Team Managers - Getting Started
Start of Season
Having an organized and informed team manager is one of the most important factors in the success of any team. To ensure all team Managers understand what’s involved in this role, the ORA requires that all team managers complete Ringette Canada's Manager's Certification Program. The program is an online, self-paced instructional package designed for team managers specifically for the sport of ringette. It can be found here:
http://www.coachingringette.ca/index.php?page=327
The course costs $25, but the MDRA will reimburse you for this fee.
The team manager will assist the coach and help run the off-ice activities of the team. It is important that the manager communicates with the coach to ensure that the coach has input and is aware of all team activities on and off the ice. Team Managers should be organized, have access to the internet/email, and communicate well. The Team Manager should ensure that as many parents as possible participate with the various tasks since there are too many for one person. Co-managing and delegation of tasks and responsibilities to other parents is the key to a successful and manageable year, and will only strengthen team building. The activities and responsibilities of the Manager are broken down into the following sections.
A team contact list should be generated by the Manager and distributed to all the parents. It should list the players with their jersey number and contact info (phone number, cell, e-mail). Another good idea is to create a mini team list (laminated) that the parents can take to the games until they become familiar with all players and parents.
An official team list called a “TRF” (Team Registration Form) is generated by the MDRA Registrar and must be signed by the Head Coach. A copy is held by the Manager. The TRF is required when registering for tournaments and a copy should always be taken to tournaments. This form is very important, so keep it safe and handy (only give out copies to tournament organizers, etc - keep the original). A tournament TRF that does not include full information is also generated by the MDRA Registrar, please keep an original copy of both TRFs.
All coaches, managers and trainers, as well as other on-ice volunteers, must have a Police Record Check. The form is available in your package, and online here:
http://www.ottawapolice.ca/fr/contact-us/resources/PoliceRecordCheck_e,pdf.pdf
The applicant will need to provide two separate pieces of identification, one of which must be a photo ID (detailed instructions are on the form). Applicants should also take the fee waiver letter signed by the MDRA President is also available under the Resources section of the MDRA website which will waive the fee usually charged by the police department. If the applicant doesn’t take the letter, then they will have to pay the fee, and this is NOT refundable by the MDRA. Please have your Bench Staff submit their form and letter to the police department ASAP as it can take up to 6-8 weeks to be processed.
The results of the police check are sent directly to the applicant, who should then upload it into your profile on the RAMP system. Applicants should also let the manager know when this is done. In the case of a police check which does not come back as “clean”, the MDRA President must immediately be notified in order to make decisions on how best to handle the situation.
The MDRA requires that police checks for all of its coaches, managers, trainers, and on-ice volunteers be submitted by November 15th.
The Player Medical Forms should be distributed by the Manager and collected from the parents. These forms remain with the Manager/Trainer for use in case of an emergency during a game or practice.
Please make note of allergies for team snacks and/or parties, as well as special medications (ie. asthma puffers, etc.). Coaches and other bench staff should be made aware in case they need it on the ice or bench.
Every bench staff member, player, and parent must read and sign the MDRA Code of Conduct form. The RO (Ringette Ontario) Bench Staff Code of Conduct form, the MDRA Parent Code of Conduct form, and the MDRA Player Code of Conduct form are available in the Resources section of the MDRA website. They are also included in your Manager package. The Manager should distribute these forms to all bench staff, players, and parents, and collect the completed signed forms as soon as possible.
There are a number of times during the ringette season when children may be photographed, interviewed or videotaped. Photos, videos or interviews will only be allowed with permission of the team coach.
All families have to sign the MDRA Media Release form. Managers should take note if a family doesn’t want their daughter photographed and ensure their request is respected. They should also notify the MDRA webmaster if pics aren’t to be put up and/or last names aren’t to be found on the rosters.
It is important that the team officials have the proper certification for their role. The courses are only held a couple of times in the fall and if bench staff miss it, they will have to be removed from the TRF.
All new coaches and Assistant Coaches now need to complete a prerequisite course called “Intro to Ringette”. It is a 3 hour course put on by Ringette Ontario twice in the Fall.
| Bench Staff Requirements | B and C Level Teams | A and AA Level Teams (including Provincial) |
|---|---|---|
| Coach | CSI OR CI AND Make Ethical Decisions Certificate | CI AND Make Ethical Decisions Certificate |
| Assistant Coach | CSI OR CI AND Make Ethical Decisions Certificate | CI AND Make Ethical Decisions Certificate |
| Manager | Manager Certification Program | Manager Certification Program |
| Trainer | At least 14 hour Standard First Aid training OR Certification for Medical Doctor/Student, Fireman, Registered Nurse, Ambulance Training, or Athletic Therapy | CSI or CI AND At least 14 hour Standard First Aid training OR Certification for Medical Doctor/Student, Fireman, Registered Nurse, Ambulance Training, or Athletic Therapy |
At least one of the Bench Staff members must be female and be present on the bench at all times. New for 2018-19, managers are not allowed on the bench.
