We are thrilled to welcome all our house league players to the ice beginning September 17.
Read on for some housekeeping details that will make the start of season smoother for everyone.
We are in the process of splitting players up into evaluation groups. You will get an email with your group assignment this weekend. These are NOT your full-season teams. They are simply random groups created to get the kids back on the ice and let us evaluate them so that we can create balanced teams for the full season.
Schedule
The season will begin on Friday, September 17 with our U21 division, followed by everyone else on Saturday, September 18.
The first three weeks will be spent with your evaluation group.
| Division |
Week |
Dates |
Activity |
| U7 |
1 – 3 |
9/18 – 10/3 |
Development & Evaluation |
| U8 |
1 – 3 |
9/18 – 10/3 |
Development & Evaluation |
| U9 |
1 – 3 |
9/18 – 10/3 |
Development & Evaluation |
| U11 |
1 – 2 |
9/18 – 9/26 |
Development & Evaluation |
| U11 |
3 |
10/2 – 10/3 |
Scrimmage |
| U13 |
1 – 2 |
9/18 – 9/26 |
Development & Evaluation |
| U13 |
3 |
10/2 – 10/3 |
Scrimmage |
| U15 |
1 – 3 |
9/18 – 10/3 |
Practice & Scrimmage |
| U21 |
1 – 3 |
9/17 – 10/3 |
Practice & Scrimmage |
Then we’ll all take a breather and celebrate Thanksgiving—no hockey the weekend of October 8 - 10. That is, all of us except the head coaches. They will get together over the break and draft teams. Parents will get an email from their coach letting them know their team assignment before we go back on the ice on October 15/16.
The younger players (U7 – U9) will continue with their development skates. The older players (U11 – U21) will play two weekends of evaluation games (two games each weekend, no practice) to ensure we have balanced the teams correctly. Adjustments may be made during this period, so don’t get too attached to your coach or teammates.
Once we’re happy with the teams, we’ll head into the regular season on October 29/30. For our U7 – U13 divisions, that means practices lead by our Hockey Development team and your team bench staff on Saturday and games on Sunday. U15 and U21 divisions will begin with two games per week.
Jerseys
During the first three weeks of evaluation groups, players can wear any jersey they like. If you do not have a jersey, please email [email protected] with your player’s name, evaluation group, and jersey size and we can provide one.
Once teams have been drafted, we will hand out Waxers jerseys that players will wear during the evaluation games and early season.
Players will choose their numbers the weekend of October 29/30 and we’ll start screening season jerseys. They should be ready for distribution to players in mid-November.
Team Schedules
Once you get your team assignment, you can check your team schedule on our website. Access them via your child’s division portion of our website.
From the home page of waxers.com:
- Select House League from the Category Sites (left column) menu
- Select your child’s division from the House League Divisions menu.
- To view practices and games both, select the league (on the division home page) or team calendar (on the team home page) option in the left menu.
Note: Schedule & Results shows only the game schedule and scores. It does not show scheduled practices. Division/Team Calendar shows both practices and games.
Rookie Camp
If your child is new to hockey, you can register for our Rookie Camp. Details are on our website.
Equipment Swap
We will hold our annual Equipment Swap on Tuesday, September 14 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the indoor soccer field at Mt. Joy Community Centre. Read more on our website.
Now for the more serious stuff.
City of Markham Acknowledgement, Waiver, and Indemnification
The City of Markham requires all participants—both players and volunteers—who will be on the ice to complete their City of Markham Acknowledgement, Waiver, and Indemnification form prior to stepping on the ice. We’ve put the form online so it is easy to access and complete. Please only fill it out once for your family. The form allows you to identify up to four (4) family members. If your family has more than four individuals who will be on the ice, please complete the form twice but do not repeat individuals.
Deadline to complete the form is Wednesday, September 16.
Complete the City of Markham Acknowledgement, Waiver, and Indemnification form now.
City of Markham Vaccination Policy
Starting September 22, all visitors to City of Markham recreational facilities who are age 12 years and older will be required to be fully vaccinated. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated after receiving the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine or combination of COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (e.g. two doses of a two-dose vaccine series, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine series, plus 14 days from last shot).
Proof of vaccination will be required at entry, along with photo ID (such as driver’s licence or health card). You can download your vaccine receipt from the provincial booking portal or by calling the Provincial Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900. Exemptions will be permitted for unvaccinated individuals with medical exemptions or under 12 years of age.
Read the full details of the City’s policy on their website.
OMHA Vaccination Policy
To continue to protect the health and safety of all OMHA participants, effective October 31, 2021, all affected persons (as defined in the OMHA policy) will be required to be fully vaccinated (i.e., including the 14-day period after receiving their completed dose). Affected persons include
- Players born in 2009 or earlier (at present this policy does not apply to players born in 2010 or later)
- Team officials—coaches, trainers, and managers
- Game officials –referees, linespersons, timekeepers
- Association officials—directors, officers, executive, and staff
- OMHA officials
- Volunteers
- Third party instructors engaged by associations
Read the full OMHA Vaccination Policy.
The OMHA will comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and provide an accommodation to any Affected Person (as defined under the policy) who is unable to be vaccinated for substantiated medical reasons and/or on other grounds protected under the OHRC, unless such an accommodation cannot be made without inflicting undue hardship on other Affected Persons.
Apply to the OMHA for an Accommodation.
Refund
Should you wish to withdraw from your house league registration due to the vaccination policy, please complete our Registration Fee Refund Request noting the vaccination policy as your reason for withdrawal. Given the implementation of the policy after our registration period, refunds processed for this reason will only pay a $50 refund fee until October 1.
Screening
In order to enter City of Markham recreation facilities, including arenas, each person must complete the City of Markham’s screening protocol. You can complete the screening before leaving home at www.markham.ca/simpletrack and show your green checkmark to the City staff to gain entry to the arena.
City of Markham Facility Usage Measures
The City of Markham has implemented measures at all arenas while we remain in Step 3 of the Ontario Roadmap to Reopening. Among them are:
- Masks are required to be worn at all times while in the arena.
- Players must wear their mask to and from the change rooms, but can remove them to go on the ice. Players do not need to wear masks on the bench, but bench staff must wear masks while on the bench.
- Visitors must maintain a safe distance of two meters/6 feet from those outside your family at all times.
- Hand sanitization upon entry is encouraged.
- Washrooms will be available but drinking fountains will not.
- Pre-game warm up inside the building is prohibited.
- Participants will be allowed into the facility no more than 30 minutes prior to the start of their scheduled ice time and must leave the facility within 15 minutes of the conclusion of their scheduled ice time.
- Players are encouraged to dress in as much equipment as possible prior to entering the facility to limit change room usage.
- Players should bring a full water bottled labeled with their name. City fountains will not be available.
Read the full City of Markham Facility Measures.
Phew, you made it with me this far! That was a lot of information. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know by emailing [email protected].
Please make emails from the Waxers part of your trusted sources so that you do not miss any future updates.