2024 Spring Season in the Books!

Hello ball hockey FAMILY:

This is a final (sort of) email to cap off the 2024 Spring Ball Hockey Season.

1. Thank you from the Board
2. Championship teams
3. Most outstanding players
4. 2024 Provincial and Westerns Bruisers
5. Officials working Provincials and Westerns
6. League equipment drop off
7. Post season survey and lessons learned and improvements for next season
   1. Player evaluations and 2025 team selection
   2. Planning for coaches for 2025
   3. All feedback is good feedback

1. Thank you.
   
   First of all, on behalf of the league Executive, I would like to give a great big thank you to all players, coaches and parents for making our season a big success.  As can be expected in any season, we experienced some setbacks and disappointments, but overall we had a great season leading up to Sunday's final games, all of which were exciting game and some with last minute excitement wrapped up with one team in each division hoisting the Championship Trophy.
   
   
2. Championship teams.
   
   We are probably the luckiest league in the province to have a replica Stanley Cup that is shared across all divisions for players to hoist.  Let's just call it the second hardest trophy in sports to win!  The 2024 Champions are
   
   - 6U - 4 way tie between the Freballs, the Silver Knights, the Tigers and the Blue Sharks - each player received their own trophy
   - 9U - Black Knights
   - 11U - White Knights
   - 13U - Cherries
   - 15U - Blazin' Blueberries
   - 18U - Pistols
   
   
3. Most Outstanding Players
   
   Each team selected one player to receive this inaugural award given to the Most Outstanding Player.  Click this link to see the MOP page... your name here?
   
   
4. 2024 Bruisers
   
   Good luck to all our GCBHL Bruisers teams going to the following tournaments:
   
   - One team in each division are representing Medicine Hat in Edmonton at the AMBHA Provincials June 28 to July 1
   - The 15U team will then travel to Surrey BC for the Western Challenge Cup July 10 to 13
   - 4 of our very own Bruisers will play for Team Alberta at the CBHA Junior Nationals in Saskatoon July 23 - 27
   
   On top of playing some of the best teams in the Province, Western Canada and the Country, each tournament is stepping stone that can lead to playing for Team Canada with tournaments normally held in Europe.
   
    
5. Officials assignments:
   
   Not unlike players, we have local officials who were invite to work Provincials and Westerns.  Graham Smith and Kent Hanna were both invited return to these tournaments.  Unfortunately Kent had other commitments and unable to travel to Surrey.
   
   Congratulations Graham and Kent.  We know you will do us proud.
   
   I, Tony Hasiuk, was also invited to act as Referee-in-Chief for the AMBHA Provincials in Edmonton this summer.  It is a great honour to take on this important role but bittersweet since my family will be spending time at the mall and waterpark!  If you do see me at the rink in Edmonton, don't hesitate to say hi.
   
   
   
6. Equipment drop off
   
   Some teams may still have a bag of balls or loaner goalie equipment to return.  We will post dates and times where we will be available to pick up equipment. In the meantime, if you have goalie equipment, please hang it up to dry and wash the jersey if you have one.  Ideally we'd like to keep them out of areas where pest could damage it
   
   
7. Onward and upward.
   
   We are always looking for ways to improve our league and the experience for the kids.  Our executive are all parents and we all want our kids to be successful, but 'success' isn't only points, saves or wins and losses.  To us those are icing on the cake - sweet but superficial.  We look at 'success' as taking advantage of the opportunity to learn and grow.  We are fortunate to have players and coaches with the leadership skills who can lead, and those without to learn from those who do.  This is the ultimate win-win scenario.
   
   Ways we can improve our league are:
   
   - Expand our player evaluation process.  Coaches will be asked to give feedback on their players as well as their opponents.  We will also add players' ice hockey experience to their profile to refine their skill set that may not always be evident during 60 minute scrimmages.
   - Planning for 2025 coaches.  Our vision is to develop a local coaching program starting with some local passionate coaches.  We'd like to start in August, prior to the ice hockey season, and recruit and long list potential coaches before January when the heavy lifting of getting the 2025 season started.  This process will also assist team selection at the coaches draft.
   - Feedback, feedback, feedback.  All feedback is good feedback.  Whether reporting the good times or bad times, understanding you and your child's experience is important to us.  We will send out a survey in the coming weeks and ask for your honest feedback.  Whether it's positive or negative (we know there will be both), we will look for ways to tip the scale even further to the positive.

Thank you again for a wonderful season.  Have a safe and awesome summer and if we don't cross paths at the rink or dance studio, again until then, see you next spring!

Sincerely, on behalf of the GCBHL Executive,

Tony Hasiuk
President and Referee-in-Chief.