North Attleborough Hockey Association Newsletter
August – September 2008
WELCOME BACK to North Attleborough Hockey’s 5th year of youth hockey! We are looking forward to another fun and successful season. Our program has grown over the years from a 3 team league to 9 teams serving mite through midget. Our new Learn To Play Summer Program has opened the door to many new, determined and ambitious young hockey enthusiasts. We truly are proud of the accomplishments that our players have brought NAHA and want to continue the success of the program throughout the upcoming year. We have lots of information in this newsletter regarding fun, social events to mark on your calendars, as well as information regarding fundraising for the Youth Hockey program and hockey updates. So read on, become familiar with the happenings of the program, and LET”S GO NORTH!!!
NAHA Uniforms - update Sept 10, 2008
Effective this season ALL North Hockey participants are required to wear BLACK HELMETS. We will return with last years new uniforms, complete with player’s names on the back. NORTH HOCKEY PRACTICE JERSEYS are to be worn to all practices and NORTH socks are required as well. NAHA also requires that all players wear NECKGUARDS. The FSC requires MOUTHGUARDS and EARGUARDS. If anyone is in need of new socks (New Jersey Devil) please contact Brian Casson at 508-699-3543 or email briancasson@comcast.net.. He will be on hand a various games at the start of the season to sell extra team items such as practice jerseys ($25.00) and socks ($10.00).
Foxboro Sport Center
has asked that we please put a reminder out to parents to please SUPERVISE children at all times, especially in the upstairs area of the rink. As a warning - there is now a video game room so bring extra change!!!!! Your cooperation is appreciated. Thank you.
NAHA Family Day at the Boston Bruins!
Please join us on Saturday, November 8th as the Boston Bruins take on the Buffalo Sabres at 7:00pm. The North Hockey gang will travel by bus to and from the game, leaving form the North Attleboro Middle School at 5:00pm. The cost is $40.00 per person, which includes the bus ride. Unfortunately, the Bruins are no longer offering the youth ticket option which was offered last year. To reserve your spot for this fun family event, please contact northhockey@comcast.net.
Providence Bruins
Again this year, North Hockey will have it’s youth hockey teams participate in Providence Bruins skating events. Below, is the schedule for our teams so you can begin to let grandparents and friends know the date! More information will be provided by your coaches and team administrators as it becomes available, but mark your calendars now!
Pee Wee - Sunday, Nov 16, 2:00pm - pregame skate against Marshfield
Mite B/DiBattista - Sunday, Nov 30, 4:05 Game - Intermission Play (Hartford Wolf Pack)
Mite A/Littig - Sunday, Dec 7, 4:05 Game - Intermission Play (Springfield Falcons)
Squirt A/Zammiello - Sunday, Nov 30 , 7:00pm post game skate (Hartford Wolf Pack)
Squirt B/Dumas - Sunday, Dec 7 - 7:00pm post game skate (Springfield Falcons)
MASS Hockey –
Now that North Attleborough Hockey is part of USA and MASS Hockey, our teams are eligible to participate in State Play-down Games. These games are scheduled by Mass Hockey and notification of game times is generally given at short notice. The NAHA Board has opted to have all of our eligible age divisions (Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget) participate. There will be a nominal fee charged to players for each game that we are invited to participate in. That fee will be based on ice and referee costs. These mini tournaments are great fun for the players. They will be paired against other teams in the state and advance on a game to game basis. Information will be provided by Team Coaches and Team Administrators as we move further into the season.
Parent Code of Conduct
Each parent is asked to sign a Parent Code of Conduct which is required by Mass Hockey. Your team administrators will be providing these forms to be completed at the first game or you can print them out here. (click here for forms) We appreciate your cooperation is filling these forms out.
Jim Plunkett - A Night to Remember!
Please mark your calendars and begin spreading the word to SAVE THE DATE FOR JIM PLUNKETT! He will be joining us again next year on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th! Anyone who attended last year is SURE to be returning this year due to fantastic time that was had by all at last years event. We hope to see you!!!
Increasing Ice Costs
As you know, ice hockey is not an inexpensive sport. Since our registration last Spring, ice costs at ALL of our practice and game locations have increased. The cost of a sheet of ice is now up to $305.00! League fees have also increased across the board. If you are curious and would like to know where your North Hockey dollars go, PLEASE feel free to attend any of our North Hockey Association Board Meetings. They are generally held at the Falls AC upstairs meeting room, on the third Thursday of each month. All parents are welcome to attend. Please know that ALL North Hockey registration dollars REMAIN only to support the North Attleboro YOUTH program.
