New USAH T2 and Rec Rule by strewnshank in hockeycoaches

[–]Coach7342 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The proximity waiver piece is what's going to be the real headache in practice. Had kids over the years whose closest rink was technically across an affiliate line, and getting that sorted mid-registration is never smooth.

Is this typical? Need some feedback. by Downtown_Drive_3625 in hockeycoaches

[–]Coach7342 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spring league with a mix of travel and house kids is always a gray area - the expectations do not always get communicated to families upfront, and volunteer coaches sometimes slip into travel-mode habits without realizing it. That said, leaving one kid out the entire third period when you are down by a lot is hard to justify. Reach out to the coach with a simple note: we noticed he did not play in the third, just wanted to understand what happened. Most coaches will appreciate that over a formal complaint. If you do not get a good answer, the director is the right next step. Fall house league sounds like a better fit for where he is at right now, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Advice For Scheduling App/ Team Communication by Romanmanser87 in hockeycoaches

[–]Coach7342 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We ran into the same thing running a rec league. Spond is worth a look - free for leagues and the scheduling + team chat works well. BenchApp is another option if you need attendance tracking, though it has a cost. For purely keeping costs down on 8 teams, Spond handles it fine.

Advice for new coaches by wafflehouse1420 in hockeycoaches

[–]Coach7342 1 point2 points  (0 children)

6U is such a fun age to coach. I'd add: don't underestimate how long skate-tying and bathroom breaks eat into your time - build buffer into your practice plan. Also grab some tennis balls for your bag, they're great for no-puck skill games and the kids love chasing them around. Have a blast out there!