Minor hockey club honours generous donor

Plans call for the spending of slightly more than $5,000 a year over the next seven to eight years by the Sackville Minor Hockey Club as steps are taken to build the skills of players, coaches and officials for the long-term benefit of all involved in the program.
The money will come from a $35,000 donation to the organization last year by Carl Ward, a former player and coach in Sackville, who has developed Ward's Hydraulic Systems which operates primarily in Fort McMurray, Alta. with headquarters in Coquitlam, B.C. (The company offers engineered fire systems for mining and forestry as well as complete hydraulic and industrial pump sales service, repair, fabrication and installation. He maintains a staff of 35 and says his business has not sustained extensive losses because of the economic downturn like many others in the oil patch.)
A special four-member committee, including the SMHC treasurer, will oversee all aspects of the program by providing direction in offering appropriate clinics and development opportunities and promote the availability of program funds to the membership.
Direction will be provided to the technical directors to organize a variety of development clinics for players and will also ensure that any potential "elite" players who might benefit from development camps are identified. Coordinators of coaches and refereees are also to identify opportunities for the appropriate people wo they may receive upgrading.
SMHC president Kirby Cadman stresses the money is definitely not to be used for operational purposes as outlined by Carl Ward but is designated for the long-term improvement of the program.
It is expected that clinics will be staged at the civic centre with qualified instructors in the areas of skating, stickhandling, checking, goaltending and other specific skills with these being open to all players for a nominal fee.
Funds will also be provided to players to attend clinics elsewhere who would not normally be able to attend due to financial limitations with the cost being shared with the players.
And funds will be provided for a maximum of two "elite" players in the system to attend special development clinics designed to raise their overall skill level to potentially compete at much higher levels as they progress through minor hockey.
Each year the technical director will arrange for a number of clinics with the funds being used to pay for instructors and ice time. The objective is to provide enough opportunities for as many SMHC players as possible to attend clinics and benefit from extra instructions.
Cadman says each year approximately 60 percent of the registered players in novice to bantam participate in, at their own expense, one or more clinics outside of Sackville. Funds from the program will be used to provide assistance to players from lower income families.
The guidelines for the development program notes that the quality of coaching in Sackville is of utmost importance to contribute to the successful development of players and each year an attempt will be made to send one or two coaches to a coaching clinic usually located outside of N.B., on the condition that they return and share their learning with other coaches. This portion of the program will be funded up to $1,250 of the costs.
In addition, efforts will be undertaken to have people who have coached at a higher level than minor hockey to teach those within the system some specific techniques.
Each year one or more officials who have shown siginficant potential to become a high-level referee will be identified and funds will be used to send them to development clinics with the program funding up to $750 of the costs.
Although the development program advisory committee will use discretion in making spending allocations, it is anticipated that upwards of $1,750 will be devoted to players attending outside clinics with another $1,250 earmarked for elite player development. Coaches may receive up to $1,250 for upgrading with referees eligible for up to $750. A total of $500 will be budgeted to cover the cost of clinics held locally for players.
It is anticipated the "Carl Ward SHMC Development Program:Building the Skills of Players, Coaches and Officials" will get off the ground over the next few months leading up to the launch of the 2009-10 hockey season. It has taken several months to iron out the details and to present a program that meets the needs of the players, coaches and officials and the concurrence of Carl Ward.