The team Manager should validate the certification of the team bench staff and follow up with any who need to take courses. The MDRA will communicate to all teams when these courses are available - this information is also posted on the ERRA-NCRRL website (link provided on MDRA website). The cost of the CSI and CI courses is covered by the MDRA. The Manager Certification process is an online self-study reading and test, and the cost is also covered by the MDRA.
It is very important that tournaments that the teams wish to participate in be identified as early in the year as possible, since these dates must be communicated by the MDRA Ice Scheduler to the NCRRL (National Capital Region Ringette League) by the end of September. The NCRRL therefore does not schedule league games for the team on those dates. Also, please book tournaments early since they can fill up quickly.
As soon as possible after the team is confirmed, it is important to have a team meeting where the parents can be introduced to the coach and manager, and the rest of the bench staff. This can be done in the dressing room during one of the first practices. At this meeting, it is a good time to identify the responsibilities of the team for the year and get parents to sign up for the following positions:
As well as possibly:
The practice schedule is organized by the MDRA Ice Scheduler and is posted on the MDRA website. A copy of the Ice Allocation Policy can be found on the Policies, Forms and Templates page of the website.
The game schedule is arranged by the NCRRL or LRQ/LERQ and posted on both the MDRA website and league web site. They will also appear in your RAMP team app. It is a good practice that the Manager provide schedule updates or reminders to the parents and to remind them to regularly check the MDRA website or app for updates.
The Manager should contact the MDRA Ice Scheduler as soon as conflicts arise, such as tournaments, in order to reschedule practices and games as well as redistribute available ice times to other MDRA teams.
Managers are usually the last out of the dressing room to lock up while everyone is on the ice. However, this could be assigned to one of the coaches or another parent. You can pick up the key from arena staff.
Once the game/practice is over, unlock the door in a timely fashion. For the last person out of the room, if any items have been forgotten then collect them to bring to the next ice time, and then return the key.
The manager should confirm jersey colour with the other team and the help the jersey parent set the jerseys up in the dressing room prior to games. They should be collected at the end of the games if the team has opted to have jersey carriers, and washed if necessary, before the next game. If players are keeping their own jerseys, please ensure they are kept in a separate bag to protect them from skates and other equipment.
Please refer to the MDRA Dressing Room Policy posted to the Policies, Forms and Templates page of the website. Ensure that change room monitors are present in the room at all times and that players are adhering to the policy.
As Manager, you are responsible for filling out a game sheet for all of your home games. Blank game sheets will be provided to you during the start of year meeting for coaches and managers.
When filling out the game sheet, each one (there are 3 copies per sheet) should have a list of the Players’ names and jersey numbers.
Game sheet labels: Instead of writing all of the players’ names at each game, it is more efficient to make a print out of your team list on Avery labels. They should be the appropriate size so as not to cover the signature area on the game sheet. The brand name Avery #5163 or #8163 is the right size. These can be affixed to each of the 3 copies of the game sheet. Remember when making changes to the line-up, that if using labels the changes have to be made to all 3 copies.
Goalies: You should note on the game sheet who is playing goalie that game by putting a G beside that player's name
Game sheets must be properly completed, signed and ready before game time. Once the top section and the home team section of the games sheet are completed and signed by your bench staff, provide it to the visiting team manager or coach so they can fill out their section. When they have completed it, they will return it to you and you will give it to the scorekeeper. It is the home team's responsibility to have the game sheet completed and in the hands of the referee prior to the game. If it is not completed correctly and information is missing, your team may be penalized for delay of game. Make sure you always bring an extra game sheet just in case!
After the game, the referee(s) will validate and sign the games sheet. The scorekeeper provides back to the Manager for league update. It’s the Manager’s job to make sure the appropriate copy of the game sheet gets to the visiting team and to keep the team’s copy on file.
When playing in the LRQ or LERQ, Ringette Ontario game sheets are used for home games. The game sheets provided by away teams may be different. Game sheet labels can be used for Quebec came sheets.
Reporting game results to the NCRRL or LRQ/LERQ: The Manager is responsible to report the game results to the appropriate league within 24 hours after the game is completed. This is done electronically, from information on the game sheet. The links are located on the MDRA website, under Resources - Links and League Info - NCRRL Game Result Reporting Page. Reporting late electronically or failure to provide the white game sheet in the MDRA game sheet box in a timely fashion will result in a fine to your team (MDRA is assessed this charge by the NCRRL, which is passed down to your team). If you forget, the MDRA Statistician will usually remind you.
