OLD SHARKS 2010 FALL HOCKEY AT NEW SHARK TANK!!!

We hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  For those of you who have been playing summer Old Sharks at the brand new FSI Shark Tank isn’t the new rink great and haven’t the games been a lot of fun?!!!  There have been a lot changes to our club for this upcoming season.  Therefore, please make sure you read this entire letter very carefully!  Like last year, we will be having two games on Wednesday nights, but new for this year we’ll be going from one game to two games on Sunday nights.  The 8th annual season of the Old Sharks Hockey Club (OSHC) will begin on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 for those who choose to play on Wednesdays, and will begin on Sunday, September 12, 2010 for those who choose to play on Sundays.  Game times have changed for both nights.  Wednesday games will be from 9:00 p.m. – 10:05 p.m. and from 10:15 p.m. – 11:20 p.m., while Sunday games will be from 7:10 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. and from 8:25 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.  Please note that in order for us to keep our Wednesday night slots at the new Shark Tank, there will be six (out of thirty-six) Wednesday nights where our games will be pushed back to 10:30 p.m. – 11:35 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. to allow for six Meramec Hockey Club midget games that will be played earlier in the evening on these Wednesdays.  We’ll try to have everyone share equally in the late (11:45 p.m.) games. We won’t find out which six dates will be pushed back until sometime after our season starts. 

Wednesday will still be independent from Sunday meaning you can sign up for Wednesday only, Sunday only, or both.  Just like last year, IF YOU SIGN UP TO PLAY ONLY ON ONE NIGHT PER WEEK, YOU MUST PLAY ON THE NIGHT YOU SIGNED UP FOR AND YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER NIGHT FOR ANY REASON!!!   Regarding selecting the night you want to play on, we want everyone to know that Wednesday nights is comprised of A, B, and C level players while Sunday nights are made up of primarily B and C level players.  Even though we will allow any skill leveled player to play on the night that he prefers, we encourage this natural progression to continue by having the highly skilled players stay on Wednesdays and having the lesser skilled players to continue to play on Sundays.  Regardless of the night you choose, we’re sure the games will be lots of fun!

In order to make sure the teams are balanced each game, we’re going to continue this season the same policy that has now been in place for over a season. When we make new teams every six weeks, we will assign three players per team to be captains during the six week period.  It will be the captains’ responsibility to get together before the game begins to see who showed up on each team, and then (if necessary) make a trade or two in an attempt to balance out the teams.  Everyone’s cooperation will be expected.  Thank you to EVERYONE last season for your participation in making this policy work.  As long as the captains take the time to assess the situation before each game, we should all be able to enjoy competitive games all season long, regardless of who shows up!

We will use the same format that we used last year which included a short warm up period, followed by the game where the time and score will be kept on the big scoreboard by the referee. For our first skates on Wednesday, September 8th and Sunday, September 12th we will have our one and only evaluation.   Same as last year, we will be posting all information pertaining to the OSHC on the Old Sharks Hockey Club web site.  Simply go to www.oldsharkshockeyclub.com for complete information regarding the club including both our fall/winter sessions and our spring/ summer sessions.  This is also where you will be able to find the schedule along with the team roster you will be assigned to for the fall/winter session.  We will post the rosters of the four teams for the September 8th Wednesday night evaluation by Tuesday, September 7th,  and the rosters of the four teams for the September 12th Sunday night evaluations by Friday, September 10th.  After the evaluations, we’ll attempt to pick four even teams for each night, and then we’ll post the team rosters for the remaining five weeks of the first six week session for Wednesdays by Tuesday, September 14th, and for Sundays by Friday, September 17th.  Throughout the season, every six weeks we’ll make up new teams and post the new rosters for Wednesdays by the Tuesday prior to the first game of the session, and for Sundays by the Friday prior to the first game of the session.  

All of the rules will be the same as last year.  These include the “tag up” rule for off sides, icing from far blue line to goal line, and a penalty shot for the recipient of a blatant penalty.  If the infraction is “marginal” in the discretion of the referee there will be no penalty called.  Wins and losses of each team will NOT be kept.

Just like last season, we will continue to allow substitutes ONLY IF THE TEAM WHO WILL HAVE THE SUBSTITUTE PLAYING FOR THEM HAS LESS THAN 10 PLAYERS WHO SHOWED UP.    AGAIN, IF YOU PLAY ON SUNDAY YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE ON WEDNESDAY, AND IF YOU PLAY ON WEDNESDAY YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE ON SUNDAY.  

