MYHA will follow all state, local facilities (e.g., FMC and VHL rinks) and MA/USA hockey protocols as outlined below.

Above all, in the current pandemic environment, MYHA seeks to promote the safety, health, and comfort of our participants and their families at rink facilities and during MYHA scheduled events such as practices and VHL scheduled games.

If your participant is not feeling well, is sick, is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms, or has been directly exposed* to someone that tested positive for Covid-19*, we ask that you hold your participant back - out of an abundance of caution - and refrain from participation in any MYHA events.

In the event of COVID symptoms, MYHA will embrace the following policies if a participant, parent, or Coach (participants) on any of our teams tests positive for COVID-19:

  • If/when any participant tests positive, families of participants should notify MYHA immediately.
  • Upon notification, MYHA will require all players on any impacted team to either a) self-quarantine for a period of 14 days (remaining symptom free) or b) receive a Covid-19 negative test result.
    Participants must communicate negative test results to MYHA before returning to any MYHA events.
  • MYHA will notify the team(s) that the player is on; the facilities where the player skated; the Valley Hockey League; and the local board of health; for the purpose of providing contact-tracing information.

Re: Facilities and Protocols. We ask that all of our families and their participants familiarize themselves with individual rink facility safety protocols and follow accordingly. In the event that you are not comfortable with a given facility's protocols or enforcement and are not comfortable attending or having your participant attend the facility, please hold your participant back and notify your Coach accordingly.

MYHA will offer feedback to rink facilities and management based on collective program observations and/or specific parental feedback. MYHA does not manage facilities nor manage facility-specific enforcement, rather we will focus on advocating for community protocol adherence and the overall safety and comfort of our participants and their families.

 

*A potential exposure means having household contact or having close contact (within 6 feet) with an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 for a prolonged period (over 15 minutes) while the person is symptomatic or 48 hours before symptoms developed.

Click here for VHL updates and current spectator policies

Friday November 6, 2020

MYHA Community:

It looks like we are a go for a hockey restart this wknd. We were anticipating and hoping for additional guidance for much of this week… and some finally arrived this afternoon. Please read this note and see below. Notables: 

  • A requirement for full rosters and contact info submission to VHL/FMC for contact tracing. Thank you, parents, for completing VHL sign ups.
  • Contact (checking) is back and now permitted
  • Note: Locker rooms are closed
  • Masks on and up everywhere by everybody – including on the ice

NOTE: We have procured 200 CCM mask-on-masks at MYHA that we will distribute to Head Coaches this wknd (starting tonight) so that our players do not have to purchase these masks. This will further promote and ease compliance on ice for our participants. These CCM masks are acceptable for on-ice play per Mass Hockey announcement.

As we head back to the barns, let’s all work together to set the best hockey community compliance example we can. Please review our MYHA protocols – as well as the Mass Hockey announcement – we greatly appreciate everyone’s efforts to date!

MYHA Community – Building on Our Culture of C-19 Compliance

  • Keep the 6 – everywhere – and enforce
  • Masks on, masks up… everywhere by everybody
  • Into the rink, on the ice, anywhere off-the ice surface (and on the bench), leaving the rink etc.
  • Come fully dressed, leave fully dressed – masks on and up - no bags into the rink (ex-Goalies)
  • Get in, get out as fast as you can
  • Use bench capacity spill over areas – keep the 6 – only two Coaches per bench (sometimes one in spillover area according to bench capacity)
  • Locker rooms should be closed. So, spend no time in locker rooms – masks on and up when getting skates/helmet/gloves on
  • Follow the flow - Enter at entrances, exit at exits… read and react
  • In honor of a gap year (#56) take a St. Lambert knee between periods – while keeping the 6
  • Encourage no-spectators at practices, and few, if any spectators at games – less in the rink is more
  • And if you must spectate – MA hockey is allowing two spectators per participant (again, only if facility permits)
  • Season goals: safety and health above all, structured practices, some social proximity/outlet, competitive play

FINALLY, and MANDATORY 

  • Use Team Snap for participant availability ahead of practices and games AND complete/sign off the My Health Check for your participant (available the day of) prior to events. Soccer has been/is doing this per event health check well and very successfully – we will follow suit utilizing the built in functionality of Team Snap.

 

More to come on practices/game impact against the 10PM curfew (Bantams/Midgets) as more info becomes available. For now – we are game on per schedule.

Please monitor, model, and enforce our collective MYHA compliance… let’s All “keep-the-6,” “masks on, masks up, at all times” and let’s keep our 2020/21 season going.

Thank you All for leading and supporting our culture of compliance,

-John Payne | President MYHA and with MYHA Board of Directors

MA Hockey Nov 6 Announcement
UPDATE ON YOUTH SPORTS GUIDANCE

Commonwealth issues updated guidance pertaining to rinks & hockey

 

Attached, please find the updated guidance from the Commonwealth (CLICK HERE FOR LINK) regarding youth sports and specifically ice rink facilities and youth/recreational hockey in Massachusetts which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, November 7, 2020. It is important that the hockey community understands and follows this guidance. Those not following the guidance are subject to fines and shutdowns from the various state agencies at the local level and any widespread disregard for the guidance puts the entire sport at risk for a much longer stoppage, which is not what anyone wants.
 
While we are highlighting some of the changes to the guidance below, we strongly encourage everyone to read and understand the expectations.
 
