The following guidelines should be used to measure how close you are to the perfect hockey mom or dad. These guidelines will enrich your enjoyment of the hockey season and more importantly enrich your child's experience. Hopefully you can develop an attitude around these pointers to make our minor hockey season a rewarding one.

Do not force your children to participate in sports, but support their desires to play their chosen sport. Children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment. Make it fun. Encourage your child to play by the rules. Remember children learn best by example, so applaud the good plays of both teams. Do not be critical of the hockey program or other players in front of your children. If you have a problem, speak directly to the Coach. Do not embarrass your child or the organization by verbally abusing/insulting players, coaches, other parents, or officials. By showing a positive attitude towards the game and all of its participants, your child will benefit. Emphasize skill development and practices and how they benefit your young athlete. De-emphasize games and competition in the lower age groups. Rewarding your child for individual performance undermines team play. Know and study the rules of the game, and support the officials on and off the ice. This approach will help in the development and support of the game. Any criticism of the officials only hurts. Applaud a good effort in victory and in defeat and enforce the positive points of the game. Never yell or physically abuse your child after a game or practice; it is destructive. Work toward removing the physical and verbal abuse in youth sports. Recognize the importance of volunteer coaches. They are important to the development of your child and the sport. Communicate with them and support them. If you enjoy the game, learn all you can about the game, and volunteer! Be positive to all players, coaches, referees and parents. Welcome visiting teams and treat them as you would like to be treated. Remember that one of the benefits of youth activities is the opportunity that the youngsters have to get to know other adults. Be interested in the players, ask questions. Congratulate them on their effort and achievements. Since you are spending a lot of time with your fellow parents, treat others as you would like to be treated. Don't criticize players. Let the players play... Let the coaches coach. If you don’t have anything positive or constructive to say, don’t say anything at all!

As parents or guardians we must be positive in our attitudes toward the game of hockey and emphasize the cooperative nature of the game. Negative and rowdy behavior in the hockey rink reflects directly and poorly on the whole organization. We must foster good relationships between our young players, within the Association and with our competitors as well. Children are great imitators. As parents we must set positive examples for them. The Stephenville Minor Hockey Association deems that the following actions are not acceptable:

Yelling at or threatening referees, opposing players or coaches before, during, or after games or practices. Direct confrontations with parents or players. Demonstrations of frustration or anger after a game loss. Unnecessary or exaggerated celebration of a goal scored or a game won that would embarrass or demean the opposing team. Any physical abuse of any other person. Approaching the bench during a game situation unless summoned by a coach.

Disruptive or abusive parents may be asked to leave the rink and compliance is expected. Repeated occurances of such behavior will result in that person being banned from Minor Hockey events for the remainder of the year. Parents/guardians are expected to familiarize themselves with the Association's Rules of Conduct and to abide by those rules.

Each skater must wear the following CHA approved equipment when participating in games or practices.

Hockey skates [not figure skates]. Approved protective helmet with full face protection of any style. Ice hockey stick [not a plastic street hockey stick]. (UNCURVED sticks are strongly recommended for NOVICE/MITE). Neck/throat protector. Hockey elbow pads. Hockey gloves. Hockey shin pads. Hockey shoulder pads. Hockey padded pants. Protective cup/supporter (pelvic protector for girls).

Stephenville Minor Hockey will provide all sweaters for House League and Rep teams. Goalie equipment (pads, chest protector, stick, blocker and glove) is available up to Pee-Wee. After this goalies are responsible for their own equipment. Goalies should check availability before planning on using this equipment. Goalies must provide their own head gear, masks, and throat protection.

All equipment and sweaters belonging to SMHA should be returned in good condition to the team manager or coach after each game.

If you are interested in borrowing or donating equipment, please contact the SMHA executive.

Choosing proper skates is crucial to your child's ability to master the agility required to play the game. The skate is the most important (and often the most expensive) piece of hockey equipment.

Skates are composed of three parts: a boot, a blade holder, and a steel blade. The boot is made of leather, nylon, or moulded plastic. The surface of the steel blade is not flat, but curved inward. The sharpening process carves out the centre of the blade, leaving two sharp surfaces. Keeping your skates sharp helps manoeuvrability and prevents you from catching your blade on the ice, which can lead to leg and knee injuries.

