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GFHA YOUTH HOCKEY NEWS, AS OF 10/01/08:
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Our most important information is right here under Hockey News

CHECK OUT THE NEW GFHA MITE WEB SITE
Click here or the "GFHA Mighty Mites" link to the left of this page to view their site. Want your team's web site link added to our site's links?  Send an e-mail to mickcam@aol.com

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LAPEER AND BAY COUNTY OFFERING COACHING CLINICS
Our District 5 clinics are now posted online. Lapeer Polar Palace is offering a Level 2 on October 25th and a Level 3 on October 26th. Also available at Lapeer is a Level 1 clinic on November 1st. Please note here, a new coach needing more than one clinic may not be able to take the additional clinics at Lapeer unless taking the Level 1 clinic at another site prior to Lapeer offering their Level 2 and 3 clinics. Remember, the clinics must be taken in order and with that the online clinic registering system may deny allowing the registration of a Level 2 clinic without taking Level 1 first. If that happens, another option would be to take Level 1 at Lapeer and take the other clinics needed the following weekend at Bay County. Bay County is offering a Level 2 clinic on November 8th and a Level 3 clinic on November 9th.

DIRECT LINKS TO THE CLINICS:
Level 2 at Lapeer Polar Palace on October 25th, click here.
Level 3 at Lapeer Polar Palace on October 26th, click here.
Level 1 at Lapeer Polar Palace on November 1st, click here.
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Level 2 at Bay County Civic Arena on November 8th, click here.
Level 3 at Bay County Civic Arena on November 9th, click here.

Remember to create a user profile prior to registering for the clinics. Please read below for a direct link on how to do so.

ALL COACHES: CONCERNING COACHING CLINICS
Coaches, click here and read the download from Jack Witt, Michigan's Coach-In-Chief.  He explains all the new rules concerning coaching education program (CEP) requirements. Included in the download is the CEP level requirement chart.

Also note, a user profile and a password must be created thru USA Hockey in order to sign up for coaching clinics.  Click here to start the process.

FOR MUCH MORE COACHING INFORMATION, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE TO "COACHES CORNER."
Any questions, please feel free to contact:

Mick Carroll, ACE (Coaching) Director
E-mail mickcam@aol.com.

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WANT TO BE A PART OF THE GREATER FLINT HOCKEY ASSOCIATION?
Even though our season has started, we're still accepting registations for the 2008-09 fall/winter season, as openings remain. We're a youth hockey association with programs for all ages up to 18. We feature learn-to-skate and learn-to-play hockey programs, mini-mites thru midgets... house and travel teams, both spring and fall/winter seasons. We play mainly out of Flint Iceland Arenas on Elms Rd. We also use Perani Arena in Flint. For complete information, please contact:

Kevin Brackett, Hockey Director
Phone (810) 730-9987
E-mail kvbrackett0159@aol.com

Scott Chiamulera, Skating Instructor
Phone (517) 743-1456
E-mail coachchiamulera@aol.com

Flint Iceland Arenas
1160 S. Elms Rd. Flint, MI.
Phone (810) 635-8487
Web Site: www.flinticeland.com
Youth Hockey Page, click here

Click here for more information, including registration fees and costs.

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REQUESTED PRINTABLE FORMS AND BACKGROUND LINK
Consent-To-Treat, click here
Participant Code of Conduct, click here
Parent Code of Conduct, click here
Coaching Ethics Agreement, click here
Background Check (Submit Online), click here

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In General...

Please support the local economy. With the price of energy, our small businesses and local events need your support more than ever. It works both ways, as we need each other. And there are some great local community events to enjoy with your family and friends. So go out and have FUN!!!

UPCOMING DATES

MORE EVENTS >>

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FEATURED EVENTS

Important Dates

December 31st, 2008 is the deadline to have all coaching credentials valid.

NEWS	MORE NEWS >>

THANK YOU

To All Coaches, Assistants, Managers, and Spouses;

As the first season of the new GFHA has come to a close, I would like to take this time to thank all of you who have volunteered their time to make your teams, and this Association a wonderful success.

While some of you may not have won as many games as you had hoped, the development of our players are the first priority. As I stated at our first coach's meeting, I want teachers of the game not just coaches. Anyone can coach a game, but you must first be able to teach it to make a difference. The development of your players was noticed by the teams that you played early in the season. We had several comments on the talent level that our kids gained from Sept. to March, and this is a tribute to all our coaches. Our teams were very competitive and never quit playing. We had a wide range of success from our Midget AA winning the LCAHL Championship and 3rd in the MAHA States, to our mite team having a great showing in the Iceland Mite Tournament. All of our teams played great, we should all be proud.

Now we must concentrate on the upcoming Fall/Winter year. I'm at work trying to get some sponsorships to help with our ice bills. I'm also working on our Novice programs. We must bring back the little ones to this great game. The numbers are down all over, and this is for many reasons, but we must continue to work hard to build our programs.

Once again, I want to thank everyone involved, and let's not forget our spouses as they catch the brunt of our frustrations when we are alone and have time to vent. They're the forgotten ones in this game, and to them, a very special "thank you."

In closing, let's have a fun spring and summer and I hope to see all of you back in the fall !!!!!

