My name is Rob Tait and I am the Head Coach for our team. Please reach out to me at any time if you have any questions. I am usually best reached by email or text at (519) 318-2773.
IMPORTANT: If you would like an additional email contact added to our communication list, please let me know. This list will be used for all communications from WLMHA and will be shared with the team coaching staff. It will also be used for our Sportzhead App [more info below].
U8/U9 Team Identification
As you may be aware, Four Counties Hockey League voted to combine all U8 players into U9 teams. We are in the processing of securing additional jerseys - so for now the teams have simply been numbered and identified on our website with your coaches’ initials.
Bench Staff
The team Bench staff has been set up as follows:
Coach: Rob Tait
Assistant Coach/On Ice Help: Karl Schramowsky
Assistant Coach/On Ice Help: John McWilliam
Assistant Coach/On Ice Help: Chad McGahan
Trainer(s): Terry Weed
Team Manager: If anyone would like to fulfill the role of Team Manager, please view the Team Manager Manual and please let me know. This is eligible for volunteer hours.
Season Start Dates & Regular Weekly Times
First practice will be Sunday September 24th at 12:00 PM at the West Lorne Arena. Weekly hockey practices following that, will be on Sundays at 12:30 PM, and Thursday at 6:00 PM, with every third week our practice being on the Friday at 5:30 PM. Please follow the Team Calendar.
Any upcoming games will be scheduled once the Four Counties Hockey League holds their scheduling meeting at the end of September. Team calendars online will be updated. Schedules may need to be altered to have games outside of the regular weekly times depending on away games and skill sessions. Communication will come directly from the coaches.
We will also have some skill sessions and dry-land training scheduled as well. These will be added to the calendar as they are scheduled. They are not mandatory but are offered to the team at no additional charge.
On January 15th, we move to playing full ice games, and standings will be kept through the League.
Team Meeting
We will hold a team meeting, before our practice on Sunday October 1st, at 12:15 PM. Please have the kids dressed for practice, and we will meet by the change rooms so following the meeting practice can begin right away. During our team meeting, parents can ask any questions about the upcoming season. Coaching staff will outline the goals and expectations for the season of the players and parents. The WLMH Emergency Response Plan will also be covered. Please consider if you are available to act as a Call Person or a Control Person in the event of an emergency - our team will need to have a couple adults designated for each position.
Attendance at Practices & Games
Please try your best to use the RSVP function in Sportsheadz to record if your player will be attending a practice or a game. This is very helpful in terms of planning lines, and it determine drills and breakouts for practices. If last minute, your player is unable to make it you can always send me a text as well.
Tournaments & Jamborees
All Comets U9 Teams are scheduled to play in the Black & Gold Tournament on November 3rd, 4th, and 5th. In the past, the U9s have only played on the Saturday (Nov 4th), but for now all three (3) days have been blocked out in the team calendars.
Additional Tournaments/Jamborees throughout the year will be added at the discretion of your coach(es) and willingness/availability of parents/players.
Required Hockey Equipment
For your first practice, please ensure your child has all their equipment. Jerseys and socks are provided by WLMHA for all teams.Here is a link to the OMHA required equipment list.
Used equipment can be purchased at Herms Sport Exchange in London. As well, Canadian Tire offers Hockey Starter kids that some have found very affordable.
When you come into the West Elgin Arena, check the dressing room board to your right. Dressing rooms will be specified on the white board to the right inside the arena by listing the Team Name and the Dressing Room. You should arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled ice time. Some parents dress their children at home with everything except their skates and helmet, to make it a quicker time in the dressing room.
Hockey/Equipment Bags
Please make sure your child’s equipment is in a bag, with name, and phone number. We did have a few bags left behind last year in other centres, and they never turned up because there was no way to identify who the bag belonged to. You can get a luggage tag from the dollar store and use that.
Helmets
Please ensure your child has a full hockey helmet, with the face protector, as well as the helmet must be CSA approved and not expired. Please put a piece of tape with your child’s name on the front of their helmet, as this is a huge help to the coaching staff.
Water Bottles
Please make sure your child has a water bottle they can drink from with their helmet on, without assistance. Please label your child’s water bottle with their first and last name. Water bottles can be filled in the warm room at the filling station.
Walking with Skates On
You will notice there is a rubber mat in the area between the player benches and the change rooms. This is safe to walk on with skates. This does extend into the warm room, but only into the doorway, so once your child has skates on they will not be able to walk much further than the door. Walking on concrete will require them to need to be sharpened and it is not recommended.
Skate Sharpening
West Elgin Arena does offer skate sharpening for $10 cash, however it is usually only available on weekends and when staff are available.
Respect in Sport - Parent Course
One parent of each NEW (first year) registrant must complete the Hockey Canada Respect in Sport Course. Please ensure at least one (1) parent has completed this course prior to September 24. This is at your own expense. Once you have completed it, you will not need to complete it again. https://westlornecomets.com/Pages/2184/Respect_In_Sport/ If you have not completed this course, our entire team roster will be denied and we will be unable to continue playing or practicing. Please ensure you have completed this, and if you are not sure, please reach out to the Registrar.
Cell Phone Use In Dressing Rooms
The use of cell phones in dressing rooms is strictly prohibited. Anyone caught using a cellphone will be subject to discipline per the WLMH Board.
Dressing Rooms
Our team will be assigned a dressing room at each practice/game; and sometimes due to the lack of dressing rooms we will be sharing with another U9 team. In West Lorne, there is a smaller gender inclusive dressing room available for use (the former girls dressing room). If you require a special dressing room accommodation, due to any reason, please contact me. All requests will be kept confidential.
Volunteer Fees
All families are required to complete eight (8) hours per child per $250 volunteer fee. Please keep your eye on the volunteer page to signup for jobs and get your fee for the year returned to you.
Website & Social Media
Please be sure to follow us on Facebook @westlornecometshockey and browse our website on an ongoing basis. The website is a great resource for all information about WLMHA and the upcoming season.
SportsHeadz App - Mobile Team Management
SportsHeadz App is an app managed by WLMHA website interface. It is a team management app that allows coaches to communicate via a chat function with players/parents, allows schedules and team activities to be set up, and allows players to respond to their availability for practices and games.
All players will be added to the app with their email. Players under the age of 13 will be added as a parent/guardian managing their player. You will be added via the email you used when you registered yourself/child. If you would like a second player/guardian added for your child, please let us know.
In the coming days, you will receive an invitation to download the app and you will be added to a team. Please see the attached “How to” guide to learn about the app.
Subscribe to Your Team’s Calendar
Team Calendars and all Team News is available on westlornecomets.com under “Team Finder” and select your team name.
If you use your electronic calendar on your Apple/Android device, make sure you subscribe to your team calendar. The calendar updates continuously, so if a game or practice is scheduled/canceled, this will show up in your electronic mobile device calendar.
Visit: https://westlornecomets.com/Teams/1248/Webcal/ for instructions on how to Subscribe directly to the Team’s calendar.
Questions about the Upcoming Season
If you have any questions, please reach out to me, Throughout the season, any concerns can be sent directly to the WLMHA Board.
Board Comments/Question
The Director of Coaching is Rob Tait. If you have any coach related concerns, please contact Rob at [email protected].
On behalf of the West Lorne Minor Hockey Association, thank you all for joining the West Lorne Comets hockey family! Let’s get a great season going. GO COMETS GO!