Equipment and Clothing

Erindale would like players to wear red pants, red helmets and predominantly red and white gloves. This is mandatory for all Spitfire A players. However, for house league, there is no such requirement.

Equipment Rental Dates / Fees
Goalie Equipment Rental

Winter Season : 2011-2012

Parents

Winter Only $200 deposit, receive $100 back (net $100)
The cheque will be cashed and a refund processed on the equipment's return
Coaches (applies to Novice and under only)

Winter Only $200 post-dated cheque for 30th April, 2011
The cheque will be returned to you when the equipment is returned.
It will not be cashed unless you are late in returning.

Please make cheque payable to Erindale Hockey Association

Equipment can be rented by appointment only

Any questions about equipment will be directed to:

John Farace
Email: equipment@erindalehockey.com

WALLY OUGHTRED
HOCKEY FOUNDER REMEMBERED BY FRIENDS, FAMILY

With great sadness we note that Wally Oughtred (Wallace Leroy Oughtred) passed away on June 25, 2009 peacefully at Sunrise Senior Living in Mississauga at the age of 86.

Gary McCarthy in The Mississauga News of July 1, 2009 noted: Simply put, Wally Oughtred was a fun-loving guy and a hockey nut. That's how the Erindale Hockey Association founder, philanthropist and family man was remembered as family members and friends paid tribute at a funeral service for Oughtred held on June 30, 2009.

"He was a hockey nut, there's no other way to put it." said longtime friend, Gord Hughes. "He was fun-loving and he had an energy-filled life," his son-in-law, Ken Bond, told the gathering at Erindale United Church. "We had some good laughs over the years. He never stopped loving life and family."

Oughtred and his brother, Gord, founded the Erindale Hockey Association more than 60 years ago. And to this day, the association's teams still wear the colours, double blue and red, the Oughtreds introduced. Those were the colours of the old Royal Canadian Air Force, in which the two brothers served during the Second World War. They also played for the RCAF team. "They brought back a jersey from the RCAF after the war and that became the Erindale colours," Hughes recalled.

The EHA logo also shows the legendary Spitfire airplane, which became famous in the Battle of Britain in 1940.

His love of hockey and founding of the EHA made Oughtred an influential sports figure in Mississauga.

He was inducted into the City's Hall of Fame in 2005 and was also inducted into the Mississauga Hockey League Hall of Fame. In 1999, the Mississauga Sports Council named him one of the 25 most influential sports people in the city. He was also a member of the board of directors of the old Dixie Arena.

When the war ended, the Oughtreds returned to the family farm in Mississauga. The family owned huge amounts of land in the Sherwood Forest area.

"They had an apple orchard and if I'm not mistaken, they had a peach farm where Sheridan Mall is now," said Hughes. The land was eventually developed.

"Gord was the developer," said Hughes, "and Wally was the farmer. He used to tell everyone he was outstanding in his field." * Wally was the beloved husband of the late Freda (Depaw) Oughtred and the loving father of Elise Bond and her husband Ken of Georgetown, and Susan Hageman of Caledon. He was the proud grandfather and great-grandfather of numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Wally was predeceased by brothers Arthur and Gord. Erindale Hockey Association thanks Wally for his vision and salutes him.

Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey Day

Chevrolet and its dealers have proudly supported grassroots hockey in Canada through the Chevrolet Safe & Fun Hockey Program since 1999. In an ongoing effort to teach and foster the values of Respect & Responsibility in young players aged 5-8 years and their parents, the Chevrolet Safe & Fun Hockey Program offers a fun approach to teamwork, sportsmanship, hockey fundamentals and valuable lessons that can be used on and off the ice.

The 2009- 2010 season will see Chevrolet dealers of Canada donating 500 hours of ice time to Minor Hockey Associations across Canada in support of Chevrolet Safe & Fun Hockey Jamborees. With the support and assistance of Hockey Canada, more than 7 500 players and 100 000 parents will participate in a Chevrolet Safe & Fun Hockey Program this season, helping promote the values of Respect & Responsibility in the game of hockey and also in life.

The "Why" of Love
By Neil Eskelin

Here's a message that needs to be drilled into the hearts and minds of every mom and dad - you don't love your kids because of what they do, but because of who they are.

Simply rewarding children with affection because of their accomplishments is like a circus trainer giving a dog some food every time he jumps through a hoop. The dog isn't loved for himself, but for his actions.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the popular talk show host, has a book for children titled, "Why Do You Love Me?" Part of the story includes a mother explaining to her son that it is not what he does that makes her love him -- she loves him because he is unique and because he is her son.

