Dear Parents and Players,
I'd like to congratulate each of you for making it through the first round of releases and advancing to the next stage of our tryout process. Your dedication and commitment to the game have been evident throughout, and I am excited to continue this journey with such a talented group of girls.
Our next challenge awaits us as we gear up for the Waterloo Ravens at 9am on Saturday at the Waterloo Rec Center. To ensure we're ready to hit the ice, please aim to arrive by 8am to allow time for warm-ups and jersey assignments.
As we move forward, I want to be transparent about the commitment required for the upcoming season. While I haven't finalized the roster numbers yet, I want to emphasize the importance of understanding the time and financial commitments involved.
From a time perspective, I am aiming for 4 ice times per week, along with monthly 4 day sessions focusing on specific skills and systems. Attendance to these sessions should ideally be 85%-100% commitment to ensure each player's development and team cohesion. Additionally, there will be weekly semi-private off-ice skills development sessions, dryland training, and virtual puck control sessions that will all be optional. We'll also participate in four tournaments throughout the season, which usually occupy the entire weekend.
Financially, there will be registration (~$600) and rep fees (~$400) to the organization, as well as additional team ($600-$800) fees to cover extra ice, tournaments, development, team events, and team swag. We will do fundraising to help offset some of the team costs, and I'll provide detailed budget information at the parent meeting (date TBD: will likely coordinate with team signing event) once the team is formed. I'll also be selecting selecting the Team & Coaching staff once the team is formed.
Lastly, I want to address questions regarding ice time. As our season goal is to win Provincials and being a Tier 1 team, ice time may not be spread equally. "Shortening the Bench" during last 5 minutes of games that matter, power plays and penalty kills will occur, but the players who will be on the ice are not set in stone and can change throughout the season based on player development and performance. Having competition within the team creates a healthy dynamic and encourages them to push harder at practices and in games.
Thank you all for your dedication and understanding. I believe that with a united commitment and shared goals, we can achieve great success together. I look forward to our journey ahead and the memories we'll create along the way.
Best regards,
Coach Phill