This page contains frequently asked questions that the Committee has received related to the merger discussions. If you have a question that is not addressed here, please email [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE THAT INFORMATION SESSIONS WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY SEPT 15TH AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
LEGION Hall 12326 Lanoue St., Windsor, ON N8N 1N3 10am-12pm
WFCU Center Michigan / Superior Room 2pm-4pm
We encourage anyone that has additional questions or anyone that requires clarification to please attend one of these sessions.
1. WHY IS THIS MERGER BEING CONSIDERED?
· Statistically, registration numbers across the sport of hockey are declining year-to-year. Riverside and Tecumseh are not immune to the statistics, and both organizations are choosing to adapt before it's too late. There is a real concern that certain travel teams are not having enough players available to make a full team, and likewise in some instances there are not enough players to field a full roster of 4 house league teams, let alone more. This merger hopefully moves to solve the problem of numbers, while creating a competitive balance internally and with other hockey centers.
2. WHY RIVERSIDE AND TECUMSEH AS OPPOSED TO OTHER CENTERS?
· Geography is the biggest factor. Our "home" arenas are very close in proximity to each other (within 3km) and would provide minimal adjustment for our players and families. Also, Riverside and Tecumseh were once one organization prior to Tecumseh branching off to form the "Tecumseh Shoreline Minor Hockey Association" in the 1990's.
3. WHAT WILL THE NEW BOUNDARIES OF THE NEW ASSOCIATION BE IF THIS MERGER GOES THROUGH?
· The OMHA will finalize the boundaries but we have good reason to believe it will be as simple as a 'join' of our respective centers current boundaries since we are adjacent to each other.
4. WHAT WILL THIS MERGER MEAN FOR ME AND MY PLAYER?
· It will mean nothing, or it will mean a lot. For Houseleague, combining the two programs means more opposition and more opportunities to play different teams. No more two or three team divisions. The goal is to enhance the travel hockey experience by ensuring players are on a team where they better fit in relation to their current skill level. For Houseleague, combining the two programs means more opposition and more opportunities to play different teams. There will be the same amount of teams if not more per division it will depend on the number of player available in each age group. Riverside and Tecumseh also came together because of proximity. The two arenas are less than 3km from each other and should not create any added burden whether your player’s team plays at Tecumseh Arena, or the WFCU Centre. Once a site is selected for your player’s team, they will play out of that time slot and location for the entire year, allowing for good family planning and organization.
5. I’M HEARING RUMOURS IF THE MERGER DID TAKE PLACE THERE WOULD BE AN A AND AA TEAM? IS THIS TRUE?
· The classification of a centre is at the discretion of the OMHA, and enrollment is only one factor in the equation. We will put a proposal together to the OMHA which we believe best suits our needs, but they will have the final say on classification. There is no hard "rule" pertaining to the number of players in an organization. Both Riverside and Tecumseh are in agreement that potentially being placed into a AA classification is not a reason to put a stop to merger negotiations but we deal with this hurdle as it comes along with the best interests of the players in mind.
6. WHO IS ON THE MERGER COMMITTEE?
· The merger committee is currently comprised of people from both organizations. There are 13 people on the committee including:
TEC: Tony Rosa, Scott Preston, Elvis Zgomba, Michelle Russell, Glenn Gervais, Justin Glover
RVSD: Anne Marie Schofield, Jay Jubinville, Matt Bunn, Greg Trojand, Al Latendre, Shawn Knowles, Mark McLean
7. DOES THE MERGER HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY?
· Nothing is guaranteed or automatic. After the Committee finalizes all the necessary paperwork, we will hold membership votes and if that is successful then we submit everything to the OMHA who actually has the final say.
8. WHO IS ALLOWED TO VOTE ON THIS MERGER?
· According to RMHA and TSMHA existing by-laws, voting at special members meetings are restricted and can be viewed on the respective websites. If you are a member of RMHA or TSMHA, and fall into one of the ‘member classes’ as defined in our by-laws, you are eligible to vote at the special meeting that will be called in November.
9. HOW IS INFORMATION BEING COMMUNICATED?
· We have setup a website, a separate email address ([email protected]) to answer your questions, and will be holding information sessions after the season starts. and provide information through our social media site, websites and on paper. Our goal is to have as many questions answered for you in advance of the voting meetings.
10. WHO’S BY-LAWS WILL BE USED?
· We will use *new* by-laws. Under the new Ontario Not for Profit Corporation Act (ONCA), there are very specific guidelines that must be followed when creating our by-laws. We will follow those guidelines and also follow the advice of legal counsel. Our respective by-laws are very similar now so they will not differ much. What is more important is the work we'll put in to finalize our Rules of Operation and Policies.
11. HOW IS THE NEW ORGANIZATION GOING TO BE NAMED?
· The Committee will work on finding a corporate name that is agreeable to everyone while recognizing this as a fresh start. The association nickname (i.e. Rangers, Eagles), association colors, will be left to the membership to help decide in a fun and exciting way.
