2008-2009 PROGRAM & REGISTRATION GUIDE

Welcome to the 2008-2009 Fall Hockey Season with the Firewagon Yellowjackets. As we begin our sophomore season, we are excited to announce some new offerings. The Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL) has accepted our application for membership, for the boys’ teams, by an affirmative vote of the quorum present at the June 16^th NIHL Presidents meeting. We have been accepted on a probationary basis for one full season with full membership rights, after which we will be subject to an acceptance vote. The boys’ teams will now join the girls’ teams who were accepted into NIHL last season. As in the past, we will adhere to our mission and philosophy to develop into one of the most well-respected youth hockey organizations in the area.

Yellowjackets Mission Statement:

The Yellowjackets mission is to provide a foundation for the growth and development of ice hockey in Crystal Lake and the surrounding communities by providing a family-oriented, economical youth ice hockey organization with programs aimed at increased participation, improved skills, and a responsible environment for the conduct of youth ice hockey.

Yellowjackets Philosophy:

Our primary role as a youth hockey program is to maximize the benefits our members obtain through participation in hockey while, at the same time, minimizing the costs. This statement provides the basis for identifying the specific goals and objectives for our programs, which will highlight the following four areas:

Ø       Skill (skating, passing, shooting, etc.)

Ø       Knowledge (rules, strategies, training, and guidelines)

Ø       Physical fitness (muscular and energy systems)

Ø       Attitude (personal/social feelings about hockey, self, and others)

In this document, you will find important information regarding our offerings; registration; dates of registration and tryouts; and other important information to the season, such as jerseys, zero-tolerance policy, skills development, and coach and volunteer information. As we begin this second season, we look forward to a year even more successful than our first.

Important Registration Information:

On Wednesday June 18, 2008, pre-registration will begin for current members, with open registration beginning for new members on June 25, 2008. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. To complete registration, a $515 non-refundable deposit is required. All players must be registered before taking part in warm-up sessions.

Returning players are those who were registered with the Yellowjackets during the 2007/2008 season. These players are guaranteed a spot for the 2008/2009 season if their completed registration form and proper payment is received prior to June 25, 2008.  Returning players who do not register by June 25, 2008, will be considered a “late returning player. ”  These players are not guaranteed a spot in the program. If you are a returning player, be sure to register on time!

New players are those who were not registered with the Yellowjackets during the 2007/2008 season. Open registration for new members begins on June 25, 2008. New players to our organization must read the letter from Amateur Hockey Association Illinois (AHAI) dated March 15, 2008, regarding Tier II applicant teams, as they are subject to different rules regarding the Tier II applicant teams which will play in NIHL. This letter is on our Web site.

New players and late returning players will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To increase their chances of acceptance, these players are encouraged to submit their registration as early as possible. If a player’s registration is received after our program is full, that player will be asked to be placed on a waiting list. If the request to be placed on a waiting list is declined, the registration check will be returned. If the request to be placed on a waiting list is accepted, the check will not be cashed until a determination of a spot exists.

If a player is a goalie, it must be noted during the registration process. Full-time goalies with their own equipment, Squirt level and older, are half price. There are no reduced fees at the Wannabee and Mite levels, where all players at these levels will have the opportunity to play goalie if they desire. Each program is supplied with several sets of goalie equipment for this purpose.

If three or more players are registered from the same family, the third and subsequent players each receive a discount of 1/3 of the season fee (excluding pre season clinics, evaluations, and other fees). This discount applies to the player(s) with the lowest season fee.

New this year is USA Hockey’s individual online registration. All players are responsible for registering online with USA Hockey. This registration is mandatory prior to registering with the Yellowjackets. During the Yellowjackets registration, information from the USA Hockey registration is required. A complete instruction sheet for registering both with USA Hockey and Firewagon Yellowjackets is available on our Web site (www.firewagonhockey.com).

Other Important Information:

Tryouts/Evaluations and warm-ups are included as part of the fees paid for the season. No additional fees are required for these sessions. More information regarding dates and times can be found below in the Schedules section. Jerseys and socks are not included as part of the fees paid for the season. If a player requires new jerseys or socks, Jerry’s Pro Shop is the vendor for the Yellowjackets new jerseys and socks for the 2008-2009 season, All jersey orders must be placed at the Crystal Ice House store before the start of the season. Once placed on a team, your Coach will handle all jersey number issues. Players may reuse their prior year’s jerseys.

