remains strong, with most officials working games within both
associations. I would like to thank all the CMHA officials who took on SPRMHA
assignments this season, and their RIC, Curtis Hall.
Our officials were proud to participate in two Provincial Championships this year,
hosting the U18AA and co-hosting the U13AA with CMHA. Congratulations to
those teams on their successful campaigns.
This season our total registered official numbers remained at 28. Though this
number is low compared to past seasons, increased sharing of officials between us
and CMHA allows us to continuously fill all assignments.
Season Level One’s Level Two’s Level Three’s Total Officials
2016/17 15 (12 first year) 11 11 37
2017/18 17 (8 first year) 8 19 44
2018/19 13 (4 first year) 9 17 39
2019/20 8 (7 first year) 9 15 32
2020/21 16 (11 first year) 4 20 40
2021/22 9 (1 first year) 6 18 33
2022/23 11 (6 first year) 5 12 28
2023/24 12 (9 first year) 5 12 28
I would like to thank Craig Jones for his dedication serving as SPRMHA President.
I would also like to thank the entire board for their continued support of the
officiating program, and I look forward to seeing what the next few years will
Development Coordinator Report
This year was the start of a great relationship with Andrews Hockey Growth Programs. Andrews was fantastic this season, they took care of the pre-season conditioning camps, player development sessions as well as goaltender development. They also hosted an in-person coaches’ session. All of these programs were well attended by every age group that they were directed to.
Pre-season conditioning camps were almost overwhelming with attendance (especially the younger groups) and were by far the most successful camps that we have hosted here in Sherwood. A total of 38 ice times in pre-season spread out between all age groups. With a cost of $5700. This is an increase of $2325 over last season but the attendance and the positive feedback from parents speaks for itself.
Thanks to Curtis Lumsden for delivering the checking clinics again this year! More than 100 players attended over 4 sessions. The cost to put on the clinics was $600 plus the ice time rentals. Each player in attendance paid $20 leading to a small profit for the clinics.
The regular season development program this year was very robust compared to non-existent the previous few seasons. In the first half of the season we had 68 players (44 U9/U11, 24 U13/U15) register and 21 goalies (13 U9/U11, 9 U13/U15). Andrews Hockey delivered a great 6-week program to all four groups. The players’ development was on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and the goalie sessions were Saturday and Sunday Mornings. We collected $10 per session for each attendee to ensure a commitment to the programs. The second half of development taking place in the new year had 59 players (45 U9/U11, 14 U13/U15) register and 19 goalies (14 U9/U11, 5 U13/U15). The total gross cost to SPRMHA from Andrews for the player and goalie development program this season was $16800 for a total of 48 ice times. With collected player contributions it netted down to around $6800.
Based on the data. It is recommended that, because of the success of the program and the overall approval from the membership, we continue to deliver these programs into the future with the following modifications:
-Taking into account the registration numbers by age group that we offer regular season development programming for players aged U7/U9 together as well as U11/U13. The U15 age group did not really attend. If any player requests attendance we could accommodate.
-For the goaltending program the recommendation would be to invite Charlottetown Minor Hockey to participate. Attendance for the goaltending program was lower than expected and the ratio of Andrews staff to goalies could easily accommodate more players. Combining with Charlottetown on this initiative would also reduce the cost.
U7 Director Report
Thanks to all of the coaches, parents and players for a fantastic season for the U7 Division. This year Sherwood U7 had a total of 64 players, 53 Male and 11 Female. The Black Group which is comprised of mostly second and third year U7 kids had 27 players. The Gold Group which is comprised of mostly new skaters and some second-year kids had 37 total players.
This year there was three separate teams at each age level. This seemed to work very well for not only drills but lots of games as well. Team colors were Leafs Blue, Flyers Orange and Bruins Yellow.
This was also the second year for the “FUN FIRST!” program. It was highly emphasized throughout the season in both groups that the kids were on the ice primarily to have fun while learning the skills that will carry them on through their minor hockey careers. This seemed to have been an overall success as attendance remained high throughout the entire season.
There were several events that the young players seemed to very much enjoy throughout the season and which complimented the U7 program very well. Both age groups attended a Jamboree hosted by North River, The Islanders Jamboree and a year-end awards party. Special thanks to Lacie Dunsford and Katleen Stevenson for organizing and coordinating the extracurricular activities this season.