Brand-name skates are your best bet. Make sure the skate has a well-constructed heel and ankle support. Good used skates can be found for as little as $25.00 while the latest high-end brands can run more than $400.00. Different brands have different design characteristics. For instance, if your foot is narrow, the Bauer® models tend to run a little on the narrow side. The CCM® models tend to run a little wider, so they are better for those with wider feet. No matter what model you decide on or how much you pay for them, if they don't fit right, you're wasting your money.

The proper adjustment of skates is essential to get maximum comfort as well as foot and ankle support. Take your time to ensure that you have a proper fit. The skate should fit snugly to your foot without pinching. The skate should provide good ankle support without having to overtighten the laces. Lace both skates and walk around in them for 10 to 15 minutes. This will give them a chance to mould themselves to your feet, giving you a more precise feel for the fit. Shift your weight from side to side. Come up on your toes and back on your heels. Always make sure you can move your toes.

When buying skates, fit is the most important factor. A good quality skate should provide good support, holding the foot in an upright position. A rule of thumb for proper skate size is with the foot slid forward in the boot, there should only be room for one finger to fit between the heel of the foot and the back of the boot.

A well-fitting helmet must feel comfortable and not show any movement when the strap is untied. Always make sure the helmet covers the entire ear area. In order to protect the forehead area, a helmet must be well adjusted, reaching the eyebrow level to within a fingers width. All players must wear only CSA approved helmets. Most models have screws on the side to adjust the size. Chin guards should always be worn; check the snaps frequently to ensure good working condition.

Face shields are designed to protect the face (eyes, nose, mouth and chin), face shields come in three popular styles: plastic visor, wire cage, or a combination of visor and cage. Wearing a helmet with a wire cage mask can protect your eyes from a high stick or a deflected puck. Each type has its own unique advantages and drawbacks based upon the athlete's personal preferences. Wire cages typically last longer but are generally heavier and may provide less initial visibility. Plastic shields are lighter but often tend to fog up in heated action or between shifts. They are also susceptible to scratching and marking over time. In either case, the chin cup should rest comfortably against the young athletes chin with the mouth closed. Remember that not all shields fit all helmets. Although they can be purchased separately, the shield is often sold as a unit with a helmet (from the same manufacturer) ensuring compatibility.

A hockey stick is the main tool of the game. They come in many varieties and styles. The main materials currently used in a hockey stick are:

Wood: This is the traditional stick. Advantages include shock absorption, thus protecting the hands and arms from cumulative trauma. Main disadvantage is weight and less strength. Fiberglass: Advantage is less weight and less breakage. Disadvantage is less shock absorption. Graphite: Graphite is the lightest of the stick materials. Disadvantage is more subject to breakage than fiberglass. In most graphite sticks there is some fiberglass to add strength and stability.

The top of the stick is known as the "butt," which leads down into the shaft (the long stem of the stick). Shafts are typically made of carbon graphite, aluminium, or wood.

Sticks are made for either left- or right-handed players, depending on the curve of the blade. The curvature at the bottom of the shaft is known as the blade. Ensure that the blade of your stick is legal. There are a lot of illegal blades on the market and usually, the curve is the problem. Run a line from the heel of the blade to the toe. If there is more than 1/2 inch of space between the blade face and that line, then the blade may be illegal.

Sticks should have a straight blade for the youngest players until it is determined whether they are right or left-handed. A layer of stick tape over part of the blade helps control the puck.

Sticks need to be fitted for players. Remember the "rule of chin". Stick length is probably the most often asked question by new hockey parents. When your child is standing in street shoes, hold the stick vertical with the blade tip touching the ground, the top of the handle should be between the skaters nose and upper lip. If the child has skates on, the handle should touch the players chin. Mark the stick and cut it.

As with any sport, there is a language unique to hockey. The following are some common terms associated with the game and their definition. Knowing these terms can make talking a game more enjoyable as well as making the "coffee talk" in the rink easier to follow!