Welcome to the 2024 Season!, News (Howick Minor Soccer)

Please find below the essential information to our 2024 season. 

2024 Newsletter

Welcome to Howick Hustle Minor Soccer Associations 2024 Season!  Thank you for registering and we are looking forward to a season of fun, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.

Canada Quality Soccer Provider Certification

Canada Soccer has mandated that all soccer clubs in Canada become Quality Soccer Providers. It is expected that all soccer clubs provide a developmentally appropriate, safe, enjoyable, accessible, inclusive and welcoming playing environment for their participants, which differentiates it from non-member soccer and unorganized play. 

Howick Hustle Minor Soccer Association is now a Quality Soccer Provider.  You will see many changes to our website this season including new policies.  All volunteers are required to obtain a vulnerable sector scan police check.  This means every coach, assistant coach, parent rep, and executive member has been screened before they step on the soccer field to interact with children.  

Melissa Pringle – Chair & President 

Tonia Fitch –Technical Director & Registrar

Tori Leyen – Team, Coach and Referee Coordinator

Kaitlyn Kamrath – Treasurer

Julie Gardiner – Fundraising Representative

Alicia DeVries - Equipment Manager

Connie Whytock - Secretary 

Registration Policies – We do not take team requests unless a volunteer (Coach, Assistant Coach. Parent Rep) requires it to fulfill their volunteer duties. Teams have been finalized. 

Soccer Gear Requirements – Shin guards are mandatory for all ages. Soccer cleats are mandatory for U6 & up. Players are expected to always bring their own water bottle and their own soccer ball to practices (identified with name). Ball Sizes: KK, U6 and U8 – size 3 ball (provided by Timbits), U10 and U12 – size 4 ball.

Timbits Soccer will be donating a jersey, ball and socks to all KK, U6 & U8 players!  Thank you Tim Hortons!

U10 & U12 players will receive a Howick Jersey that needs to be returned at the end of the season.  We would prefer the uniform be black shorts and socks.

A note about jewelry: All jewelry must be removed prior to playing – taping is not allowed. Injury equipment such as hard braces and cast are not allowed on the field. Hard braces and cast could cause injury to others.

Soccer Jerseys/uniforms will be handed out at the first practice. 

 

U6 & U8 games are located at the school along the tree line. All U10 & U12 games are at the arena pitch #1.

ALL PRACTICES are on Thursday nights.  This will begin  May 2nd.

KK 6-7pm KK fields at school

Team U6 6-7pm Pitch at treeline of school

Team U8 Black 7-8pm Pitch at treeline of school

Team U8 Grey 7-8pm #2 Pitch at arena

Team U10 #1 6-7pm #1 Pitch at arena

Team U10 #2 6-7pm #2 Pitch at arena

Team U12 7-8pm #1 Pitch at arena

In all fairness to the team and coaches, U6/U8 please plan your vacation time around the soccer tournament weekend of July 26, 27 & 28th.  Your team will be scheduled to play throughout the weekend.  U10 & U12 will get a playoff schedule closer to the date.

Please check the website over the next few weeks for what team your player is on. Rosters will be posted. 

When do games start? - North Perth Soccer League tentatively has plans of starting games the week of May 17.  So, the first game for U10 would be the holiday Monday.  This may be bumped forward a week depending on Listowel’s field availability. Please check the soccer website for further updates and we will send out an email once games have been finalized. 

Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Parent Reps - We are fortunate that each team has a coach, assistant coach and parent rep.  We thank our volunteers who have stepped up and took extra training to allow Howick Hustle to run!

Referees - This year we are fortunate to welcome 2 new referees! As well as welcome 2 of our referees back again. Please remember that most refs are under the age of 18.   2 of our Howick refs are 14 or younger.  We expect RESPECT & ENCOURAGEMENT!  We have zero tolerance for any inappropriate behaviour from players, coaches, or spectators.

Weather & Game Cancellations - We play in all weather but thunderstorms!  Assume your game or practice is on unless you hear from your coach or an executive member.  North Perth Soccer League has the following rules:

1.  When the sound of thunder and/or first lightning is seen, the game is delayed 15 minutes. .

2. Coaches, officials, and parents are expected to shelter in their vehicles.

3.  If multiple thunder and lightning continues the game will be canceled by the HOST team.

This means if it’s thundering in Howick, your game in Drayton is not canceled.  Weather changes drastically between our league’s pitch locations and coaches/executives from the HOST game will make canceling decisions at their discretion. WE ALWAYS PLAY IN RAIN!

Behaviour of our Soccer Community - At a North Perth Soccer League meeting, it was brought to the attention of the executive that spectators were drinking in the parking lots during the soccer tournament/games last year with open alcohol on display.  It was not a Howick game, however, let’s make it clear that alcohol is not allowed at any Howick Hustle Minor Soccer events. Smoking is not allowed on the grounds of Howick Public School and smoking is banned from the arena soccer fields.  NO DOGS ALLOWED at either the arena or the school.  This will be enforced by parent reps and executive members.  Keep your pets at home!

Respect is always an ongoing concern. Howick Hustle Minor Soccer wants to ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable. We want to make soccer a fun, meaningful youth experience and want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable. Howick Hustle Minor Soccer has guidelines to follow and we hope everyone abides by those guidelines. 

Fundraising 2024

We want every kid in Howick to be able to play soccer, so we kept registration costs as low as possible. We also thank the Howick Optimist Club for their donation of $25 per player which was applied at registration.

We did not require a fundraising cheque deposit and we are not setting minimum standards to be met.  We are however strongly encouraging every family to try their best and put a good effort in this year!

We will be fundraising Little Caesars Pizza, Green’s Meat Market & Uncle Dads Pizza.  Fundraising packages will be distributed in the first weeks of practice. We require a cheque for each separate fundraiser, one cheque for Little Caesars, one cheque for Greens Meat Market and one cheque for Uncle dads, all made payable to Howick Hustle Minor Soccer Association. Delivery will be June 27th at the Howick Community Center.

Questions? Contact an Executive member or e-mail [email protected]