Once the club fills up for the fall/winter session, if someone is interested in having their name or one of their friends name placed on the waiting list, they’ll need to contact Tim Kelley or Bryan Overmann at work at 636/464-1144 to let one of us know.  You can also e-mail Bryan at bryano@mfos.net or Tim at timk@mfos.net with the person’s name, cell phone number, and e-mail address.  If you let us know on Sunday or Wednesday nights when we don’t have the list with us or anything to write the information down, then the interested persons name may not make it on the list.  Therefore, please call us at work or e-mail us and we’ll be sure to add the person’s name to the list.  

We would like to remind everyone that good sportsmanship and clean hockey play are required to continue club membership.  No checking, fighting, or rough play is allowed.  Very simply put, if any player behaves inappropriately, we will take the appropriate action against the player.  This action could take many different forms including anything from a one game suspension to lifetime expulsion from the club if the infraction of the player is considered to be severe enough.  Also, just like last year, everyone will be required to wear full ice hockey equipment including shoulder pads and a helmet.  You will not be required to wear a full face shield.  However, everyone will be required to sign a “Release of Liability Agreement” acknowledging that if you choose to not wear a face shield you will accept all of the liability for choosing not to wear the full face shield.

NEW FOR THIS SEASON, IN ORDER TO BE FAIR TO THE PLAYERS WHO PLAYED LAST FALL/WINTER BUT CHOSE NOT TO PLAY THIS SUMMER, WE WILL HAVE THREE ENROLLMENT DATES.  In order for returning players from last year’s fall/winter to be guaranteed a spot, these players will have the opportunity to register first and must have their registration form and payment turned in no later than Friday, July 23rd.  After this date we will open up our 2nd registration period for members who did NOT play the last fall/winter session but ARE CURRENTLY PLAYING SUMMER Old Sharks hockey.  These players will have from Saturday, July 24th until Friday, August 6th to turn in their registration form and payment to be guaranteed a spot.  After August 6th, we will have open registration which means all remaining spots will be filled on a “first pay, first play” basis. 

All members will need to print and fill out the “Registration Form” and “Release of Liability Agreement” in its entirety on the last page of this letter, and mail it to the address on that page by the appropriate date listed above with a check made payable to:  Old Sharks Hockey Club for the full amount for Sunday’s of $345.00, or for Wednesday’s of $358.00.  Anyone wishing to play BOTH Sunday’s and Wednesday’s will need to make a payment in full for Sunday’s of $345.00 at the time of registration, and then will need to make their final payment for Wednesday’s of $358.00 by Wednesday, September 15th.  The Sunday amount is less because Sunday’s amount is based on 34 games, (no games on MLK Sunday or Easter Sunday), while Wednesday’s is based on 36 games. The Wednesday game cost average is a little less than Sundays because we have to pay less for the six late sheets of Wednesday ice.  We also lowered the cost to everyone to reflect the one sheet of Sunday ice and two sheets of Wednesday ice we didn’t use last season when the Old Shark Tank shut down one week ahead of schedule.  Compared to other adult St. Louis hockey clubs or leagues, Old Sharks Hockey Club at the NEW FSI Shark Tank continues to be by far the best value for the St. Louis adult hockey player!  Goalies will play for free as in the past, but they’ll have to pay for jerseys if they need them.  Be sure to let us know on page 4 whether or not you need jerseys.  Goalie jerseys went up for this season.  If you need goalie jerseys, be sure to include a $50.00 check made payable to Old Sharks Hockey Club to cover the cost of your set of goalie jerseys.  All out skaters who need jerseys will continue to pay $45.00 for a set of jerseys.

One last item:  Beginning next year for the 2011 -2012 season, we will require each player to have USA Hockey supplemental insurance.  Cost will be approximately $35.00.  If you’re a coach and can provide a confirmation number as proof that you already have this, you will not be required to pay.  If you have any questions that have not been addressed in this letter, feel free to call Tim Kelley or Bryan Overmann at work during regular business hours at 636/464-1144.  Thank you to all for making the Old Sharks Hockey Club a GREAT SUCCESS!!!

 BE SURE TO PRINT, FILL OUT, AND MAIL THE REGISTRATION AND RELEASE FORMS!!!