Return to play information
Hello everyone, the Georgina Minor Hockey Association Executive has been working diligently during these unprecedented times to come up with a “Return to Play Information” for our membership. We are preparing for a return to hockey this fall as we take guidance from the Provincial Government, The Town of Georgina, York Region Public Health, Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA). We hope that this will provide answers to many of the questions that we have been receiving with regards to programming for the upcoming season.
Please note this information is subject to change at any time as the COVID situation evolves and changes.
Based on the information and direction that we have received from the OHF and the OMHA, Georgina Minor Hockey Association will resume play the week of September 14th, 2020 starting with a two (2) week development period and then moving into a 3 on 3 format for all players. There will be two divisions, a House League Division and Rep Division with a maximum of 9 skaters and 1 designated goalie per team. If the registration numbers are low in certain divisions the House league and Rep players may need to be combined. Teams will be provided 2 hours of ice per week on various days of the week. How that is to be broken down (either 1 game and 1 practice per week or 2 games per week) is still being worked out based on ice availability.
THERE WILL BE NO BODYCHECKING ALLOWED AT ANY DIVISION.
Players will be placed in divisions (House League or Rep) based on where they were rostered during the 2019/2020 season. There will be no movement up or down, if you played on a rep team during the 2019/2020 season you will play in the rep division, you cannot move down to a house league division.
Registration
Registration is currently open and is available online through Hockey Canada, the link can be found on the GMHA website (www.georginahockey.com). Registration fees have not been set as we are still working out the details of ice availability with the Town of Georgina. Therefore at this time registration is still at zero $0. We are encouraging everyone to register if you haven’t done so already so we can have an idea of what numbers look like so we can build a program. Registration amount and the length of the season will be released in the coming week as we get our ice times finalized with the town.
Non Resident Players (NRP’s)
Any player that belongs to the GMHA, that played for another association (i.e. Newmarket AA, Aurora AA, Richmond Hill AA etc) during the 2019/2020 season as an NRP, has the option of returning to play with that association where they played as an NRP for the 2019/2020 season or can return home to Georgina. The one stipulation with this rule is that if the centre that you are trying to return to as an NRP does not want to accept NRP’s then you MUST return to Georgina in order to play hockey. THERE WILL BE NO NEW NRP CARDS HANDED OUT TO ANYONE AT THIS TIME
AAA Players
Any player that belongs to the GMHA that played AAA last season for any AAA team during the 2019/2020 season has the option of returning to play with that AAA team that they were rostered with during the 2019/2020 season or, returning home to Georgina. Any player on AAA minor release who chooses not to return to their AAA team where they were rostered for the 2019/2020 season and chooses to go to their home centre will not lose their last year of eligibility. THERE WILL NOT BE ANY PERMISSION TO SKATE FORMS HANDED OUT AT THIS TIME. YOU MUST HAVE PLAYED AAA DURING THE 2019/2020 SEASON IN ORDER TO PLAY AAA THIS SEASON.
***If you have registered for the GMHA and have secured a spot with your previous team as an NRP or are returning to AAA, please advise us immediately so we can remove you from the registration list. *****
Player Movement
Players are not permitted to move to other associations unless you have physically moved (change of residence to outside of Georgina) and then you would no longer belong to the GMHA. Players can also only play with one association, there will be no sharing of players or affiliated players (AP’s) to any other team for the 2020/2021 season.
Pathway Programs
At this time under the direction of Hockey Canada, the OMHA and the OHF, the Novice and below program as well as the Atom Pathway programs are still in effect for the 2020/2021 season and the rules and guidelines of these programs still must be followed.
As more information becomes available it will be shared with the membership on our website, Facebook, and Instagram pages
Thanks
Sean Whittaker
Georgina Minor Hockey Association – President