MINUTES
Agenda
Possibility
of a League Merger
Play-off
Schedule and Awards Night
Present:
Blackhawks
– Don Taylor, Brad Swanson
Cowboys – Lawrence Bourke
Raiders – Ken Mattice
President –
Doug Collins
Absent:
Tools (Ian
Thomas forwarded proxy by email), Stones
Final Rosters for 2012-13
All rosters are now closed. No new players may play this season.
Players are required to play 7 games in the regular season to qualify for play-offs.
- The Cowboys' requested a medical exemption for Derek May who has so far only played one game since returning from injury. The exemption was granted with all present in favour, including a proxy vote in favour from the Tools.
Final League Payments
All teams should be paid in full.
- The Raiders still have a small balance outstanding that was promised to be paid right away.
- The Stones have not yet made their second league payment.
Financial Update
A mid-season financial statements were presented showing the league in a healthy Profit/Loss position, provided all outstanding balances are paid by the end of season. A modest profit is expected which will help recover from losses from the 2 previous seasons.
The Stones Situation
The Stones have had some difficulty in getting a solid team together this season. They were at the verge of folding at Christmas time, being unable to pay their second half of league fees. A financial period of grace was provided, along with an offer to consider age exemptions for any new player. This hopefully has allowed the team to complete the season, but it is unlikely that they will return in the same capacity next season.
There is some concern as to whether or not the Stones will be able to meet their financial obligations. A financial default would place the league a difficult cash flow situation which may force the redemption of a long held contingency currently held in a term deposit.
More serious is the concern of losing another team.
The
Stones will be assisted financially allowing them an installment plan that will
extend up to the end of the regular season.
Potential New Teams
A few teams have been identified as potential additions to the RIHL. These teams will be offered an invitation to join the RIHL next season. We will begin to actively seek out new teams right away with the goal of finding at least two new teams.
Possibility of a League Merger
There was a brief discussion about the possibility of merging with a league playing out of Delta. While the idea was not dismissed entirely, it did not seem like a viable solution at this time.
Referee Situation
Attracting officials is an ongoing problem for the RIHL. A financial incentive was discussed, with the hopes of securing a small group of dedicated referees. Our current arrangement with Coast Hockey will be reviewed.
Play-off Schedule and Awards Night
In view of our current
financial situation, and due to the failure of some winners to collect their
trophies in previous years, keeper trophies will not be offered this season.
If a player wishes to have a keeper trophy, then special arrangements
will be made.
No specific discussion took place regarding
Awards Night scheduling.
Play-off will proceed
as planned with the top 4 teams making the semi-finals.
-
The rules for points awarded for
overtime games will be amend, granting 1 point to each team for a tie at the
end of regulation time and an additional point award to the winner of the
overtime period.
-
A shoot-out will be used to decide a
semi-final series only in a deciding game
-
A shoot-out will not be used to
decide a Final series.
-
Shoot-out
rules will follow that of the NHL, except that teams will cycle through their
roster after the team with the smaller game roster has tried every player.
Other
Business
-
In
order help get scoring information to the statistician more promptly, teams
will be asked to fax or email a copy of their score sheet to dougcollins@shaw.ca as soon as possible following each game.
-
Doug
Collins expressed some concern about the effectiveness of his presidency while
no longer playing in the league. He felt he was somewhat disconnected from the
league and suggested the time may be near to replace him. He has still offered to help out with some
organizational and administrative duties, but it may be in the better interest
of the league to have someone more present at games.
It was suggested by some
present that a non-playing president was more impartial and a benefit to the
league
Doug Collins has agreed
to continue as league president until such time as it is no longer practical or
until a successor is found.
With no further business the meeting was
adjourned at 9:00pm