From Pat O'Connor, Registration Coordinator

Many, many thanks to all of you that registered for the hockey season! You are a great group of people to work with! Thanks again!

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Girls Program news from Chris Tahti, Girls Coordinator

I had a meeting on June 3rd with the U14 parents to discuss options for their daughters and answer questions.  As the summer progresses, we will have further discussions, but right now, the 6 girls in question are trying to sort through their options for the coming season.  The Youth hockey option for them is to participate in the District-wide tryouts for U14; it

appears as if a total of 3 teams will be formed by combining all the girls from all the associations into one massive pool and dividing them up via tryouts.  It is unlikely that IYHA would be allowed to 'host' one of these teams, so if families choose this option, they will have to travel to another association for their base of operations.

At U14, it looks as if the metro will be divided into two leagues, so for games, no matter where we play, travel is involved.  It has not been determined yet if it will be a north/south split or an east/west split.

This leaves one last item - pay attention to what is happening at the upper level of Girls youth hockey.  Realistically, with the new age categories, U14 is an option for a youth hockey player for one year only.  The second year of U14, in most cases ninth grade, the player will likely move to the high school program.  Unless MAHA sees U8, U11, and U14 as a better solution as it relates to numbers, and creating a two year opportunity for U14's prior to high school, this problem will be around awhile.

Knowing this, we have two solutions to this ongoing problem:

1)  We have to move approximately 13 athletes into U14 at the same time - and I mean 13 age-appropriate U14's.  Subjecting physically immature athletes to this rigorous program is an irresponsible solution and it subjects them to potential injury.  13 athletes to U14?! This can only be accomplished by a very aggressive recruitment campaign - leaving it to others to bring girls into the program is a way to insure this problem will perpetuate itself for years to come. E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e must recruit players.

2)  We have to invest in the future.  At some point, we need a group to agree to the co-op tryout system of TC District at U14.  Yes, that keeps the athletes in youth hockey for an uncomfortable year somewhere else, but they are playing nonetheless.  The second year, that same group of athletes would all have to commit to not playing high school in ninth grade and coupled with the incoming U14's, we would have our first IYHA U14 team that would not have to co-op.  Because, once we lose a first year U14 to high school, they will not come back to youth hockey for the second year of U14.  Which group of girls will be the first to break this cycle, by making a group commitment and a sacrifice of sorts, for the long-term benefit of IYHA?

Option One is the more realistic solution and where we all should invest some energy immediately for the future.

U12:  As long as the numbers do not change and all girls return and participate in the girls program, we have a roster and should not need to co-op.  If we are in need of a skater or two, it is likely we will be able to bring in a skater or two from another TC association.

U10:  Looks like we will be replacing the girls who aged up with girls from IP so another year with two teams at this level if the numbers remain where expected.

I commend the U14 parents for attending our initial meeting, as well as the phone calls and the emails that came before and have happened since.  Your commitment to your children is obvious and I look forward to working with you all as you make your decisions.

Chris Tahti

Girls Coordinator

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Sponsorships:

There have been several teams that have sponsors for their teams. These are listed below. This part of the newsletter will continue throughout the rest of the IYHA season. Please notify Niki Gjere of any additions or corrections. (Please forward information about websites and addresses, etc.) Many thanks to our sponsors!

Pee Wee B Team:

**John Bailey-our goalie Beau's Dad**

**Victor Kretsch, Quality Post Service (Zach Ewing's Grandpa)**

Ponies:

**Mike Bridgeman**

Girls 10U Maroon Team:

**Champp's New Brighton**

**Real Estate Appraisers (the Slipka's)**

**Fuji-Ya Restaurant (the Hanson's**)

Girls 10U Gold Team:

**Champp's New Brighton**

**Real Estate Appraisers (the Slipka's)**

Initiation

**Razor's Edge, New Brighton**

IYHA:

**New Brighton Sportsmen's Club**

**Lake Region Hockey Association**

Once again, many, many thanks to our sponsors!

Please support them! When you see them, please tell them you are from Irondale Youth Hockey!

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Irondale Youth Hockey Association Board Meeting Minutes: note: These have not been approved by the IYHA Board of Directors. They will be reviewed, amended, and approved at the next meeting.

IYHA Board of Directors (Extra) meeting

September 9, 2004

7:00 p.m.

