Clarington Thunder Hockey Paused 

Estimated Return Date: January 5, 2021

The Clarington Thunder board held an emergency meeting this weekend to discuss what entering into the "Red-Control" stage in Durham means for our organization. Unfortunately, although we would have liked to offer some hockey programming throughout these restrictions, we have made the decision to "pause" our season until January 5, 2021, providing we are able to safely resume hockey under public health and provincial guidelines at that time.

We have consulted with organizations of similar size and they have had to make the same decision. Creating new teams of only 8 players would mean almost 100 teams for Clarington Thunder and we do not have the ice time, or the coaches, to offer even one practice per week. 

Instead, we will use this time to continue to roster our current teams so that we are ready to resume immediately and play games if we are able to in January. Families wishing to return in January, who are registered for this season, can return at no cost. Your $150 will be credited for the January/February season. If you wish to remain registered, you do not have to do anything at this time. 

For families wishing to withdraw their child from hockey, the pro-rated refund amount will be $100. Unfortunately, if you withdraw your child from their team, their spot will not be guaranteed in January. Your refund will be issued upon receipt of your jersey and socks, if they were given to you. 

If you would like to request a refund, please e-mail crhlthunder@rogers.com with your child's name and birthdate. 

We thank you for your continued support and patience through these difficult times. We look forward to getting back to hockey as soon as possible.

Please be advised we are in the process of migrating to a new website for this season. The schedule is currently available over on the new platform.

 http://clarington.mbsportsweb.ca/

If you have yet to hear from a coach please see the information below. 

Coaches have received their rosters and are in the process of contacting players/parents. If your team does not yet have a coach you will be contacted by a convener. 

We have a start date of November 7th. 

If you have not heard from a coach or convener by Wednesday November 4th please contact the convener for your child's age division. 

Please see the below information from the OMHA regarding unsanctioned tournaments. 

Over the past several weeks there has been a steady stream of emails concerning the Barn’s weekend tournaments and whether the tournaments had been approved by the OMHA. 

The 3 on 3 tournament program provided by the BARN conflicts with current OMHA programing and is classified as non-sanctioned.  Players who chose to participate in these tournaments after September 30th of the current year may be suspended. 

If you need any clarification please contact the office. 

We have added a new page off of the home page titled Covid info - please be sure to check in on this page as we have recently added the 3-on-3 rules and will be adding more information as we receive it.

We are hoping to be on the ice starting November 7th. 

Please remember that this is conditional on final approval from the OMHA as well as any changes to Covid-19 restrictions by the municipality or province. 

More info to follow! Please be sure to check back here for all current updates! 

If you have missed season 1 payment and are still looking for a spot please contact the office with your players name as soon as possible. 

The season 1 payment secures your players spot for season 1. 

Teams ae currently being drafted and coaches are being contacted. 

Parents will be contacted once everything is in order.

Thank you for your patience!

Please follow the link below to submit a coaching application for the 2020/2021 season.

Please remember these are the rules set down by our governing body – hockey wise and region/province wise – they are not within our power to be changed – and must be followed.

When will the season start?

The 2020-2021 season will begin by early November. It will be divided into three sessions:

Season 1: November/December

Season 2: January/February

Season 3: March/April

What will the cost be?

The year will be divided into three “seasons”. Each season will cost $150 per player. 

Season 1: November/December    

Payment due date: October 9, 2020

Season 2: January/February          

Payment due date: December 15, 2020

Season 3: March/April            

Payment due date: February 15, 2021

How much ice time will we get?

We are aiming for an average of two ice times per week. Ice times will vary throughout the week for most divisions, except U7, U8 and U9, who will usually play on Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

What will the format be?

Teams will play 3-on-3 games. Teams will consist of 9 players and one goalie. There will be no faceoffs and no physical contact on the ice. Players must remain a stick length apart although incidental or accidental contact may occur. When a scrum or gathering occurs the puck will be given to the defending team and the attacking team must retreat.

 How will teams be chosen?

The Clarington Thunder executive will be drafting teams through a random draw based on last-year’s ratings. Player tie-ins cannot be requested. The executive reserves the right to re-organize teams throughout each season to ensure balanced teams. 

Will we play the same teams every week?

“Bubbles” will be comprised of  a maximum of 5 teams. All games will be played against the teams in your bubble. 

What happens if our goaltender is unavailable?

Goaltenders  can be substituted within a “bubble”

Will we have playoffs?

We will not have playoffs this year. 

Can parents watch games?

Under current public health guidelines, one adult per player will be admitted into the arena. No siblings will be permitted. A health screen must be completed for everyone entering into the building. There will be designated viewing areas for each team. Masks must be worn and social distancing must be adhered to. This could potentially change through the season. 

Will players be using dressing rooms?

Dressing rooms will be closed. All players must be dressed (excluding skates and helmets) before entering the arena. Players can bring their skates and helmets into the arena in a small bag. Teams will meet outside a maximum of 10 minutes before their ice time and enter into the arena together. 

Will we play Orono and Newcastle?

We will not play against Orono or Newcastle this year. 

Will there be Mini Watts?

At this point, there will not be a fall session of Mini Watts. We will make a decision regarding a January start by December and will update our website and Facebook page.

I would like to coach. How do I do that?

Please use the link on the Clarington Thunder website to fill out an application. 

Am I able to coach in more than one division?

Yes, coaches can coach more than one team. 

Are teams rostering a full bench staff?

Yes, teams can roster up to 5 bench staff  but only two are permitted on the ice (or bench) at a time. Teams must roster a coach and trainer at minimum, and then the manager must be the next roster position before adding assistants. 

I need trainer/coaching certification. How do I get it?

Recertification will be done online this year. No in-person clinics will be offered. Visit https://www.omha.net/coach for information. 