12. IS ONE ORGANIZATION FINANCIALLY STRONGER THAN THE OTHER AND HOW WILL THAT AFFECT THIS MERGER?
· Its important to remember that this is a new beginning and not a partnership therefore we each bring what we have into this new corporation with equal weight.
13. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE BANNERS, PLAQUES, TROPHIES, ETC THAT EXIST WITHIN EACH ORGANIZATION NOW?
· Our goal is to build a new association but to honor the traditions of the original associations and therefore we'll find a way to showcase our histories in the best possible way. We also will look to our members to help with ideas how to achieve these goals.
14. WHO WILL BE ON THE NEW BOARD AND HOW WILL THEY BE APPOINTED?
· The initial Board will consist only of Executive members that will be appointed by the committee and will serve only for the first year to ensure a smooth transition. After the first year, the Board's makeup will be determined by the usual process of nominations and voting at subsequent AGM's and as per the by-laws.
15. WILL THE SPECIAL RANGERS AND TAKE-A-SHOT PROGRAMS CONTINUE?
· Absolutely yes. Both those programs are something that RMHA takes great pride in and we know the new association will adopt them as part of an exciting future in hockey.
16. WILL THE FAMILIES FIRST HOUSELEAGUE AND CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENTS CONTINUE?
· Both tournaments will continue and we expect they will grow and prosper even more under the new association.
17. HOW WILL THE NEW ASSOCIATION DETERMINE SERVICE PROVIDERS? (I.E. JERSEYS)
· Similar to current practices, the new organization will always issue requests for bids from suppliers to ensure we're getting the best possible deals for our members.
18. HOW DO I GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEW ORGANIZATION?
· The new organization will have exciting opportunities for more volunteers whether on the new Board or part of adhoc committees within Travel and Houseleague programming. We are hopeful for many new faces to take advantage of all opportunities.
19. HOW WILL GENERAL REGISTRATION FEES BE AFFECTED?
· Registration fees are based on multiple factors such as ice costs, insurance, administrative fees, referee fees, and many other items. These are reviewed yearly to determine the most cost-effective rates. We will continue to do that with the new organization. We do not anticipate any major changes.
20. HOW WILL THIS NEW ORGANIZATION AFFECT MY TRAVEL FEES?
· Each year, every minor hockey association has to review their fee structure that is specific to travel programming and this new organization will be no different. Factors such as ice fees, referee fees, insurance, and all other items that have weight into those calculations, will still be used to set travel fees.
21. HOW WILL TEAMS BE MADE UP FOR HOUSELEAGUE AND TRAVEL?
· Travel teams are selected by their coaching staffs at the formal tryouts each year. Both organizations currently operate in similar manners and will continue to do so. Sometimes independent scouting is used at the travel level to ensure fairness in the selection process. Each travel team must select a minimum of 15 skaters and 2 goalies. At the end of the day and as per usual practices, the best players will be picked for each team.
Houseleague teams are selected by the VP Houseleague and the respective league conveners or by a draft option. The goal will be to have balanced teams.
22. HOW WILL COACHES BE SELECTED?
· Both organizations currently use a similar coaching selection process. The board of directors sets up a coaching selection committee each year, and runs full interviews for every application to coach. This process will continue, and the selection committee will select the best coach for each team.
If the concern is that a selection committee will select an unbalanced amount of "Riverside" coaches or "Tecumseh" coaches, then it's an understandable concern. It is almost impossible to ensure equal numbers in all situations, but any selection committee will be comprised of both Riverside, Tecumseh, and outside individuals who are considered to be fair and impartial in selecting the BEST candidates to coach teams, who will in turn select players to their team who are deserving of spots, regardless of where they live. Best coaches, best players is the goal.
23. HOW MANY TRAVEL TEAMS WILL THERE BE?
· There will be as many teams as can be supported by registration. OMHA does not limit the number of teams that an organization can field. So if numbers allow, there can be a AA, A, and C team at each level, ensuring there are no travel hockey spots lost
24. HOW MANY HOUSELEAGUE TEAMS WILL THERE BE?
· There will be as many teams as can be supported. Both Riverside and Tecumseh were operating in past years with an average of 4 house league teams at each level. With a full amalgamation of the houseleague programs we hope to have up to 8 teams at each level which is an opportunity to see more variance in the game schedule
25. WHAT RINK WILL TEAMS PLAY OUT OF FOR HOUSELEAGUE?
· Our goal is to use both Tecumseh and the WFCU for houseleague and we will structure each division to play out of the same arena all season in the same time-slots each week.
26. WHAT RINK WILL TEAMS PLAY OUT OF FOR TRAVEL?
Our goal is to use both Tecumseh arena and the WFCU arena and to structure the teams in such a way that there is logical flow by age groups to continue to allow for AP's and easy referee scheduling.