It’s here! The Official MGHA 2023-2024 Ice Time Schedule for the year:

Preseason

SEPTEMBER

10th: New-to-MGHA Orientation

17th: New Player Skills, Returning Player Scrimmages

24th: Prospective L3 and Goalie Evaluations, Skills Clinics

OCTOBER

1st: L1 and L2 Evaluations

8th: Makeup Evaluations, Scrimmages

15th: Team Reveal, Scrimmages

22nd and 29th: Team Practices

Regular Season

NOVEMBER

5th: Team Games

12th: Team Games

19th: Team Games

26th: Thanksgiving Scrimmages

DECEMBER

3rd: L1 Practice, L2 and L3 Team Games

10th: Team Games

17th: Team Games

24th and 31st: BREAK for the Holigays

JANUARY

7th: Team Games

14th: BREAK – no games due to Madison Capitols tournament.

21st: L1 Practice, L2 and L3 Team Games

28th: Team Games

FEBRUARY

4th: Team Games (delayed start times for Madison Capitols tournament)

11th: Super Bowl Scrimmages

18th: Team Games

25th: L1 Practice, L2 and L3 Team Games

MARCH

3rd: BREAK – no games due to Madison Capitols tournament.

10th: Team Games

17th: Team Games

24th: Championship Night Team Games

Who’s behind all this?

Tim T. (backed up by Avery C.) actively manages this schedule with Tyler at Capitol Ice. Ice times are budgeted and approved by the MGHA Board of Directors.

When ice time changes, affected players will be directly notified ASAP while the website and calendar will be updated passively.

Notice a website or calendar issue?

If you’ve added our MGHA calendar to your personal calendar AND you notice any issues or differences between the two tools, remove the calendar and re-sync it. If that doesn’t work, reach out to the website@ listserv and share what’s wrong.

Have schedule questions or comments?

Contact Hockey Operations leaders specifically or the bigger group using the hockey-ops@ listserv.

• Christina L. for captain, coach, volunteer wrangling.
• Tim T. for rink scheduling.
• Gabby G. (also on the Board of Directors) for evaluations and skill development.

Reminder: To sign up, you must have this year’s USA Hockey # on your profile. Learn how to register and update your profile on this here post.

NEW PLAYER SCHEDULE:

4:00 PM Gear Up in the Locker Room

• Mentors can join new skaters to support (their first!) proper gear fitting.

4:30 PM On-Ice Skills, Rink B, Leaders: Mark N, Ted J

• All New-to-MGHA Players are welcome
• These drills will train basic skills, designed for those new to skating or hockey.

5:40 PM On-Ice Skills, Rink B

• These drills will train basic skills, regardless of your ice skating or hockey experience. 
• Leaders: Mark N, Ted J

7:00 PM New Player Orientation (off-ice), Leaders: Amanda T, Kriona H, Mark N.

• If you cannot attend either orientation (9/10 or 9/17), please check in with your mentor to get a recap.

—

RETURNING PLAYER SCHEDULE:

Please only sign up for one session below. If there are empty slots 48 hours prior to the event, we will allow signing up for multiple sessions.

5:00 PM L2 Returning Player Scrimmage, Rink A

6:10 PM L2/L3 Small Space Drills, Rink A

• Limited to 60 skaters and 8 goalies for coaching and space constraints
• Example drill: turn net to corner, everyone is the goalie’s enemy (4 goalies, 4 nets, 7 on a side, 14 skaters in each corner)
• Designed by: Gabby G
• Leaders: Avery C, Emily F, and 1 TBD (contact Gabby to help)

6:50 PM L1 Returning Player Scrimmage, Rink B

7:20 PM L3 Returning Player Scrimmage, Rink A

Scrimmage Reminder: If you have 3 or 4 goalies sign up to scrimmage, please work together to share time in net equitably and safely.

Need help?

• If you have issues with the signups, please contact the website@ email listserv.
• If you have questions about which sessions to sign up for, check with your mentor, hockey operations (hops@) or the board (board@madisongayhockey.org).

Sign Up for 9/17 - Preseason

You must log in to sign up.

Important: To sign up, you must have this year’s USA Hockey # on your profile. Learn how to register and update your profile on this here post.

NEW PLAYER SCHEDULE:

3:00 PM New Player Orientation (off-ice), Leaders: Amanda T, Kriona H, Mark N.

• If you cannot attend either orientation (9/10 or 9/17), please check in with your mentor to get a recap.

4:00 PM Gear Up in the Locker Room

• Mentors can join new skaters to support (their first!) proper gear fitting.

4:30 PM On-Ice Skills, Rink B, Leaders: Mark N and Ted J

• New to skating or hockey? Pick this session!
• These drills will train basic skills – which most of our new folks are beginners to skating or hockey.
• All new-to-MGHA skaters are welcome to this session, though we strongly encourage new-to-skating players to join this session. 

