Welcome to Western Connecticut Youth Hockey Association, Home of the Jr. Colonials!
Here are some tips to help you and your player become part of the family:
Check the website often!! Updates to games are posted as soon as they are known. You will typically get an email notifying you of a change.
The website also contains valuable information on policies, documents required for play and general news updates.
You may hear our organization referred to as; Western, Jr. Colonials, WCYHA or Danbury. Our official name is Western Connecticut Youth Hockey Association ("WCYHA") and we are working hard with internal and external constituents to develop name recognition.
Our home ice is at the Danbury Ice Arena "DIA". Please remind your player to respect the locker room and treat it as if it were their own home. We are very proud to have our home at the DIA and will look to you to keep your eyes open for areas to improve our relationship with the DIA. Parking discount tickets are available at the DIA counter for purchase by referring to the WCYHA program - these discounted tickets will allow you to park at the parking garage for a discounted rate.
We are affiliated with USA Hockey and the Connecticut Hockey Conference ("CHC") and WCYHA participates in both CHC seasonal games against other CHC affiliated teams and the CHC end of year state tournament. There are Four Tiers of CHC hockey and we try to participate in TIER II, III and IV depending on skills/experience of team and number of teams per level. Our TIER II teams are more competitive than our TIER III teams, etc. The CHC season runs from September through mid-March, with the State Tournament typically being held in late February/mid-March. For the 2011/2012 season we will participate in Three tournaments - two non CHC state tournaments (a local and one overnight) and the end of year CHC state tournament.
Two practices are held every week, typically every Monday or Tuesday and Thursday during the season.
Games are typically every Saturday and Sunday, with one being on our home ice and one away. Travel to an away game is generally no more than 1 hr. 15 mins. Mites and Squirt level games tend to be earlier in the day, while Pee Wee and Bantam games in the afternoon or early evening. Addresses for all of the rinks we travel to are on the website (some directions as well). A GPS is extremely helpful!!
Car Pooling - This is a great way for the players and parents to get to know each other and save on gas! If you are unable to take your player to a game, another parent is always willing to help you out!
Every team has a Team Manager assigned. The Team
Manager (a parent volunteer) keeps the records for the team and assists the coach (es) with communications out to the players and parents. The Team Manager will also provide each parent with a "Cheat Sheet" at the beginning of the season. It lists all of the players' numbers and names as well as parent names and contact information. The Team Manager is also responsible for providing any team issues to either Megan McLean or the team's Board representative prior to the Board meetings so that either Megan or the Board representative can present the matter at the Board meeting.
Parents are welcome to attend the first 30 minutes of the Board Meeting. Board Meeting dates are typically the 2nd Wednesday of each month and are listed on the website.
Get Involved!!! We love volunteers! Coaches, Team Managers and Board Members are all parent volunteers. We always need help with fundraising, tournament planning, game scheduling, and organizing social activities for the entire organization or at the team level. We need your ideas and talent to be successful.
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See you around the rink!