Thanks So Much,

Kevin Brackett

GFHA's Hockey Director

COACHES CORNER

Coaches, please be aware of the following:

Background Checks
Background checks MUST be processed prior to participating in any team activities. This must be done for ALL personnel that are going to have direct contact with any of your team members. The background check is a quick and easy process, and is done on-line through MAHA's web site.  Click here for a direct link to the page. Type in all the information requested, then submit. A confirmation will be e-mailed back to you. Bring a printed copy of the confirmation to the arena and turn it in to whoever is responsible for completing your team's roster, i.e. head coach, team manager, or hockey director.

New Process for Clinic Registrations
The USA Hockey Coaching Clinic registration process has changed somewhat. To register for any clinic, a user account must now be completed in order to sign up for a clinic.. It's a one-time process, and will make future clinic sign-ups quicker and easier. This is also being done as a way to deal with a number of coaches using different names (Dan, Daniel; Mike, Michael; Ken, Kenneth) when registering, thus causing confusion in the system on whether it's the same person... the name that was used for the first clinic ever taken is the only name the system recognizes.  Click here and completely read the step-by-step process. Another direct link, "Coaching Clinics," is also provided at the top of this page (left hand links).

New rules regarding coaching clinics...
Coaches can now take all the coaching clinics needed to coach at the level they're currently coaching, in one season. If it means taking 3 clinics, then you'll be allowed to take 3 clinics. The clinics MUST be taken in order, as required by USA Hockey. I.E. Level 1, then Level 2, then Level 3, etc. Under the old rule, a new coach could only take a max of 2 clinics in one season, then apply for a waiver if more was needed. A stipulation of the new rule - coaches are only allowed to take the clinics needed for the level they're coaching.

Renewing a Coaching (CEP) Card
Any existing coach, level 1 thru 3, with the newest clinic sticker (the last clinic taken) being the year 05-06 must take a clinic this year. A level 1 coach must take a level 2 clinic, a level 2 coach must take a level 3.  A level 3 coach has several options which include the following... take another level 3 clinic, renew on-line thru USA Hockey, go to a workshop clinic, or take a level 4 clinic. With the cost and availability of level 4 clinics, unless it's something that's absolutely necessary for you to have or you want to go for the advance education, I'd opt for the other options. Level 4 and 5 coaches are good to go for life.

Waiver Information
Any coaches needing a waiver must apply for a temporary coaching card.  Click here for the application for the temporary coaching card. It must be printed out and mailed to Jack Witt, Michigan's Coach-In-Chief, by Dec. 31st (postmark date).  The address is on the application form. No waiver will be issued if postmarked after Dec. 31st, NO EXCEPTIONS. The waiver application must be mailed as no online waiver application process is available. As of Jan. 1st, you will not be allowed to coach until the temporary coaching card is in hand so apply in a timely manner. The waiver process takes time because after the application is mailed to Jack, it's sent on to USA Hockey's Coaching Department in Colorado, the issuer of the temporary card. The temporary coaching card is good for one season ONLY. You will incur a $50 fee for this one time temporary coaching card. You will only be allowed one temporary coaching card for the entire time you coach youth hockey so use this waiver wisely. And one final word on this - just because you apply for a temporary coaching card doesn't mean one will be automatically issued to you. Denials may happen, with no appeal process allowed. To avoid all of this - go to the required clinics.

Coaching Level Certification Chart
To find out Michigan Amateur Hockey Association's required coaching level certifications, click here. The chart is also listed on page 15 of MAHA's Annual Guide/Bylaws/Rules booklet. A copy is available in every association's office.

Important Update on the Use of On-ice Instructors
At the ACE Director's meeting in Ann Arbor, it was stated that using instructors and other coaching specialists, paid versus non-paid, was allowed only after adhering to very strict rules. I contacted Grant Helms, MAHA's Risk and Liability specialist. He clarified the situation for me. First, using an instructor, such as a power skating instructor, is allowed on your team's ice as long as the instructor isn't doing it for profit, he/she isn't a regular person on your team's ice, and the coaches are present on the ice while he/she is instructing. In this case, he/she must also wear a helmet and it's suggested, but not required as long as the team's coaches are present, that he/she show some proof of submitting to a background check. If the instructor is doing it for profit then he/she must buy the ice and provide insurance for the players, as USA Hockey will not accept liability. In this case, it's the instructor's ice so the liability is his/hers and if the instructor chooses not to wear a helmet while instructing on-ice, so be it. Unpaid instructors and other coaches, such as a Flint General's player or a coach that's instructing goaltenders or giving a checking clinic, etc., must submit to a background check and wear a helmet. As long as this person isn't a regular guest with your team, no other requirements are needed. If this person is a regular with your team then they would have to be rostered with your team, have a USA Hockey coaching card with the same level of certification that's required to be a coach with your team, and file all necessary paperwork. By no means does this open up using non-rostered and unregistered fathers/mothers/friends on a non-regular basis to help out during a practice. If this happens, the head coach will be held fully liable and could be removed from coaching.

Any questions regarding clinics, requirements, etc., please feel free to contact me at mickcam@aol.com.

Mick Carroll
ACE Director

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