5:40 PM On-Ice Skills, Rink B

• These drills will train basic skills, regardless of your ice skating or hockey experience. 
• Leaders: Mark N, Ted J

Need help?

• If you have issues with the signups, please contact the website@ email listserv.
• If you have questions about which sessions to sign up for, check in with your mentor, hockey operations (hops@) or the board (board@madisongayhockey.org).

New Player Sign Up for 9/10 - Preseason

You must log in to sign up.

Hey you – we don’t have regular games this weekend due to the super bowl, but we’ll have scrimmages, skills time and a potluck at the rink! 

Scrimmages: Sign up for one scrimmage at the level of play where you are most comfortable. We intentionally have two scrimmages blending levels of play – if you are in L1 and want to try L2, or in L2 and want to try L3, we recommend signing up for the blended scrimmage. Higher level players are expected to actively support all player development. Use these mixers to learn how others skate and adjust your play to include everyone.

Small Space Skills: This is free-form time, but coaches may sign up and lead small space skills and drills. Goalies may also assemble some drills and ask skaters for support. We will let you know if more structure is added :).

Super Sunday Schedule – Sign Up Sheet Here:

• Rink A – 5PM – L1/L2 Scrimmage
• Rink B – 5:30PM – Intermediate Scrimmage
• Rink A – 6:10PM – Small Space Skills
• Rink A – 7:20PM – L2/L3 Scrimmage
• Rink A – 8:30PM – Overflow Ice – if enough people sign up for this, we’ll pay for the ice and hold an intermediate scrimmage or open ice time to practice and record skills.

Potluck sign up here!

Let us know if you have questions. See you on the ice soon! 

Libs, MGHA Secretary

Hey MGHA!

We don’t have regular games this weekend, but we’ll have scrimmages and a potluck at the rink! 

Scrimmages: Sign up for one scrimmage at the level of play where you are most comfortable. We’ll send a follow-up email to encourage additional signups later in the week if our numbers are low for any of these slots.

Log in and sign up for scrimmages here:

• 4:30 – 5:30 – Low Intermediate Scrimmage
• 5:00 – 6:00 – High Intermediate Scrimmage
• 6:10 – 7:10 – Advanced Scrimmage
• 7:10 – 7:20 – Goalie Game! A 10-minute, all-out, all-goalie extravaganza! Gene is organizing.
• 7:30 – 8:25 – Beginner Scrimmage
• 8:35 – 9:30 – One more Intermediate Scrimmage!

Potluck: If you’re interested in snacking and socializing between scrimmages, we’ll have an informal potluck upstairs (in the bar area if it’s open). Bring a dish, a drink, a snack, your leftovers, or just come eat and hang out with us! Sign-up here with more instructions. If you remember, bring your own tupperware and cutlery to dish up your potluck plate—less waste is great! We’ll have some paper plates and napkins at the rink as well. 

Volunteers: we need a few extra hands to help with set-up and take down of the potluck and closing up the rinks. Please add your name to the list here if you can help out!

Let us know if you have questions. See you back on the ice soon! 

–Greta, on behalf of HOPs // Social

11/27 Thanksgiving Scrimmage Sign Up

You must log in to sign up.

This Sunday is a celebration – of new hockey players and new leaders practicing personal growth and discovering their team’s uniqueness, and of old friends and returning alumni reuniting in joyful moments on metal blades where we find balance, turn ice into snow, turn ourselves to see, catch, release a rubber biscuit across painted lines.

Returning folk – we know that this hockey is a special sport with care-filled rules and never-ending physical challenge. We show up to the MGHA as care-filled humans with emotional abilities, willing to step into the challenge of serving ourselves and each other.

New folk – you are learning MGHA ways. You are of equal importance in designing mood and rituals on and off the ice. Today, we celebrate you officially in competition and growth with us.

