SOUTHGATE - The Michigan Amateur Hockey Association held its 2017 Winter Meeting in Southgate on Jan. 20-21, with the organization holding elections for open positions, discussing rule proposals and examining their current and future plans for the growth of amateur hockey.
The MAHA leadership group was joined by Dottie Deremo, CEO of The Deremo Group, who held a seminar after the officers’ elections to aid in evaluating and improving their mission and strategies.
“We began working with The Deremo Group in early fall to help us facilitate a long-range plan for our organization,” said MAHA president George Atkinson. “The youth sports market has changed and we need to change our planning and programs to match what our members are looking for now or will be looking for in the future. We want to gather input from all areas of the organization so we can develop a plan that better meets the needs of our members.
“Having our directors and many association representatives here for the Winter Meeting gave us the opportunity to gather some of the base information we need from a large group quickly. If we are to make the changes we need to, we need to have everyone vested in the process and providing input. I was encouraged by the fact that 71 percent of the members that participated today felt MAHA needs to make changes to continue to be a premiere hockey organization.”
Elections
Vote needed
USA Hockey director – Dan Jaroshewich
VP of Adults* – Larry Johnson
USA Hockey director * – Gordon Bowman
*Assumes the position previously held by the late Ray Kraemer
Ran unopposed
VP of Coaches – Gordan Bowman
VP of Girls/Women’s – Jean Laxton
Treasurer – Chris Boloven
Director at Large (Districts 2-4) – Bob DeSpirt
Director at Large (Districts 5 and 6) – Ron Brasseur
Director at Large (Districts 7 and 8) – Bill Peterson
Rule Proposals
The following rules will be voted on at the MAHA Summer Meeting in July.
Proposal 17-6: Girls Team Formation
The proposed change in rule is bolded below.
“Beginning at the 14U age group at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels for Girls, to be able to roster a team there shall have been a Tier 1, Tier 2 or House/Rec team in the association one age classification younger or in the same age group the previous season.”
Reason for change: To put the pilot program into a rule so that the new pilot program does not need to be approved annually.
Proposal 17-7: Forfeits
A miscellaneous rule change that adds the sentence, “A score of 0-1 will be recorded on the official game sheet(s) for all games if any game is forfeit.”
Reason for change: To document current practice.
Proposal L-1: Substitute Goalies
Adjust a current rule for substitute goalkeepers to include girls’ Tier 1, girls’ Tier 2, Youth Tier 1, Youth Tier 2, Youth A, M, Youth 17 and 18U House and Youth 10U-18U House Rec.
Reason for change: To allow for emergency goalies throughout the entire playing season