In Illinois, Zero Tolerance reports escalated during the 2007/2008 season. After AHAI reviewed the statistics at the most recent Tier II Presidents meeting, it is clear the majority of reports are coming from the Pee Wee level and below. Violations occurred from parents, players, and coaches. All players, parents, and coaches will be required to read and acknowledge the Yellowjackets Zero-Tolerance Policy prior to the start of the season. Our Zero-Tolerance Policy can be found on our Web site (www.firewagonhockey.com) and will be distributed at the beginning of the season.

Hockey is a great family sport and parent coaches are wanted and welcomed. If you are interested in coaching, please complete the online coach’s application. As a parent coach, you will be required to attend the USA Hockey coaching seminar and must pass the USA Hockey screening program. This is mandatory for all coaches. Please remember that volunteering as a parent coach requires a certain amount of time dedicated to the kids. Parent coaches are expected to reinforce the philosophies and developmental strategies of the Yellowjackets as determined by its Board of Directors. Please volunteer only if you are able to do so in a manner consistent with the Yellowjackets objectives. USA Hockey has updated coaching certification requirements this year. Information regarding coaching levels and certification as well as an application can be found on the Yellowjackets Web site (www.firewagonhockey.com).

Skills Development Programs:

The Yellowjackets firmly believes in the skill development of every player within our program. Our staff professional’s on-ice development will allow our young athletes to reach their true potential as hockey players. Each year is a stepping stone that will continue to build upon the past experience and properly develop instincts and tendencies necessary for the sport. With a successful inaugural season under our belt, we have set a precedent of excellence. We will continue to build on this foundation in the season to come by supplementing our programs with additional edging, power skating, stick handling, passing, shooting, goaltending, and fundamental skills training.

Last year, we were able to supplement our developmental program and take additional steps forward in our mission to bring our goalies and players to the next level by offering sessions with both Stauber’s Goalcrease and Scott Bjugstad Shooting School. We are pleased to continue with these offerings as well as add additional programs. Wednesday evenings throughout the season we will be offering an individual skills development program where players will be run through a series of sessions from the following professionals:

·         Melissa L. Gade-Wasz - Professional Figure Skating & Hockey Instructor

·         Kenny McCudden - Ice Company

·         Adam Sauter - Hockey North

·         Scott Bjugstad - Scott Bjugstad Shooting Clinics

·         Robb Stauber – Stauber’s Goalcrease

Programs:

The Yellowjackets are pleased to offer the same programs as last year, with additional offerings based on our Tier II applicant status as well as acceptance into NIHL. The following are the programs that will be available for the 2008/2009 season:

·         Yellowjackets Developmental Program (mandatory) - $515

·         Yellowjackets Wannabees (birth year 2002 and younger) - $515

·         Yellowjackets Mite A2 Major and Minor - $285

·         Yellowjackets Girls’ Travel Hockey (U8-U16) – NIHL - $995

·         Yellowjackets Youth Travel Hockey (Mite-Midget) – NIHL - $1,900-$2,300*

·         Yellowjackets Northwest (Mite-Midget) – NWHL - $1515*

·         Yellowjackets Selects (Squirt-Midget) - $1,700*

*Includes $515 fee for Yellowjackets Developmental Program.

Yellowjackets Developmental Program

The Yellowjackets Developmental Program (YDP) is the basis for Yellowjackets hockey and, as such, all Yellowjackets players must take part in this program. The YDP program will be made up of players of the same age divisions, which will be distributed evenly, by ability, to ensure fair play for practices and games. Each player will go through a mandatory evaluation session to determine ability level. 

All instructional sessions and practices will be run by a Yellowjackets Hockey staff professional and will be designed to complement the needs of each team. Each session will focus on objectives recommended by USA Hockey as appropriate for that specific level of hockey.

Season Fees:  $515

Yellowjackets Wannabees

The Yellowjackets Wannabees is for young players with a birth year of 2002 and younger. This program is designed to transition the Learn-to-Skate or Pre-Hockey skater for Travel or House team play. These skaters will begin to apply the basic hockey skills learned previously into a game environment. This is the first step in our Mite Development program. These skaters will have two sheets of ice per week. One sheet will be for skills development and the other for a game.

Season Fees:  $515

Yellowjackets Mite A2 Major and Minor

During Mid-December, players born in the year 2000 and younger will form what is called an A2 team, which will participate in the Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL). The purpose of an A2 team is to introduce the beginner player to Travel Hockey at is earliest stage.