You don't show affection simply because a child is good at karate or gymnastics. Every mom, dad and grandparent needs to memorize the words of a long-time popular song: "I love you most of all because you're you."

During the course of this hockey season, it has been brought to my attention that many people are unhappy with the state of officiating at the minor hockey level. Several articles have been written in newspapers suggesting that poor officiating is the root cause of escalating violence in our treasured sport. I would like to address this issue on two fronts - as a player, and as an on-ice official.

I began my playing career at the tender age of 8 in an OMHA house league program. I graduated to their select program, and eventually moved through the ranks of A, AA and AAA. I was drafted to the OHL but played my junior at the Tier 11 level while attending university. As an 8 year-old, I knew what was appropriate behaviour on and off the ice. I knew it was wrong to use my stick in a dangerous manner. I knew it was wrong to yell at referees. I knew it was wrong to try and hurt my opponent to gain an advantage. In my entire player career, I was never assessed a match penalty, I was never assessed a gross misconduct, and I didn't get into a fight until my first year in junior hockey when an opponent swung his stick at our trainer and I came to his defense. That fight was also the only game misconduct I was ever assessed.

Most people would say I had a successful hockey career. I played hockey because it was fun. I never considered a career in the NHL. Despite the fact that I wasn't chasing a dream, I wasn't an aggressive player, and my parents made no attempt to push me, I managed to get drafted to the highest level of amateur hockey in Canada - Major Junior. Throughout all that time, I still knew right from wrong and I give all the credit to my parents. I was taught at an early age to respect other people, and that violence was not an appropriate method of dealing with anger. In a sport that encourages the rough going, it is extremely important for parents to clearly make the distinction between rough play and excessive violent behaviour. Parents play a key role in the development of their children. I recognize that there are many other influences in a child's life, but parents must take responsibility to educate their children and discipline them when necessary. But most important, parents set an example for their children whether they realize it or not. When parents yell from the stands and demean on-ice officials, it can serve as a form of approval for the kids on the ice. We don't tolerate this behaviour in our homes or in our schools, so why in the arena?

The second perspective I would like to address with this issue is that of an on-ice official. As an official, I've just about seen it all. Really, I've seen a lot. I am a certified Level V in the Canadian Hockey Officials Program and I currently officiate at the minor and junior levels. As you might imagine, I see a very large range of ages, abilities, and situations through the course of a season. What you might not expect is where I experience the most abuse. Officiating minor hockey is a frustrating endeavour. The large majority of minor hockey officials are young and inexperienced. This situation lends itself to a variety of problems. Because officials are young, coaches and parents will attempt to take advantage through intimidation tactics like yelling, and telling young referees that they applied a rule incorrectly. Because some officials are inexperienced, their stress level dramatically increases when coaches and parents suddenly turn their attention from the hockey game to them. Some younger officials get nervous, and it becomes increasingly more difficult to officiate under those conditions (I know, I've been there). In addition, the sheer volume of the rulebook and its interpretations is a massive undertaking to understand and mistakes are always going to happen in this regard. They still happen in the NHL!

At this point, I would like to ask the readers a question. If you were officiating a game, in any sport, and the coaches and parents from one team began yelling, berating, and verbally abusing you, what would your emotional response be? I'll tell you what mine is - one team is not causing me grief. That being said, experienced officials (myself included) have learned to suppress their emotional responses so as to not create a bias. It is an extremely difficult thing to do, and I'll be honest, it is more difficult at the minor hockey level than in the junior ranks.

Officiating is difficult under ideal circumstances, and when parents turn up the heat from the stands, it causes frustration, tension, and stress. Parents need to remember that walking through the doors of an arena is not a license to disregard proper social etiquette. To illustrate this point, I have taken the advice of a colleague. I attend minor hockey games with a video camera and I record the behaviour of parents who cross the line and make a spectacle of themselves. At the conclusion of the game, while parents are waiting for their child in the lobby, they can watch themselves on a television! The lucky people who can earn their television fame can see themselves in action and be proud of how ridiculous they look while the non-offenders may think twice in future games.

"HOME ICE" by W. Burden depicting Erindale's original site along the banks of the Credit River in 1946. A copy of this beautiful print hangs in the lobby of Erin Mills Arena to the left as you come in the door. These unframed prints are available for just $50.00. Get yours soon! Contact: inquiries@erindalehockey.com

What types of food should I eat before lacing up the skates?