It is your team's responsibility to provide a scorekeeper, game clock operator, and shot clock operator (for U12 level teams and higher) for each of your team’s home games (including exhibition). Instructions on how to run the clock are printed on a sheet by the box in the time keeper’s area. It is also important to have shot clock operators trained on the shot clock rules. This can be coordinated with the MDRA board of directors.
It is good to have more than one set of parents who know how to run the clocks so there is a backup in case one cannot attend.
Also, for exhibition games, the home team arranges for referees. This can be arranged by contacting the MDRA Referee-in-Chief who then contacts the referees.
Team finances include funds to cover tournaments, additional ice time, team social events, end of year trophies, and other team expenses which are above and beyond the MDRA registration fees.
Team finances are the responsibility of the team. The MDRA will review team finances to ensure they are updated regularly and provided to parents. Following the guidelines identified in this section is highly encouraged to avoid possible conflicts, errors, or misappropriation, and represent best practices in the
management of team finances. A copy of a team budget template is included in the Manager package, a soft copy can be obtained by e-mailing the MDRA Treasurer at: treasurer@mdra.ca or can be found on the MDRA website.
A team treasurer should be identified at the beginning of the year. The team treasurer is responsible for team finances and for the team bank account.
The Manager acts as the Liaison for the team and the coach for issues they would like to discuss. The “24 hour rule” is advisable -- if there is a conflict to be addressed, you should wait 24 hours after the event to address it with the coach, bench staff, or other parent -- which permits a cool down period and a better conversation for resolution. However, any situation where the well-being of a player is at stake must be addressed immediately. The Convenor for your age level will be an excellent resource for any issues also. A list of Convenors for each age group will be posted on the MDRA website.
While the older players will normally have their name bars from previous years, it is still important for the teams to have someone in charge of ordering for those who need them or to provide parents with the store names which can provide these. The Manager should organize getting the name bars sewn (either by the individual parents or by someone taking all jerseys on). Please do not use glue! Also, please sew on all name and sponsor bars by hand, or with large stitches to make removal easier.
Teams may also like to purchase hats, shirts or other items with the MDRA logo and/or the team name, which can be coordinated with the MDRA board of directors. Please consult the MDRA Merchandise Policy to find the current year supplier. Please consult the MDRA board of directors prior to placing any special team orders for items that are not readily available through the selected supplier.
The insurance policy that covers MDRA is part of our membership with Ringette Ontario, and provides limited coverage for off-ice team events, provided the MDRA board of directors knows of, and approves, the event. Accordingly, teams must notify the MDRA board of directors of any off-ice event, or unscheduled game or practice, to ensure insurance coverage. To give the board of directors time to evaluate events, you must notify them at least one week before the event. Please e-mail the President and/or Registrar to notify the Board of Directors of off-ice events and additional practices scheduled by the team at: president@mdra.ca or registrar@mdra.ca.
An event notification tool is available on the MDRA website, under Resources - Manager Resources. Please note that events where alcohol is served are not covered by the policy. Coverage for alcohol is available with the purchase of a specific insurance extension. MDRA must contact RO at least one month in advance to put this special coverage into place.
For out of province tournaments, a form must be submitted to the Ringette Ontario at least 30 days prior to the event. A link to the form is available on the NCRRL website at the following link:
http://ncrrl.on.ca/info/info-for-teams-attending-tourneys/
Do it early!! A lot of the tournaments fill up quickly so it is best to get an idea from the parents on the team how many they want to do and what distance they want to travel. It’s advisable to do this at the Parent/Team meeting.
Once you have chosen which tournaments you are attending, you MUST notify the MDRA Ice Scheduler, so that no league games are scheduled during your tournaments.
For a listing of local tournaments, please consult the NCRRL website - a link is provided on the MDRA website under “ERRA-NCRRL”. A list of out of region tournaments is available on the Ringette Ontario website and the Ringette Québec website.
Regardless of where the tournament is located, don’t assume that you are in a tournament until you have a confirmation.
If you are attending an out-of-province tournament, you must notify Ringette Ontario to ensure extra insurance is procured. This should be done as soon as you register for the tournament.
When signing up for a tournament you will usually provide:
When preparing for the tournament you should:
When arriving, you will need to register (day of) and provide:
Other sources of Information include the following:
National Capital Region Ringette League (NCRRL) website
Eastern Region Ringette Association (ERRA) website
Ringette Ontario (RO) website