Black Group Summary
Head Coach – Nick McGregor
On Ice Support – Chantel Jackson, Nathan Saunders, Jamie MacInnis, Brett Vessey & Devan Riley
Building on the foundations established last season these players worked hard on developing new skills. The format was mostly a quick 10-minute warm-up and a fun game, followed by a half ice game for two of the teams with a drill going on at the other end of the ice for the third team, they would rotate. The players seemed to look forward to the gametime and competition aspect while still keeping it fun and upbeat. Having music playing during the ice times seems to encourage effort from the kids. At the end of the season this group played games against Charlottetown with the half boards at Simmons and Cody Banks. It would be great to do a little bit more of this kind of thing next season. There were no major injuries and no incidences at all throughout the entirety of the season and at this level that should be considered a success in itself.
Gold Group Summary
Head Coach – John MacAdam
On Ice Support – Brock Richard, Travis Jay, Ryan McGuire, Brad Collicutt & various other parents
There seemed to be a lot of first-time skaters this year. The gold group focused a lot on basic skills like skating and stopping for the first part of the season, then moved into some fun games and drills involving puck movement. Early in the new year we introduced small area games and this carried on throughout the remainder of the season and seemed to be a successful introduction to gameplay. There were no major injuries and no incidences at all throughout the entirety of the season. Some of the second-year players graduated to the Black Group for the last couple months of the season as they had accomplished all of the goals in the Gold Group.
Summary of Extra Activities/Initiatives
This year the groups took part in two separate jamborees, one hosted by North River and one by the Charlottetown Islanders. These were both well attended. The Charlottetown Islanders once again did a fantastic job with free pizza, entertainment and a team photo in the Islander’s dressing room. Compliments to the Islanders organization for providing this jamboree for free and also for providing discounted group tickets for the game the day after!
Team photos were a highlight of this season and some of the individual photos were made into hockey cards by Pressed4Time. Thanks to Ashton Willis for taking care of the photography this season and to Matt Dunsford at Pressed4Time.
The Super Sport program package was delivered to the kids this year in the form of a personalized encouragement letter along with freebies from super sport including a water bottle, hat, $5 off a purchase and free skate sharpening courtesy of Source for Sports. Thanks to the sponsors of this package.
At the end of the season the entire U7 group had a combined ice time where they had a shoot-out competition with music. This went over very well and should be made an annual event! After the shoot-out the U7 group got together in the Maplewood Room at Cody Banks for an awards banquet. There was over $800 worth of pizza/pop donated by Domino’s for the occasion. Thanks very much to Domino’s Pizza for that. The players received a Timbits Medal and Sidney Crosby hat. Over 150 people attended this event and it was a great success.
No additional funds were spent by the U7 division this year down more than $1600 from last season.
U9 Director Report
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season
report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs.
Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our
achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season
report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs.
Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our
achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement
Introduction
As the Director of the U9 division for Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey, I’m presenting the end of season report. This season, we had three teams led by Head Coaches Travis Jay, John MacAdam, and Paul Nabuurs. Despite some challenges, we have had a productive and rewarding season. Here is a detailed summary of our achievements, suggestions, and areas for improvement.
Team Performance
Our division consisted of three teams, each demonstrating significant progress and dedication throughout the season. While only one team submitted a formal report, verbal feedback from all coaches indicates a positive experience for players and parents alike. To improve communication and feedback, we encourage all teams to submit reports in the future. This will help us better understand the challenges and successes experienced throughout the season and make necessary adjustments.
Scheduling and Practice Opportunities
The scheduling framework implemented this season proved effective. Allocating Saturdays for either practice sessions or makeup games provided flexibility and ensured that teams could maximize their ice time. However, for next season, it was recommended by coaches scheduling fewer games and incorporating more practice sessions. This balance will allow our young athletes to focus more on skill development.
Equipment and Training Tools
To further improve the quality of our on-ice practices, the coaches suggested the following additions:
- Metal clips for the boards to facilitate quicker setup and transitions during drills.
- More tires and other training tools to diversify and enrich practice activities.
