Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

  • The South Delta Storm does not have a head office. Please email info@southdeltahockey.com or call 604-948-3414 with any questions.

  • CLICK HERE to read South Delta Storm refund policy.

  • COMING SOON

  • CLICK HERE to view the equipment required to play hockey! All players are required to purchase all of the equipment required including a practice jersey and socks. U7-U9 divisions receive a free Timbits (Tim Hortons) team jersey and socks once teams are formed. U11 divisions and up receive a home and away game jersey that must be returned at the end of the season.

    The best local spots to purchase gear are: Hockey Shop Source for Sports located in Langley.

    Pro Hockey Life located at Tsawwassen Mills.

    If you are not familiar with how to fit hockey gear, ask one of the great staff members at the above stores to assist you! It's very important to have properly fitted gear.

    There is no need to purchase brand new gear! Check out the South Delta Replay Hockey Gear page on Facebook for gently used gear!

  • We do not take friend or coach requests at the association level. We have over 800 players in the association, and it is nearly impossible to ensure that friends are on teams together. Our first priority for U7-U9 and U11-U18 Recreational/C divisions is to ensure that teams are balanced. After evaluations are completed, you may send an email to your Division Manager and make friend requests (with reasoning); however, nothing is guaranteed. What we can guarantee you, is that your kids (and you the parents) will make new lifelong friends from hockey!

  • South Delta Minor Hockey currently offers a female program under the Storm umbrella known as the Delta Stars. Team declaration in U11 and above is based on registration numbers, so we cannot guarantee an all female team in each division every season. If you are looking to play rep, please check out the Richmond Ravens or Surrey Falcons.

  • U7 & U9 are non-body-checking divisions. U11-U21 C/Recreational are non-body-checking divisions. U15 and U18 Rep hockey has body checking. All players must attend a body checking clinic prior to participating in the U15/U18 Rep divisions.

VOLUNTEERING

  • South Delta Hockey is a community not-for-profit organization. We are primarily a volunteer run organization with a few contract employees who keep the day to day administrative and hockey operations running smoothly. In order to keep registration fees low, we rely on each and every family to help out along the way, whether it is assisting at evaluations, managing equipment, time/score keeping, coaching, managing teams and a lot more! Each family is required to volunteer a minimum of 5 hours throughout the season and if that minimum is not met, your $250 volunteer deposit cheque will be cashed.

DATES + LOCATIONS

  • SDMHA home arenas are Ladner Leisure Centre, South Delta Recreation Centre and Tilbury Ice. Due to increasing enrollment, these ice surfaces cannot accommodate all of our teams. In order to accommodate all of our players, we now utilize ice at the three above-mentioned arenas, as well as the Great Pacific Forum (Planet Ice Delta). Additionally, teams in U11 and above will play games vs other associations and will have away games at their home arenas. U11-U18 Recreational teams play in the Fraser Valley West region (Cloverdale, Langley, North Delta, Surrey, Semiahmoo, South Delta and Whatcom County) and Rep and Stars teams may have teams in their division located anywhere within the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association.

  • This is a hot topic at the beginning of every hockey season!

    Please be patient as your division gets started each season. Depending on your division, there is a lengthy process to get your child placed on a team, whether it be house evaluations or rep tryouts..

    You will receive an email from your volunteer Division Manager approximately 2 weeks prior to evaluations with your evaluation schedule. Once evaluations are completed, your child will be placed on a team and you will receive your schedule a month or so at a time (each division is slightly different). Typically, each team's home game and practice times will rotate with other teams in your division, thus, you will not have the exact same schedule each week. This has seemed to work well for a lot of families.

    For season start/end dates for each division and other important information CLICK HERE to view our seasonal calendar. It is only viewable from a computer web browser (not a phone).

    Please refrain from emailing the SDMHA office asking for schedules as we will ensure that our members are the first to know of schedules once they are released.

  • The hockey season starts sometime in September (early or late depending on the division) and ends in March prior to Spring Break. Hockey typically runs over long weekends; however, it takes a break for Christmas (unless your team is involved in tournaments). Check out the Important Dates calendar on our website (best viewable from a web browser on a computer rather than a mobile device).

REP HOCKEY

  • Rep (Representative) hockey is the highest caliber of hockey available in any given association. Rep teams typically have 15 players + 2 goaltenders who represent the more skilled and talented players in their age group. Rep hockey is a fast-paced, highly-competitive level of hockey that offers exceptional players a challenge.

