Let’s Play Hockey

MICHAEL BARRETT AHAI President

JIM CLARE AHAI BOD- CEP, Membership

JOHN DUNNE AHAI Executive Director

DAN GALLAGHER AHAI BOD, R&E Chair

LAURA JOHNSON AHAI Registrar

CHUCK SMITH AHAI BOD, ADM Committee

KERI ZSCHACH AHAI BOD- Tier II Pres Counsel

2020 AHAI AFFILIATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

The information provided by AHAI to which this Disclaimer applies is for general informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be relied upon as, medical or legal advice, whether general or specific. You are strongly encouraged to consult with qualified medical personal or public health officials for medical considerations, and with local,state and federal orders and or laws, or legal counsel, for legal considerations. If you use any information provided herein, you do so at your own risk and you specifically waive any claims, and release from any and all liability, Amateur Hockey Association Illinois, Inc., and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents in connection with your use of this information.

Please be aware that our knowledge surrounding COVID-19 is constantly changing, and circumstances will vary based on geographic region. Therefore, AHAI strongly encourages all participants to adhere to their state and local guidelines for best practices on COVID-19 prevention.

Each association should have its own plan in place for returning to the rink. Local rinks and associations need to follow the guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Health and its Guidance for Social Distancing, as well as local government officials in determining when, and how, it is appropriate to return to the rinks, including requirements or guidelines for physical distancing, size of gatherings or number of people permitted in a facility, or wearing masks, etc.

Restore IL Phase 4- Revitalization Consult with your local rink for their policies Encourage Best Practices Gatherings of up to 50 people Continue to social distance Frequent hand washing Face Coverings Travel consistent with IDPH and CDC Guidelines Health Monitoring

Restore Illinois Phase 4 Youth Sports Guidelines

https://dceocovid19resources.com/assets/Restore-Illinois/businessguidelines4/youthsports.pdf

Organizations operating recreational sport activities for youthExamples of youth sports include (non-exhaustive): competitive sports games or matches, group sports lessons, team or group sports practicesIn Phase IV, youth sports activities include drills, practices, lessons, and competitive game play

Physical Workspace Guidelines Specific to Youth Sports

Non-competitive activities (e.g. practices, drills, lessons) should be set up to allow for 6-ft. of distancing between participants whenever possible.

If social distancing cannot be maintained during game play, participants should still maintain 6-ft. of distancing while on the sidelines/not directly involved in the game play.

If a sporting facility has stations for individual recreation activities, operator should ensure at least 10-ft. between stations. If stations cannot be moved, operator should limit number of open stations to ensure social distancing

Locker Rooms and ShowersLocker rooms and showers should be configured with signage, tape, and other markings to ensure members can maintain 6-ft. of social distance.Consult your local rink as they may have a more restrictive policy.

SpectatorsSports organizer should designate an area for spectators with existing seating capped at 20% of capacity Display visual markets 6-ft. apart for seatingRemove any furniture/ block off areas not conducive to social distancingFor concession stands, employers should refer to Phase 4 guidelines for Restaurants and Bar

Disinfecting/Cleaning ProceduresMinimize sharing of high-touch equipment between non-household individuals. If equipment is to be shared, instructors or league employees should sanitize equipment before and after use (see EPA approved list of disinfectants)Sanitization of locker rooms and showers should be completed in line with Health and Fitness Centers guidelinesSport organizer should sanitize any individual recreation stations before and after participant use

Staffing and Attendance Indoor facilities maximum occupancy of 50% of facility capacity Group Sizes limited to 50 total participants, coaches and referees-

Applies to competitive play- 25 total participants, coaches, referees per team

During practice as well as competitive games, multiple groups of 50 or fewer participants permitted at once provided facilities allow for social distancing of participants, employees and spectators

30-ft of distancing is maintained between groups/ opposing teams on the sidelines

Areas for each group are clearly marked to discourage interaction between groups outside of competitive game play

Encourage Best PracticesStaying Home When Sick or Experiencing Any Symptoms

Stagger shift start and end times to minimize congregation during changeovers

Teams / groups should be static, with no mixing of employees or participants between groups for the duration of the season, if practicalTeams/groups do not add new participants once the season has started

If practical, assign participants from the same household to the same team or group

April 2021USAH National

Tournament

March 5, 2021Central District

Tournament Starts

Mid to Late February

AHAI State Tournament

Finals

8/30/2020Fall Season

Tryouts start for Tier II U8

through U14 and House

League all ages

8/15/2020Fall Season Starts with

tryouts for Tier I, Tier II Girls, Tier II Youth

U16/18

Restore IL Phase 4 in

EffectSpring/Summer

Season. No USAH Certified

Rosters

2020/21 Timeline

Roster Q&AHow many players will be allowed in a group in Phase 4?Restore Illinois Phase 4 will allow gatherings of up to 50 people. This will allow teams adhering to the USAH Rosters limits of 20 players including goaltenders.