These tools would benefit the coaches and players, making practices more engaging and effective.
Support for Coaches and Managers
A key area for improvement is the support and resources provided to our coaches and team managers.
Specifically, I recommend:
1. Practice Plans: Developing a set of standardized practice plans that can be used by new and experienced coaches alike. This would ensure a consistent approach to skill development across all teams.
2. Manager Templates: Creating a comprehensive template for team managers, which should include:
- Guidelines for parent meetings
- Expectations and roles of coaches, players, parents
- Budget guidelines
- Tournament information
- Icetime cancellation policies
Having these resources in place would streamline operations and help new managers and coaches get up to speed quickly.
Conclusion In conclusion, this season has been a successful one for the U9 Division. Our coaches have done an excellent job, and the scheduling has allowed for flexible practice opportunities. Moving forward, by addressing the equipment needs and providing better support for our coaches and managers, we can enhance the overall experience for our players and their families.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to a fantastic season. I look forward to working together to make next season even better.
Sincerely,
Aaron Gill
Director, U9 Division
Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey
U11 Director Report
The U11 Boys division for SPRMHA had a very large number of registered players again this season, with over 80 players registered. This necessitated 5 teams this year (1 AA team, 1 A team, and 3 B teams).
We would like to thank the coaches, managers, and all other volunteers for helping make this season a success.
U11B Team 1: COACH JONNY STEVENS
The team came together around a set of values we developed as a team - positivity, passing, positional play, and power. We have been involved in fostering lifelong relationships and a love of the game.
The team participated in the George Trainer Holiday Classic with one of our players coming in 2nd place in the shootout competition and all kids enjoying the tournament. We also participated in the Summerside Tournament and the Evangeline Tournament. We tried to get into the Moncton tournament and had rooms held, but the tournament sold out, and we were placed on the waitlist. An "off Island" tournament was something the kids really wanted to participate. The team made it to provincials and while we were not successful, the kids all felt a level of accomplishment in developing their skills and team work over the course of the season.
The coaching development offered by the association and provided by Andrews was excellent. I would love to see more of this. Goalie development is a gap and even though one of my coaches was a goalie parent, we could have used more.
Thanks to the coaches, managers, and parents who brought the right energy to the team and made it special for the kids. Thanks to the volunteers for keeping the train on the tracks.
U11B Team 2: COACH MIKE FITZPATRICK
U11B Team 2 had a great season. Our kids enjoyed the season and really bonded well as a team and we had no issues on the bench of players not supporting each other or picking/bullying. We saw lots of improvements in the development of our players, which we had a development first focus. Our goaltending team worked really hard in the year and we brought in a goalie coach to assist with the practices.
The parents of the team really wanted to attend an off Island tournament and so we ended the year with a tournament in Moncton. Although the competition was stiff, the kids had a great time.
My recommendations from the year are as follows;
- Goalie Development Coaches - We need to provide coaches with some help on how to develop their goalies while running a team. Basic drills and tips to use to help them in practice.
- Goalie Development ice time - It would be nice for the goalies, especially in the first part of the year get some dedicated Goalie development time.
- Coaching Recommendation – On my Coaching staff was an individual named Anderw Hayes and he did a great job. I would like to see him coach a full team at either the rec or rep level.
The boys had another successful year this year with lots of fun times both at the rink and outside of it. We had a lot of returning players from our team last year, so there was already a high level of friendship. The new players integrated seamlessly.
We were involved in three tournaments, the George Trainor, one in Summerside, and another in Quispamsis. The tournament in Quispamsis was particularly enjoyable, as none of the boys had ever been off-island for a tournament. One of our coaches was able to secure us tickets to a Sea Dogs game, so between that and the hotel and the hockey, there were a lot of positive memories made that weekend.
One area for potential improvement is related to practices. While the Hockey Canada website has many drills, the reality is that very few of them are applicable to the skill level of the players in U11B, as they are far too complex. We were fortunate enough that our coaching staff had a lot of hockey experience and were able to develop drills that were designed to focus on areas we noticed in games, but I think there is a real gap for basic skill development in the coaching materials available. I would also reiterate what others have said in regards to the need for goalie specific coaching, as frankly that is not an area where we feel capable of helping them improve.
