Bucks Team Manager Checklist
If you are a Team Manager, the below checklist will help you prepare for and execute the season. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Team Managers Coordinator, Greg Sitrick, at adhlhockey@gmail.com
August
- USA Hockey Registration: Team Managers are required to register with USA Hockey as a Manager/Volunteer. There is no registration fee for team managers.
- SafeSport Program Training: The U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent, non-profit organization focused on ending all forms of abuse in sport. USA Hockey has partnered with SafeSport and SafeSport Training is required for all team managers and volunteers. SafeSport Certification needs to be completed yearly. Completion certificates must be emailed to adhlhockey@gmail.com.
- Background Check: USA Hockey requires team managers and all team volunteers to complete a background check. You can do this through the USA Hockey Background Screening link below.
- AAHA Commitment Letter: AAHA requires all volunteers to execute the AAHA Commitment Letter online using a SportsEngine account and your USA Hockey number. Click on the button below to complete the non-monetary AAHA Commitment Letter.
- BE SURE TO CHOOSE THE “ADHL BUCKS” AND “AZYHL” (NON-TIER) OPTIONS WHEN REGISTERING.
- Establish Team Operations: Solicit volunteers from the team to fill the roles of Penalty Box Attendant(s), Locker Room Monitor(s) and a Social Chair.
- Social Chair: Arranges social events for the team: planning team parties and bonding activities throughout the season, as well as a holiday party and end of season party.
- Social Media Manager: Takes team pictures and posts them to the website or Instagram.
- Locker Room Monitor(s): Monitors the locker room pre and post game.
- Penalty Box Attendant(s): We are required to have an attendant in the penalty box for all games. The role requires monitoring the penalty time and opening/closing the penalty box door. This is a great way to see the game and a fun way to get a behind the scenes look at what happens from the bench.
- Ensure All Parents Have Downloaded The CrossBar App: This will allow families to see the current calendar, team roster, contact information of other parents, and access the chat feature. The chat feature cannot be accessed through the computer, so ensure all parents download the app so they can communicate with other parents on the team.
- Schedule Tournaments: Tournaments fill up quickly, so book early in September and get the deposit paid by ADHL Hockey. In addition to the Seeding Tournament over Labor Day weekend in September, and the Championship Tournament for the AZYHL in March, a total of five (5) additional tournaments per season is standard: one (1) tournament in September/October, one (1) local tournament over Thanksgiving weekend in November, one (1) local tournament right after Christmas in December, one (1) local tournament over MLK, Jr. weekend in January, and one (1) local tournament over President's Day weekend in February. ADHL Hockey may have already booked some tournaments directly for the team. Check with your coach to see which tournaments your team is registered and where there may be additional work needed. For any away tournaments you will need to obtain a Travel Permit. Please send all Travel Permit requests to the attention of Daemion Glantz at adhlhockey@gmail.com. Finally, you are responsible for disseminating the information about the tournament and coordinating any hotel block to your team. *Note, any out of state tournaments are typically "stay to play," meaning you must stay "as a team" at one of the hotels that they choose in order to play at the tournament.
- Send Weekly Emails: We highly recommend sending a “Week Ahead” email on Sunday nights to communicate any upcoming events or changes. This is a good time to coordinate who will be the locker room monitor and the penalty box attendant for any upcoming games. Google doc or Signup Genius can be used to help coordinate sign-ups if you have a bunch of volunteers. This is also a good time to reiterate arrival time for players on game days. Players must arrive 45-60* minutes before the puck drop to allow ample time for dryland warm-ups, changing, and a coach chat with the team. *Note, check with your coach on the exact time they want players to arrive.
- GameSheet and Roster Stickers: Scoring will be done on an iPad via as program called GameSheet. AAHA will provide a scheduled tutorial of GameSheet for all team managers at the beginning of the season. Up to 24 hours before a home game, the manager should download the appropriate game from the list of scheduled games provided in the GameSheet app. The manager should then fill in/update the roster appropriately ahead of the game before giving the iPad to the opposing team manager to fill in, and then eventually to the scorekeeper ahead of the game. If paper scoresheets are used (e.g. for tournaments), as the manager, you are also responsible for filling out the scoresheet ahead of any game with a complete roster. We recommend Roster stickers if you know you will using paper scoresheets at any game. These go on the scoresheets and are given to both teams and the tournament coordinators after each game. If a tournament requires paper scoresheets, be sure to bring at least 15 stickers per tournament. You should plan to create these on Avery label template #5163, which seems to work best.
- Schedule The Parent and Player Meeting: Arrange for a start of the season team bonding event or team dinner to allow ADHL Hockey and the coaching staff to address the players and parents with expectations for the season and to answer any questions the families have. ADHL Hockey may have already arranged for a location or event for the Parent and Player Meeting so please check with and coordinate with Daemion Glantz at adhlhockey@gmail.com before confirming the Meeting.