Will tryouts for teams be allowed during Phase 4?Tryouts may occur consistent to the AHAI Rules and Regulations specific to the season. Please refer to the specific rules for the Spring/Summer Season and those for the 2020/21 Fall Season.

Roster Q&AWill rosters be approved in Phase 4?Rosters that comply with the AHAI/USA Hockey Rules and Regulations specific to Spring/Summer and Fall Seasons will be approved.

Who can participate in sanctioned events?Participants must be registered with USAH and comply with the AHAI Rules and Regulations specific to team activities.

Roster Q&ACan individual players and/or teams travel to other states and participate in USAH Sanctioned Events?Yes, provided that the individual player and/or teams comply with the USAH and local state affiliate rules and regulations.

Do teams need an approved Travel Permit to participate in USAH Sanctioned Events or competition against USAH Registered teams in another state?Yes, each individual team will need a Travel Permit for each individual event, including tournaments, leagues, practice, exhibition, showcase, league or any other form of game.

Roster Q&AWill Sanctioned Tournaments be allowed in Illinois during Phase 4?Sanctioning will be dependent on compliance with the guidelines released by Restore Illinois for Phase 4.

Contact the AHAI Registrar for information and assistance.

Fall Tryouts and Team CommitmentTryouts may not be considered as making a commitment to an organization or a specific team. Organizations may not require financial commitment of fall season fees with their organization at the time of tryouts. Once offered a position on a specific team, players must commit to the organization and its financial requirements for the fall season.

Fall Tryouts and Team CommitmentOnce the team has been formed, on and off ice participation in team activities is considered acknowledged commitment to that team. Players may not leave a committed team to join another team with a different organization unless they are released from the initial organization. If they were on a Tier II team, they are limited to join a House League or HS Team (if age appropriate). Players may be dual rostered compliant to the AHAI Rules.

Return to Play ResourcesUSA Hockey has developed resources designed specifically for local organization to use to communicate with their membership

Included are best practices and tools for engaging your membership during this time.

https://www.usahockey.com/page/show/4965656-program-services-resources

Other ResourcesCDC — Cleaning And Disinfecting Your Facility

CDC — Re-Opening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting

EPA — Frequent Questions about Disinfectants and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

OSHA-NIOSH — Protecting Workers Who Use Cleaning Chemicals

OSHA — Protect Yourself: Cleaning Chemicals and Your Health

OSHA — Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Restore Illinois Phase requirements https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/sfc/servlet.shepherd/document/download/069t000000BadS0AAJ?operationContext=S1

USAH return to the rinks documenthttps://cdn4.sportngin.com/attachments/document/d8b1-2158869/Returning_to_the_RInks_05-05-2020_1_.pdf#_ga=2.130183759.199524803.1589215743-1988074172.1548864937

USA Hockey CoachingEducation Program

2020-2021

2020 AHAI AFFILIATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Introduction of temporary card allows for flexible option during COVID-19

USA HOCKEY TEMPORARY COACHING CARDS FOR 2020-21 SEASON

• Temporary Card allows coaches to have proper level of certification for 2020-21 season without attending clinic.

• Temporary Card applies to coaching levels 1-4• Temporary Card offered through June 30, 2020• Temporary Card registration:

https://myevents.usahockey.com/2020tempcard

Level 1-4 Coaching Certification Clinics will be done virtually until deemed safe to host large gatherings

USA HOCKEY VIRTUAL COACHING EDUCATION CLINICS

• Virtual clinics have begun and include 30-50 coaches at a time. • In-Person clinics will be subject to Restore Illinois guidelines• Clinic schedule: https://courses.usahockey.com/external/search.html?type=Coaching• Clinic registration: https://www.usahockey.com/coachingclinics

NOTE: All coaches who sign up for the temporary card will be able to participate in any virtual or in-person USA Hockey coaching clinic this season if their circumstances change for no additional charge.

• Register as a Coach https://membership.usahockey.com

• Background Check: New process this season that is good for 2 years https://www.usahockey.com/backgroundscreen

• SafeSport: This needs to be completed annually https://www.usahockey.com/safesportprogram

• Age-Specific Modules & Level 3 Recertification Courses: https://www.usahockey.com/agespecificmodules

WHAT CAN I DO NOW TO PREPARE FOR THE 2020-21 SEASON?

USA Hockey’s coaching webinar series, presented by Pure Hockey and BioSteel, connect coaches at every level of hockey

across the nation. Watch recorded webinars at www.youtube.com/usahockey!

Doug DietzCentral District Coach-In-Chiefdougdietz04@gmail.com

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US!

JIM CLAREIllinois Coach-In-Chief630.253.3192coach@ahai2.org

Questions & Answers

Michael BarrettPresident@ahai2.org

224 246-5760

Jim ClareJclare@ahai2.org

630 253-31292

John DunneJdunne@ahai2.org

224.636.3215

Dan GallagherDan.Gallagher@ahai2.org

Laura JohnsonRegistrar@ahai2.org

224.636.3233

Chuck Smithchuck.smith@ahai2.org

847 456-1642

Keri Zschachkeri.zschach@ahai2.org

815 671-7082