I was very fortunate to have strong support in my fellow coaches Rob Stavert, Tim Cheverie and Cory Arsenault, and my managers Katie Beck and Amanda Cheverie. In addition, we had two younger coaches as part of the pilot project to get players involved in coaching, and I would highly recommend that the Association continue with that program as it was beneficial to both the team and the volunteers.
Thanks to everyone at the Association for all their tireless work this year. I know it is an extremely large amount of work to keep the organization going, and it is greatly appreciated.
U11A: COACH CHRIS DOYLE
The team had an up and down season. When the boys showed up and played the way they could we could compete with anyone in the league. There were definitely a couple teams that had the boys number as we were a young team and they were mostly all second years. Overall the team that I had from the first of the season would definitely not stand a chance playing against the team I had at the end of the year.
The kids that showed up to every practice / game and that worked hard to get better definitely excelled. When I started the season my goal was to show the kids systems to the game of hockey, which a lot of them were coming from U9 half ice. This is definitely something that I believe should be addressed. When the kids have to move up and go from half ice to full ice it's definitely a disadvantage right off the get go. What I would recommend is possibly the last month or so to get the second years moving up to try out for the U11 the following year to play some full ice games. This would help them with the simple things of the game; offsides, icings, faceoffs etc. This would keep them from being behind in tryouts and the first of the season. It took me a solid month and a half to get them used to playing their positions and being in the right positions on the ice.
We had a trip to Moncton and represented Sherwood in a professional and respectable manner. For the most part it was a lot of the kids' first time playing off island and it was a fun experience for them on and off the ice. The friendships that were made will last a lifetime which is what the game of hockey is all about.
Despite finishing last in the regular season the boys definitely were not a last place team. We had a lot of one goal games and games where it could have gone either way. That being said I would like to see more opportunities for goalies to get more work besides their team practices. Personally, I would reach out to Drew MacIntyre an ex professional or Paul Drew who is the Islanders goalie coach to see if they would do a clinic once a week or once every two weeks to show the kids a few things to improve their games. There are definitely things out there that we should be taking advantage of.
Thank you for the opportunity to coach and I hope to share my knowledge of the game of hockey to the kids for years to come.
U11AA: COACH BRAD LARTER
During our tryouts we had 56 kids register, we then went to 24, our final roster was 16. Our team was made up of 8 second years and 8 first years. Overall I think we had a positive year. The U11 AA team competed in 5 tournaments; Summerside, Buster Harvey (1 - 3), Early Bird (1 - 2), Spud (0 - 3), and our provincals (0-1-2).
Our regular season record was (2 - 25 - 3) our record was poor but I felt we completed in most of our games. Everyone was played equally and played in all situations. We kept things positive all year and I feel like our players had a good year of development.
We practiced Tuesday Morning @ Cody Banks and usually practice once more either in Morrell Sunday or Thursday evenings @ UPEI.
Mike McGuigan, Adam Bradley, Shannon MacDonald, Victor Steele were our assistant coaches.
Monique Steele was our manager and did a fantastic job!
U13 Directors Report
Sherwood-Parkdale Rural Minor Hockey Association
Submitted by Mike Gauthier
There was a silver lining for the U13s in our association this past year, four of them in fact.
Out of the five provincial championships for that age category, four of our clubs — Chris Silvaggio’s AAA; Wayne Roper’s AA; Chris Linzel-Waddell’s A (tier 1) and Denton Gorrill’s A (tier 2) — all came second in their respective championships.
Allan MacKinnon’s U13AA team ended up third in provincials.
The U13 AAAs lost in the semifinals in both the Buster Harvey Memorial in Fredericton, N.B. and in the Edd MacNeil Memorial in Summerside, but won the Edd’s coveted skills competition.
In their own tournament, the Spud, the AAAs lost in the quarter finals to the Moncton Beavers, which ended up winning the Atlantic championships in April.
Roper’s AA team came home with an off-Island tournament championship, winning the February Freeze in Saint John, N.B. with a 4-0-1 record.
There were roughly 60 players who signed up for U13 hockey in the Sherwood association this past year.
U15 Directors Report
This was my first season on the SPRMHA board as the U15 Director. We had 3 A teams and 1 AA team.
