May 6, 2020

Montclair Hockey Club families and prospective families,                                                                                                                    

We hope this finds you and your family safe and well as we all do our best to adjust to current circumstances. Following up on our communication of this past weekend, we want to apprise you of some further developments regarding the 2020-2021 Youth Hockey season.

This past Saturday our governing body the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association (AAHA), also known as USA Hockey’s Atlantic District, published a plan to move forward with forming teams for the upcoming season. This plan presents some challenges that we will all need to navigate, while also providing some assurances for families more severely affected by the pandemic and shutdown.

The AAHA communication, which you may have received a copy of directly, states that youth hockey programs may offer Player Agreements starting in June without first holding on-ice tryouts.  MHC and other Tier II programs can extend offers beginning June 11th while Tier I (AAA) programs can extend offers beginning June 1st. Ideally evaluations will be held at a later date when rinks can reopen and restrictions are relaxed.

In order for us to be able to offer Player Agreements we need to understand who would like to play for MHC this coming season. To that end we ask that you register your player ASAP using the 2020-2021 Pre-Season Registration link on our website. From the pool of returning and new MHC players who have registered by June 1st we will determine the projected number of teams and be able to extend Player Agreements on June 11th. This will allow us to begin initial planning for next season (ice time requirements, uniforms, etc). The Registration fee will be credited toward your Season fees if you are selected for a team. If you have previously registered your player(s) for 2020 Tryouts we will convert that Tryout registration and fee to a Pre-Season Registration. You do not need to register again.

MHC 2020-2021 Player Agreements will be based on appropriate age level only (i.e. 14U, 12U, etc) and not specific teams. When conditions allow, we are planning to hold post-agreement evaluations to determine appropriate skill levels and team placements. We will implement a process to evaluate all players which may include on-ice as well as prior season assessments and coaches’ recommendations to construct team rosters. We will communicate further info on this process as we firm up our approach. We recognize that the timeline for this process may present challenges with regard to access to rinks, vacations, other sport conflicts, and activities we all may normally plan during the summer months.

Please note that AAHA requires that Player Agreements issued prior to August 3rd, 2020 include a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Refund Policy, which may be exercised by the participant/family through July 31, 2020. A hardship under this policy must be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, where a family’s financial condition changed after signing a Player Agreement and on or prior to July 31, 2020. A participant/family exercising this option will not be permitted to roster with another team for the 2020-2021 season.

All of this info will inevitably raise additional questions and so we will continue to communicate as details develop. Be assured that whether you are a returning MHC family or new to the Blues organization we are committed to your player’s success. In the meantime please direct any immediate questions to:

 

What do I need to do now?

Please register ASAP. Thanks to all who have already registered! You must be registered by June 1st to be considered for a 2020 Player Agreement. This applies to ALL players –  returning and new, skaters and goalies. If you previously registered for Tryouts we will convert your Tryout registration and fee to a Pre-Season Registration. You do not need to register again.

The registration link can be found at the top of our homepage at www.montclairhockey.com

 

New to MHC?

We remain interested in bringing on new players. Please remember to include your previous club experience in your registration. If we have any questions about your player a member of our staff will reach out to you. Every effort will be made to provide a spot for your player at MHC.

 

Timeline/Fees:

You must register by June 1st to be considered for 2020-2021 Player Agreements.

The Pre-Season Registration fee is $150 for 10U and older. 8U is $50. Goalies are $50. All registration/tryout fees will be credited towards your Season fees if you are offered a Player Agreement. Should you be offered a spot at MHC and sign with another club, your registration fee is not refundable.

Player Agreements will be issued starting June 11th. The Season deposit due upon committing to MHC and signing a Player Agreement will be as follows. Goalies’ Season Fee will be due upon signing.

 

Level	Deposit	Level	Season Fee
Mite Skater	$500	Mite Goalie	$300
Squirt Skater	$500	Squirt Goalie	$300
Peewee Skater	$500	Peewee Goalie	$300
Bantam Skater	$500	Bantam Goalie	$500
Midget Skater	$500	Midget Goalie	$500
Midget Extended Season	$500	Midget Extended Goalie	$300
Girls 8U Skater	$500
Girls 10U/12U Skater	$500	Girls 10U/12U Goalie	$300
Girls 14U Skater	$500	Girls 14U Goalie	$300
Girls 16U Skater	$500	Girls 16U Goalie	$300
Girls 19U Skater	$500	Girls 19U Goalie	$300

 

The deposit due at Agreement signing is significantly lower than previous seasons reflecting the uncertainty and scheduling challenges that lie ahead. Per AAHA guidelines, anyone withdrawing by July 31st due to a COVID-19 hardship will receive a refund of their Season deposit.

As always we will offer a Payment Plan enabling families to spread costs across multiple payments over time.

Our original planned team structure and anticipated season costs are posted on our website. Once we understand the season start date, duration, and other criteria we may adjust those plans and fees. It is our intention to continue our practice of keeping teams, schedules, costs, and fees aligned as best we can this coming season.

A reminder that MHC runs a successful, quality House/Limited Travel League program for anyone who may be seeking an alternative to Travel Hockey this year. Our HL program includes a full program for Squirts/10U and Peewees/12U and a limited program for Bantam/14U. For more info on our House League please contact:

 

On behalf of the MHC Board of Directors we appreciate your participation and support of our MHC family. We pledge to continue to present the best quality hockey program possible conducted in a fair, efficient and safe manner. We will continue to communicate all new developments as they evolve.

 

Stay safe. Go Blues !