FACE COVERINGS: Players, coaches and officials are required to wear face coverings at all times. This includes during play. Acceptable face coverings should follow the guidance issued by the CDC (CLICK HERE FOR LINK). Products that are specific to hockey (CCM “Game On”, Bauer Concept 3 Splash Guard, etc.) are understood to be acceptable. (p.6 of Guidance)
 
MODIFICATIONS TO SPORT: Previous modifications that required the elimination of deliberate contact are no longer in effect. This means that body-checking is allowed as permissible by USA Hockey playing rules. (p.4 of Guidance)
 
SPECTATORS: Facilities (at their discretion) now have the ability to allow two (2) adult chaperones and siblings per player into the facility provided they follow social distancing guidance and the facility remains below 50% of capacity. (p.7 of Guidance)
 
CONTACT TRACING: Both the facility operator (rink) AND the activity organizer (entity that purchases the ice time) are responsible for complying with any and all contact tracing requests. Failure to do so will result in fines and/or shutdowns of those who do not comply. (p.9 of Guidance)
 
MULTIPLE GAMES/TOURNAMENTS: Teams are limited to one game per day unless games are played back-to-back in a multi-sheet facility and the facility has adequate transition space for players and spectators and there is no break between games. (p.6 of Guidance)
 
TRAVEL/OUT OF STATE TEAMS and PLAYERS: Facilities may only allow Massachusetts-based teams and Massachusetts-based participants to participate in Massachusetts-based events held at Massachusetts-based facilities. Any Massachusetts-based athlete that chooses to leave the state to participate in a sports event must comply with the COVID-19 Travel Order issued by the Commonwealth before returning to work, school or public events. Any Massachusetts based team that chooses to leave the state to participate in a sport event or any facility/program that hosts an out-of-state team at a Massachusetts facility or allows an out-of-state player to participate on a Massachusetts-based team risks facility closure or suspension of practices and/or games. (p.9 of Guidance)
 
LOCKER ROOMS: Locker rooms are to be closed until further notice. Facility operators will ensure that they are not open or occupied. Players are strongly encouraged to arrive dressed in their equipment and facilities will have socially-distanced space set up where players can put on their skates and other equipment prior to taking the ice. Each facility will have a traffic flow pattern specific to their set up. We encourage facilities to share this information with programs and coaches in advance of an ice session as well as posting online in conjunction with their league partners. (p.10 of Guidance)
 
TRANSPORTATION: If carpooling to an event (which is strongly discouraged), all parties must wear face coverings. (p.11 of Guidance)
 
We remain in constant communication with the Commonwealth and will provide updates to the hockey community if there are any changes or updates to the attached guidance.
 
We are excited to see the rinks reopen their doors tomorrow morning and have the kids back playing the game that they love. While people may have concerns or opinions about some of the new guidance, please understand that these are the rules that the Commonwealth has set and we are all responsible to stay within the framework provided. If there are any concerns or reports of non-compliance, people are encouraged to report it to the either the local board of health or Department of Labor Standards. They can be reached at safepublicworkplacemailbox@mass.gov or (508) 616-0461 x9488.

 
 
 
Kevin Kavanagh                             Bob Joyce     
Executive Director                          President
Massachusetts Hockey               Massachusetts Hockey
kevink@mahockey.org                   bjoyce@mahockey.org

 

MA Hockey Nov 5 Announcement

NOVEMBER 5, 2020 UPDATE FROM MASSACHUSETTS HOCKEY

We understand that there is a lot of anxiety and questions regarding the reopening of the rinks in Massachusetts. We want to let our players, coaches, officials and families know that we are in constant communication with the Commonwealth regarding the planned reopening of rinks as of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2020. At this point, based upon our communications, all indications are that we reopen and that our players will be able to get back to enjoying youth hockey.

While we also anticipate some modifications to the existing guidance, despite what may be rumored to be happening, we have not been provided with any definitive guidance on what changes, if any, there will be to the current guidance. We will share that information as soon as we are provided with it, hopefully later today or tomorrow.

We can expect that contact tracing and the wearing of masks will be areas that the state will be emphasizing. The Commonwealth has indicated that they intend to deal with situations of non-compliance at the local level. However, it has also been stated that if there is wide-spread disregard for the rules, we can expect that the doors to the rinks will be closed again and likely for a much longer period.

When we do get back to the rinks, for the benefit of all players, coaches, officials and families, please use your best efforts to follow the guidance so that we can continue to play and enjoy the rest of this season.

Kevin Kavanagh, Executive Director

Bob Joyce,  President

 

FMC Announcement Nov 5
Massachusetts Hockey Update

Arenas throughout Massachusetts will be re-opening on November 7th.

Mass Hockey provided an update today about re-opening of the rinks and what to expect when you return to the arenas this weekend.

We've added a link to the original statement to the COVID-19 Guidelines page our website and included the highlights:

  • We still do not have information about new guidelines for ice sports
  • We hope to receive an update from the Commonwealth tomorrow and will share information as soon as it becomes available
  • Contact tracing will be emphasized
  • Masks will be emphasized
  • If there is widespread disregard for the rules, the arenas will be forced to shut down again and for a longer period of time
  • The best way for ice sports to continue this season is to follow the guidance
Read the full Massachusetts Hockey Update