Present: Brad DeKanick, Niki Gjere, Jeanne Falconer, Chris Tahti, Pat O'Connor, Randy Bortot, Tom Welty, Dan Marcouiller.

Absent: Brian Johnson, Becky Ewing.

Guests: Cheryl Mason, Jerry Batcha, John Eide, John Donovan.

Meeting called to order by President Brad DeKanick at 6:40 p.m. at the Mounds View City Hall Conference Room C.

Agenda reviewed-there is a quorum at this meeting and we can vote on agenda items. Minutes for July 21, 2004 and August 18, 2004 reviewed, motion to approve (CT) (TW), motion carried.

Need clarification about Lake Region Hockey Association Willard fund application process. Specifically the screening program-who will do that? There will be an application process for the Willard Fund.

Items for agenda:

1. Initiation Coordinator: Motion for Cheryl Mason to be voted in as the Initiation Coordinator (JF) (TW). Discussion. She will be using the team approach with husband, Bruce and others that have volunteered to help. Motion carried.

2. ACE Coordinator Resolution:  Resolution revised based on feedback from members from last Board meeting. Added a bullet point that states "Other duties as assigned by Board." Also added "The appointment shall be a 3 year, with annual review in March of each year." The three-year appointment is effective from the time of the vote on the resolution forward. Discussion about outcome measures for effectiveness of the person. The H.E.P. program through Minnesota Hockey will be helpful in some aspects with outcome measures. Chris Tahti expects his coaches from his program to follow through with the ACE Coordinator program. Motion to adopt the resolution with the revisions presented, and include monthly newsletter submission, and that it is not a voting member of the board. Discussion. (CT) (DM). Motion amended to exclude the monthly newsletter requirement. (CT) (DM). Discussion. Motion carried as amended.

3. ACE Coordinator: John Donovan is our ACE Coordinator. Discussion about salary and hourly options for reimbursement. Discussion includes the need for an annual review of the process, the need for a listing of the hours that the HEP program requires,

4. ACE Coordinator Reimbursement: Motion for a salary position for the amount of $10,000.00 payable the last day of each month September through February in equal installments with the hours log to be presented to the Program Coordinators (Boys, Girls, and Initiation) on a monthly basis (CT) (TW), Discussion. Motion carried.

5. Bantam teams: Dan is not going to bring forward a motion for the Edison A Bantams to try out for Irondale Youth Hockey Association. Background-Edison is not going to field an A team, there was a question that there may be A players that might be interested in trying out for our A Bantam team. Dan does not want to bring that motion forward. We are waiting for more Irondale / St. Anthony players to register. We currently have 21 skaters at the Bantam level.

Brad will email out the dates for Twin Cities District required meetings. Will inquire about interest for Junior Gold players.

Motion to adjourn the meeting (NG) (CT), motion carried.

Next meeting is scheduled for September 22, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mounds View City Hall Conference Room C. For the October meeting will need to be rescheduled because it falls on the MEA weekend.

IYHA Board of Directors meeting

September 22, 2004

7:00 p.m.

Present: Brad DeKanick, Brian Johnson, Jeanne Falconer, Niki Gjere, Pat O'Connor, Tom Welty, Cheryl Mason, Chris Tahti, Dan Marcouiller, Randy Bortot, Becky Ewing.

Absent: All were present.

Guests: John Donovan, John Dalnes.

Meeting called to order by President Brad DeKanick at 7:00 p.m. at the Mounds View City Hall Conference Room C.

Agenda reviewed. Minutes for September 9, 2004 (extra meeting) reviewed, motion to approve (TW) (CT), motion carried.

Old Business:

1. HEP Program: Brad DeKanick. Several Board Members going to participate in various parts of the program. Once we understand the program will be able to discuss and incorporate. Tom reports the "fair play point" that will be part of the program-including the Bantams, PeeWees, U14 and U12. Not sure who is going to keep track of this. Will be part of the standings. There has been a request to also keep track of the Squirts and U10; however there is no process yet to keep track of this. There is discussion about how the point will be given.

2. Registration Update: Pat O'Connor. Numbers have been sent out to Board members. So far the numbers look good. At approximately 267 players. Last year we had about 280, and more are coming in. So we should be fairly equal. The flyers that went to the schools were very effective. Great work, everybody!

New Business-Board Roundtable:

1. President: Brad DeKanick. Received a call from somebody about hockey photographs-referred to Brian. Has not signed many waivers.

