About Hockey Alberta
Hockey Alberta’s Vision: Hockey for life.
Hockey Alberta’s Mission: To create positive opportunities and experiences FOR ALL PLAYERS through innovative leadership and exceptional service.
Hockey Alberta’s Stakeholders: Administrators, Alberta Sport Connection, Club Teams, Coaches, Corporate Partners, Hockey Canada, Leagues, Local Minor Hockey Associations, Managers, Officials, Parents, and Trainers.
Hockey Alberta’s Values:
- Collaboration - Work together, win together.
- Community - Make a difference for all Albertans.
- Innovation - Be curious, courageous, creative.
- Integrity - Do the right thing for the right reasons.
- Passion - Fuels our why, drives our what.
Hockey Alberta Fast Facts: Hockey Alberta is one of 13 member branches of Hockey Canada and takes an active part in setting national policy. Hockey Alberta is represented on Hockey Canada’s councils and committees (Hockey Development, Minor Hockey, Junior Hockey, Senior Hockey, Female Hockey, Officiating, etc.) that oversee and recommend changes to enhance the game.
Hockey Alberta is the Provincial Sports Organization and governing body for organized amateur hockey in the Province of Alberta, encouraging competition on both a competitive and recreational level for those who enjoy hockey for the sportsmanship, skill and enjoyment it can provide.
Services and resources provided by or available through Hockey Alberta include:
GOVERNANCE
Strategic Planning process that has guided organization to be leaders in the province and country, with current three year Business Plan focusing on these Strategic Objectives:
- Grow the Game
- Hockey Alberta Identity
- Hockey Delivery System
- Improve Player Experience
- People Capacity / Alignment
- Organizational Partnerships
- Operational Excellence
Policy Board of Directors responsible for:
- Risk analysis of the organization
- Oversight in financial management
- Stewardship of the game
- Ad Hoc Committees
- Identifying and implementing an Appeals process
- Hiring of the CEO
Overall system governance for players from Initiation to Adult Recreational Hockey including:
- More than 180 Local Minor Hockey Associations
- More than 200 Club Teams in Junior A, B, C, Senior Male and Senior Female
- Adult Recreational partner via Hockey Canada
OPERATIONS
Resources and day-to-day support to Local Minor Hockey Associations in:
- Overall Governance
- Registration
- Risk Management
- Game and Conduct Management
- Complaint Handling
- Harassment and Abuse
- Insurance
- Volunteer Development
- Team Operations
- Association Operations
- Coach Selection and Development
- Team Selection
Regulation and governance of all areas of the sport in the province:
- Registration process, training, support, transfers of records
- Discipline process
- Sanctioning of all events, tournaments
- Regulations of the game
Provincial Model of competition including:
- Provincial Championships for all levels
- Support to teams representing Alberta at national championships
- Elite Female and Male Hockey, including operation of the AFHL and AEHL
- AA Hockey Model
- Intro to Hockey Model
Annual Hockey Conference with professional development opportunities for all membership:
- Specific streams including administrators and coach directors
- Networking opportunities
- Expert presenters sharing knowledge in various areas of the game
Coach, Team Leader/Staff and Training, Certification, Education, Specialty Clinics:
- Coordinate over 100 Clinics per season
- More than 5,000 coaches trained per season
- Recruit, train, support over 75 Facilitators
Registration, Training, Certification and Education for On-Ice Officials:
- Coordinate clinics across the province each season
- More than 5,000 officials registered per season
- Recruit, train and support supervisors and facilitators
Regional Hockey Development through Regional Managers:
- Direct support to MHAs for their development of coaches, players
- Direct link to coach training in respective regions
- Player programming opportunities provided at different times in the season
- MHA resource and conduit of coaching and development in their association
Select, manage,and develop players, coaches, and officials through High Performance camps, events, and programs:
- Over 2,600 athletes per season participate in and develop through these programs
- Recruitment, selection, and training of over 500 volunteers to operate the programs
- Annual Provincial Level high performance events, working with host committees and communities.
- Selection and Operation of Provincial team coaches, players, support staff annually as required by Hockey Canada and Government of Alberta (Canada Games)
Sanctioning of all activity and competitions within the province:
- Tournaments
- Special events
- League and exhibition games
Risk management and game and conduct services:
- Builds, reviews and updates resources
- Offers advice and support to MHA Executives on issues, and development of policy and guidelines
Administration of Hockey Canada Insurance program:
- Claims, questions, support
- Major issues concerning associations and Hockey Canada insurers
Volunteer development and training:
- Recruitment, selection, orientation, evaluation, and support for over 100 core volunteers who work on numerous operational committees
- In cooperation with MHAs, offer opportunities for development through Hockey Conference and regional meetings
- Human resources services for staff and volunteers
Standing committees to administer hockey and provide service to members and stakeholders on a day to day basis:
- Minor Hockey: Minor Discipline, Minor Administration, Minor Female, Minor Leagues
- AA Hockey
- Elite Male and Female Hockey
- Officials
- Junior Hockey
- Senior Hockey
- Accredited Schools
- Para Hockey
- Recreational Hockey
- Indigenous Hockey
- Player Safety
Recruitment and servicing of corporate partners, initiatives and programs
- Sponsorship Sales plan to support financially the operations and benefit the game
Partner Programs and special events for the benefit of local areas. Examples include:
- True Spirit of Hockey Day
- Dodge Caravan Kids
- Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
- NHL/NHLPA First Shift, World Girls Hockey Weekend, Female Hockey Day
Communication of information to membership and stakeholders, the hockey community in general, and public:
- Internal delivery to membership of updates, news, services and upcoming events via newsletter, direct email, and bulletins
- External delivery of news and announcements concerning our stakeholders and the game in general, through media releases, website and social media, and dealing with all media requests
- Delivery of information to membership and the general hockey community regarding beneficial partner promotional opportunities
- Work with membership on challenges faced in social media and other areas of digital/online communications
Official website platform creation, development and maintenance:
- hockeyalberta.ca is central repository of information for all stakeholders in Alberta’s hockey community
- Permits and Sanction requesting through a custom made online platform, processing more than 6,000 requests for Travel, Exhibition Game and Tournament permits
- Tournament listings for more than 900 tournaments across Alberta each season
- Job postings to assist members looking for qualified individuals to fill positions
- event sites for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup.
- Home for specific development programs and leagues, and all individual event sites for the provincial championships
- Opportunity for members to recognize local sponsors on some platforms
- home site for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (ahhf.ca)
- league sites for the Alberta Elite Hockey League (aehl.ca) and Alberta Female Hockey League (afhl.ca)
PARTNERSHIPS
Liaison with key partners, including:
- Hockey Canada and Provincial Branches
- Government of Alberta
- Other Provincial Sport Organizations
- Western Hockey League
- Alberta Junior Hockey League
- USport and Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Liaison to Hockey Canada:
- Communication link
- Acts on behalf of Branch with respect to key initiatives, services and programs of the national body
- Participates on various committees, councils at the national level
- Offers support and leadership to national and regional events
- Manages invoicing, reconciliation for Hockey Canada fees and insurance for membership
- Administers National Programming on behalf of Hockey Canada
Partner with Hockey Alberta Foundation to assist to raise funds for the game, primarily recruitment and leadership:
- Every Kid Every Community Grant Program
- Every Kid Every Community Speaker Series in communities across province
- Operational support in form of staff, office space, administration