Milwaukee Winter Club

BASICS

Get a 3-ring Binder or Folder: The first item you should secure is a binder or folder to keep all the parent information, club information, player information, USA hockey rosters, team schedule, tournament information, game labels, and score sheets together. It is helpful to include a zipper pencil pouch for extra pens and a scissors. The pens will come in handy for scoring at home games. Also, it is recommended to purchase a clipboard (put your name on it!) for score sheets at home games.

Roster sheets:
Give each parent a roster of the team with names, jersey numbers, and telephone numbers. You can do this on a sheet of paper or produce a pocket size card. (See Sample Roster Sheet on web site.)

Pocket Rosters:
It is helpful to make small sized pocket rosters for the parents. You can do this by shrinking an edited version of your excel roster and laminating at Office Max or the like. (See Sample Pocket Roster on web site.)

GAME DAY

Score sheets:
Plan to have a score sheet ready for each home game. You can find them behind the snack bar. The score sheet is a triplicate form (white, yellow, and pink). You need to fill in the names (use game labels) before the game and get the opposing team’s stickers as well. At least 15-20 minutes before the game, give the sheet to the opposing team to fill out. You can write in the names of our players or develop a sticker label with the player’s number and name that you can stick in the area. Labels can be purchased at Office Max or the like and run off on most computer systems. Plan on printing enough stickers for all three sheets of the score sheet per game (one sticker for each sheet – white, yellow, and pink). Turn the white sheet into snack bar –needs to be filed in folder on inside wall of snack bar. You as the manager can keep the yellow sheet, and give the pink sheet to the opposing team. Most away games require 4 stickers as many rinks have four copies of the score sheet (as opposed to our three). Two tips: 1) keep extra blank score sheets in your binder for Kern Center games. 2) Bring a clipboard to make score keeping easier on your parent volunteer.

NOTE: It is important to discuss with your coach at the outset who will be responsible for keeping the team’s copy of each score sheet. At the end of the year, in order to receive an award patch (hat trick, play maker, shutout), WAHA requires a copy of the corresponding score sheet.

Penalty Box, Score, and Timer:
For all home games (with the exception of Atoms games) a scorer and timer are required to run the game. Work out a schedule with your parents to cover this. Also, with the older teams (U12Girls, PeeWee, Bantams, and Squirts) you should have two parents to cover the penalty box. It works well to have “seasoned” scorers/timers train newer parents at the beginning of the year to broaden your base of parents who know how to run the clock and keep score. Tell the parents they are the best seats in the house (and even heated some times!!!)

Reporting Game Scores:
Report via the website the score of your weekend games and tournaments. I can review how to do this. You must create an account on the site in order to be given access.

SNACK BAR

Heidi Cranston is managing the snack bar again this season. It will only be open for games, and staff will not be scheduled to start until ½ hour before first game of the day. Weeknights the snack bar will be closed for practices.

TEAM SCHEDULE

Your Schedule and Finding Ice:
When scheduling, the first thing to understand is how to check your current games, your allocated ice, and any available ice (distributed on a first come, first serve basis). At the start of the season, each team will have many games prescheduled as well as allocated ice for you to use to host other teams. All this information is listed on the website calender. You can "tag" your team so that only your team information it on your personal calendar. You can also print just the months so you see who and when you are playing and if you have allocated ice. 

Scheduling/Canceling Games:
When you have scheduled a game with another team, remember to contact Tom Slocum to put it on the master schedule. His email is tslocum@winterclub. If a cancellation occurs, also let Tom know immediately. When you make a scheduling change after the Sunday evening before the game, you MUST notify Bob Peschel (who schedules officials) directly. He sets the official’s schedule based on the ice schedule Sunday evening and will not know about a cancelled game that occurs after that – but the refs will be paid if they show up – game or no. His telephone numbers are (h) 414-962-2525, (c) 414-507-2878. Bob’s email is rpeschel@thesigmagroup.com. Likewise, if you get a game to work out last minute, let Bob know to find you refs! Do this immediately and confirm with Bob prior to game time that he was able to secure officials!!!! As the manager you must make telephone (preferred and most reliable) contact with Bob or get an email acknowledgement from him that the change (either cancelled game or added game) has been noted on the officials’ schedule.

Number of Games:
This year the club expects each team to adhere to the ADM-model number of games for their respective level. Level coordinators periodically will check to ensure all teams are following these guidelines.

Total games with tournaments:
Squirt 30
PeeWee 34 
Bantam 38

(These do not include playoffs or state)

Other considerations:
Be careful of the caliber of the competition you play. Make the experience challenging, yet fun for the skaters. Please consult with your coaches! They should have a say about with whom you schedule games. Please make note that all divisional games that will be used for seeding purposes must be played on or before January 10th. Scores must be reported no later than January 11th. Remember, the games that will be used are the first home and first away game against those equal level teams in your division. Fond du Lac is no longer a Division 1 club. They are now Division 2. The only Division 1 clubs in Region 5 are Ozaukee, Waukesha, and Winter Club.