Any time you ask your mind and your body to perform at a high level, they need ultra-octane fuel. Like a high-performance race car, a hockey player requires top notch fuel. In fact, your body is much more complex than any race car. On the ice, are you driving a 1982 Pinto or a 2010 Ferrari? A pre-game meal that is high in complex carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, rice), contains moderate protein levels (fish, chicken) is a good formula. Be disciplined when it comes to high fat foods, foods containing poor fuel, especially prior to a game or workout (French fries, burgers, hot dogs, chips, fast food, deep fried foods, deserts).

If the high-octane fuel never gets to your engine, what's the point. Stay away from the big T-bone steak and sides of beef as they tend to be much more difficult for your body to breakdown and digest in a short period. Allow 3-4 hours for complete digestion and avoid high fat foods. Lastly, drink plenty of fluids. This too will aid in digestion. Several glasses of water 1-2 hours before competition and frequent re-hydration during competition helps control your body temperature (sweating) and aides in digestion, energy utilization and helps control lactic acid buildup (heavy legs).

This tip and more at: www.planethockey.com

The following article originates from the west coast of Canada. Hopefully the message will keep us all on the right track remembering that hockey is just a game.

Pushy Parents Need To Remember Sports Is Supposed To Be Fun!
by Mike Beamish

Unable to handle the pressure, too many kids are leaving organized sports at an early age.

While the death of a seven-year-old pilot last spring provoked much outrage and anger, Jessica Dubroff's tragedy is an example, albeit a bizarre and unimaginable one, of something at work across North America: the urge of parents to press, maybe even bully, a child to be the best

. Somehow, somewhere, faith in the simplicity of childhood has been lost. Average just isn't good enough when it comes to raising our children. It is impossible to spend much time around the playing fields and arenas of North America today and not be aware that there are more parents treating their kids like miniature adults. And as shocking as the Dubroff story of pushy, airheaded parenting may seem, to an increasing number of us, it sounds all too familiar. Such intense focus on over achievement is, it seems, a growing phenomenon among those who demand more of those who play.

Too much organization and adult pressure on child athletes can lead to a range of emotional and physical problems in the early teen years, doctors say. If anything, however, the situation could worsen, exacerbated by workaholism, heightened economic insecurity, stress and the pervasive need of some adults to bask in the reflected glory of their kids. With greater and greater rewards available to those who make it, when so many Canadians are desperately trying to hang on to what they already have, the result is parents seeking ever more control over their children's lives.

It is the style of this generation, a manic obsession with highly organized games, practices, structures and achievement. So we see more activities with coaches, referees and regimentation, and less creative, independent play in schoolyards, driveways and backyards. The parents who produce and direct their children's dreams associate down time, time alone, with falling behind.

Whether it seems to make sense or not, Canadian kids are encouraged to play hockey not only in winter, but in spring leagues, summer camps and hockey schools. "Without making too much of a generalization, hockey parents are more demanding of their kids than they've ever been," says Murray Costello, president of Hockey Canada. In Canada, minor hockey is the most prominent example of prodigy creation, because of the masses of kids and parents involved and the incredible rewards for the few who make it.

Of the 523,000 registered players in Canada, half of one per cent will reach the point of playing on a minor-league team, never mind the NHL. Think of minor hockey as a lottery, then, with hundreds of thousands of parents believing their little meal ticket is the one who'll beat the odds. That's why high-performance summer hockey schools are growing fast - too fast for Costello, who is concerned about purely profit-motivated operators, and burnout. To him, the happy childhood mix of hockey, lacrosse and baseball, and those impromptu games in the street and backyard, owed as much to Wayne Gretzky's development as the arenas of southern Ontario. At present, the Canadian hockey system produces more competent players than ever before, but increasingly the truly great players come from someplace else. "When I hear that soccer enrollments are on the verge of passing hockey, I say to myself, 'Good, because that means more hockey players are going into dry-land training,'" Costello says. "There's a feeling that if the guy two doors down is sending his kid to hockey school, you should be, too. But I'm a strong believer that hockey players should be encouraging different skills, so that they come back in the fall refreshed. We see too many youngsters dropping out of hockey at 13 or 14."

When 17-year-old Travis came to his dad last January and told him he wanted to quit hockey, his father, Mark, not only agreed, but he also understood. Mark is not, as he happily admits, a pushy father, but in the back if his mind was the thought that Travis might become the third generation of Howes in a Red Wing jersey. It was the chance for Mark Howe's eldest son to play for a good bantam rep team, as much as anything else, that made Howe sign as a free agent with Detroit in 1992. "Minor hockey is so much more of a business than when I played," Howe says. "There are good people out there, don't get me wrong. But my sense is the child's welfare is becoming less and less important. The focus should be on instruction and developing character. But you wonder about some of the coaches and parents today. There's so much backbiting and infighting, yelling and screaming."

