5.01 GENERAL GUIDELINES
a) Each rostered player and volunteer (i.e., bench staff) are covered under Hockey Canada/OHF insurance. It is extremely important to understand the limitations of this insurance. Detailed information on all aspects of the Hockey Canada/OHF insurance is provided on the ALLIANCE Hockey website under the “Admin/Insurance/” tab. It is highly recommended that the Coach and/or Manager read and understand the limitations of the Hockey Canada/OHF insurance and what additional insurance may be required for special team activities (i.e., dryland training, fundraising activities, etc.).
b) The SHA Executive Board shall establish the additional ice costs for Representative teams annually.
c) Each player is also responsible for all individual team costs involved in Representative team play.
d) Representative teams may fundraise to help defray costs. Due to the onerous licensing requirements by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), lotteries or raffles are not permitted for team or group fundraising under the Sarnia Hockey Association.
e) The SHA Rep Team Budget is a requirement for teams as they prepare their budgets for the season. The budget must be prepared for and approved by the team parent group prior to when the team’s season begins, fundraising activities start, or the team’s first game is played. Interim reports must be prepared and presented to the parent group prior to December 31 and a final report must be prepared at the end of the season, preferably prior to April 1. The initial, interim, and final reports must be backed up with bank statements and presented to the SHA Vice Chair Administration for review.
f) Teams may raise funds or secure sponsorship to offset tournament and travel expenses (or for extraordinary play down travel expenses), tournament entry fees, keepsakes (up to an approved amount), team functions (i.e., Holiday Party or Year End), tournament accommodations for non-parent officials and team supplies.
g) Teams may not raise funds to offset the cost of player registration fees, ice assessments, tournament accommodations for players and meals for parents or siblings at tournaments.
h) Any fundraising that the team participates in, is to be used for team expenses. Fundraising is not to be used for the financial gain of the parents; therefore, fundraising cannot exceed the Team’s budget.
i) Tobacco companies, cannabis dispensaries, breweries, distilleries or wineries shall not sponsor any team in the ALLIANCE. No team will display or allow to be displayed, any advertising of a tobacco company, cannabis dispensary, brewery, distillery or winery in relation to a team.
j) Sponsorship funds must be completely used during the season prior to using fundraising monies so that the sponsorship funds are not refunded to parents at the end of the season.
k) Failure to abide by the SHA Rep Team Budget guideline may result in forfeiture of ice privileges.
l) Sarnia Hockey Association will not be held responsible for the direct handling of team funds.
m) Each Representative team shall be provided information on how to access the Sarnia Hockey Association website and additional links to important hockey information. This Representative Team manual will be revised as required and Representative teams shall follow the guidelines set down in the manual.
n) Teams will follow the ALLIANCE Hockey Policy for tournaments and associated blackout dates as presented. Participation in the Silver Stick tournament (Sarnia and Port Huron) for those teams eligible is mandatory.
o) Sarnia teams attending an Ontario Hockey Federation Championship may be financially subsidized by Sarnia Hockey, but it is up to the team to approach the SHA Executive for financial assistance.
p) No Representative team from the same age division can play each other (i.e., U11 A/AA vs. U11 B/BB). However, the U9 Tier 1 Rep team may play the U9 Tier 2 Rep team only if ALLIANCE Hockey requires these two teams to play each other for the ALLIANCE Championship tournament.
q) All Representative Team Coaches, Managers and Trainers must submit a valid Vulnerable Sector police check (valid for 3 years) or an ALLIANCE Criminal Offence Declaration form (COD required for the 2 years between VS checks) before any team has their first practice of the current season or they will be suspended from their role and not allowed in the dressing room or on the bench. Bench staff police screening requirements will be communicated once complete bench staff have been provided to the Chairperson of Sarnia Hockey Association.
r) Sarnia Hockey Representative Teams will be referred to as “Sarnia Jr. Sting A/AA or Sarnia Jr. Sting B/BB”.