All teams had a great season on and off the ice and all teams had a number of players who got to AP with a higher team and experience practices and games throughout the season. There were no major issues that came up this season as all Sherwood teams represented the Falcons as expected.
Sherwood Team 1 Weatherbie made the semi-finals in the Summerside tournament and lost in the finals of the Dieppe & Tier 1 provincials. Coach Darren said it was a very successful season and the team had an amazing year.
Sherwood Team 2 Macpherson had a strong showing in the Riverview tournament and made the semi-finals in the Summerside tournament. With a young team it took a bit for the 1st year players to adjust to the size & speed of U15 but once they adjusted they really showed how good of a team they had. They placed 2nd overall in tier 2 and made it all the way to the semi-finals in provincials.
Sherwood Team 3 Gibbs had a great year with a young team, they played in the George Trainor, Pownal and SEDMA tournaments this year where they had strong showings.
Central Attack AA had a great season with strong performances in Dieppe and Summerside tournaments, they went 5-0 in the Montague Norsman capturing the banner. There was tons of team building/volunteer and fundraising done by this group. Coached by Mike Trainor and managed by Shawn Rodgerson they had the boys involved with many community events (Santas Angels and playing BINGO with the residents at Whisperwood Villa) and hosted a Pink night at BAC where they raised $1075.75 for cancer research. Finishing 5th overall on the season they had a very successful showing at provincials placing 2nd and coming home with a Silver Medal.
U18 Directors Report
U18AAA:
Of course, our season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but only one team can win. Going into the season, the coaching staff realized we had a group that hasn’t really played together a whole lot throughout minor hockey. We began focusing on team chemistry and reviewing the basics in practices.
We started the season very well and went to a tournament in Fredericton where we ended up being successful and winning the tournament. After that we went on a little bit of a losing streak especially in 2024 where we didn’t win a game until playoffs. We faced Mid Isle Matrix in a best of three series where we beat them two games to one as the underdogs. Having played our final two games of that series in three days, we started right away the next night against a tough and strong opponent Kings County Kings. We ended up playing four games in five days and battling injuries; we went down two games to zero in the second round of playoffs. We gave everything we had in the third game against Kings County, but with their strong and skilled team they came out on top beating us in the best of five series.
As far as issues go, we only had minor ones that were easily fixed with a conversation. We didn’t hear a whole lot from the parents group. I’m sure not everyone agreed with some of our decisions, but at the end of the day not everyone will. Overall, it was very smooth sailing.
Had a couple of parents reach out after the season to thank us for giving our time and effort to coaching their kids. They told us that their kids really enjoyed having us and that they learned a lot throughout the season. From simple defensive/offensive/neutral zone coverages to more complex and in depth situations that they haven’t been taught before. As a coach, at the end of the day that’s really our intentions is to teach the players so those were nice messages to receive.
Our six graduating players are:
Alex Coady / Jonathan Baglole / Easton Fitzpatrick / Ethan Clark / Juan Cifuentes / Kyler Barrett
In our last regular season home game, we hosted a little ceremony and awarded our graduating players with some hardware for their hardwork and dedication throughout their years with either Sherwood or Charlottetown minor hockey.
Thank you for everything this year Wade, it was a pleasure!
U18AA:
The Central Attack U18AA male team had a very successful 2023-2024 season, winning 3 out of 5 tournaments and finishing 1st place in their league. The coaching staff is happy to report that for a third straight year, they didn’t experience any issues with any players or parents through out the season.
The attack captured another off-island banner this year, winning the February freeze tournament in St. john NB for the 2nd year in a row. The team would follow that up with a very impressive performance in the Summerside tournament beating some of the best teams in the maritimes on their way to another banner. To top things off the attack finished the regular season undefeated with a 21-0-3 record, and would eventually go on to win the provincial championships for a 2nd year in a row.
The on-ice success that this team has experienced over the past season is nothing short of impressive. It is a true reflection of the dedication and respect these young men have for the game and one another. This team knows the importance of teamwork and coming together to work towards the same goal.
