Devilettes Families!
We hope you are all safe and sound. In an attempt to provide
a further update regarding hockey for the 2020-21 the board wanted to update
our members on the actions being taken and considered by both OWHA and Hockey
Canada
Recently a third video-conference was hosted by OWHA for all organizations regarding COVID-19 and preparing for 2020-21.
Information shared on the call:
· At this point, there are still no definitive answers as to what will happen in the 2020-21 season; but we do know it will not resemble what a traditional season would look like. At this point there are too many scenarios to even speculate what the season may look like.
· A Return to Play Framework has been released by the province – this document guides Provincial Sports Organizations (PSOs) like the OWHA to prepare a plan for return to sport. The Return to Play Framework is available on the hockey Canada website through this link https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/exclusive/return-to-hockey
· There is no on-ice insurance coverage for OWHA organizations or members at this time. All developmental instruction is to run completely independent of the organization and is at the users own risk. The London Devilettes will not be affiliated with any on-ice or off-ice development.
· OWHA"Return to Play Protocols Stage 1"is expected to be approved by the OWHA Board soon. Once we have the OWHA approved Return to Play Protocols for Stage 1 we will be able to formalize and roll out our organizations strategy and return to play plans.
· Associations may open registration however cannot collect fees at this time
· Its unlikely that there will be any tournaments during the 2020-21 season
· Final decisions regarding Provincial Championships in 2021 have not yet been made.
· Hockey Canada is reviewing equipment such as face shields in helmets. No decision has been made. We know that some providers have started selling helmets with shields. It is Suggest that if you need a new helmet, wait until final directions come from Hockey Canada
· In accordance with the London Devilettes By-Laws as well as the emergency order of the Ontario Not for Profit Corporations Act (OCA) the Annual AGM will be postponed until a future date.
· It is unlikely, at this time, that we will be back playing hockey in September
The Devilettes Board will be meeting informally via video conference bi-weekly to review updates and will continue to monitor the situation so we can prepare as much as we can for next season. We are also working closely with the City of London and all facilities to understand and enforce the return to play objectives.
How you can help:
Register if your daughter intends on playing next year when registration opens:
We know enrolment numbers may look different next season, as will ice availability. We are working on opening registration as soon as possible. If you intend on having your daughter play, please help us plan by completing your registration for 2020-21 once open. Registration will be opening soon and will be posted on the website. We will not be collecting any payments right now. Once registered, you will be notified when we know what the season will look like for 2020-21 and what the fees will be. There is no obligation to stay in a program. If you change your mind once you see the fee schedule, but we need to get a rough idea of what our membership will be next year.
Subscribe to our social media pages and check the website regularly:
We will continue to provide updates as they come available via our website and on our social media feeds. Please subscribe to our pages as the need to communicate important information in a short time frame will be crucial to execute our return to play plans.
· Facebook - @londondevilettes (London Devilettes)
· Twitter - @LDevilettes
To all our members, we thank you for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time. We want to assure you that the safety of our members is our primary concern. We along with the public have been learning new information regarding COVID-19 on a daily basis. We will continue to adjust our operations to provide the best possible scenario for return to play when it is deemed safe to do so.
Be Safe,
London Devilettes Board