2. Vice President: Brian Johnson. Brian is working with Jeanne about the tournament-transitioning. We need ads, trade show, silent auction, and brackets for volunteers. Will be having a manager meeting, will communicate those dates to the Coordinators. The apparel person wants to be there. SKATE program will also be there (Tom will do this so far unless volunteer steps forward). Will put article in newsletter.

3. Treasurer: Jeanne Falconer. No report at present. Checks have been written for the tournaments. Refunded some monies for the warm-ups. Will pro-rate refunds for skaters that have already been on the ice, awaiting information from Twin Cities. Received 2 checks from Lake Region (August and September) $5000.00 each. There are two Lake Region Board

4. Secretary: Niki Gjere. Deadline for Newsletter is October 1st. Will be sending out on the weekend because going to Laurentian the first week of October. Really helpful to have information for newsletter-many good comments.

5. Registration Coordinator: Pat O'Connor. For newsletter: Thanks to all of the parents that came to register their skaters for hockey! Need to have waivers and hockey forms for coaches turned in. Need CEP cards. Go to www.minnesotahockey.org for classes for the coaches to receive their CEP cards. Dan reports that all of the coaches for warm-ups on the ice (Boy's program) have their paperwork set. Pat said next year will include request for coaching interest on the registration form.

6. Twin Cities District: Tom Welty. Still looking for a new President and a new Mite Coordinator. This is a good volunteer opportunity. There is a girls' scheduling meeting set. The chief coach for Twin Cities is running clinics for coaches-Coordinators will be forwarding to their coaches. Checking / body contact and goalie. Free! Mite scheduling meeting is sometime during the third week of November. TC Board is discussing raising referee rates-want to keep the fees in line with District 2-the action was tabled until next meeting. Also putting 3 CEP classes together. Reminder that 10U and 12U requirements are above and beyond what Minnesota Hockey requires-for 10U need Level 2, for 12U need Level 3.

7. Initiation Coordinator: Cheryl Mason. 97 kids registered for Initiation. Coaches set up for Mite 2 and Pony levels. John said the meetings went well-discussed basics of hockey depending on their level of play. Cheryl sent out an email about the purpose of the Initiation program-that is an in-house development program. Tom heard good feedback from parents.

8. Girls Coordinator: Chris Tahti. Will go over the numbers with John, Tom, Brad, Pat to verify some of the player's registrations. U10 and 12 warm up and try-out schedules are out. This Saturday, will have a "Let's try hockey." U14 will do their tryouts next week, however several will be going to High School. For 12U there are 14 registered.

9. Boys Coordinator: Dan Marcouiller. Warm-ups are going on right now. There are 50 hours which are unallocated, Jeff Martin may do more clinics. For tryouts / evaluations: will meet after the tryouts and notification will occur on Wednesday, October 20th. Discussion about evaluators being outside the Association, rather than the criteria being strictly "not having kids in the Boys program." Will work on having outside evaluators if possible.

10. Equipment Manager: Randy Bortot. Pucks are done-for a total of $131.00-way under budget! Jerseys for Initiation, Socks for everybody, will be here next week at Letterman's.

11. Lake Region: Randy Bortot. Clarification about two meetings ago. It is a total of $400 per child with no family maximum. There is no "one time" requirement-the point is that it is meant to be an emergency fund. Not an expectation each year-please apply, though not entitled to funds every year. Mounds View has this on their web site-they need to correct it.

12. Ice Commissioner: Becky Ewing. Jeff Martin (Irondale High School Coach) is interested in doing more clinics; he needs to get back to Dan or Becky. He has 13 hours for Clinic from the 4th through the 8th. Will try to sell some ice back (Phalen on Friday nights). Has scheduled practices through the end of the month. No ice at the same level right after evaluations / try-outs. There is shared ice, though not at the same level. Ice at Ramsey County: $135. Fogarty is $135. Ice at Super Rink-paying $155 per hour. All Boys teams have been placed in tournaments (still working on 3 more tournaments).

Additional Business: John Dalnes asks questions about the costs for warm-ups on coaches. The coach is getting paid $75 per hour, and it is broken up for how it is broken up. For general discussion, this has been an issue that our end of year surveys have brought out-that we don't communicate well as a Board to our membership about where the monies are being spent.

Motion to adjourn the meeting (TW) (NG), motion carried. Meeting adjourned.