St. Albert Minor Hockey Association
2024 Female Hockey Frequently Asked Questions
ICE TIME
Q: How much practice ice do U11 players receive?
A: In the 2023-2024 season, U11 players (Tier 1-5) received an average of 27 hours of shared practice ice per season, which equates to approximately one practice every 7-8 days.
Q: How many practices do U11 Jr Raiders teams receive?
A: For the past two seasons, the Jr Raiders teams have received a total of 12 full ice practices from the association in the 2023-2024 season.
Q: How many hours of ice do the St. Albert Raiders AA (U13 - U18) teams receive?
A: Raiders AA teams receive one practice per week from the association and pay an increased hourly ice rate.
Q: What is the ice time allocation for AAA teams?
A: The four AAA teams receive two hours of ice time per week and pay an increased hourly rate. All teams have the option to add non-prime ice time (starting before 3:45 pm).
Q: How do teams acquire additional practice ice?
A: The team acquires and pays for any additional ice used for practice.
ROSTER SIZE
Q: What is the required roster size for U11 teams?
A: All U11 rosters must have 16 players. Costs are based on this roster size, and registration rates are established accordingly by the association's Finance Committee. There are circumstances where rosters may have more or fewer players, but we try to maintain 16 players to support the association's financial well-being.
GOALIE DEVELOPMENT
Q: What goalie development programs are offered?
A: The Association runs two subsidized goalie development programs each season, with registration opening in August.
Q: Are there any goaltending-specific education opportunities for coaches?
A: Yes, we host two goaltending-specific coach education clinics each season.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Q: What development opportunities are available for U9 players?
A: All U9 and below players received four development sessions from 200 Hockey.
Q: What development programs are available for U11 players and above?
A: U11 and above players have access to the STA Advance Development Program, which offers low-cost alternatives to other development programs. These include shooting clinics, skating skills, and position-specific clinics. More information can be found on our website under Development Programs.
Q: Are there any development camps specifically for female players?
A: Yes, STA Advance runs female-only development camps in the summer, which have been in place for three years. Details are listed on our website under Development Programs.
Q: What resources are available for STA coaches?
A: All STA coaches have access to three in-person coach learning sessions, a subscription to The Coaches Site, and full reimbursement for all required coaching clinics.
NON-RESIDENT FEMALE PLAYERS
Q: How does St. Albert Minor Hockey accept players from other associations?
A: Female players can join St. Albert Minor Hockey if their home association does not host female hockey. We also accept players if their home association provides a release due to a lack of appropriate level of play.
Q: What is the policy on maintaining residency requirements?
A: As a sports partner of the City of St. Albert, we must maintain a threshold of 75% of City of St. Albert residents in our program to access sports partner ice rates. Accepting players from outside St. Albert would increase costs for all members.
Q: Is there a priority for St. Albert residents?
A: Yes, we prioritize St. Albert residents and typically have waitlists for U7 and U9 programs. Non-residents can register after August 1st. Due to the growing population and shortage of available ice, we expect all programs to have waitlists within the next three years.
