Dear Players and Parents:

Please read completely - very important information re: winter session format and registration.

On Tuesday December 29th the executive met to discuss the second half of the season (winter session) and the following items were decided:

• Due to the fact that we are unable to start until Jan 24, 2021, we are extending the year and will finish on Apr 18, 2021 instead of the usual end of March - this allows us to provide 12 weeks with 2 sessions a week for a total of 24 ice times - same as we did in the fall session.
• The format will look very similar to the fall session, although the players may be on different pods and the on ice times will be changed as well.
• The numbers registered for the winter session are down slightly and we reviewed each level to see if tiering was an option at any level. The numbers do not support this at any level and thus we will not be tiering. Please note, most levels have 4 or 5 pods and thus any tiering would cause 2 pods to scrimmage against each other for the whole 12 weeks. We do not feel that this would be in the best interest of all the players of SSMHA.
• The schedule will have designated development and designated scrimmage sessions for better clarity of expectation for players, coaches and parents.
• The schedule, pods and bubbles will not be released until after Jan 18, 2021 to allow us time to organize everything and to ensure that the lockdown is not extended. If the lockdown is shortened, then we will advise the players and parents of the new start and finish dates.
• We will be playing through the March break this year.
• Any player that participated in the fall session, has registered for the winter session and has paid the registration fee for the winter session have been assured a place. 
• If you participated in the fall session and have registered but not paid for the winter session or did not participate in the fall session and have registered for the winter session and are unpaid as requested - these two groups are on the waiting list and the first participants to make payment to the treasurer will be first to fill in the remaining places available in the pods and bubbles. We do have maximum numbers per pod/bubble and once it is full then we will create a waiting list to determine whether or not we would consider expanding to another pod/bubble. Basically, first paid is first served with the remaining places for all those unpaid at this time.
• Payments and registrations will only be accepted up to and including Jan 5, 2021 - after that date, we are closing registration for the winter session.

We thank everyone for their patience and support during this year and all the best in the new year!

Yours in Hockey,

Robert Walker
President
SSMHA