The following from Peter McArdle, CBHL Commissioner:
The purpose of my e-mail is to make a request that I am sure that SHOA has already identified as paramount for their focus (Upper Body – Head Injuries) . Although I have not seen an increase in concussions or upper body injuries in the refs reports so far this year, many of our clubs are tracking these injuries especially concussions because of the emphasis on “Concussion Baseline Testing”. This testing will give to each club their own baseline of these types of injuries “going forward.” Really there can not be an association of this data compared to previous years since the Concussion Baseline testing was not focused on by many clubs until recently.

Please continue to focus on and discipline this type of senseless player behavior that leads to these injuries. Please tell your SHOA membership that you have the full support of the CBHL Commissioner and CBHL Management team in respect to helping each player know the severity of their actions.

Many Thanks;

Peter McArdle
CBHL - Commissioner

Thanks to those of you who have completed the screenings. For the few of you who have not, you will be pulled from assignments after 1/1/12. Please go to the southeastrefs.org/screening.html site to check on your status if you are not sure. we have checked the JODP and PVAHA coach sites. If not listed, then you need a screening.

While the season has started well, we need to bring your attention to a few things.

LATE ARRIVALS
We need to be mindful about taking games and planning better on drive times to get there. Expect the worst for traffic--especially going from one rink to another--and not the best conditions; keep WTOP handy for traffic on the 8s and plan alternate routes. We've had a rash of late arrivals and we're ahead of budget on the fines.

SWAPPING GAMES
Game swaps must go through the scheduler. Don't rely on email to give you a scheduler approved answer. Use your phone, particularly for the last minute needs.

SWITCHING GAMES AT RINKS -- Again, scheduler approval must be gained. Also, if you show up for a game and find a hole nearby, your first responsibility is to your assigned game. Make sure that it's filled with someone qualified to do it if you are the best choice to cover the gap in a higher level game. Don't sacrifice your game to fill in another and leave a gap. There will always be exceptions, but make sure the coaches know that you are with them. Again, let your scheduler know that your switching.

Keeping these things in mind will keep our accounting straight and our fines low. I should know as I was docked some this month. My fault and I was accountable.

Cheers,
Bill Hughes

Ladies and Gentlemen,
There has been some confusion regarding the implementation of 17-minute periods for CBHL Midget games. Here is your definitive guidance on the subject, as of this morning:

Midget U16AA and U18AA games are authorized to use 17-minute periods for their games, provided there is 90 minutes of available playing time in the game slot (this excludes the ice cut).
If 90 minutes of playing time does not exist in the game slot, then the teams play 15-minute periods.

It is critically important that all crews are dressed and ready to step on the ice prior to the players taking the ice for warmup. It is also just as important that the officiating crew determines the amount of playing time available for the game, before the game starts. Knowing the available ice-time will obviously guide the officiating crew in determining how long the periods should be, and should resolve most game timing issues before the puck is dropped. Additionally, knowing when the game slot terminates will be your guide to knowing whether it is necessary to shorten the third period of any game.

If you have any questions on this subject, please feel free to contact me,
Many Thanks,
Dave Boyer,
SHOA, VP Operations

Ladies and Gentlemen,
For those of you who attended the SHOA meeting last night, there was some confusion that I'd to clear up regarding the CBHL Mercy Rule. The rule, as confirmed by the league tonight is as follows:

A.9 - Ten-Goal Rule - At all levels of play, in games between CBHL teams (whether league or exhibition games), a ten-goal mercy rule is in effect. If one team attains a lead of ten goals, at any time during the game, the game terminates, the score and all statistics are final, and under no circumstances shall play be permitted to continue.

To clarify, this rule applies to CBHL League and Non-League games (played between 2 CBHL member clubs). There is one caveat. For Mite and Squirt B games (League & NL), the 10-goal rule does not apply.

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a note,
Many Thanks,
Dave Boyer
SHOA, VP Operations

The next SHOA General Membership meeting will be held at the Laurel Ice Gardens on September 22, 2011, with the opening faceoff set for 7:30 p.m.

Attendance is key with the discussion and voting on several constitutional questions raised last spring.

A special congratulations to Claiborn Carr and Tom Hendrix, as well as their staff, on the 22nd anniversary of the opening of The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland.

The Gardens represents in many ways, the center of the SHOA coverage map, but also our largest adult hockey client.

The Gardens has hosted several national championship and other national-level tournaments.

It has and will remain an important stakeholder in shaping the sport of ice hockey, as well as other skating and curling events, in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

When you are there next, please pass your congratulations to the staff, Tom, and Clai for a job well-done for their efforts.

If you are an adult, then you need to complete a background screening and be cleared through
SE District to skate SHOA games.

Anyone who has not completed one since April 30, 2009 is now required to submit one.

Go to southeastrefs.org and follow the instructions to apply and pay for a screening. Until that is completed, you won't skate.

If you are from out of state, please have your screening official [not you] send to screening@southeastrefs.org the following information:

1. Your name

2. Your DOB

3: Date of Screening

4. Clear/Not Clear

5. Screening Official Name

6. Position

Once SE District processes the screen, you will then be added to our rolls.