Wannabees players that are interested in these programs should discuss their options with the Wannabees Program Director. Each player will go through an evaluation process in December.

Mite A2 Majors are made up of players from the birth year 2000. Mite A2 Minors are made up of players from the birth years 2001 and 2002.

Season Fees:  $285

Yellowjackets Girls’ Travel Hockey

The Yellowjackets Girls’ Travel Hockey teams will participate in the Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL) Girls’ Gold Division, which is the largest Tier II Girls’ Hockey League in Illinois. Teams will be formed from the U8 to U16 age classifications. The travel season begins mid-September and ends in January, with playoff games taking place in February.

These Girls’ travel hockey teams also participate in several tournaments during the season, which can either be local or out of state, requiring overnight lodging. A typical travel hockey schedule includes skills development sessions, team practices, and several games per week. The Girls’ Travel program is designed to give hockey training to those who desire a more competitive experience. Teams will be on the ice approximately three times weekly with skills training, team practices, and game competition. The warm-up sessions and the tryout fees are included in the total season fees.

In addition to the Yellowjackets Girls Travel Hockey, all girl players have the option of joining the Yellowjackets Developmental Program and playing with the boys.

Season Fees:  $995 (does not include tournament fees)

Yellowjackets Youth Travel Hockey

Players must be registered in our developmental program to participate. Yellowjackets Travel Hockey teams will participate in the Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL), which is the largest Tier II Hockey League in Illinois. The Yellowjackets will form Tier II applicant teams from the Yellowjackets membership of 2007/2008 (any player rostered on a Yellowjackets AHAI roster filed with the AHAI registrar for the 2007/2008 season). New members from outside the current 2007/2008 Yellowjackets membership who wish to participate on a Yellowjackets Tier II Applicant team must contact the AHAI Tier II committee. This guideline is to ensure the priority to Tier II hockey players who have committed to the Yellowjackets in 2007/2008 and players new to Tier II hockey, and not the transfer of players from existing Tier II programs. Each exception to this guideline must be reviewed by the Tier II Committee on a case-by-case basis.  To have an exception reviewed, simply e-mail the committee at Tier2@ahai.org.

The travel season includes a seeding round that begins mid-September and runs through the end of October. Teams then enter into their regular season, which ends in January, with playoff games taking place in February. Travel hockey teams also participate in several tournaments per season, which can either be local or out of state, requiring overnight lodging. A typical travel hockey schedule would include skills development sessions, team practices, and several games per week. Travel hockey is competitive, integrating our skills development program, good sportsmanship, dedication, and commitment, as well as academic success. The warm-up sessions and the tryout fees are included in the total season fees.

This season, the Yellowjackets are restricted to one team at every age level based on USA Hockey age classification. (Mite A2 Minor, Mite A2 Major, Mite AA, Squirt AA, Peewee AA, Bantam AA, Midget Minor, and Midget Major). No player who has used both of his Tier II choices may be rostered onto a Yellowjackets Tier II applicant roster as set out by the AHAI By-Laws Article VII Tier II. Players rostered on a Yellowjackets Tier II applicant team for the 2008/2009 season must complete a Tier II declaration form but will not exhaust a choice for that season. Yellowjackets Tier II applicant teams will not be eligible to participate in the 2009 AHAI Blackhawk Cup Tier II tournament.

Season Fees:  (includes $515 YDP Fee) (does not include tournament fees)

·         Mite = $1,900

·         Squirt = $2,000

·         Peewee = $2,100

·         Bantam = $2,200

·         Midget = $2,300

Yellowjackets Northwest

Players must be registered in our developmental program to participate. Yellowjackets Northwest teams will participate in the Northwest Hockey League (NWHL). This is the first year we will field teams at all levels (Mites through Midgets) based on USA Hockey age classification. With a no- cut policy, the number of teams at each level will be determined by the number of players at evaluations for each particular level. While the Yellowjackets Northwest is not considered as competitive as Yellowjackets Travel Hockey or Yellowjackets Selects, we recognize that it is important to continue the development of players at all levels of play. We adhere to the NWHL philosophy of “Balance Ice Time – B.I.T.” which promotes reasonable ice time for all players.

