Big Rapids Area Junior Hockey Association

Annual Meeting Minutes: August 20, 2015

A. Call to Order: Membership meeting called to order at 6:09 p.m. by Tim Blashill in the Heavy Equipment Building Auditorium.

B. Board Members Present: Tim Blashill, John Bednarz, Susan Jones, Sonya Andres, Joe Spedowski, Tracy Pippin, Amy Bomay, Emily Leyder, and Liane Couch

Board Members Not Present: Doug Workman, Tim Jones

C. Agenda

1. Tim Blashill thanks everyone for coming and asks that the outgoing board members (Sonya Andres, Liane Couch, and John Bednarz) be recognized.

2. Roll call of BRAJHA Board members is taken at 6:11.

3. July Minutes reviewed. Tim Blashill moves approval; Susan Jones seconds. Minutes approved at 6:14 p.m.

4. Officer Reports

a. Program Coordinator: Tim Blashill

Indicates that forms are available to be picked up on the entry table and are to be filled out and turned in to team managers on the first night of practice; which will be Tuesday, September 15th.
Explains the practice schedule and player fee schedule.
Requests everyone be registered by the end of the next week.
Reminds that if families are planning to be paid in full by November 15th to deduct the $50 paid in full discount from their payment amount. Also indicates that the initial registration page does not show any outstanding account credits. Those are shown by going further into individual online accounts.
Advises that Dr. Rummel is offering free mouth guards to all BRAJHA players again this year.
Indicates that the practice and skills schedule will run the same as last season. Skills will be alternating weeks on Mondays and Wednesdays starting Monday, September 28th. Peewees/Bantams on Monday; Mites/Squirts on Wednesday.
Explains that player fees increased $10 for each level from last season. Also the registration fee was raised from $35 to $50 to offset registration fees for additional Adray tournaments.
Advises payments can be made online through Thriva with either an electronic check or credit card. Payments can also be made by check and left with Tracy Pippin, Tim, or in the box in the pro shop. Cash payments are required to be handed directly to Tracy Pippin or Tim Blashill and a receipt will be written. No cash payments are to be placed in the pro shop box.
Explains that the BRAJHA development plan was started last year, which included coach development, skills sessions, increased practice times, an introduction into off-ice activities (and will be emphasized more this season), a goaltending coach (who is coming back this season), and the summer shooting program.
Reads the BRAJHA coaching philosophy.

b. Bookkeeper’s Report: John Bednarz

1. Closing the books for the last fiscal year. Documents are close to being given to the accountant.

2. Tim Blashill explains a graph that shows a breakdown of how money is spent through BRAJHA.

c. Fundraising: Susan Jones

Advises IceDog cards are in and ready to be picked up. Several have been handed out already. Any money received is to be delivered to Susan, preferably in check form. If it is necessary to place in the pro shop box, (only in check form) place in an envelope and write Susan’s name on the envelope. Do not put unsold cards in the pro shop box; hand deliver directly to Susan.
Indicates Emily will be in charge of the poinsettia and wreath fundraiser. Emily indicates that will be done some time in November.
Explains the Scrip program is ongoing. There are a few cards available to purchase from Meijer and Bob Evans if anyone is interested. Tim explains that any Scrip credits will be posted and applied to accounts twice a year; and of August and December.
Explains that if a family were to utilize all the fundraising opportunities, a large part -- if not all -- of a player’s ice bill could be paid for.
Asks if the organization would be interested in doing the iPad raffle this year, since it has been a good fundraiser in years past. Each family would be required to sell 10 tickets.
Indicates that she will be working on jersey orders. She did bring some to the meeting for kids to try on. Those need to be ordered as soon as possible.