Howe prided himself in not getting too caught up in it. But when Travis started to slide into the anonymous pack of his midget AAA team, the father watched his son's self-esteem go on the rocks under coaching and parental pressure more intimidating than any opposing player. And so, Mark Howe said no more, too much. "The bottom line is I never saw Travis smile when he played," Howe says. "It was like he was playing for Mike Keenan. When he decided he wanted to drop out, I supported his decision 100 per cent. Within a week, Travis was his old self. I felt I'd got my boy back again." Howe and his wife Ginger have vowed that their younger son, Nolan, should grow up and find hockey appealing as an outlet for fun and learning. "Ginger made me swear on a stack of bibles that I'd never take Nolan out of house league hockey," Mark says.

An attitude of the times, the drive to be the best strikes at the great mass of house league players as well. There's no guarantee even there that life perspectives are necessarily crystal clear. Youth leagues start out with the premise that teams should be balanced fairly, so that, in theory, each player has an equal chance to participate and win a fair share of games. That's the way the system is supposed to work, but some coaches need remedial training in respecting the meaning of fairness. "We all know of the loopholes that are found and the politicing that takes place from year to year," says sports psychologist Rick Wolff, who writes a column in Sports Illustrated for Kids. Wolff, the father of three, has some good news for those Canadians who believe there is no limit to the insanity one encounters in minor hockey. When he worked for the Cleveland Indians, Wolff was amazed by the number of big leaguers who didn't want their kids exposed to the pressures of Little League. These were ballplayers who actively encouraged their kids into skateboarding, skiing, anything to distract them from the demands of baseball.

"It was very surprising," Wolff says, "because here are the best and brightest graduates of Little League telling me they find it a turn-off." Once professionals challenge the myth, critics feel free to question the necessity of the Vince Lombardi approach-"the winner is the only person who is truly alive"-and other canons from the high priest of competition. Wolff would like to think that Lombardi's tactics no longer dominate the thinking of coaches working with nine and 10-year old kids, but the rejection of his methods is by no means universal.

"Unfortunately, too many coaches feel their mandate is to go out and win when every poll shows that 90 per cent of kids would prefer to play on a losing team rather than sit on the bench," Wolff says. "They just want to play."

While the vast majority of parents probably have things in perspective, some accept the contortion of their kids' lives, right up until the point where the dream dies. The stereotype that all of minor hockey is a puck-black hole of ethical turpitude is wrong, yet it's amazing how grown men and women can complicate a simple game we so love.

Soccer is no different. There is no limit to the length some parents will go to, says Keith Liddiard, when they think their kids are destined for greatness. The executive director of the B.C. Youth Soccer Association cites three cases this year where parents allowed guardianship of their children to be legally transferred to families in other districts so their kids could play higher-calibre competition. "An oft-heard comment from parents is we shouldn't allow it," Liddiard says, "'However, when it comes to my kids everybody appreciates a rule for the masses, but when it comes to their own kids they're not quite sure."

If a sport offers the wrong experiences or teaches the wrong values, then it has lost its purpose. And it's Chris Johnson's purpose to ensure that the winning of trophies and tournaments doesn't take over the real reasons why children compete - fun, friendships and skill acquisition. A physical educator and motivational speaker at Douglas College in New Westminster, Johnson talks to some of B.C.'s 60,000 volunteer coaches about fair play, drug abuse and ways to develop sensitivities in communication with young athletes.

Unfortunately, only about 1,000 provincial coaches have joined the B.C. coaching association and subscribe to its code of ethics. Obvious as it may seem, Johnson says parents spend considerably more time researching daycare than looking into the character and background of those who guide their children's lives on the playing field.

"We leave our most treasured possessions in the hands of people we know little about," he says.

Finally, one last truth: While there is an established code of conduct for coaches, Johnson says there needs to be another: "We're making progress in educating coaches, but who's educating the parents?" he asks.

Mike Beamish is a Sports Columnist for the Vancouver Sun and Guest Writer for the BC Amateur Hockey Association For hockey parents everywhere…

Please don't scream, curse or yell
Remember, I'm not in the NHL
I'm only nine years old
And can't be traded, bought or sold.
I just want to play the game
I'm not looking for hockey fame
Don't make me feel I'm made of sin
Just because my team didn't win.
I don't want to be so great, you see
I'd rather play and just be me
So always remember this little quip
The name of the game is sportsmanship.