A message from Bree Pearce, President of the Millbrook and District Minor Hockey Association
Hello MDMHA Families:
There has been a lot of discussion and speculation about the “No Borders Policy" that was published by the OHF recently.
We want to assure our membership that we are working closely with the OMHA and our Vic Durham league to determine what this might look like for us as an association next season. We know that next season could look different for us as an association, and we must review our policies and prepare to adjust them and our operations to accommodate the new changes. We are hoping to have them updated prior to the start of the 2025-2026 season. As this is work in progress, and we are waiting for more information from both OMHA and OHF, we are not making any guarantees for project completion.
We recently had the opportunity to attend an information session about what open borders can mean. Ultimately, the idea behind the decision is to give players more freedom while promoting competitive hockey across Ontario. Families will have the opportunity to choose where they try out, and what kind of parameters they want to place on the distance they will travel for games and practices, rather than being restricted by their home address.
While this news is exciting for some, one point that keeps coming up and has been made clear by OHF is that tampering and/or soliciting is strictly prohibited, and will carry very harsh penalties, both on an individual level and at an association level. Tampering will be considered reaching out to players of other associations encouraging them to come to our organization. It will also include speaking directly to coaches to either ask what their plans are for next season or talking to coaches in other organizations, persuading them to come to our association. Speaking directly with other families, asking them to come to play hockey at MDMHA will also be considered tampering.
This OHF promises to monitor closely for tampering and will punish with no opportunity for appeal.
From our most recent board meeting, MDMHA has set a goal to focus on development programming for all association members and to increase practice ice by one slot per week for representative hockey teams aged U11 to U18 provided that the conditions are met in our ice allocation meeting.
MDMHA will also be opening coach applications this week in preparation for Spring representative tryouts. Anyone interested in coaching for the 2025/2026 season can apply here https://millbrookhockey.com/Forms/5628/2025_2026_MDMHA_Coach_Trainer_Volunteer_Form/
To coincide with this, our season surveys will also be distributed this week. The survey is available here. https://millbrookhockey.com/Forms/5719/2024_2025_MDMHA_Season_Survey/
We are still securing our ice for the tryouts, but in accordance with OHF guidelines, spring tryouts will be held sometime in the first 2 weeks of May, with exact dates TBD. We plan to announce our Representative coach selections for the 2025-2026 season on March 1, 2025.
We are unsure what the process will look like to register for tryouts at our center or another center of your choosing, but we will keep you posted as we receive information.
Thank You,
Bree Pearce
President
Millbrook and District Minor Hockey Association (MDMHA)