Focusing on lower levels

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

More ice times at the lower levels and proper usage of money that would otherwise be left untouched were among several changes that the Strathmore Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) committee took into consideration for the 2015-2016 season.
SMHA president Kevin Brelis and the committee members met recently to discuss the upcoming changes.
“The by-product of that (the finances of lower teams), more ice slots became available,” said Brelis.
He added that the association’s mandate was to make the practice ice times later than 3:45 p.m. because of the amount of commuters in town and as result of reducing ice times, the slots will be filled later starting at 4:15 p.m.
The novice level would also benefit from the additional ice time as they would normally only have 45-minute practices. Now, however, they will have one-hour-long time slots. Brelis said the changes will allow for a little bit more development with two hours a week.
Additionally, the novice age group and the atom age group will see a change-up as they will be taking ice time in other areas of the county.
“Novice and atom traditionally practice in town,” said Brelis. “This year the atoms are sort of mimicking the peewees and midgets, who practice out of town. We have ice time in Gleichen – our atoms have one practice out of town for one hour, which they never had an opportunity to do before.”
He added that the main goal for SMHA will be on the lower levels because that’s where it all starts for many players, and the new Timbit program is only going to speed up development of players.
“It’s giving parents someplace where they can actually take their children,” said Brelis. “This is a hockey program. This is not just a skating program. They’re being introduced to the hockey stream in a very fun way and it’s only going to encourage them to start earlier.”
Overall, over the course of the season, if nothing else, Brelis and his staff hope that every team has a qualified coach that gains a perspective of a player’s development and provides them with a fun season.