All summer long, you've been asking for updates regarding the 2020-2021 hockey season. Well, settle into a comfortable reading position, as we've got a pretty thorough update to share.

Let's start with the headline: On Monday, Aug. 31st, our 10U players will take to the ice for an optional practice at the Ice Hutch, and a new MYHA season will be underway.

Beyond that, things get a little complicated. 

STATUS OF HOMMOCKS RINK

For starters, many of you may be wondering why we are opening the season earlier than expected and somewhere other than at Hommocks. 

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been working closely with our partners on the Town of Mamaroneck Board and the Recreation Commission to resolve a recently discovered mechanical failure at Hommocks which disabled the rink from making ice (a key component of our return-to-play plan). The Board and the Rec Commission both unanimously approved a plan to rent temporary equipment, enabling us to return to our home ice sometime during the week of Sept. 14th. Thanks to this decision and to the hard work of the facilities staff at Hommocks, we will be able to hold practices while the Town undertakes repairing or replacing the damaged compressor unit.

Practice schedules through the month of September will be posted to each team's web page shortly.

TEAM ASSIGNMENTS/PRACTICE SCHEDULES

For now, all players 12U and under can find their practice schedules under the age-specific dropdown menu on the MYHA website. For example . . . if you're the parent of a 12U player, you must log on to MamaroneckHockey.org, click on the Teams tab > Choose a Team> 12U, and you'll be directed to the correct practice schedule for all 12U players. The same goes for all 10U and 8U players.

Team assignments for players 12U and younger (and any other open roster questions) will be finalized over the first two weeks of practice following the opening of Hommocks. Please direct any questions to the Coaches Committee (cc@mamaroneckhockey.org).

Please keep in mind that all practices at all age levels, for the foreseeable future, will be contact-free, as per Governor Cuomo's reopening guidelines. According to NYSAHA guidelines, we are allowed to practice only; despite what you might be reading in social media comments sections, our teams are not yet allowed to play or even schedule games.

NEW HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

As we're all becoming accustomed, everywhere we go -- from Nates summer clinics to the dentist's office to returning to school -- there are new protocols and procedures in place that everyone must adhere to. All MYHA players, parents and coaches must review and familiarize themselves with the new MYHA Health and Safety Guidelines and Screening Protocols (covidpolicy.mamaroneckhockey.org).

Previous emails have prepared you for some of these protocols. For instance, all players must arrive to the rink fully dressed. One parent or caregiver for players 10U and younger will be allowed into the rink before practice to help tie their child's skates and put on their helmet. However, we strongly encourage parents to tie the skates in the parking lot and allow their kids to walk into the rink using protective skate guards so that we can minimize the number of adults entering the facility.

For now, one parent/caregiver of 8U players will be permitted to stay inside the rink during practices at the Ice Hutch. Proper social distancing (6-feet apart) must be maintained and the adult must wear a mask at all times. As with all protocols, the MYHA reserves the right to amend this policy as needed.

Safety officers will be assigned to every practice session and will be enforcing these guidelines, which are not open for interpretation. Anyone deemed to be in violation of these policies will not be allowed to participate in that particular MYHA activity. (Please keep in mind that these safety officers are parent volunteers; we encourage you not make their difficult role any harder by being disagreeable over any policy.)

Before any player will be allowed on the ice, this waiver (covidwaiver.mamaroneckhockey.org) must be signed and returned via email to safety@mamaroneckhockey.org. If your waiver is not returned by 12:00 p.m. on the day of your first practice, you must bring a signed hard copy and hand it to the safety officer at the rink. If a player's waiver is not signed and returned either via email or in person, they will not be allowed to participate in that practice or any subsequent one until the waiver has been submitted.

But wait . . . there's more!

Once you have submitted the initial waiver, every player, coach and manager is still required to submit a waiver for every practice, game or team activity (drylands, holiday party, etc) they attend. However . . . that "waiver" will be considered signed, affirming all of the answers to the health questionnaire contained in that waiver, when a player/coach/manager RSVPs that they will be attending a practice, game or team activity. You must RSVP electronically -- emails or phone calls to coaches or managers will not be considered a "waiver" -- either via the website or the SportsSignup App. No individual will be allowed in the rink or cleared to get on the ice without an affirmative RSVP, submitted prior to the scheduled start of practice.

Eventually, when we determine whether spectators will be permitted inside the rink for games, we will require waivers to be signed by every parent in attendance for every game they attend.

We are fully aware that these behaviors and routines are entirely new for all of us. And we know all of this will take some getting used to. 

Still, our Safety Committee, the Coaches Committee, and the whole MYHA Board has worked hard throughout the summer to make sure that our protocols and policies comply with the regulations established by USA Hockey, NYSAHA, the CDC, New York State, our local municipalities and the individual rinks themselves.

We all want our kids to get back on the ice. To do so, we have to ensure that we are doing it as safely as possible. And to do that, we depend on the support, acceptance and continued vigilance of our entire MYHA community. 

Thank you for help in getting the 2020-2021 season underway.