Select Program (Woolwich Minor Hockey)

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2023-2024 Select Programs

About the Program: The Select program is offered in conjunction with our local league program and is a bridge between recreational hockey (local league) and Rep hockey programs (BB, A). This allows all house league players to try out for Select in their particular age group. WMHA offers Select teams in the following age groups: U11, U13, U15.

If your child loves Local League and is ready for more ice time and more competition – Select hockey is for them!

Younger players improve their skills and grow as individuals getting ready to move on to our Woolwich Rep teams, the older players enjoy the extra competitiveness of select hockey. Several select players have moved up to our rep teams for the current season.

Coach Selection: The selection process tends to unfold rather than follow a prescribed formula. A consensus-building format is used but voting takes place when necessary. Like any selection process, subjectivity is involved. However the WMHA Executive places the greatest emphasis on the applicant’s qualifications as both a coach and mentor, and also his or her ability and desire to promote and implement the goals of the Association. A staff is not excluded because it is comprised partially or entirely of parents. Of particular concern to the Executive though, is the evaluation of a coaching staff that has children trying out for the team being applied for. In an effort to prevent any real or perceived conflicts of interest, prior to the approval of such a coaching staff, every effort is made to ensure that the parents’ children have both the ability and desire to play on the respective team.

All Head Coaches and other members of the coaching staff must have the requisite qualifications as mandated by Hockey Canada, the OMHA, and WHMA, as applicable. All teams must have a certified trainer.

Player Eligibility: All WMHA registered players who are rostered with a Local League team are eligible to tryout.

Player Selections: There will be open tryouts. There will be a minimum of two (2) to three (3) tryout ice times per division at a cost to be determined by WMHA. Advertising for tryouts will be posted on the WMHA website.

Each team may roster up to a maximum of seventeen (15) players, two (2) of which must be goaltenders, within the limits mandated by applicable Hockey Canada, OMHA and WMHA Hockey rules.

Local League players must fulfil their commitment to their local League team before playing for a select team or as an affiliated player for a select or higher category team.

Schedule: Wildcat Select players that are drawn from the Woolwich Local League program will compete against other Local League Select teams in exhibition games, tournaments from the Grand River Local League, Tri-County and Alliance Associations . Select players on teams entered in the GRLL play 1 game per week with their Local League team and 2 games per month (1 home and 1 away) with their Select team. Select games are scheduled around our Local League times. Select teams have two full ice practices each month that will be provided by WMHA. The Director of Select will be the liaison and work closely with the teams, WMHA ice scheduler and other Associations on securing all games (up to 12) for the season. Select does not have playoffs or Championships and travel is minimal (less than Rep, more than Local League).

Teams are permitted to arrange additional ice sessions, provided that they do not conflict with local league practices, games or tournaments.

Permits: No Select team shall play any game unless there is approved travel permit issued by WMHA and OMHA for that game.

Teams must submit travel permits for approval at a minimum of fourteen (14) days in advance of the scheduled game date to allow for scheduling of officials; permits submitted less than 14 days in advance will be denied.

Tournaments: Teams may enter up to two (2) tournaments. Local League games will not be rescheduled to accommodate Select tournaments. Select teams will be required to schedule their tournaments exclusively on open weekends where no house league games are scheduled.

Tournament dates must be submitted to the Ice Scheduler and Director of Select

Note: Tournaments will be in the calendar as early as possible

Cost: There is an additional cost for joining a Select team, although the cost is not as great as it is for a Representative team, parents should be prepared to pay approximately $275 per player in addition to the WMHA registration fee. Those amounts fluctuate depending on team fundraising efforts, sponsorships, etc. As with Rep teams, the Head Coach and Team Manager will provide a budget for expected team finances at the beginning of the season, and the team may acquire sponsorship or organize fundraising events to offset the team expenses. This fee will help cover your extra games and practice ice, along with the cost of home and away Rep jerseys and socks, additional training opportunities and team building fun!

Teams in the Tri-County League: