Good Evening U15 Families,
Just wanted to touch base regarding the U15 house team for the upcoming season. I appreciate your patience while waiting for the U15 Sting team to be finalized.
Unfortunately, we ended up with 18 skaters. As I mentioned in my email on August 3, 2023, if not enough of our SHC kids make the Sting team that will put us over the 17 skater limit for the allowable house league, per game, roster size. However, I have two possible options that would allow us to finalize the team and get moving on the upcoming season and not have to conduct a tryout.
Option #1
There is 1 spot available on the U18 Team 2 for this season. This is also a contact team who will start the season in Tier 3 of the EFHL. If there is a player/family that may be interested in bumping up for the season that would be great. It may be a fun and exciting challenge for a player to take on.
Option #2
I can also make application to Hockey Alberta to have an oversize team for the season. This isn't ideal because of the 17 skater limit that can only be on a game roster for each game played. If we were to go this route, the coach would have to sit a player for each and every game this season including any league, exhibition or tournament games. Not much fun for the kids and parents when they are in the stands but it is an option.
I would ask that parents have a discussion with their child tonight and get back to Vic by noon tomorrow with answers to both options please. Either you are willing to go to U18 for the season or not and if you're in favour of an overlimit team for the year.
If we don't hear from you by noon tomorrow, and we get nobody wanting to bump up to U18, we will make the decision based on the majority of who we hear from regarding Option 2.
If we don't have enough parents who like Option #2, we will conduct tryout's with a team of in house evaluators (Bar Down Education is unavailable) in the coming days and the team will be selected this way. Unfortunately, the player that doesn't make the team will be released from the association for the 23/24 season. At that time, it will be the responsibility of that family to find another team to play on. I can advise, as of today, there may be spots available at CNN Spurs, CR Knights and Barrhead Bruins. I appreciate this isn't ideal by any means but this is the reality of the situation.
With having 3 goalies for two spots that won't work either. I will be in contact with the goalie families over the next day or so to explain to them what I hope to do for the season.
Take care,
Gene Connors President
780-566-1164