Parent Liaison and Issue Resolution (Erin-Hillsburgh Minor Hockey Association)

Parent Liaisons A parent liaison is required for all rep and select teams, and recommended for local league teams.   A meeting of the parents must be convened to elect one or two team Parent Liaisons. If two Parent Liaisons are elected, preference would be to have one from the parents of the minor aged players and one from the parents of the major aged players.   The name(s) of the Parent Liaison(s) is to be forwarded to the Director of Rep Hockey (for rep teams) or Director of Local League (for local league teams) as soon as they are chosen.   Duties of the Parent Liaison: To liaise with the Board of Directors and bring any concerns to the Board. Please note that due to Conflicts of Interest, the person should not be a member of the E.H.M.H.A. Executive. All communication of differences or problems directed towards the Coach from a parent should be made through the Parent Liaison who will, discuss the situation with the Coach. If warranted, they will set up a meeting time to discuss with parent and Coach or discuss with the Board of Directors. Ensure communication is EFFECTIVE and not COMBATIVE. On rep and select teams with a bank account: One or both parent liaisons are be a signing member for all team cheques from that team back account To avoid any Conflicts of Interest, Parent Liaisons should not be permitted on their team’s bench during games. If the Coach requires any additional assistance on the bench (e.g. to fill in for an absent member of the bench staff) an alternate individual with appropriate qualifications must be selected prior to the start of the season and the Coach should inform parents of this selection during the meeting of the parents.     The 24 Hour Rule Coaches, parents and players should not discuss any incident or situation that could be contentious or provoke an adverse emotional response until at least 24 hours after the incident or situation takes place. This gives a chance for all parties to gain some perspective before deciding if this is something that should be pursued further, and to be able to approach the situation calmly and rationally.     Parents’ Communication To The Coach All communication of differences or problems directed towards the Coach from a parent must be made via the Parent Liaison (after the 24 hour rule). At the request of a parent, the Parent Liaison will set up an informal meeting for the parent to speak with the Coach to air differences if needed.   Parents - It is recommended that the escalation of an “on-ice” related concern (i.e. ice time or position selection) be observed over a 3-game period before the issue is escalated.   If a solution to the problem or difference cannot be reached by meeting with the Coach, the Parent Liaison shall direct the problem or difference to the League Director for further action.     Communication Channels When it is necessary to contact the E.H.M.H.A. Executive in order to deal with an issue, both the League Director (Rep Hockey Director or House League Director depending on the team) and the VP of Hockey Operations should be engaged. The contact information for the E.H.M.H.A. Board of Executives can be found under “Contact Us” on the website.