Dunedin Ice Hockey Association

August 2009 Newsletter

From the President

As the season comes near to a close, the hockey only gets bigger. Lots of our players will be travelling up to Auckland over the next month to compete in the national finals, the whole club wishes them the best of luck and we hope Southern comes back with a swag of gold medals.

The quality of our ice rink is also seeing us hosting another international event this weekend. Australia, like the Ice Blacks (who just won promotion) will be playing in Division II next year, so they should be great competition for our team in a double header on Saturday and Sunday night.

I am currently distributing a survey around our club members at practices. If you do not attend practices, or do not receive one, please get it from https://dunedinicehockey.hellyer.kiwi/survey/. This survey will help the 2010 Board of Directors drive the direction and focus of their work, professional coaching, number of games, practices, etc. We would appreciate it if youth players who are financially supported by their parents, complete it together with their parents.

Lastly, below you will find some information on the upcoming DIHL. This will be a great set of games to finish off your hockey season in style, so I encourage you all to sign up.

Kyle Matthews
President
president@dunedinicehockey.hellyer.kiwi

News

Dunedin Thunder

Dunedin Thunder’s season finished last weekend with a very competitive game against defending champions Botany Swarm. Despite their limited success on the ice this year, I know the Thunder team and the off-ice support crew have worked very hard this year in a tremendously difficult competition.

Later this year DIHA will be talking with Thunder about both organisations having stronger links, particularly given that our goals are about the promotion and playing of the sport of hockey. I hope that Thunder can take a greater involvement in the coaching of up-and-coming ice hockey players, and in return DIHA can help the players out by taking a bigger role in promoting Thunder and our sport. If anyone is keen to be involved in supporting Thunder next year, please let me know.

DIHA Equipment Bonanza

The club has recently been very successful with grant applications, and is spending a considerable amount of money investing in our equipment room and the gear in it. More safety equipment for beginners, particularly Kiwihockey kids, more goalie gear, more sticks, and more storage space to fit it all. One thing we’re becoming aware of it the tendency of members to just wander in and out of the room and take stuff. Unfortunately this situation is not satisfactory, gear is not being returned in a satisfactory state, and our volunteers are tired of cleaning up after members. Members should only be in the room when a manager or coach is there.

The buy up means that we can now equip a full ice load of forty kids in full gear. So encourage your friends to try out kiwihockey (Thursday afternoon, subsidised by the rink), adult beginners (Sunday night) and introduce them to this great game.

Congratulations

To the DIHL Juniors team who beat the PE team to win the Autumn 2009 DIHL in a shootout. A tremendous effort from the Juniors to step up and beat the senior teams.

To the Dunedin Peewees who have again been unbeaten this season, and are Southern Ice Hockey League Champions for the third year running. The team has a 48-0-0 record over that three years, and are graduating tremendous young ice hockey players up the age grades.

To all the DIHA members that have been selected by the Southern Ice Hockey League to represent the region at nationals in Auckland. Dunedin continues to provide a healthy number of players who form strong Southern teams. Last year we brought home two gold medals (U16s and Women) and a silver (U13s), we hope for a similarly strong showing this year from the teams.

End of Season

Practices for all grades should be finished by 17 September, except for Kiwihockey and Adult beginners which continue on.

Peewees and Midgets are fully paid up for the year. Juniors and SNC will have a second half bill for their practices which you should receive soon.

Costs for practices are kept down by the club applying for grants to help cover the cost of ice time. For all grades this year the club has successfully received grants of between $1000 and $1500. This is directly funneled into the grades to keep members’ costs down.

There will also be an end of season function in late September or early October, to which all members are invited.

Coming Up

Australia vs Ice Blacks

As part of the New Zealand Winter Games, the Australian Ice Hockey team is here this weekend to take on the New Zealand Ice Blacks. Games are 7pm Saturday, 5pm Sunday, tickets available from the door from between $10 (children) and $25 (adults).

This is a terrific chance to get see top level ice hockey again in Dunedin. There should be a decent crowd so we recommend getting there half an hour early to make sure that you can get in on time.

Both games are also being shown on Sky Sport 3 on Sunday (game one delayed at noon, game two live). Encourage your family and friends to tune in and watch, it’s a fantastic opportunity to promote our great sport.

Dunedin Ice Hockey League Spring 2009

The next round of the Dunedin Ice Hockey League will be starting in mid-September. The competition will be run in two grades, with the better players in an A grade, and the B grade having a more relaxed social element to it. For more information, including registration forms, see https://dunedinicehockey.hellyer.kiwi/dihl/.

Southern Cross Womens Tournament 12 – 13 September Tekapo

All female players of all levels are invited to participate in this tournament. For more information contact Megan Gilchrist, megan.gilchrist@hotmail.com.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM for the DIHA will take place in November. All board positions will be up for election, and we are always looking for people to stand for the board or help organise the many tasks that is involved in running a successful hockey club. All members will be emailed with further details closer to the time.