Although, it’s not all about on ice success when dealing with minor hockey. One of the best story lines from this season was the number of veteran players we had on the roster. 11 graduating players, who have grown up playing together throughout their minor hockey years. For the coach’s, having the privilege to coach a lot of these graduating players over the past 3 years and watch them mature into young men has been pretty special. As a team we were able to honour these 11 graduating with an on-ice ceremony at our final home game of the season. We individually presented each player with a plaque during the presentation.
This was the type of season that the coach’s, players, and parents will look back on with very fond memories.
Graduating players: Kaelib Callaghan, Desmond Cunniffe, Ethan Shaw, Sam Howatt, Jonah Bowie, Chase Bell, Ben Matte, Patrick McMonagle, Will Yeo, Lucas Mackenzie, Noah Carver.
SHERWOOD U18A TEAM 2
Coaches – Tim Connolly, Matt MacDonald, Shawn Geldert
Managers – Angela Rose, Kelli Matheson
Our 2023/2024 hockey season went very well from the Coaches perspective. We had a really great group of kids who were very excited for the season and were very willing to learn. We found that the kids really came together well from the very beginning and that everyone was included in dressing room chatter. This year we introduced a “Hardest Worker Belt”. The idea behind it was that after each game we would present the belt to the hardest working player, not passing it out to the player with the most points per game but the player with the most compete. After the coaches picked the first game’s hardest worker we had that player pick a team mate that they felt deserved the belt the next game and that continued throughout the year. The awarded player would keep the belt until our next game. The boys really seemed to enjoy it and it brought the group together.
Our Team goal this year was to compete as hard as we could during league play and try to qualify for the Provincial Championships, which we were able to accomplish in Tier 2. This setup our season schedule nicely as it worked out that along with our league play we were able to be entered into a tournament December (George Trainor), January (Shediac), February (Pownal) and then to finish off the year in March with the Provincials in Summerside. Unfortunately we didn’t make it deep into these tournaments but felt the Team competed and represented Sherwood Minor Hockey exceptionally well.
As mentioned above I really felt we had a great group of kids as well as great parents who were willing to assist when needed. We did have 7 graduating players this year and to acknowledge those players we arranged an exhibition game along with Sherwood 3 who also had a couple graduating players. Prior to the game we had a brief ceremony where we introduced each player and presented them with a Sherwood graduating player plague and a little gift, we also allowed time for parents to come onto the ice to take pictures with their child during the presentation. We then played 2 - 20 minute periods of hockey to finish the evening. I think it went really well and both teams again represented themselves very respectfully so made it a great night for the graduating players and their families. Here are the players from our team graduating from Sherwood Minor Hockey:
Carson Rose
Alex Connolly
Elijah Merrit
Colby Matheson
Brendan Cheverie
Nick MacNeill
Braedon McKenna
Overall we were really happy with our year and the coaches really enjoyed being part of this group.
U18A Team LEWIS;
This past season was one that involved a few hardships for this team. We lost our best player to the AA team and then within a week or so, one of our graduating players suffered a season ending injury. This left us light on numbers and talent.
After a rough first half the season, the team rallied in the second half to make the provincials in the teir 2 level. Provincials were rough and did not end the way the team wanted. As the coach I am looking forward to hopefully larger player numbers and less hassle doing team selections in 2025 – 26 season.
Over all a pretty good hockey season had by all.
Graduating players:
Cameron Dowling
Adien MacDonald.
Female Director
For the 2023-24 season, SPRMHA hosted five female teams at the following levels:
- 2 U11A Capital District teams;
- 1 U15A Capital District team;
- 1 U15AA Central Storm team; and
- 1 U18AA Central Storm team.
We continue to work together with Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) to host Capital District teams at the A level, with CMHA hosting the following female teams:
- 2 U9A Capital District teams;
- 2 U13A Capital District teams;
- 1 U15AAA Central Storm team; and
- 1 U18A Capital District team.
The SPRMHA-hosted teams had a number of notable on-ice successes, including:
- 1 Provincial Championship, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze in tournament play– U18AA;
- Provincial Silver Medalists: U11A Tier 1; U15AA; and
- Provincial Bronze Medalists: U11A Tier 2.
Team Feedback Summary
We sought and received feedback from all of our hosted teams. A summary can be found below:
- Positive experiences with team bonding;
- Positive AP experiences for the team and the affiliated players;
- Skill development; and
- Good support from the association.