The Mite Level is divided into two groups; Silver and Gold Mite. Silver Mites will be players six years of age or younger or seven-year-olds in their first year of organized hockey. Organized hockey is defined as a USA Hockey registered league or an in-house league. All seven-year-old Silver Mites must be evaluated, and only beginners are to be placed onto a Silver Mite team. More advanced skaters must play Gold Mites. Gold Mites will be players eight years old or younger.

The focus is on creating balanced teams with equal playing time for all players. NWHL. Teams play an average of 10 home and 10 away games in a season, which begins in September and concludes in March. By playing teams outside of our home rink, players experience the fun of limited travel hockey. The Yellowjackets Northwest teams also participate in several tournaments per season, which can either be local or out of state, requiring overnight lodging. The warm-up sessions and the evaluation fees are included in the total season fees.

Season Fees:  $1,515 (includes $515 YDP Fee) (does not include tournament fees)

Yellowjackets Selects

Players must be registered in our developmental program to participate. The Yellowjackets Selects program is designed to allow the more skilled developmental players an opportunity to play a more competitive level of hockey, while remaining in the developmental program. On the Yellowjackets Selects teams, players will have the benefit of additional practice time, participation in games against other organizations, and participation in tournaments. We believe the level of Yellowjackets Selects hockey is roughly equivalent to “A” and “AA” hockey. We believe this is supported by such evidence as the performance these teams have had in the past against “A” and “AA” teams in exhibition games and tournaments. We also believe that our program compares very favorably with “A” and “AA” hockey in terms of coaching and practice ice times. The Yellowjackets Selects teams will play an independent game schedule and also participate in several tournaments per season, which can either be local or out of state, requiring overnight lodging. The warm-up sessions and the evaluation fees are included in the total season fees.

Season Fees:  $1,700 (includes $515 YDP Fee) (does not include tournament fees)

USA Hockey Age Classifications (2008/2009 Season):

Youth Teams

Year of Birth      Age Category    Age Division

1990                 18 Years           Midget 18 & Under

1991                 17 Years           Midget 18 & Under

1992                 16 Years           Midget 16 & Under

1993                 15 Years           Midget 16 & Under

1994                 14 Years           Bantam 14 & Under

1995                 13 Years           Bantam 14 & Under

1996                 12 Years           Peewee 12 & Under

1997                 11 Years           Peewee 12 & Under

1998                 10 Years           Squirt 10 & Under

1999                 9 Years             Squirt 10 & Under

2000                 8 Years             Mite 8 & Under

Girls’ and Women’s Teams

Year of Birth      Age Category    Age Division

1989                 19 Years           19 & Under

1990                 18 Years           19 & Under

1991                 17 Years           19 & Under

1992                 16 Years           16 & Under

1993                 15 Years           16 & Under

1994                 14 Years           14 & Under

1995                 13 Years           14 & Under

1996                 12 Years           12 & Under

1997                 11 Years           12 & Under

1998                 10 Years           10 & Under

1999                 9 Years             10 & Under

2000                 8 Years             8 & Under

Tryout Schedule:

·         Tryouts for the Yellowjackets Girls’ Travel Hockey teams will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2008, and Sunday, August 17, 2008. Please check the Web site in early August for the exact dates and times. All tryouts will be over a two-day period.

·         Tryouts for all Yellowjackets Youth Travel Hockey teams will begin Tuesday, September 2, 2008. Please check the Web site in late August for the exact dates and times. All tryouts will be over a two-day period.

·         All players interested in playing on a Yellowjackets Northwest Team will have an evaluation Saturday, September 6, 2008.The evaluation will be over a one (1) day period. Please check the Web site for exact times.

·         All players interested in playing Yellowjackets Selects will have an evaluation Saturday, September 6, 2008.  The evaluation will be over a one (1) day period.  Please check the website for exact times.

Any player registering for Yellowjackets Youth Travel Hockey who does not make a team will have the option of participating on either a Yellowjackets Northwest or Yellowjackets Selects team according to his/her registration date.

Fall Sports:

The Yellowjackets recognize that many hockey players participate in other sports and extra-curricular activities such as football, soccer, etc. The Yellowjackets Board of Directors recognizes the value of these activities and supports the participation of our players in these endeavors. As such, coaches and schedulers will make every effort to avoid conflicts with the fall season sports. To the extent that conflicts do exist with fall sports schedules, the Yellowjackets support players in their efforts to fulfill their commitments to their fall sports by recognizing that their first priority should be to their fall team until the fall sports season has concluded.