Volunteer Requirements (Whitchurch Stouffville Minor Hockey Association)

PrintVolunteer Requirements
All volunteers (coaches, trainers, managers, on-ice & off-ice) require specific certifications in order to be rostered to a team or assist with on-ice practices or volunteer off-ice. Volunteers must be at least 2 years older than the age limit of the division in which they are volunteering. All volunteers must be registered with the WSMHA through the Hockey Canada Registry, have their required qualifications completed by November 30 in order to participate with activities and apply for certification reimbursement. Visit the Certification Reimbursement page on our website for details.

HOCKEY CANADA REGISTRY (HCR) PROFILE

In order to take any online courses, a HCR profile in your name is required. When trying to register for a course and your name can not be found, chances are you do not have a profile. Fill in the HCR Profile Request Form and the hockey office will create a profile for you. Do not take any courses before the profile is created, as you will not be given any credit for completing the course. While you are waiting for the profile, you can apply for the Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) from the police department in the region where you  live if you do not have one on file, or the previous one submitted has expired. The VSC expires every 3 seasons. Visit the Vulnerable Sector Check page of our website for details and links. 

ON-ICE VOLUNTEER EQUIPMENT & RESTRICTIONS

A CSA certified helmet, skates and hockey gloves must be worn on the ice. Volunteers 13 years old and younger must wear full player equipment including a neck & mouth guard. Helmet straps must be firmly attached at all times while on the ice. On-Ice volunteers can participate in IP instruction and team practices only, they can not be present on the team bench for games. Only rostered staff (coach, assistant coach & trainer) can sign the game sheet and participate in games.

MANDATORY VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS 

All volunteers (coach, assistant coach, trainer, team manager, on-ice & off-ice) must have the following mandatory requirements.
1. An HCR profile
If you do not have one, fill in the request form and the office will get one created for you.
Volunteer HCR Profile Request Form
2. Registered as a volunteer with the WSMHA
Volunteer Registration Link
3. Respect In Sport Activity Leader Online Course - this course needs to be taken once and does not expire. 
Respect in Sport Activity Leader Link
4. Gender Identity & Expression Online Course - this course needs to be taken once and does not expiry.
Gender Identity & Expression Online Course
5. Vulnerable Sector Check - expires every 3 seasons, submit the original copy to the hockey office. Do not upload your VSC to your HCR profile.
Vulnerable Sector Check page (VSC) 

COACHES & ASSISTANT COACHES

To be a Head Coach or an Assistant coach, age and participant level appropriate certifications are required in order to be rostered as a team official. Some of the certifications have pre-requisite courses that must be completed. As you advance through the different coaching certifications, if you have taken a pre-requisite course before, you do not need to take it again. Only the new course required to receive a higher certification are needed. Also, they may be a survey at the end of the course that needs to be completed before you receive the accreditation. More details can be found on the OMHA/Coach Education website. The Hockey Canada Online courses can be found on the Hockey Canada Clinics webpage

U7 - U9 House League, Rostered Select & MD
Mandatory volunteer requirements above plus the 2 courses below.
Head Coach & Assistant Coaches must have Coach 1 - Intro to Coach.
No higher qualification will be accepted. 
Courses required are
HU - Online Coach1/Coach2 link (pre-requisite, only needs to be taken once)
Coach 1 - Intro to Coach link

U10 - U21 - House League, Rostered Select & MD
Mandatory volunteer requirements above plus the 3 courses below.
Head Coach & Assistant Coaches are required to have Coach 2-Coach Level 2.

Courses required are
HU - Online Coach 1/Coach 2 link  (pre-requisite, only needs to be taken once)
HU - Online Checking link (pre-requisite, only needs to be taken once)
Coach - Coach 2 - Coach Level link

U10 & U11 AA/A
Mandatory volunteer requirements above plus the 3 courses below.
Head Coach - Coach 2 - Coach Level Certified
Assistant Coach - Coach 2 - Coach Level Trained
Courses required are
HU - Online Coach1/Coach2 link (pre-requisite, only needs to be taken once)
HU - Online Checking link (pre-requisite, only needs to be taken once)
Coach - Coach 2 - Coach Level link

U12 - U18 AA/A
Mandatory volunteer requirements above plus
Head Coach is required to be Development 1 "Certified"
Assistant Coaches are required to be Development 1 "Trained"

The OMHA will be transitioning to a hybrid delivery model for Development 1 clinics. Coaches will be responsible for completing the pre-requisite clinic modules, online content and 1-day in-person clinic to obtain their Development 1 Trained qualification. The pathway is outlined below. Pathway 1 & 2 must be completed before registering for a Development 1 clinic.
1) Pre-requisite module: HU – ONLINE Checking link to the Online Checking course
2) Pre-requisite module: Make Ethical Decisions – Training (available on the Coach.ca/the Locker website)
3) Registration for Development 1 clinic, which includes two sessions:
     i. Online on-demand Module
    ii. 1-Day in-person clinic, link to the Development 1 Classes

Further information on the Hockey Canada National Coach Certification Program (NCCP) on how to become Development 1 Trained or Certified is available on the OMHA website omha.net/coach. As well details regarding online courses and tracking your progression can be found on the Coach.ca/the locker. As of May 15, 2021, the eHockey website was retired and replaced with the new Hockey Canada Registry (HCR). In its place, information regarding the points system is available on the Coach.ca/the locker. The Coach.ca/the locker is the Coaching Association of Canada's online database where all coaches can track their progress and guide their development. You can view/update personal information and coaching records. Your certification maintenance and professional development points will be tracked and will update your HCR profile. NCCP for Hockey - Overview 

OMHA SUPPORT SITE

The OMHA has a support site with articles that pertain to coaching qualifications, upgrading qualifications, trainers' information. viewing and linking your qualifications. Visit the site for the information that you require.  OMHA Support

TEAM TRAINER REQUIREMENTS

To be a trainer or assistant trainer on any team, the volunteer must have the Mandatory Volunteer Requirements listed above as well as the Hockey Trainers Ontario Online Course (HTCP). Trainers are not required to have any of the coaches courses. The age requirement for a trainer or assistant trainer is a minimum of 19 years of age and a minimum of 4 years older than the division age of the team for which they will be rostered. The HTCP Level 1 program is valid for 3 seasons including the season of issue. Recertification is required after the 3rd season. HTCP Course Online Link  

CERTIFICATION REIMBURSEMENTS

The WSMHA provides 100% refunds for the minimum requirements needed to be rostered to a team. Visit the Certification Reimbursements page for details and forms on how to submit a reimbursement claim.

OMHA TEAM OFFICIAL REQUIREMENT CHART

2023-2024 Team Official Qualifications