    Rep hockey is about twice the time commitment of house league hockey. Expect a minimum of 1-2 practices, 1 development session (bi-weekly), 1 home game and 1 away game each week. Rep teams typically also participate in 2-3 tournaments each season, with some being an overnight travel tournament.

    South Delta Hockey follows the Hockey Canada developed matrix for rep evaluations and hires independent evaluators. Rep teams are tiered and there are typically 2 rep teams per division (dependent on registration). To view a list of current hired rep coaches, CLICK HERE.

    House/Recreational hockey consists of approximately 1 practice per week and one home or away game per week. Each team also rotates through an additional skill development session or team practice every several weeks.

  • COMING SOON

  • COMING SOON

  • South Delta Hockey rep tryouts (U13 – U18) will begin as early as the Saturday evening of the Labour Day long weekend. If you intend to try out for Rep, please ensure you are in town for Labour Day weekend!

    U11 tryouts are scheduled to begin on Friday, September 6, so feel free to book that last minute long weekend camping trip! The U11 tryout group may participate in optional skates on Labour Day long weekend. These skates are not evaluated and have no bearing on tryouts.

OFFICIALS

  • South Delta Hockey is in need of new Referees every season! If your son or daughter is interested, CLICK HERE to learn more and to contact our Referee in Chief, Brad Kahn.

COSTS

  • The cost of the hockey season depends on the age group your child is in. Check out our registration page for current registration fees for each age group.

    Teams typically collect extra funds to cover things such as tournaments, trophies, wrap up parties and other swag or goodies throughout the season. U7 team fees for the season are usually around $100/player and a recreational/C team may have fees around $350. If your child plays on a U11-U18 rep team and has a paid coach, your team fees may be upwards of $1500-$2500.

    South Delta Hockey works to minimize costs as much as possible by accessing available Government grant funding, obtaining sponsorships, providing additional programming/camps to raise money for the association and through various other fundraising activities. There are also subsidies offered to lower income families through various charitable organizations such as KidSport, JumpStart, A4K and the Hockey Canada Assist Fund.

COACHING

  • South Delta Hockey takes great pride in recruiting and supporting some of the best coaches in the Province. Our non-parent, paid coaching staff who work primarily with our Rep teams have extensive experience and expertise; many having coached at Junior or college programs prior to coming to the Storm. Many of the coaches have been with us for multiple years and have established excellent programs and reputations as player developers.

    The majority of our Coaches are volunteers, and we have many excellent, caring, committed and educated ones. These Coaches are supported by the association through mentoring, seminars, online resources and other training. All Coaches must meet Hockey Canada Certification standards, as well as Criminal Record Checks, Respect in Sport, Concussion training, and commitment to the SDMHA Team Official’s Code of Conduct.

    If you are interested in becoming a coach please go here: https://www.southdeltahockey.com/coaching

  • COMING SOON

  • South Delta Hockey is proud to have a first-class group of on-ice skill developers.

    Lawson Boutilier > CLICK HERE to learn about Coach Boots.

    Stan Sibert > CLICK HERE To learn about Coach Stan Sibert.

    Jim Vandermeer > CLICK HERE to learn about Coach Jim Vandermeer.

    Jackson Houck > CLICK HERE to learn about Coach Jackson Houck.

    Nick Drazenovic > CLICK HERE to learn about Coach Nick Drazenovic.

GOALTENDING

  • In the U7-U9 divisions, all players will have the opportunity to try the goalie position. The association provides each team with a set of goalie gear to use for the season. We also offer U9 players FREE professional goalie clinics during the season. More details and schedule will be communicated as finalized.

    In U11 and up, at time of registration, you must advise if your athlete will be a player or a goalie. That said, there is still an opportunity for a player to learn the goalie position. U11 and U13 also have FREE professional goalie clinics on Mondays at SDRC.

    All of our goalie development is led by Harry Fredemen of STAGE ONE GOALTENDING and his professional staff.

CAMPS + CLINICS

  • We sure do! For the last two weeks of August, South Delta Hockey provides skill development, power skating, and goalie camps. We also offer evening scrimmages to get the kids back into the swing of things! Once registration opens, don't delay, as many camp options sell out in 24 hours! CLICK HERE for summer camp info.

  • You can view your completed registrations under the “My Registrations” section of the TeamSnap Dashboard for up to one year after completion. Registrations cannot be removed from the dashboard prior to one year, and they cannot be brought back to the dashboard after the one-year expiration.

    Once you've started a registration form, your pending and completed registrations will be displayed on your TeamSnap Dashboard. You will not see a team listed in the “My Teams” section of your dashboard until the organization you are registering with has completed team placements.

