Annual Report 2012-2013

A message from the President
Welcome to the 2013 Hockey Nova Scotia AGM! This is an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the past
season. It’s through the hard work and dedication of the volunteer base that affords our young players the
chance to compete and play competitive hockey. The AGM also provides an opportunity to discuss the
direction and the future of the game. We are at a crossroads as we move further into the 21st century. The
status quo is not sufficient to sustain growth. Our game is under the microscope and we all must have the
courage to work towards positive solutions that will foster the growth of the game. It is our role as hockey
administrators to lay a strong foundation for the future generation of players. I ask all AGM delegates to
participate with an open mind. Look at the “big picture” rather than personal situations. Remember that
“nobody is as smart as all of us”. I hope you all have a great weekend and I leave you all with this: “In order to
succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby.
Randy Pulsifer, President of Hockey Nova Scotia
HNS Office Staff
Darren Cossar
Executive Director
dcossar@hockeynovascotia.ca
Mike Field
Manager, Member Services
mfield@hockeynovascotia.ca
Darren Sutherland
Technical Director
dsutherland@hockeynovascotia.ca
Garreth MacDonald
Director, Communications & Special Events
gmacdonald@hockeynovascotia.ca
Beth Reid
Coordinator, Risk Management, HCR &
Officiating
breid@hockeynovascotia.ca
Sarah Holman
Office Administration
sholman@hockeynovascotia.ca
Brad Taylor
Coordinator, Development
btaylor@hockeynovascotia.ca
Phone: (902) 454-9400
Fax: (902) 454-3883
www.hockeynovascotia.ca
Partners in Hockey
Annual Report
2012-2013
Hockey Nova Scotia: A Year in Review
Provincial Champions 2013
No lockout here!
It seems so long ago now, doesn’t it? But it wasn’t. It was just a few short months ago.
You surfed channels. You checked the newspaper. You were all over Twitter and Facebook. But
– nothing. There were no scores. No game highlights. The NHL was in lockout mode.
Fortunately for you and thousands of young Nova Scotians, there was an alternative: minor
hockey.
It was a great year for minor hockey in Nova Scotia. There was no work stoppage. There were no
canceled games (OK, maybe a few due to weather). There was just a lot of great hockey being
played right across the province thanks to the countless volunteers that made it all possible.
Through plenty of hard work and dedication to the game, there were lots of big wins and many
accomplishments, too.
Take last weekend for example: the Jr. A Truro Bearcats were crowned eastern Canadian
champs after winning a double overtime thriller on home ice. They have earned the right to
represent the region at the RBC Cup this weekend where they will face the best Canada has to
offer. We wish them well as they go where teams like the Female Midget AAA Metro Boston
Pizza and the Major Midget Valley Wildcats have also gone this year: the national stage after
capturing regional gold.
There were some big accomplishments at the international level, as well. Yarmouth represented
Nova Scotia proudly as the town hosted the 2012 World Jr. A Challenge. Congratulations! Nova
Scotia hockey stars Nathan MacKinnon and Jillian Saulnier also wore the maple leaf in
international competition while in the NHL, Sidney Crosby continued his dominance as the
game’s best player.
Back at home, it was another great year for our Black Youth Ice Hockey Initiative as thirty more
young players were introduced to a game they may have otherwise never had a chance to
participatH in. ThousandV of parents from across the province helped make our arenas and
rinks safer and more welcoming environments for our young players by taking part in the
Respect in Sport program. Thank you for helping make this initiative such a success.
There was some change at the HNS office, too. We said good-bye to Communications
Coordinator Meridith MacDonald and welcomed Garreth MacDonald to the HNS family. One of
our main priorities is connecting with players and volunteers at the grassroots level through
social media so follow us on Twitter at @HockeyNS!
While there was plenty to smile about this year, there was also some sadness. The hockey
community mourned the passing of Pat Connolly, a renowned broadcaster and great
ambassador for our game as well as former NHL referee and Sydney native, Alfie LeJeune. They
will both certainly be missed greatly.
For now, we look forward to the upcoming season and all it will bring with it. For the first time
in its 8-year history, the World Jr. A Challenge will be held in the same town two years in a row
as it makes back-to-back stops in Yarmouth. Meanwhile, Cape Breton will also host the world as
the 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge skates in to Sydney and Port Hawkesbury this Christmas.
So enjoy your weekend! We hope to see you back at the rink next year!
AAA
AA
A
B
Atom
TASA
Halifax
Halifax
TASA
Pic. County
Peewee
Truro
Halifax
Dartmouth
Dartmouth
West Hants
CB County
Sydney
Bedford
Thorburn
Chebucto
Halifax
Antigonish
CB County
CB County
Pic. County
South Shore
Western Valley
Cumberland
Truro
Sackville
Chester
Bantam
Major Bantam
Halifax
Midget
Bedford
Major Midget
C
Female AAA
Metro BP
Female AA
Female A
Valley
Junior
2012–2013 Hockey Nova Scotia Numbers
Player Registration
IP
Male –
Female –
2126
370
Atom
Male –
2445
Female – 411
Bantam
Male –
2455
Female – 403
Novice
Male –
Female –
2243
396
Peewee
Male 2523
Female – 455
Midget
Male–
2281
Female – 402
Total Female - 2,437
Total Players – 16,510
Total Male – 14,073
Official, Coach and Bench Staff Registration
Official
1071
Coach
3914
Bench Staff
1168
Important Dates
July – August • HNS High Performance Camps
November 30 • Deadline for MHA certification check
September • HNS Semi-annual Meeting
December 1 • Respect in Sport Deadline
October 11-14 • Atlantic Challenge Cup
December 1 • Deadline to enter registration into HCR
October 15 • December 21 • Clinic season
December 29-4 •World U17 Hockey Challenge (Cape
Breton)
November 2-3 • Development Weekend (no games)
November 4-10 • World Jr. A Hockey Challenge
(Yarmouth)
January 25 • Coaches Day
February 10 • Deadline to register
March • Provincials