SPECIAL NOTE - City of Toronto labour discussions
February 6, 2012 Update. A tentative deal has been reached in the negotiations with city unions and a potential strike has been averted. City rinks are open and LPAA Hockey games are on! See you at the rinks,
COST
The fee to play LPAA Hockey is $175 for the 11/12 season, which includes: ice time, team sweater and socks, goalie equipment, coach's equipment, and the year-end banquet where pizza, trophies, prizes and medals are provided.
Registration for the 2011-2012 season is now open.
Click here to go to the Registration page.
SCHEDULE
The league starts when the city opens the outdoors rinks (usually the first full week of December), and runs until just before March Break. Registration typically opens around Labour Day each year. We play 10 games, all played outdoors at Otter Creek (behind Lawrence Park Collegiate at Lawrence and Avenue Road) and at Hodgson (at Davisville and Mt. Pleasant, go east on Millwood and turn south at Harwood).Each Division (except for the Skills which plays only on Wednesdays) plays once a week on one of two nights each week (see "Divisions/Schedule" section for your specific age group below). In other words each child plays one game each week but on some weeks you will play on the one night noted in the schedule and the other weeks you will play on the other night. Games are either at 6:30 p.m. to 7:35 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. (see "Schedule" for the specific playing times for your Division), with the younger kids playing at the earlier times. Each game is divided into two activities:
a) the first 20 to 25 minutes is for a practice, and
b) a game for the remaining period.
Click here to for a copy of the 2011-2012 Season Schedule (last update - January 20, 2012).
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to play in the LPAA hockey league, applicants must adhere to the following requirements:
• Boys and girls are welcome
• Players may play in another hockey league, however any “Select” (or higher) players from other leagues are NOT allowed. This is because our experience over the years has been that just one or two Select players on a LPAA team completely throws off the team balance, and lopsided scores result with some teams winning no games and other teams winning by 10 to 0, and less-skilled players rarely touching the puck. If a Select player is found to be on a team, he/she will be asked to leave the team. (note that “Select” includes “Taxi squad” players).
• As we are a community league, players must reside in the area bounded by St. Clair to the South, York Mills to the North, Bayview to the East, and Bathurst to the West
TEAM SELECTION
Teams are made up based on the following criteria:
a: First and foremost, the skill level of the child. An unbalanced team is not fun for any child. To that end, please put some thought into the section on the application form in which you are asked to rate your child's ability, as we use this info to make up balanced teams.
b: The need to ensure that we have a Coach and at least one Assistant Coach on each team.
c: The age of the children (a mix of younger and older).
d: If possible, (e.g. it does not affect balance), a request to be paired with ONE other friend.
EQUIPMENT
All players must have CSA approved equipment including: skates (no figure skates); helmet, full face shield, neck guard, shoulder pads, elbow pads, jock (with garter belt, or separate garter belt), hockey gloves, hockey pants, shin guards, and hockey stick (for proper length, hold stick vertical with child on skates, and the stick should go to their chin). If you require help with your equipment purchase, stores like “Sport Chek” are good, or you can also purchase good quality beginner sets at Wal mart and/or Canadian Tire. Note that team sweaters and socks will be supplied by the league just prior to the first game. Also: remember to sharpen the skates prior to the first game, and at least once during the season.
GOALIE
For each game in the Skills and Tykes division, players take turns each shift in net with their own regular equipment and with a goalie stick provided by the league for Tykes (Skills players use their own sticks). In the Pee Wee and Junior divisions, a child is allocated to play goalie prior to each game, and full goalie equipment is provided by the league. We encourage all children to try this position, but if your child is very averse, simply talk to the Coach.
COACHES/REFEREEING
As this is a community league, we are 100% run by volunteers. On the application form is an area to indicate your interest in volunteering for Coach or Assistant Coach (we need one Coach and two Assistants per team), and we appreciate you volunteering! Coaches do not need to be at every game (that’s why we have 1 plus 2 Assistants per team), and we supply coaching skills tips (click here to get them) to help with your coaching. Each game will also be referred by one of the Coaches from one of the teams playing.
Click here for a copy of the Hockey Rules.
GAME DAY CONDITIONS
Note that since Otter and Hodgson are outdoor rinks, occasionally a game may be called off due to rain or excessive snow. However the Coaches and/or Convenor’s will not know in advance if the rink is closed, and hence please assume that all games are on. In most cases, you would be surprised at what we can play in light light rain, freezing cold, and snow! So please: just show up!