Parent Resources
Parents
Each season parents play a vital role in minor hockey. The following links will provide you with some important information. If you are looking for something that is not listed please contact us.
Allegations received will be forwarded to the required parties to determine if a formal investigation needs to take place. Allegations that are substantiated through investigation will be considered for suspensions and/or sanctions.
Minor infractions
These infractions under the SAMHA Code of Conduct are less serious than Major Infractions. These infractions and/or complaints will in most cases be dealt with by the Division Director, Head Coach and Parent Liaison, after which they may be appealed to the SAMHA Discipline Committee. These infractions may also warrant immediate corrective action.
Examples of situations involving Minor Infractions could include:
a) a single incident of disrespectful, offensive comments or behaviour directed towards others, including but not limited to peers, opponents, players, parents, coaches, officials, managers, trainers, administrators, spectators and sponsors;
b) unsportsmanlike conduct such as angry outbursts or arguing;
c) non-compliance with the rules and regulations under which SAMHA events are carried out;
d) any complaint or infraction considered minor in nature.
Reporting Process
When an issue occurs, and a party has a resulting complaint to make or an issue to be resolved, they are asked to wait 24 hours, then put the issue in writing and submit it to SAMHA. The goal is to bring about change in negative attitudes and behaviours; all issues will be dealt with in the spirit of shared mutual respect.
- Complaints will be handled in a timely, sensitive, responsible and confidential manner.
- There will be no tolerance of reprisals against any party to a complaint.
- The names of the parties and the circumstances of the complaint will be kept confidential to the public or unrelated parties, except where disclosure is necessary for the purpose of investigation or taking disciplinary measures.
- SAMHA will accept anonymous complaints. this may limit the scope of the investigation
- Minor incidents may be dealt with informally, taking a constructive, collaborative approach with all parties involved.
SAMHA utilizes the standards outlined in Hockey Alberta’s Guide to Conduct Management. The standards are based on the principles of independent investigation and due process.
Do you need financial support to play hockey this season? If so, we are here to help. Contact us to learn more about the different programs available. We are committed to removing financial barriers for families to ensure they can return to the rink in the fall.
https://www.samha.ca/financial-assistant-2024/
Canadian Sport Helpline
The Canadian Sport Helpline is a national toll-free helpline offering assistance to victims or witnesses of harassment, abuse or discrimination in sport.
Offered in partnership by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) and the Canadian Centre for Mental Health in Sport (CCMHS), this anonymous, confidential, independent service allows people to share and validate their concerns, obtain guidance on required next steps, and get referrals to other resources for follow up.
A CCMHS team of practitioners with expertise in counselling, psychology and sport act as helpline operators.
Access the helpline toll free from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Eastern Time), seven days a week by telephone, text, live chat or email in both official languages.
- Visit: abuse-free-sport.ca
- Email: info@abuse-free-sport.ca
- Call or text: 1-888-83SPORT (1-888-837-7678)
The Canadian Sport Helpline is funded by Government of Canada.
Injury Report Form - To be filled out by the parent with their medical professional
injuryreports@hockeyalberta.ca
POLICY & PROCESS 2022
3.10 PLAYER ACCELERATION
Hockey Canada programs and divisions are intended to focus on the overall quality of the hockey experience. Each age division has pre-defined goals and recommended focus areas of development. As a player moves through each age division, skills and knowledge learned in the earlier division are built upon in a systematic manner.
There may be times when an individual player significantly exceeds the skill level of their age group and are also superior in skill and ability to the next division. In rare circumstances like this, it may be beneficial to the player and the Association to advance a division even though they are “underage”.
Criteria:
To minimize the administrative effort that would be involved in evaluating a large number of applications every year. Applications will only be accepted for players meeting the following criteria.
• The player is entering the final year of the top level in the playing division.
• In the previous year in the younger division the player ranked in the top 7% of evaluation drills.
• The player evaluates in the top 1/3 (or top 33%) of the highest ranked team(s) in the division in which they are applying.
All steps in the process must be followed or the player will be considered ineligible:
• The player must register in their appropriate age category.
• Parents/Guardians must apply in writing to the Association President, HOCVP AND Executive Director before Aug 15th using the Underage Application form available on the SAMHA website.
• The application must be accompanied by a letter of reference from the previous year’s coach in support of the try out. If the former coach is a parent/guardian the letter must come from the Division Director.
• The player will be invited to be evaluated in the higher division and be assessed by the standards of that division.
• The player must grade in the top 1/3 of the highest-level team(s) in the division. For example, if there are two Tier 1 teams the player must rank in the top 10 in a pool of 30 players.
• Where the above criteria or process steps are no met the player will move back and grade with their appropriate age division.
• The player will be monitored throughout the year and where, in the opinion of the SAMHA HOCVP, playing at the higher level has negatively impacted the player, the player will be moved back to their age appropriate division.
Goaltenders:
• Goaltenders must meet all the criteria. In addition, they must be ranked as the top goaltender in the higher division.
General:
• Approval will only be granted for one year
• Player cannot be affiliated by higher divisions or teams
• Player must play on the top tiered team(s) of the division
If a player is new to SAMHA and therefore does not meet the previous season’s grading criteria, then the following must be submitted as part of the application in place of the criteria:
• Letters of recommendation from the coach (of the team the player played in the previous year), Division Director (from the level where the player played), and the President of the previous association.
• The evaluation results from the previous association’s evaluation process.
Players within the Raider hockey program must follow the policy and process outlined by the St. Albert Raiders Operations Committee
An information guide to Hockey Canada’s risk management and national insurance programs and a guide to understanding bullying, harassment and abuse for parents and guardians.
FAIR PLAY MEANS SAFETY FOR ALL 