d. MAHA Report: Joe Spedowski

Tim recognizes Joe Spedowski as the new District 6 Director and BRAJHA President Tim Jones as the MAHA representative for BRAJHA.
Joe explains that the annual kickoff meeting was held August 2nd.
Background checks are mandatory for any rostered adult, including any managers, any locker room attendants, and any individuals who are on the ice with players.
Safe Sport training is also mandatory for any adults who will be in the locker rooms or on the ice with players. Tim advises that any coach that took Safe Sport last season will not have to take it this season since the training is good for two years. Joe indicates that all board members need to take the Safe Sport training and have a background check done.
USA Hockey and MAHA are mandating two registered adults whose names appear on the score sheet and who sign in as locker room attendants for all games.
Concussion awareness and safety is still a big topic.
Ferris/BRAJHA placed a bid to host a district tournament and should receive one. District play-ins are January 2nd and 3rd. Districts are February 5th through 7th. House and travel teams will hold districts the same weekend this season.
There are 52,000 registered hockey players in the state of Michigan; 10,400 of those are housed within District 6, and only 300 more in District 3. However, the majority is adult players; which is a growing trend with all sports losing youth players.
Susan Jones questions if the Safe Sport rule applies for locker room attendants for girls; meaning if a team has at least one girl, then there would need to be four authorized adults to occupy the locker rooms. Joe believes that if there is just one girl on a team, it should not be a problem. If two or more, then should have the two locker room representatives. Lisa Ortiz states that there have been occasions at Ferris where girls have been walked in on while in the locker room. Tracy Pippin adds that there are more girls now involved with BRAJHA than ever before; but that the girls’ locker room accommodations did improve last year over previous seasons. Susan believes having a parent stand outside the girls’ locker room to keep any others from coming in would be the best option. Joe indicates that there hasn’t been much discussion in the MAHA meetings about female players and how to handle the Safe Sport mandates with them.
Kurt Somsel addresses the locker room issues with players coming to the arena well before practice times and indicates his team last year instituted a policy of not allowing any players in the locker room until there was at least one coach present.
Joe Strohkirch questioned the policy in that it would not make sense for Mite parents to all have background checks, because there are always parents dressing kids in the locker rooms in that age group. Joe Strohkirch also indicates that the coaches and rink associates need to work together to manage the locker rooms better. Tim advises that there has been some discussion about sending locker room schedules out each day or possibly the night before. Joe Strohkirch voices that coaches need to take some responsibility to kick people out of locker rooms if they have no reason to be there.
Joe advises of coaching clinic opportunities available within District 6.
Amy Bomay questions the requirement of managers to take the Safe Sport training. Joe indicates managers have to since they are on the roster; and also do background checks.
Joe reminds that August 30th is the deadline for affiliate agreements, which need to be to him in electronic form by the date. There are 21 associations in District 6.

5. After School Open Hockey: Tim Blashill

a. This is something being tried this year. Hopefully there will be free afternoon drop-in hockey during the month of November. He indicates the details are still being worked out with the arena.

b. The days would be Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:20 and be age/level specific.

c. There will be more information to come. Tim would like to see fundraising funds applied to cover the cost.

d. Indicates this is also a part of the development plan.

6. Old Business:

a. Survey Monkey. Tim believes this was already addressed regarding the board position elections and was not utilized. Amy Bomay indicates that the organization had Liane instead.

b. Calendar. Tim explains that Tim Jones has the calendar and he’s in Japan.

7. New Business:

a. Website Update. Tim explains that now that the J.V. team has been brought back in under BRAJHA that the website will need to be upgraded to the next level to be able to include any J.V. information.

b. Bookkeeper. John Bednarz states that his position is open and that there is a replacement. He recognizes Bridget Cinco as BRAJHA’s bookkeeper.

8. Announcements:

a. J.V. Team: Tim advises that this is once again a combined team with Cadillac.

b. Open Registration/Used Equipment Sale Day:

1. There will be the open registration day on Saturday, September 12th at the ice arena from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

2. Any used equipment to sell or donate needs to be dropped off at the arena by 5 p.m. Friday, September 11th. BRAJHA receives 10% of the profits from the sale.

3. There will be a free open skate during the session with some demonstrations from hockey and figure skating groups.

4. Tim requests that members spread the word and that there is a need for better numbers in the Learn to Skate/Play programs. He believes there is enough scholarship money available from the Little Kevin Courtney Fund to pay for many first session registrants.

c. Artworks:

Tim explains that Big Rapids was voted the 12th best hockey city in America.
To show that recognition, Artworks will have display programs showing information and hold a special event, possibly the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

d. Trophy Case:

1. Liane asks the status of the proposed trophy case. Tim explains that Ferris has authorized BRAJHA to do something on the half sheet, but that help is needed.

2. Joe Strohkirch offers that he has some ideas and resources.

3. Tim advises whatever is built would have to be puck and stick proof.

4. Joe Strohkirch would also like to look into having some sort of digital display in the case to show a slide show or have information on it.

e. New Board Members:

Tim announces that Tim Jones, Brady Flachs, and Krysti Kidder are the new BRAJHA board members after holding the election.
Tim advises there was a good response and turnout to the voting.
Tim also extends opportunities to Joe and Julie Strohkirch to assist within the organization.

10. Adjournment

Adjournment moved by Tim Blashill at 7:10 p.m.