Thursday, April 24, 2008

Minutes from GTHLA General Meeting - April 24

Hey Folks,

Thanks again for everyone’s time last night. Here are the minutes. There was further talk afterwards that another General Meeting in a month is probably overkill at this point. So, unless there’s great objection, we’ll have our next General Meeting on Sept. 14th, 5:30PM. The other two General Meetings next season would be: Jan. 11, 5:30PM & May 3, 5:30PM.

These will be posted at gthla.blogspot.com

Thanks Again,

Tom Goodwin

GTHLA Meeting Minutes April 22, 2008

Attending: Mike Loveless (Bloody Knuckles –formerly Mystery Men); Colin Aussant (Bloody Knuckles); Dominic Chartier (Gas Station Islanders); Priscilla Yu (Lookin’ to Score); Rodney Merchant (Wheatfield Souldiers); Greg Simone (Dufferin Groove); Roy Banse (Fluid Living Arseholes); Paul Chisholm (Morningstars); Dan Hickox (Timekeeping coordinator); Craig Barnes (Referee Coordinator); Jay Peters (Crystal Beach Comets); Diana Olsen (Gas Station Islanders); Kelly Dutton (Black Hearts/Humiliation); Luis Freitas (Hockey Lads); Kim Temple (Jokers); Jeremy Harris (Sgt. Rock); Aaron Brophy (ChartAttack Hack); Joe McGinty (ChartAttack Hack); Geoff McPeek (Porcupines); Pete Gaffney (Boom); Ray Henderson (Pneumonia); Tom Goodwin (Commissioner)

Presiding: Tom Goodwin

Chair: Ray

Minutes: Rodney Merchant

Ray - Setting agenda

Tom - Scheduling meetings

3 meetings per year, scheduled meetings were not adhered to this season

Would like to schedule 3rd meeting for this season in 1 - 1 ½ month, suggest May 21, no opposition

Suggests Sunday meetings

Tom - Fair Play Committee

Craig - Nuts and bolts of Fair Play Committee

Fair Play Committee presently discusses on an incident by incident basis following each incident based on Canada Hockey Association Rulebook

Would like to standardize face-to-face meetings or conference call meetings soon after incidents.

Would like to standardized league Fair Play rules specific to GTHLA: Already standardized a Naughty list to track any players with ongoing incidents. Various systems have been suggested: 3 strikes system, points system, etc. Points system seems to have most value.

Implement Game reports to improve Fair Play standards

Greg Simone - Points System Explanation

Following Game suspension or major penalty, player is accessed points. Players who accumulate x number of points risk suspension or permanent ban. Points can be earned back for good behaviour.

Eliminates the needs for multiple game suspensions and discussion of relative severity of incident and creates a system for one game suspensions (counting as one strike) but strikes can be earned back as a reward for clean play.

Kelly suggested points be kept as a stat (public?) to make it more impactful and to be used as a tool to help teams and team managers to enforce clean play.

Priscilla - Fair Play Award

Each team nominates one fair player from other teams for the Fair Play Award. Suggest that each team nominate a Fair Player from their own team.

Suggest a No Star game featuring the Fair Players, with a prize to the Fairest Player from each Division.

Jeremy Harris - Game Reporting

Page on the web site for each GM to report on the game just played. Keep it simple, one question “Were there any incidents in the game?” If the answer is No, automatic reply. If yes, a field for comments

Information is forwarded to Fair Play Committee

Idea was forwarded to GM’s this year to less than overwhelming response.

Suggestion that this information be captured on the game sheet. Concerns about how this information would then be transferred to the GTHLA Fair Play Committee database.

Right now form exists on GTHLA web site. Suggestion is that each GM uses the form if there was a game incident that was not dealt with through a penalty or other official warning.

Suggestion that GM’s speak with each other following the game about game incidents.

Tom has requested more help on the Fair Play Committee. Would like GM’s to canvass players to volunteer for Committee.

Tom Goodwin - Defining a defaulted game

Presently, rule only states 6 players required. What does this mean? 6 players on the ice at the start? 6 players in the arena? Including subs?

Agreed 6 players on the ice by puck drop (incl subs). 6 players from the same team on the ice by the end of the 1st period.

Tom Goodwin - Deposits

In the event of acts of God that prevent a team from showing up (i.e. this year’s snowstorm), how do we compensate the team that showed up for the game if the other team did not show up?

No need to do anything: team showing up gets the default win, team missing the game does not get reimbursed for the default, even if fair warning is given.

Tom Goodwin - Playoff penalty shot rule

What is the opinion on the penalty shot following the 3rd penalty in a playoff game? So far so good, but let’s get an opinion from the GM’s

Tom Goodwin - Subbing in OT

Only subbing on the fly during non stopped OT time

Tom Goodwin - Blow down play if offense in crease

NO

Tom Goodwin - Player Eligibility for Hockey Summit

What is the eligibility for the Summit for GTHLA teams?

Rule to be drafted and discussed with GM’s before next season

Tom Goodwin - Team and Player Agreements

Will be required for 2008-09 season, being reviewed by our crack legal team

Tom Goodwin - First Aid certification

1st Aid class at affordable rate available to the Teams to ensure that at least one player on each team is 1st aid trained.

Are there any legal/liability implications to this course? Question should be put to our crack legal team.

Injury Insurance for 2008-2009? What level do we offer? Can we have this amount indicated in a fee brake down for 2008-2009?

Different insurance levels to be assessed and put to a general league vote.

Tom Goodwin - Volunteering

No problem with the volunteering tracking

Tom Goodwin - CWHL

Suggest more involvement with CWHL initiatives to encourage more female participation in Hockey.

Suggestion for women’s only shinny and encourage other events to bring out novice players in springle and intermingle.

Tom Goodwin - Daily Bread Food bank

Initiative to get Daily Bread Food Bank drop at McCormack to be followed up.

Suggest links to charities on GTHLA web site: Daily Bread, ArtCan, etc.

Suggest increasing emphasis on charity donations through out the season

Tom Goodwin - Fee discount

Suggesting teams who fill out their own game sheets get a fee discount.

Tom Goodwin - Operations

Asked for WiFi connection at McCormack so game sheets and other league game info can be entered immediately.

Extracurricular activity - Kids clinics: keep them going, get them started earlier, organize schedule earlier and get on GTHLA web site sooner. Sean Markle to continue clinic initiatives.

Carpet goalie kept at McCormick in the back of the Pro Shop. Use him/her/it

Tom Goodwin - Communications

Website development, please help if you can.

Program guide and Newsletter - use McCormack bulletin board more effectively.

Send out email to GM’s to get impressions on tournament and how to improve for next year.

Priscilla requires an email list for all GM’s.

Info only disseminated through GM’s to simplify communications and prevent mass emails that end up in junk mail.

Tom Goodwin - Committee news

HAA meeting provided good ideas for improving our league especially in the area of discipline.

Summit production - well done again this year, but still need more help

Organizing Committee - can always use more help.

Other stuff

Can we surround the McCormack penalty box with glass to protect the timekeepers? Apparently in the works with McCormack

Ray suggests tournament style playoffs to prevent playoffs from dragging on until June because we have more time available to us on Weekends. Poll GM’s before deciding.

Monday, February 25, 2008