This Sunday, we welcome all – skaters, volunteers, friends, family – to join us in person at the arena.

~~~

Skaters should read everything below to understand what you need to do and know for MGHA game days. As always, please connect with a leader (captain, coach, mentor, board member) to get answers and clarifications.

1. Schedule

This Schedule Page will always have the latest information, updated with website magic.

How to sub: 

1. Check the “I want to sub:” box on the Schedule page to sign up to sub *BEFORE* 11AM on Sundays for your name to be included in the automatic email sent to captains with sub recommendations.

2. Both game captains review and select subs to ensure game balance and equitable subbing.

3. Players are contacted by captains on Sunday between 12PM and game time to confirm sub.

4. Players check in with the scorebox to add their name, number to capture accurate stats.

Read more about Subbing on the website.

From the Schedule page, you can click the game date and time (“11/6 6:10 PM”) from this page to go to any unique Game Page.

Game Pages (below: orange-black-11-6-22) show rosters, absences, scorebox shifts, and potential subs. When you sign up to sub, you will see your name appear on the bottom of the page.

2. Locker Room Reminders

• We request captains and leaders state these in person in the locker room before each first game – please and thanks!
• Review our Concussion discussion page
• The MGHA is an adult only (18+) league, and for this reason, children are never allowed or permitted into the locker room as it is a space where adults may be changing. We ask that all fans, family, and honored guests meet with players in publicly sanctioned spaces (lobby, Eagle’s nest, bleachers, etc). 
• For Positive Covid case reporting process
  • Were you likely contagious on Sunday? Did you test positive on or before Tuesday following games?
    • If no, no need to inform MGHA. 
    • If yes, then 
      • Did you spend 30+ minutes in common areas AND/OR were you within 6 ft of more than 3 people outside your household? 
        • If yes to either, then notify a league leader or email covid@madisongayhockey.org and we will notify both teams for your game and a broader group depending on your specific situation. 
  • We will keep individual cases anonymous to the best of our ability and inform exposures based on location, i.e. on the ice or in the locker room vs. common areas.
• We have one medical kit available per rink, attached to puck bags. Please check and update your account page with medical contact info in case of emergency.

3. Game Day Duties

Every skater is assigned ~3 off-ice shifts to support game day processes – everyone has a role. If you aren’t on the Board, HOPs, or a Coach, you will be assigned a General Scorebox shift.

• General Scorebox
  • Any skater, 3 people per game, 336 total shifts
  • Responsible to keep time, stats, and music flowing for game play
• HOps on Duty
  • Staffed by HOps and Board members
  • Located in the Scorebox during games
  • Support captains and coaches off the ice and across the benches
  • Answer questions from General Scorebox helpers
  • Available to leave the Scorebox to support around the arena, access to orange box for resources
  • 4 shifts per night, 4 different people, 52 total shifts
    • Opening shift prints score sheets, opens box, drops off pucks, and supports 1st game on Rink B
    • Rink B Middle shift supports second and third rink B games
    • Rink A Middle shift supports first and second rink A games
    • Closing shift supports third and fourth games on rink A
• Coaches
  • Supports L1 captains to coach players, answer questions, and inform game strategy from the bench
  • Coaches individual players as they request it
  • Help lead L1 clinics with support from captains input from team and skater needs
  • Supports L2 captains on the bench as they request
  • This week starts with Jane, Michelle, Bri and Gene.

4.  It’s a great day for hockey! Wear your jerseys, hang out with new and old friends, opponents, congratulate and celebrate together. 

Extra Credit

Do You Know Nolan?

Nolan is our Cap Ice Rink Manager for Sunday nights. When you see him tending to the precious Zamboni and rinks this season – please thank him for his support. He’s excitable and helpful – you can wave to him as he drives the Zamboni and hustles around on foot.

Nolan Wants You to Know:

1. Nets have a special place on the rink while the Zamboni does its job (see visual below). On game days, refs move nets to their Zamboni-time home. During all other ice times, when Nolan prepares to come onto the ice, you can help set the nets into their temporary Zamboni-time home. 

2. Rink B is a lil Broken. Rink boards and doors are awaiting full repair and replacement parts. Please be patient and exercise caution around the boards, especially near the Rink B Zamboni door and skater-entry doors, as a number of players have broken sticks in the past 1.5 years. Cap Ice is actively working on this, and Nolan is merely a messenger of higher powers.

Hi y’all!

After two great new-to-MGHA player weeks of preseason, we’re ready to welcome ALL players to the ice for four weeks of fun. Below is a copy of the MGHA Schedule website page.

MOST IMPORTANT: On ice evaluations and off ice orientation sessions are REQUIRED for everyone this year. Please notice the difference in timeline for goalies (9/25) and skaters (10/2, make ups on 10/9). If you cannot attend, please contact a hockey ops or board member so we can capture your wonderful skills for team formation in another way.

Thanks for your warmth, welcoming and attention to preseason details!

Christina Libs, Web Secretary of the MGHA Board

~~~

MGHA Schedule of Events

Sunday, September 25th

Clinics and REQUIRED Goalie Evaluations – sign up  here

NEW PLAYER SOCIAL: Friday, September 23rd – 6-9pm – Delta Beer Lab

We picked this time as it worked for the MOST new players, yet the invite is open for ALL members, fans and players to join and socialize together. You can bring your own food into Delta, buy a pizza, and support Delta as one of our sponsors. There is an outdoor patio and indoor games. Wear your MGHA gear and let’s welcome everyone to another season! Contact Nat Carlston or Christina Libs with any questions or suggestions for the time together.

Sunday, October 2nd

REQUIRED Skater Evaluations and Off-Ice Orientation – sign up here

Sunday, October 9th

Scrimmages, Make-up Skater Evaluation and Off-Ice Orientation – sign up here

Sunday, October 16th

Team Reveal Night Scrimmages – Sign up here