I would like to coach with someone I know. How do we apply to be on the same team?

Coaches can indicate a preferred trainer in their coaching application. Trainer requests are not guaranteed. In the draft process, there must be enough players of each rating available in order to protect both the coach’s and trainer’s child. For example, if both the coach and trainer are tied to a “B” rated player, and the team would not have been granted two “B” players in the draft, the trainer’s child would not be placed on that team. Both the coach and trainer must apply online by October 10th. 

I have equipment to return from last season. Where do I bring it? 

We currently do not have access to the equipment room. Please bring your equipment to 204 Sandringham Drive in Courtice between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 3rd or Sunday, October 4th. 

Will players wear a mask?

Players will be required to enter the arena wearing a mask and will only take it off when they are on the ice. 

Do coaches wear a mask on the bench?

Coaches must wear a mask at all times unless they are on the ice. A face shield is strongly encouraged. 

Will we have to complete a health screen?

Yes. We are currently working on the format but this will need to be completed before entering the arena each time. 

What other precautions will be in place? 

Arena staff will be enhancing cleaning measures. Additional time between rental periods will be allotted for cleaning. 

Players must fill water bottles at home and bring them (labelled with their name) to the arena.  No sharing of equipment will be permitted. 

If you still need to register your child please email the office with their name and birth date. The registration request must be received in writing by email (phone messages will not be accepted for these purposes).

You must register through the office before the payment link will work for your player.

Spots are limited in all divisions. As divisions fill a wait list will be created. 

Thank you for your patience! 

The province is set to begin stage 3b of the Hockey Return to Play Plan on September 1. This stage includes Off-ice and On-ice training based on last year’s registration, with no physical contact at any age. Players may participate with their home association or with the association with which they were registered for the 2019-2020 season. Players registering for the first time are asked to register with the association identified as their residential (home) association. 

Stage 3c of the Return to Play Plan will begin at a future date. We are hopeful that Ontario will be at this stage upon our league’s return in early November. This stage allows for 3v3 or 4v4 games with no physical contact at any age. A maximum of 10 players and 2 coaches per team will be grouped into "Bubbles" of up to 5 teams in total.  All 5 teams must fall within the same Health Department, in our case, Durham Region. All of this is subject to change based on the Government restrictions related to Covid.

The Clarington Thunder organization is currently accepting registrations and planning to begin our season in early November. We are asking that if you are interested in registering your child for hockey this season to please do so through our website - www.claringtonthunder.com. We will be providing updates as to registration, cost, team construction, coaching etc. regularly on our website and on our Facebook page moving forward.

While we still don't know the format of the upcoming season, we are working on plans to safely return to hockey. If you are interested in volunteering with a team this year, in any capacity, please fill out the following form. This is just to gauge initial interest. Official coaching applications will be available once we have more information.

After much consideration, the CRHL has determined it will not be offering refunds or handing out trophies. We apologize for any inconvenience, and request the understanding of all our parents and players considering the extreme and unprecedented circumstances of the COVID pandemic in which we find ourselves. 

Update: Effective immediately, all hockey has been suspended until further notice. We have received the OMHA's decision to cancel all minor hockey across the province. At this time we do not know what this will mean for the remainder of the season, and are awaiting further information. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy.

Please email the office if you need assistance.

crhlthunder@rogers.com

The CRHL Supports Rowan’s Law

Rowan Stringer loved rugby. A competitive and keen athlete, she was captain of her high school’s team. Tragically, in May 2013, 17-year old Rowan died as the result of head injuries she sustained while playing rugby. In the week before her last game, Rowan was hit twice while playing, likely sustaining a concussion after each blow. Her concussions went unreported, and she continued to play. Rowan suspected something wasn’t right—she texted a friend about her condition and used Google to search for information about concussions. When she was hit again in her final game, Rowan suffered what is known as Second Impact Syndrome—catastrophic swelling caused by a second injury to a brain still healing from previous trauma. Rowan collapsed on the field on May 8, 2013, and died four days later (Ophea.net).

Rowan's Law (Concussion Safety), 2018 makes it mandatory for sports organizations to: ensure that athletes under 26 years of age, parents of athletes under 18, coaches, team trainers and officials confirm every year that they have reviewed Ontario's Concussion Awareness Resources. (https://www.ontario.ca/page/rowans-law-concussion-safety

The CRHL is in full support of the Rowan’s Law and its intent to improve concussion awareness. As mandated in the new law, the CRHL now requires all players, parents/guardians, and team officials to take the following two steps:

1. Review the Ontario government's concussion awareness resources on an annual basis.
2. Sign the Ontario Hockey Federation’s (OHF) Rowan's Law Acknowledgement form. By signing this form, players, parents & team officials confirm they have:

a) Reviewed the concussion awareness resources;

b) Commit to the OHF Concussion Code of Conduct, which includes helping to prevent concussions, taking concussions seriously, and respecting the OHF removal and return to play protocol.

The CRHL has set the following deadlines:.

• All CRHL players, parents and officials must complete the review of information & acknowledgement prior to their first scheduled ice time this fall (2019/20 season)

Please be aware that the OMHA has now stated that all players new to the association must have birth certificates attached to their hockey profiles.

Coaches will be asking parents to submit birth certificates to the office to add to player profiles. The CRHL will not keep a copy of these once the documents are added to the player profiles.

Keep up to date on CRHL News, Events and schedules on our new Facebook and Twitter Pages!

Keep current with your team's schedule, scores, and standings.

The OMHA requires that at least one parent or guardian for each player registered in the OMHA, and therefore the CRHL, must complete the online Respect in Sport - Parent Education Program as a condition of their child’s participation.

This course must be taken BEFORE you can register your child for play.

Once the course is taken, the certificate number obtained is to be used for player registrations in this and subsequent years.