Dunedin Ice Hockey Association

DIHA Newsletter: February 2011

From the President

Welcome to all members, returning and new, to the 2011 season.

Dunedin Penguins ice hockey is preparing for another fantastic season of fun, thrills, and victories. We’re pleased to announce that Ice Black Paris Heyd will be the club’s professional coach for 2011, an exciting opportunity for all our players to receive coaching from the top level. He will be supported by a team of amateur coaches who will help at practices and travel with teams to tournaments.

The club will soon be kicking off it’s local leagues for the autumn – a Premier Checking League which will kick off next Wednesday, and a more social SNC DIHL which will kick off on Tuesdays shortly after that. Members need to quickly sign up for these and pay for them to reserve their spot. No pay, no play!

Lastly, as we watch the horror unfold in Christchurch following the earthquake last week we offer our support both to Canterbury and to Canterbury Ice Hockey. We have asked Canterbury Ice Hockey if there is anything that we can do to help them as their rink is currently closed, and we will advise members once they have assessed their needs.

First Practices

Practices for all sessions begin this week:

Peewees 6pm Tuesday

Midgets 6pm Thursday

Adult Beginners 7pm Sunday

Senior Non-Checking 8pm Sunday

Be sure that you turn up at least twenty minutes before the beginning of the session, particularly if you need to arrange any gear.

The club will also be running a ‘shinny/stick session’ at 7pm on the last Thursday of every month. This is an open session for any club member to attend and work on any skills that they wish to in an uncoached environment for $10.

The club will be releasing a schedule of Saturday Club Night games for the first section of the season soon. The schedule for Southern Ice Hockey League games will also be available soon.

A full calendar for the year is available on the front page of the club’s website. Sessions and games will be added as they are announced.

2011 National Schedule

A schedule of games (NZJEL, NZIHL, NZ Winter Games) all of which will be taking place this year are available here:

http://www.nzicehockey.co.nz/documents/2011%20NZIHF%20Events%20Calendar%20v1.3.pdf

Please note that the Ice Blacks will be in Dunedin training two weekends from now. The team will return to Dunedin in late August to play games against Australia, China, and a further team to be confirmed as part of the NZ Winter Games.

International Ice Hockey Games – message from the NZIHF

To all members of New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation

RE: CANADA VS USA EXHIBITION ICE HOCKEY SERIES

Douglas Webber Events based in Christchurch is promoting a series of games at Auckland’s Vector Arena, Christchurch’s CBS Canterbury Arena and Dunedin’s Ice Arena, late July early August.

NZIHF is unable to officially endorse this series because;

1.    As a member of the international ice hockey community the players need to be sanctioned to play in NZ. Hockey Canada and Hockey USA have advised me in writing the players and the teams are not sanctioned.

2.    We wonder if the quality of the players will live up to the hype and ticket prices

3.    We are concerned with the emphasis on fighting and violence in their marketing.

However we need to be realistic, despite our reservations this event will continue with or without the endorsement of the NZ Ice Hockey Federation.

However it is imperative we make best use of every opportunity, so we hope to be able to work with Douglas Webber Events to promote ice hockey to potential new players and find new fans for National League during this event.

Our official position is therefore;

“Although the USA vs. Canada games are not sanctioned by NZIHF, we are excited to see games of this magnitude on home soil. It should be a great show.”

NEW ZEALAND ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION

Fundraiser Training Opportunity

Ice Blacks Paris Heyd and Rick Parry are running a training evening for players 17 years and under to raise funds for their trip to the Division II World Champs in Melbourne. More information is available at: https://dunedinicehockey.hellyer.kiwi/files/documents/Fundraiser-Hockey-Evening.pdf.

New Club Tops/Socks

Those new members who need to purchase and choose a name and number for their black Dunedin Penguins tops should contact Kyle on communications@dunedinicehockey.hellyer.kiwi. Note that numbers are limited as the club only releases each number once.