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The following are answers to
some of the more common questions we receive on a
regular basis ......
(Click on Question to
view answer)
Does the Meadowvale
Minor Hockey Association have a summer hockey program ?
Meadowvale Minor Hockey
Association does not run a summer program, but
registration forms for MOHA Summer Hockey can be picked
up in just about any arena in Mississauga.
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When can I
register my child to play hockey in the upcoming season
?
Registration for returning
players usually takes place sometime in June of each
year, ending by July 1. After this process is
complete we have "Open registration" for any new players
wanting to play with the Meadowvale Minor Hockey
Association. This part of the registration remains
open until all available positions are filled.
Registration is done online,
click here for details
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This fee is levied
by the MHL, not Meadowvale, and is MHL's primary
source of revenue. This gate fee is charged by
the MHL to cover the costs directly related to your
games. These monies are used mainly to
pay the City for game ice, and for referees,
timekeepers, ticket takers, insurance and
administration. (Your practice ice is paid for by your
registration fees.) This admission fee is charged
to all parents AND players, though children under 12
(excluding the players) and Seniors are free.
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Each year we submit
approximately 100 team entries to the MHL, 12 of
which are Ice Puppys. (Pre-Novice.) Of the other
88, 8 or 9 are Mohawk (ie: "A") teams and the rest
are "House League". Our annual total team entry is
limited by our annual allotment of practice ice,
which comes from the City of Mississauga.
Team entries are sent into the MHL based upon where
our teams finished the year before and how we
anticipate they’ll do the next year, taking into
account player movement into and out of Meadowvale.
We generally submit one Red team at each age level,
one White team, and then we set-up Blue and Green
teams accordingly. During the team submission and
convening process we’ll talk to last year’s Coaches,
this year’s Coaches, and the other members of the
MHL Convening Committee (made up of reps from each
Area Association) and move teams as applicable. Our
ultimate objective is to ensure that your son or
daughter is playing at a skill level best suited to
his or her level of development.
Convening: Contrary to popular belief, the
skill levels are not determined by the coaches or parents or players.
This is determined by the Hockey Operations group at Meadowvale. The
methodology is based on last year’s regular season results, potential
player movement and the competition level of the division. Our goal to
have each team be competitive when they hit the ice. A 50/50 shot at
winning is ideal. A team that wins with ease is no longer developing and
a team losing every game loses confidence. We look at the division as a
whole. Is every team at the top of the standings, are there teams in the
middle, etc. As an Association we will not field a team just to lose
every game for future development. Other associations have, and continue
to, field teams at a higher than appropriate skill level. We feel that
playing at a higher level does not accelerate the learning curve but can
do the opposite and discourage the players from continuing to enjoy the
game. Instead we would rather see a player have a competitive season, be
challenged, have fun and will be ready to make the next step to the
higher level when the opportunity arises.
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How do
I become involved (as a Coach, Assistant Coach,
Director, etc.) ?
Send us an email at
president@meadowvalehockey.com, or speak to someone
in the arena (ie: a Coach, one of the ticket
sellers, the Rink Duty volunteer, etc.) We'll put
you in touch with the appropriate Board Member and
get you signed up. We're ALWAYS looking for
dedicated volunteers and are prepared to help train
you as applicable.
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How
does Meadowvale Minor Hockey relate to the MHL?
The
Meadowvale Minor Hockey Association (MMHA) is one of
eight separate Associations operating within the
Mississauga Hockey League (MHL). The others are
Applewood, Clarkson, Cooksville, Erindale, Lorne
Park, Credit Valley & Port Credit. The MHL is our
"governing" body, looking after referees, game ice,
game scheduling, insurance, etc. The MHL, in turn,
report to the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL).
MMHA works with the other Associations and the MHL
to try to provide a safe and fun hockey program for
your young athlete.
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How
does Meadowvale spend my registration money?
Download Graphic Chart
of Meadowvale Costs
35 kb
If you do not have the Adobe Reader
you may download it for Free
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Games scheduling,
other than in our Ice Puppy program, is handled
by the MHL, not Meadowvale. At the beginning of
the season the schedule is posted only one week
at a time in order to accomodate the convening
process. (See "What is convening?" elsewhere in
this section.) The various Level
Convening Committees meet each week and
establish what teams they need to watch the
following week. Once convening is finished (the
first Sunday of November) the MHL's goal is to
post a 6-week schedule.
Why only 6 weeks?
This is to allow House League teams,
particularly the younger teams that normally
only play on Saturday, the opportunity to enter
out-of-town tournaments. The MHL requires
6-week's advance notification to allow them to
schedule a team "out" per that teams' tournament
request.
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As with
other scheduling questions, please be
advised that Meadowvale doesn't handle the
game schedule... the MHL does. This question
has been raised to the MHL (by ourselves and
the other Area Associations) many times and
the answer is always the same...
