Hello Humber Valley players, parents and guardians,
We hope that everyone is settling back into school and enjoying the final days of summer. We are inching our way toward the kick-off to the 2021-22 hockey season at Humber Valley and are incredibly excited to see everyone back out at the rink in a few short weeks.
Registration Update
We are in the final stretch and busy finalizing plans for the start of the season. If you haven’t already registered and intend to do so, now is the time. Our numbers are very strong and we anticipate moving to a waitlist shortly in many divisions. To register, follow the instructions here.
House League Schedule
Our team is in the process of finalizing our ice allocation with the City of Toronto. Once this process is complete, we will begin setting final schedules for all age groups. You can expect to hear from your coach or division convenor by the end of September. The season is expected to kick off in early to mid-October and is scheduled to run through to the end of March. Should there be any delays or postponements due to Covid-19 all fees will be prorated based on the number of sessions received.
NEW! Competitive Development Program for Players Under 9
I am thrilled to be announcing the launch of our Competitive Development Program (CDP). The aim of the program is to provide a better way for all young hockey players to play more hockey and develop their skills while building confidence; at the same time be cost effective and more convenient for west-end parents. All Humber Valley junior house league players of all skill levels are eligible to participate on a Humber Valley Sharks CDP team (excludes players in U5/born in 2017 who will automatically be placed in our house league/learn to play division). Humber Valley will field multiple teams in each age group, and teams will be tiered based on the players stage of development. CDP teams will play against other west Toronto CDP teams and enter tournaments.
The launch of this program changes to the structure of our Junior House League division. Starting this year, parents and guardians will be required to choose the stream of play they would like their player(s) participating in. The options include:
- Option 1: House League – players play once a week with additional/optional outdoor ice when weather permitted
- Option 2: Competitive Development Program (CDP) – players play 2 to 3 times per week, with additional/optional outdoor ice when weather permittedI want to extend a big thank you to our incredible volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring this new program to Humber Valley.
Sharks A & AA Tryouts for Players 9 and Older
The A & AA tryout schedule for players in U10 and older is now available on our website. View schedule here. AA tryouts begin on September 18th and A tryouts begin a week later on September 24th. Team contacts have also been posted to our website. Good luck to all who are going out!
Call for Volunteers
Humber Valley is a 100% volunteer run organization. If you are interested in a volunteer role, whether it be a coaching position, events, fundraising, web/social media or others, we are always looking for passionate and committed members to help us deliver top notch programs, fun and development to all players who throw on a Humber Valley jersey. If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to info@humbervalleyhockey.com with your areas of interest. Please note that we also welcome interest from high school, college and university students who require community hours.
Covid-19 Safety Protocols
We continue to work with our governing body the GTHL on protocols for Covid-19. We will adhere to all requirements included required vaccinations for all coaches and volunteers as well as players born in 2009 and older. Facility protocols including the number of kids allowed on the ice at any one time, are still being finalized. We expect to provide an update on these requirements within the next 2 weeks.
Annual General Meeting – Invitation to Attend
Our Annual General Meeting will be held virtually from 7:30-8:30 on September 22nd. All members are invited to attend but pre-registration is required. We will provide a review of last season which given the circumstances will be brief, and will also provide updates on the upcoming season. You can register to attend here. A link to attend as well as meeting materials will be sent to you before the meeting.
Although it has been challenging navigating the situation over the last year and a half, I am so grateful for the support of this incredible community. Soon our players will be back on the ice and enjoying the great game of hockey once again. It was a long time coming and we will do everything we can to make sure that this year is every player’s best season yet!
Sincerely,
Steve Allmen
President, Humber Valley Hockey Association
sallmen@humbervalleyhockey.com