UNDER 11 LEAGUE IN CENTRAL, TRI-PEN & WESTERN
TO: All Minor Hockey Associations
FROM: Craig Tulk, Executive Director Hockey NL
Cc: Hockey NL Directors; Hockey NL Minor Council Executive Committee
DATE: October 13, 2023
RE: UNDER 11 LEAGUE IN CENTRAL, TRI-PEN & WESTERN
Hockey NL is aware of a new U11 Program being offered and advertised as AAA for this hockey season for select players in the Central, Tri-Pen and Western zones.
This program is not sanctioned by Hockey NL and is clearly a non-sanctioned league. We have had meetings and discussions to look at this program and its harmful impact on Minor Hockey Association programming.
Hockey NL does not support any outside program that operates in competition with the programming of our Members and Hockey NL as a whole. These programs may not follow the principles of the Under 11 pathway and long-term development program, may not play by the Hockey Canada playing rules, we are unsure if there is sufficient liability and insurance coverage for its players/coaches or if the league has qualified game officials. We currently support the Under 11 representative program as the appropriate and required competitive hockey program for this age group.
The conflicting program is of the utmost concern for Hockey NL and all Members. Hockey NL has been completing work on a provincial Non-Sanctioned Hockey Policy to expand upon the policy released by Hockey Canada. This policy will be developed in consultation with membership and presented in the best interest of membership’s programming and stability, while recognizing the ability for non-sanctioning programming to exist in the province.
We also stress that your programming should not be scheduled for the interest of a non-sanctioned program and that your registered players should be committed to your teams for the benefit of your participants.
Please circulate to the respective participants and parents in your Under 11 division this communication as we have been getting emails from parents regarding concerns and some misinformation on who is sanctioning this program.
Regards,
Craig Tulk
Executive Director, Hockey NL