    The “My Registrations” section contains all registrations where the form has been completed. Here, you can:

    The “My Pending Registrations” section allows registrants to:

    • Complete and/or delete In-Progress registrations

OTHER PROGRAMS

  • Non-member programs or unsanctioned leagues are leagues that are not affiliated with Hockey Canada and operate outside of Hockey Canada’s existing minor hockey system. Unsanctioned leagues are wholly responsible for their own oversight. It is up to each individual unsanctioned league to determine how issues like injuries, harassment and rule infractions are handled.

    In some cases, unsanctioned leagues operate without a constitution, without bylaws, without insurance and with their own customized rulebook for game play.

    Hockey Canada has no regulatory authority over unsanctioned leagues, and cannot hear appeals, insure players or ensure a consistently high standard of game play in unsanctioned leagues. It is for this reason that Hockey Canada and South Delta Storm Hockey do not condone, endorse or create affiliations with unsanctioned leagues.

    The For-Profit operators of non sanctioned leagues, including the non-sanctioned, are relentless recruiters, and will aggressively approach families of players as young as 6-7 to sell them on their pathway.

    They will tell you that your player is "ranked" as one of the top "U7, U8, U9, U11, etc" players and they are "Elite". If they do not do this special program they will "Fall Behind", or not get "Exposure", etc. They will downplay the Canadian Long Term Athlete Development Model, which was developed by Canadian and International experts and is rooted in extensive research.

    Taking these shortcuts and attempting to fast track development of these younger athletes is profitable for these programs, but is not always in the best interest of the athlete. If you are approached by these recruiters, please ensure that you seek as much information as possible and make an informed decision.

    If you choose to register your child in a non-member league, your child will immediately lose all Hockey Canada membership privileges for the remainder of the hockey season.

  • COMING SOON

  • We recognize that for players at the High-Performance level in the U15 and U18 divisions, there are multiple options to choose from for places to play. This can often be a stressful challenge to choose a program that suits your needs. While we cannot speak confidently to all of the pros and cons of the various programs, we can give some general guidelines. If you require more specific information, please contact us and we can help you find the answers.

    Storm Rep Programs - Lower cost (reg fee + team fees usually max out at $2000-3000), professional non-parent coaches, local ice times, local dryland training, (ice times and dryland frequency similar to most academy programs), mainly Lower Mainland travel, some tournament travel, ability to play for Provincial championship, can attend high school of your choice, community service opportunities, ability to play other sports/extracurricular activities, can affiliate with BC Hockey Zone programs.

    Academy Programs - Higher costs ($18,000-$30,000 per year), daytime practices, attend specific schools or classrooms at arena, travel frequently.

MISC

  • Yes, South Delta Hockey strongly supports the LTAD model of player development, and we have had tremendous success developing players over the past several years. Our philosophy aligns with the Hockey Canada Development model, and our coaches are asked to focus on teaching the appropriate fundamentals that are important at each stage of development. Short term win/loss records are not considered key indicators of success, rather the focus is developing players over the long term, and ensuring that they develop a love for the game. More information on the Hockey Canada athlete pathways for different age groups can be found HERE.

WHAT IS THE RESPECT IN SPORT (RIS) PROGRAM FOR?

  • Hockey is meant to be an enjoyable, character-building experience for players and parents alike. But one reason players and parents leave the minor hockey system is disrespectful behaviour in the arena. That’s why maintaining respect in the hockey environment is essential.

    Respect in Sport data indicates that the No. 1 threat facing community sports today is harassment. Seventy percent of children drop out of organized sports by age 13 – mostly due to bullying, discrimination, abuse or harassment.

    Respect in Sport aims to change that.

    Respect in Sport promotes the safety and well-being of all minor hockey players, encourages productive communication with officials and coaches, and fosters a positive hockey experience for everyone involved.

    By promoting respect on and off the ice, Respect in Sport is designed to prevent harassment and keep children involved in organized hockey, which means they can continue to experience the benefits of exercise and teamwork that come with playing minor hockey.

    Parents and coaches are uniquely positioned to maintain a positive culture at the minor hockey level, which is why it’s so important for them to model good behaviour for Canada’s youth. Over one million Canadians are Respect in Sport-certified. With Respect in Sport, parents and coaches have the tools to maintain a fun, positive environment on the rink and to keep hockey fun for children of all ages.

    You can learn more about Respect in Sport for Parents here. Additional details about Respect in Sport for Coaches can be found here.