- Scheduling from HPEI which left some leagues with games that they had to schedule on their own;
- Challenges with roster sizes and commitment at some levels;
- Team selection process at the A level;
- Gaps between conditioning times and regular ice times for A level players;
- HPEI not tiering at some age divisions is a challenge – we had great experiences in the divisions that did tier, with teams playing more like-skilled teams for the latter half of the season;
- Challenges with female competitive teams and lack of notice or communication from HPEI for changes, which leads to season planning challenges for coaches; and
- Late notice, mentioned above, results in inability to get registered and book hotels for off-Island tournaments.
Administration Feedback
Some of the administrative challenges identified during the season were:
- Lack of volunteers – Female Director vacancies at both SPRMHA and CMHA meant that only two volunteers were trying to manage the 11 teams between two different associations, as well as the Central Storm committee;
- Balancing player numbers to ensure we had appropriate roster sizes – we had an oversized roster at U18A and small roster at U15A;
- Identifying coaches at the higher age divisions, particularly U15A and U18A;
- Commitment levels at the U18A level (CMHA team);
- Late communication on competitive female teams from the HPEI Female Council, forcing the zone to host extra teams this season, resulting in a scramble to identify host associations and ice; and
- Balancing team selections at the A level while trying to accommodate player requests.
On the positive side, we had excellent support from the SPRMHA association and board, including ice and official scheduling, registration support and executive involvement in communicating female hockey concerns directly with HPEI in support of our teams.
With the development of new and improved procedures already in process, we will seek to address the challenges identified going forward. Some of the work already underway, includes:
- Looking at improved team division policies;
- Potentially merging CMHA and SPRMHA to ease administrative burdens and make better use of volunteer time;
- Booking hotel blocks for major female tournaments under the “Capital District” or “Central Storm” name;
- Encouraging more females to partake in the coach mentorship program to develop our next group of female leaders;
- Ongoing communication with HPEI about more effective and timely administration of the female competitive leagues; and
- Trying to address the challenges with conditioning and regular ice time gaps for both Female and Co-Ed non-competitive teams.
Referee in Chief
I would like to thank all of our officials for their continued commitment, and hard
work on the ice this season. It has been a very successful year with no major
incidents to report.
A special thank you to our tournament host committees of the Early Bird and
George Trainor Holiday Classic. Both tournaments were exceptionally well-run
and provided lots of fun for all participants and spectators. Additionally, SPRMHA
referees officiated games in the SPUD, Sweet Heart, and Pownal tournaments this
season.
At the beginning of this season HPEI approved the four official system for the
U18AAF division, and then U18A co-ed division after some suspension concerns
early in the year. I have always been a proponent of the 4 officials system and the
feedback I’ve received from coaches, parents, and officials in these leagues has
been very positive.
I would like to thank the great managers and coaches who diligently maintain their
team schedules on Goaline, enabling officials to be assigned to our home games. I
would also like to thank the Morell and Three Rivers officials for their assistance
covering our home games in Morell.
The collaboration between Sherwood and Charlottetown Minor Hockey officiating
programs remains strong, with most officials working games within both
associations. I would like to thank all the CMHA officials who took on SPRMHA
assignments this season, and their RIC, Curtis Hall.
Our officials were proud to participate in two Provincial Championships this year,
hosting the U18AA and co-hosting the U13AA with CMHA. Congratulations to
those teams on their successful campaigns.
This season our total registered official numbers remained at 28. Though this
number is low compared to past seasons, increased sharing of officials between us
and CMHA allows us to continuously fill all assignments.
Season Level One’s Level Two’s Level Three’s Total Officials
2016/17 15 (12 first year) 11 11 37
2017/18 17 (8 first year) 8 19 44
2018/19 13 (4 first year) 9 17 39
2019/20 8 (7 first year) 9 15 32
2020/21 16 (11 first year) 4 20 40
2021/22 9 (1 first year) 6 18 33
2022/23 11 (6 first year) 5 12 28
2023/24 12 (9 first year) 5 12 28
I would like to thank Craig Jones for his dedication serving as SPRMHA President.
I would also like to thank the entire board for their continued support of the
officiating program, and I look forward to seeing what the next few years will