NAHA Meeting Schedule
*Thursday, September 25, 7:30pm
Thursday, October 16, 7:30pm
Thursday, November 20, 7:30pm
Thursday, December 18, 7:30pm
Thursday, January 15, 7:30pm
*Thursday, February 12, 7:30pm
Thursday, March 19, 7:30pm - Middle School Library - Annual Membership Meeting
* Does not fall on third Thursday
Canning
We will be asking all of our North Hockey participants to participate in our NORTH HOCKEY weekend where our players will be showing their faces and letting North Attleborough know that NORTH HOCKEY is here and proud to be! We will be canning at Dunkin Donuts and other possible locations throughout town the weekend of September 20 & 21. Your team administrators will be coordinating times and locations to you at the start of the season.
Paypal Option Now Available for North Hockey Payments
The 2008-2009 Season marks the first year of an increase to North Hockey’s registration costs in 3 years. Rising ice costs and increased League Fees have forced us to raise the cost of our program. To help address this issue, we now offer PAYPAL as an alternate payment option to our participants. Our 08-09 installment plan has payments due at tryouts, June 1st, August 1st and October 1st. Accounts should be current before your player is allowed on the ice for the start of the season. If using the PAYPAL option, please note that there is an additional fee charged for this service. If paying by check, please mail payments to: NAHA, 77 Division Street, North Attleboro, MA 02760.
Registration Fee - $225.00
June 1st - $350.00
August 1st - $300.00
October 1st - $300.00
Thank You!
I’d like to take this chance to thank the many wonderful people that help to keep the North Attleborough Hockey program alive and as successful as it is. The NAHA Board meets monthly and thanks to the commitment and of these Board members, the program has grown to become what it is today, complete with tournaments, participation in Mass Hockey, a Learn to Play program, competitive teams at every level, and a program which offers fun family events as well. Then there is the dedication of the North Attleborough Hockey Coaches as well. Without them - we would not be here at all. I have to say that I believe that we have the BEST coaching staff of any hockey program around. Our coaches are enthusiastic and dedicated to seeing the success of the players. They all recognize that we are here first to allow the players to have fun and ENJOY the sport of hockey and next, to encourage development and competition at an appropriate level. We are ALL so appreciative of their time, patience, and commitment to the program. Thank you to you all.
North Attleborough Hockey Association Board 2008-2009
President - Patti McTernan
Vice-President - Paul Brooks & Vinny Zammiello
Treasurer - Elizabeth Porter
Secretary - Barbara McAuliffe
Advisory Board Members
Steve Alienello, Brian Casson, Shawn Horgan, Chi Ma, Jerry McAuliffe, Dale McElwee, Brian Roman, Ken Stocks, Curt Ventola, Kevin Young & Cal Walsh
NAHA Coaching Staff 2008-2009
Mite A - Andy Littig, Vinny Zammiello, Dan Sarro, Steve Madden
Mite B - Jay DiBattista, Harry Kojoian, TJ McNeany, Jay Sparrow
Squirt A - Vinny Zammiello, Chris Bouchard, Steve Alienello
Squirt B - Mike Dumas, Eric Richard, Kevin Young
Pee Wee - Brian Roman, Steve Korlacki, Jim Bamford
Junior High Stars - Brian Roman, Chuck Flickinger, Ken Stocks
Junior High Devils - Shawn Horgan, Mike Burns, Jerry McAuliffe, Curt Ventola
Midget B - Shawn Horgan, Paul Evans, Jerry McAuliffe
Midget A - Jerry McAuliffe, Paul Brooks, Dale McElwee, Shawn Horgan
Montreal, Here We Come!
Once again, North Hockey will make the trip to MONTREAL for the Canadian Cup Tournament. The dates this year are March 19 - 22. Coaches will be seeking the interest level of their teams in the upcoming month. All teams are invited to attend as long as the interest is there. Players must attend with a parent or under the supervision of a designated parent. Prices and fees will be forthcoming.
Yard Sale!
We have a TENTATIVE date scheduled for our Fall Yard Sale. This yard sale benefits our entire hockey program, both the Youth Hockey Program as well as the High School Hockey Boosters Program. SO while cleaning out those closets getting prepared for school and the holidays, please save those “gently used” items to help our hockey program raise much needed funds. Please contact Maureen Geehan @ 508-695-7014 for information. Our tentative date and location are Saturday, October 18th, 8:00-1:00pm at the Cinema Pub Parking Lot on Rt. 1.
NAHA Family Skate Party
Hold the date for the 4th Annual NAHA Family Skate Party to be held at the Foxboro Sport Center on Friday, November 28th, the day following Thanksgiving. This has always been a great, fun time so mark your calendars now! More info will come out as it becomes available.
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT NORTH HOCKEY!!!
ENCOURAGE THEM TO JOIN US!
WE WELCOME NEW FACES!
We thank you for reading this newsletter in it’s entirety. It’s packed with important information. We wish you all GOOD LUCK in your upcoming 2008 2009 season. Thank you once again for your continued support…