As we get set for the 2020-21 hockey season, we see the familiar enthusiasm of our players, families, and coaches to get back on the ice, but some things are different as we come to the rink each day. We’re dressing at home and checking in at the rink. There remain questions about inter-club games and what the future will hold. Being a planner myself, the uncertainty around the future has been challenging, but like many of you, the return to the ice with preseason and the first tryouts has been a lot of fun and offered an opportunity for some reflections on a season unlike any other.

The season is upon us and the uncertainty surrounding what this year will look like impacts not only the Winnetka Hockey Club, but our community as a whole. There’s no need to discuss the past several months as we have all lived through it together. Instead, I take a look at the upcoming season and say to myself, what an amazing opportunity this brings to our families and players. I have always done my part to make the most out of every situation and when these challenges have been tossed our way, I take it upon myself to embrace these problems and find ways to spin it into an exciting, fun and competitive season for all our players.

As the Director of Player Development, one discussion that is always brought up is what is the correct ratio of practices to games. Tons of studies and research have been done and to be honest, there doesn’t seem to be an exact number. What I can tell you is that the overall consensus is that the majority of development for a player is done in practice, not in games. Practice is your opportunity to be creative, try new things, make mistakes and compete with your friends to make each other better. So, I look at this year and realize what we have in front of us. We never have had an opportunity to truly just practice for a month or two without having to worry about when the next game is and if we need to win or lose.

The Jr. Warriors (ages 5-8) and Winnetka (ages 9-14) Hockey Clubs serve close to 650 boys and girls ages 5-14 on over 40 teams from Winnetka, Glencoe, Kenilworth, and Northfield. Simply put, we couldn’t make our hockey program happen without amazing sponsors.

Sponsoring a team is a terrific way to support a local, community-based, not-for-profit sporting organization, while providing your business with valuable exposure. Our community history is long-standing, and we have seen many second and third generation players and volunteer in our program. Through the years there have been many traditions, but the most important one to be carried on is to offer a fun and rewarding hockey experience where friendships are made and the important lessons of teamwork, sportsmanship and hard work are learned by all participants. As a House League Sponsor you will receive:

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The AHAI Board of Directors want to take this opportunity to reach-out to all of you to provide an update on the current status of ice hockey in Illinois.

The challenges relating to the COVID-19 pandemic are daunting and ever-changing.

The AHAI Board empathizes with you and understands there are a myriad of COVID-19 related issues which created a series of challenges for rink facilities, leagues, clubs, parents, and most importantly players, that are not just unique – they are unprecedented.

While we all wish that hockey could return to “normal” this is simply not possible at this point in time. And none of us know when “normal” might be possible.

We want to make it clear that AHAI, in its role and responsibility as the governing body for amateur hockey in the State of Illinois, is in contact with medical experts and policy-makers in the State of Illinois to consider all avenues to (1) keep everyone as safe as possible, and (2) explore options to offer the membership as robust and as full a hockey experience as possible in the current environment.

AHAI will not trade safety for expediency but we want you to know that we are working on your behalf.

Currently, the State of Illinois classifies ice hockey as a “Higher Risk” sport. According to the Illinois classification, Higher Risk sports allow for no-contact practices and training only.

AHAI Affiliate Organizations and leagues are accountable to governmental authorities and AHAI expects all its members to strictly adhere to federal, state and local government and departments of health policies, including local rink rules, for best practices on COVID-19 health and prevention. These policies include, but are not limited to, the All Sports Policy, Youth Sports Guidance, and Indoor/Outdoor Recreation Facilities Guidance from the State of Illinois. AHAI realizes that the policies can (and may very well) change at some point in the future. Each AHAI organization is responsible for awareness of the most current policies.

The A Step aHead partners are excited to announce the 10th year of our program! We are proud of the work that has been done to educate our youth hockey community about sports safety and provide free baseline neurocognitive testing. We look forward to another 10 years of working to keep our athletes safe while they play the game they love. This year free baseline testing will be offered through November 30, 2020 at select Athletico clinics.