COVID-19 Update #12

Posted June 16, 2020
IHNZ News

COVID-19
Remember the message that if you are feeling unwell to not attend trainings. Whilst none of the public health requirements are mandatory – it is important to remain vigilant and continue to practice good hygiene to minimise the risk of community transmission.

IHNZ continue to support all clubs in the maintenance of good hygiene practices and encourage individuals to maintain their own contact tracing records.

Please find the link to the Alert level 1 Table here.

League Seasons are Underway!
The Central region held their first games over the weekend with the Northern league season scheduled to begin this weekend across all grades. The Lower region are ready to start next weekend and Southern kick off 2020 with the Christchurch Lions visiting the Nelson Whalers for another weekend of games!

Great to see everyone back out on their skates and eager to get back into the hockey season!

Sport NZ Funds update
The Sport NZ Community Resilience Fund closes next week - we encourage all clubs to contact their Regional Sport Trust to explore eligibility and begin the application process.

Don’t forget the Exceptional Systems Support Fund - aimed at national organisations who are not partners of Sport NZ, but are valuable contributors to the play, active recreation and sport system in New Zealand. More information on both funds can be found here.

Referee Update for the League Season
Attached is a snapshot of some of the Rule Changes that will be in place this season from our team of IHNZ referees:

1. Minor Penalties are now 2 minutes
2. Major Penalties are now 5 minutes
3. One Time Out per team, per period
4. Players are only allowed in the Referee crease if the referee gives permission.
5. A goalie cannot be a Captain or an Alternate Captain
6. Goalies must have the full number of wheels their skates are designed for
7. To use the ‘privileges of a C or A, they must have the ID on their shirts and be named as such on the Score sheet
8. Players must wear their visors correctly - first infringement is a team warning, then a penalty for equipment violation
9. If a player deliberately holds the puck against the boards and consequently delays the game, they will receive a minor penalty (unless they are being held there by an opponent)
10. Only One Assist is recorded against a goal - no longer 2
11. For all Major Penalties, players will also receive a Misconduct Penalty
12. Only 5 Face-off spots are now used in Inline Hockey in New Zealand - the centre face-off and the 2 at each end of the rink
13. Hand Passes can no longer take place anywhere on the rink
14. Only the Captain or Alternate Captain can call a Time Out

Nationals 2020
All clubs have provided a list of teams who have expressed interest in attending Nationals 2020. A draft block schedule which will be released to clubs this week for feedback.

The Event Notices for both Nationals and Inter Regionals are also currently under review. These notices came out earlier in the year and the Board is amending to ensure they are current in light of the changes we have made to the season and Nationals due to COVID-19.

• Team Fees for 2020 are  $690 per team ($600 + GST)- no increase from 2019
• IHNZ Player Affiliation fees have been set at $20 per person for the 2020 season
• Dispensations Deadline - 31 July 2020

This year is our 25th celebration and the planning process is underway. If you have any ideas, suggestions or recommendations to help us celebrate please forward these on.

AGM
The IHNZ AGM is scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 July 2020 in Auckland with the AGM notice distributed to all clubs and the IHNZ Facebook and website.

(We will review this date if there are any alert level changes and advise immediately)

To be eligible to vote at the AGM please check that:

• 2020 Club Affiliation Fee of $300 is paid
• 2020 Club Affiliation Document is completed and returned

• Your club has 10 playing members registered and is an incorporated society

• 2 delegates per club are able to attend the AGM, with 1 club delegate holding voting rights

Important information to date includes:

Venue: Heartland Hotel
Auckland Airport
14 Airpark Drive
Mangere, Auckland

Date and Time: SGM - 11am - 12.00pm, AGM - 12.15pm - 4pm

• 28 June 2020 - Last date for all applications and remits to be received                            
• 11 July 2020 - Agenda disseminated                      
• 15 July 2020 - Final day of Delegate Registration
• 26 July 2020 - SGM/AGM

More information will be sent out to all clubs over the next few weeks.

Oceanias Update
IHNZ are currently reviewing all options open to us and are continuing discussions with our service providers and insurance company. We hope to have an update as soon as possible to share. Again, we appreciate this is a particularly frustrating time and that answers have been a long time coming.

Balance is Better
The latest article is attached below.

When New Zealand went into Level 4 lockdown in mid-March, Sport NZ and five national bodies were in the middle of a public awareness campaign to drive positive change in the delivery of youth sport. That campaign, Keep Up With The Play, was targeted at parents, coaches and those involved in the administration of youth sport in both clubs and schools. This is important stuff – teenagers are walking away from organised sport at a time when being physically active competes with a host of other priorities.

Things need to change. This includes pushing back against early specialisation, an overemphasis on winning, and other factors that are driving young New Zealanders away from sport.  What young people are looking for is changing, and sport needs to change too. If it doesn’t, they’ll keep walking away.

Sport NZ and our campaign partners – NZ Cricket, NZ Football, Hockey NZ, Netball NZ and NZ Rugby – will pick the campaign up when the time is right. We also plan to add more sports to this group, and that’s something we’re really excited about.

In the meantime, and with winter sport finally upon us, we want to let you know that our collective commitment to changing youth sport for the better remains unchanged. The behavior’s we’re trying to change will still exist – COVID-19 has not changed that. It’s stronger than ever and we still need your support.

How can you help?
If you have a role in the delivery of a winter sport – as a coach or administrator – or if you’re a parent of a youth player, the main thing right now is to ease young people back into sport. A long wait and short pre-season are not reasons to push too hard or over train.   We don’t want players to get injured. We don’t want them to break down. Young people have waited so long to get back into sport and be back with their friends. Let’s make sure they stay in the game all season long.

Another important thing for coaches is to make sure you have set some clear development goals for your team and players. Share these with your players and parents, make them the focus of your trainings and team talks. Use them to maintain a focus on development, and to lower the emphasis on winning or losing.

And for everyone, and by far the most important thing, make sure the players are enjoying themselves. Coaches can do this by listening to players, understanding what they enjoy and doing more of it. Parents and supporters can contribute by being positive and supportive.

If we can all do these things, there will be thousands of young people all around the country having a great sporting experience in this delayed winter season.

Let’s give them one to remember. Let’s keep them coming back.

Coaching and Development
If you have an interest in coaching and development then we would love to hear from you as IHNZ start to review their coaching and development systems and documentation.

Keep an eye out for the Expression of Interest and Position Description to be circulated over the next week.

As usual, any questions or queries please forward to gm@inlinehockeynz.org.nz.

Stay safe all, best of luck for the 2020 season - enjoy!

Regards
IHNZ Board