Ice Management (and this is IMPORTANT!):
In the past, there have been times when teams do not use their allocated ice at the last minute. If you are going to a tournament, let Tom know ASAP and he will help remind you if you still have ice allocated to your team. If you have a schedule change or cancellation – let Tom know ASAP. Make sure that your team (i.e. coaches, parents and managers) knows that it is not OK to just decide midweek that they do not feel like using their ice on the weekend. By then other teams (who may have loved the ice with enough notice) have made alternative plans.

Also, please don’t let USM’s open ice go unused. I know many of the times are not “ideal” but the abundance of ice our teams enjoy is really a great benefit to our skaters’ development.

TOURNAMENTS

Tournaments:
To find WAHA sanctioned tournaments, go to the WAHA web site and click on “Invitational Tournaments” and then sort by age/division.  

Tournament Fees:
Again this year the club will give each manager a check for their tournaments based on the registration fee of their level. Basically each team will get a total amount from the club to spend, and how that is divided up amongst tournaments is up to the team management. Todd Endres will make the check out to you.

Annotation of Birth Facts:
New this year – managers will no longer carry copies of the team’s birth certificates in their binders for tournaments or State playdowns/tournament. Per State Registrar, you do not need to carry birth certificates for invitational tournaments this year; however, you will need to use the approved form, Annotation of Birth Fact, for regional and state playoffs only. Heather Erlandson has the master copy of all Winter Club Members. you MUST have your team's annotation sheets for playoffs and state. Don't leave home without them!!!

TEAM UNIFORMS

Jerseys:
It is the manager’s responsibility to hand out and record the jersey size and number the player is wearing. The jerseys need to be bagged and returned to the rink at the end of the season. They do not need to be washed. Game socks will be distributed as well.

EMERGENCIES

First Aid Kits at Winter Club: They will be checked and restocked on a monthly basis, but if you use up most of a supply (e.g. band aides) or notice that something is running low, please let Jason Woods know, so the item can be replenished right away. In addition, there are twelve ice bags in the freezer. You can find a first aid kit in any of these three locations around the rink:
• Under the scorer's table
• In cabinet above the sink in snack bar (marked with red cross on door)
• Hanging on door of AED machine in lobby (soft sided with red cross on kit)

Team emergency kits:
Please talk to your coach to see if they want to carry an “emergency” kit for the team or if you should. See link for recommended items including a list of USA Hockey recommended items; Winter Club recommended items and emergency contact numbers to use. I print this list double sided, cut off bottom and laminate. I also laminate the pocket roster and include both in the emergency kit.

Allergies:
Please be aware that there may be players on your team that have life threatening food allergies. Please discourage players and parents from eating and snacking in the locker rooms.  

LOCKER ROOM SUPERVISION

Please ensure this policy is being followed:

There must be an adult present with the team at all times including in the locker room.

• It will be left to the coach to decide on how he/she wants to ensure coverage. They can decide if parents will be used to help spread the responsibility.
• Stepping outside the door to discuss line-up and other sensitive topics for a minute or two is fine - as long as you are able to hear the escalation that comes before major issues can occur. Putting your gear on in the hall at the Kern would not qualify under this provision.
• This is mandatory at USM and strongly suggested everywhere else as it is easier to just become part of your routine.

Thanks for your efforts.

RINK STEWARDSHIP

Rink cleanliness:
The cleanliness of the rink is a reflection on the club and as a team manager, you can help. PLEASE encourage your team to take pride in our wonderful rink! Pick up those stray wrappers, monitor the bathrooms and their supplies, let Heidi knows if snack bar helpers are not wiping down the round tables in the lobby, and remind parents to watch siblings. Parents are not allowed to drop off their skaters earlier than required by their team. If the team expectation is one hour early, there must be a responsible adult present. In other words, Winter Club rink rats should be well behaved, well mannered, AND well supervised! Together we can help ensure the inside of the rink is as beautiful as the outside!!!!
Maintenance help: Please be familiar with the steps to be taken if you notice something amiss. First step is to contact the seminary student (aka the Zamboni driver). Their responsibilities are to clean the ice in between time slots, and then make rounds thru the rink, locker rooms, and warming area. They will empty garbage and do light cleaning including sweeping. 

MISCELLANEOUS

State Tournament:
The club will be hosting a Squirt C state tournament this year. All teams and Winter Club members that are not away playing at a state tournament will be called upon to help with hosting this tournament. Many people are needed to volunteer to make this a success. 

QUESTIONS

Still feeling unsure of something? Please let me know! My job is to make your job as easy as possible! I’m happy to sit down with anyone and go thru any aspect of managing in more detail. Please let me know if you’d find this helpful.

Thank you for all your help this season! GO WILDCATS!

Angela Vogel
avogel@wi.rr.com
414-704-0226 Cell
262-242-3835 Home