"availability of ice". The ice contracts
which MHL (& Meadowvale) have with the City
of Mississauga run October through March.
Thus, there is considerable emphasis placed
upon getting playoffs wrapped-up prior to
the end of March. Given the growth of the
MHL over the years, this has become
increasingly difficult. If MHL were to not
schedule games during March break, they
would have to either extend the season into
April (which they don't want to do) or
shorten the season by a week's worth of
games, which I don't think most people would
want. This is an issue that has been
brought to MHL's (& the City's) attention
many, many times. Until the City builds
some more arenas, we're faced with the
existing situation.
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If I try-out for "A", and make one of your Mohawk
teams, do I still have to register through the
computer? If I don't make the Mohawks, can I still
register for House League?
The "A" tryouts for
Meadowvale (and all the other MHL associations) will
take place from Apr 29 through May 6. Any players
making the various teams will be
registered immediately thereafter. Any players NOT
successful during "A" tryouts will be eligible for
registration (or pre-registration, if returnees to
Meadowvale) as of July 1.
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I’ve heard that another skill level has been added at the Minor Novice & Novice levels.
What is this level?
A “Gold” level
has been added, which will be above Red.
This level is not “A”, but will have tryouts, to
take place at the same time as the regular (ie: Minor Atom and up)
tryouts. Gold teams will play once
per week and practice once per week but will be exempt
from the convening process.
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I believe my child was evaluated
and placed at the wrong skill level. What can I
do?
If you feel that you were
evaluated at the wrong skill level then you MUST continue to play with
the team assigned. A player that does not play can not be reevaluated.
Get out on the ice and play at the top level you are capable of playing
so the conveners can see you. Evaluation mistakes are possible. It is
virtually impossible to get 100 % of all House Players placed at the
proper level right away. Each game during the first six weeks of
convening is monitored by the MHL, Area Reps and conveners representing
all 8 Associations. The eight Area Associations, and Meadowvale in
particular, do not want to see any player(s) lighting up the score
board, stopping every shot on net, or not allowing any goals against.
To high-light any error that you
feel has occurred; please complete a “Competition Investigation” on-line
form available on the web site (http://www.meadowvalehockey.com/contactus.htm). We can not guarantee that the end
results will meet your expectation but we will ensure that the concern
is addressed.
The main purpose of convening is
to have another set of eyes look at the competition levels of the games
in each level, to help eliminate unintentional bias and oversights.
Parents focus on their player(s), coaches see their team, and
Association’s concentrate on their teams. That is why there are other
Area Convening Reps and MHL Division Reps present during this time
period out monitoring the games. Like a third party insurance verifying
that the majority of the associations are in favour of the teams/players
are entered at the correct skill level.
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When
are the games scheduled to be played?
The games are scheduled by the
MHL. They can not schedule games Sunday afternoon one week and then
Saturday the next. The ice times they receive are in blocks using the
same ice sheets in the contract each week. If they do not have a block
of ice Sunday afternoon in their contract then they can not schedule
games. Nor do the ice times change each week. The ice time blocks are
static time and place throughout the season. Games are scheduled for
House League starting the week on Saturday mornings usually with the
younger age groups. As the players get older then the games move later
in the day. Then in the senior divisions games are Sunday nights and
throughout the week to allow players to work. At the younger age groups
you will be scheduled games during these times if it is an odd number
team loop or to make up missed games. The ice times for the MHL are
separate contracts than the practice ice times for each association and
are not interchangeable. At no time does the MHL consider our practice
schedule in conjunction with game schedules, they are entirely separate.
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How is practice
ice divvied up?
Every house league team receives
the same amount of practice ice time from Meadowvale. The Red team(s)
gets the same amount of ice time as Green team(s). In other leagues you
will notice that the Select (Red in Mississauga) will have separate
practices and then the remaining of the House League teams will have a
group practice together. Each player/parent pays the same and therefore
receives the same quantity of ice time. Therefore the other House League
teams do not support the upper tiers. Practice time lost to game
conflicts is compensated by the Ice Allocation director. Any team that
has a conflict is then given the first available time in which another
team has a conflict or is not able to use. During a game each player is to
receive “Equitable Ice Time”. This is not equal ice time since we do not
run the house league program on a buzzer system. Players learn to change
on the fly to allowing the flow of the game to continue. The actual
amount of ice time will vary game to game depending on the amount of
players on the bench, number of penalties during the game and when
whistles occur. Some times a player may miss a shift due to the timing
of penalties in order to get the line rotations back in order. No player
should ever play a complete period or sit on the bench for a complete
period. This is a Meadowvale policy and all coaches agree to this policy
before they can be a Head Coach at Meadowvale.
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