General information/ note to players and parents

Welcome to the CHA Grizzlies!

As of the 2023-2024 season, the Dollard Hockey Association, Pierrefonds Minor Hockey Association and Hockey West Island have formed an alliance for their double letter teams.  As a result, the double letter team formation (tryout/evaluation) process will differ slightly from previous seasons as we have attempted to integrate the best practices from each association. Below, we have provided an overview of the new process and other useful information. 

Names

The new alliance will be named the Central Hockey Alliance Grizzlies. CHA refers to our geographic location in the center of Lac St Louis.

Website uniforms

The structure’s website can be found here: https://www.chagrizzlies.com/. The Grizzlies’ website will be used for all communications including schedules, tryouts, contact clinics, events, games, as well as a store for apparel. As part of the team budgets, players making the AA and BB teams will be provided with a hockey bag, a hoodie, t-shirt, shorts, helmet stickers, and a baseball cap. 

Teams 

Team levels are dictated by the combined number of registered players in the three associations. To date, registration numbers are similar to last season. Based on that we expect to have:

3 U-11 teams –  1AA and 2BB

2 U-13 teams –  1AA and 1 BB

2 U-15 teams –  1AA and 1BB

2 U-18 teams –  1AA and 1BB

Due to the lack of BB teams in our region, U-18 BB and U-15 BB may be playing in a nearby region. This is subject to change as multiple mergers in Lac St Louis are in discussion and we expect the number of BB teams to grow.

Evaluations  

We will be forming the best possible team at each level regardless of the originating association of a player. We expect numbers to be roughly a third from each association but this may vary widely by level and in total. 

Open tryout camp: 

All players registering for tryouts will be assigned to a team that will participate in three games in a round robin series. Teams for the round robin will be formed with the intent of making them as balanced as possible based on the players’ level from last season. Team rosters and schedules are posted on the Grizzlies site. The evaluators for the tryout games will be the technical director, the governor or VP double letters from each association and the non-parent AA and BB coaches of each level. For U-11 the technical director governor’s and VP’s assisted by coaches from other levels will evaluate until coaches are named.

Games will be one hour (50-minutes game time ). On-ice officials and bench personnel will be provided by the non-parent coaching staff of the AA and BB teams. Players will be asked to arrive at least one hour before their first game to receive their jerseys which will be distributed by the coaching staff.

At the end of the three round robin games, players will be assigned to AA or BB invitational camps or released to single letters. AA and BB camp invitations will be communicated via the Grizzlies’ website. All players not assigned will report to single letters at their home association.

The open camp ends September 10^th for U-13 U-15 and U-18. The U-11 open camp will end on the 11^th.

Contact Clinics:

All players and coaches U-13 to U-18 are required to take a contact clinic before they are allowed to participate in any game involving contact. Contact clinics will be held September 9^th and 12^th

Invitational camps: roughly 22 players including goalies (this number may vary) will be invited to the respective AA and BB camps. These players will participate in training sessions and exhibition games to be further evaluated for final placement in AA ,BB or Single letters. Exhibition games will start as soon as possible, several have already been scheduled.

Final teams will be reduced in size to 15 skaters and two goalies. Players being released from these camps will be informed in person by the coaches accompanied by the technical director and or a Governor  or VP double letters.

We hope to have AA formed by the 22^nd of September and the BB team formed by the 25^th.

Budget

 Players making an AA or BB team will have their registration fees that were paid to their home associations transferred to their double letter team. There will be further costs associated with each team and players will be asked to pay a “team fee” prior to the season start. Each of our three associations have different registration fees meaning players will pay fees based on their home association. It is expected that team costs will be $1200 to $1500 with possible additions and adjustments for tournaments and registration fees already paid. The Grizzlies alliance and each team are planning fundraising activities aimed at lowering these costs.