- Locker Room Assignments: Sometimes access requires a driver’s license or set of car keys in exchange for the locker room key at a front desk. The players are expected to treat the locker room with respect and clean up after themselves. It is the locker room monitor and team manager’s responsibility to ensure that it is clean and locked up.
- Prepare for Seeding Tournament: The AZYHL conducts a seeding tournament over Labor Day weekend every year to determine division placements.
- Referees/Scorekeepers: Team Managers are required to schedule referees and scorekeepers for all HOME GAMES, including regular season play in the AZYHL, and any exhibition games (non-league games). If a game is rescheduled, referees need to be notified at least 48 hours in advance. If you are the Home Team for a game, regardless of the rink, you are required to schedule the referees and scorekeepers for that games. Referees/Scorekeepers are scheduled through Arizona Hockey Referee Association. The specific rink you play in determines who you request the referees through. A link to the schedulers and their emails is below:
- Home Team Responsibilities:
- Referees/Scorekeepers: Managers should double check the game times, rink locations and assigned referees/scorekeepers to confirm. Make sure referees are present (i.e., check the referee's locker room 20 mins before game time).
- GameSheet: For Home Games, team managers are required to provide the iPad with GameSheet to the other team manager to fill in/update their roster, and then to the scorekeeper ahead of the game. Please ensure the iPad is fully charged ahead of the game, and bring the charging cord with as well just in case. Scorekeepers will use the iPad to keep score during the game on GameSheet.
- Posting Final Score: The final score should be sent via GameSheet at the end of the game. If you do not have internet connection at a rink, the final score needs to be submitted through the GameSheet app to AAHA within 24 hours after the game.
- Confirm Ice Breaker Tournament in September: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
September
- Attend AZYHL Seeding Tournament over Labor Day Weekend: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
- Prepare for AZHYL League Scheduling Meeting: About a week after the Seeding Tournament, the AZYHL will announce the division placements as well as the day and time that each division is required to attend a Scheduling Meeting. The purpose of the Scheduling Meeting is to determine and set all AZYHL league games for the entire season. Please obtain blackout dates for goalies and coaches. You may need to work with their other Bucks team managers to reallocate game slots when necessary.
- Prior to the Scheduling Meeting, you will be given home ice slots from your ice scheduler. You must work with the other team managers present at the Scheduling Meeting and, using a combination of their and your ice times, schedule all required AZYHL league games. You can't leave the meeting until you've scheduled every game and turn in a form for each home game scheduled to the AAHA representative.
- Prior to the Scheduling Meeting, we recommend that you:
- Know your coaches/goalies black out dates.
- Bring a calendar noting tournaments or other conflicts.
- Schedule distant locations FIRST and on weekends.
- Familiarize yourself with the location of potential opponent's rinks (e.g., rinks that are close may be scheduled on a weeknight, if necessary)
- Attend Ice Breaker Invitational Tournament: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
- Confirm CAN/AM Cup (10U - 14U) Over Halloween Weekend: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
- Confirm AZ Invite Tournament (16U - 18U) Over Halloween Weekend: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
October
- Confirm Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
- Attend CAN/AM Cup (10U - 14U) Over Halloween Weekend: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
- Attend AZ Invite Tournament (16U - 18U) Over Halloween Weekend: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
November
- Confirm Coyotes Cup Tournament (12/27 - 12/30): Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
- Attend Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament The Friday Following Thanksgiving: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
December
- Confirm Cactus Cup Tournament Over MLK Jr. Weekend: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
- Create A Holiday Party Fund: Create or have the Social Chair create a party fund and collect from the team to throw a team holiday party.
- Plan A Holiday Party: Plan or have the Social Chair plan a holiday team party (e.g., pizza party) knowing how much you have to spend from the party fund. Gift exchanges, secret gifts, white elephant gift games, etc. for the players are encouraged.
- Attend Coyotes Cup (12/27 - 12/30): Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
January
- Confirm President's Day Invitational Tournament Over President's Day Weekend: Confirm the teams participation and that all necessary information has been provided to the tournament director/organizer.
- Attend Cactus Cup Over MLK Jr. Weekend: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
February
- Attend President's Day Invitational Over President's Day Weekend: Keep team informed of tournament schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
March
- AZYHL Season Playoffs: Around the middle of March, the Bucks teams will participate in state playoffs for the state championship. Keep team informed of playoff schedule. Updates can be provided through the team calendar and through emails.
- Create A Party Fund: Create or have the Social Chair create a party fund and collect from the team to throw a year end party.
- Plan A Final Party: Plan or have the Social Chair plan an end of season party (e.g., Go-karts, pizza party) knowing how much you have to spend from the party fund.
- Coaches Gifts: Lavish team gifts are unnecessary and discouraged. Approximately $100 per coach at the winter break and at the end of the season should be sufficient to convey a proper sense of appreciation.