Guelph Giants Hockey- FAQ


	Frequently Asked Questions What is the minimum age at which participants can play? The minimum age is 5 years old and there is no limit on an age maximum. What sort of equipment is required? Full equipment is required of all participants to play for safety reasons. Should you have access to equipment or wish to purchase equipment then you are already ahead of some of our players. We generally rely on donations of used hockey equipment to outfit teams and this usually saves a lot of initial expense. Equipment that is donated to the Giants organization remains our property and is returned to the team so that we can continue to outfit players as they grow. Click here for list of required equipment. What will be the annual fee to participate? The fee for participation in the Guelph Giants program has been finalized by the Board of Directors. These programs generally rely on community support via sponsorships to make ends meet financially. Having acknowledged this, the cost per player this year will be $200 per player. This fee largely goes towards ice time and insurance costs. Given today's costs for minor hockey in house league and rep levels, we feel that this cost is fair and also furthers the commitment from each participant's family. How do you keep the skill level fair when there will be different ages? This question is often asked when parents and guardians are first learning of the program. Traditionally, all players will excel at their own pace which will result in different levels of skill. For some participants the reality is that their first season may result in their ability to stand unaided on their own while some may pick up skating rather quickly. The main answer to this question is that the players will be assisted to their individual needs and requirements. Our coaches and volunteers will teach the basics of skating to everyone at their pace. Parents and coaches are continually amazed at how far these kids and adults can progress over the years from when they started out! What do the practices and games look like? Weekly practices are conducted with individual and team drills being the basis for most of the allotted ice time. Grasping the core fundamentals of skating, passing, and shooting are what the Giants coaching staff will be dedicated to. There is also a large emphasis on having fun which means other ice activities and scrimmages do take place. Games will eventually be played within other teams that belong to SHI. These will occur when the coaching staff feels that the team can keep up with visiting programs. Games do not look like traditional minor hockey score is rarely kept, there are no offsides, icings, or penalties. There are 5 players on the ice for each team and this format is how our annual SHI tournament is run as well. What is the annual SHI Tournament all about? The annual SHI tournament is a truly fantastic experience for players, parents and coaches. Each season, one SHI team ‘bids’ to host the annual season tournament. The 2006 tournament was hosted overseas in England, U.K.! The tournament has an opening ceremonies event (Hazel McCallion was the key note speaker for our last Canadian tournament in Mississauga) and each team plays four games over two days. There is no official tournament winner at these events as the focus is on sportsmanship, fair play, and socializing with friends from around the world. During the tournament there traditionally has also been a US-Canada coach’s game which has always been an interesting piece of competition in past years. Following the hockey, the tournament finishes with a banquet where words of thanks are extended to those who made the event possible. The event is truly fantastic and provides an atmosphere like no other! Any more questions? Send us an email!
Guelph Giants Hockey Club © 2012	contact info / legal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum age at which participants can play?

The minimum age is 5 years old and there is no limit on an age maximum.

What sort of equipment is required?

Full equipment is required of all participants to play for safety reasons. Should you have access to equipment or wish to purchase equipment then you are already ahead of some of our players. We generally rely on donations of used hockey equipment to outfit teams and this usually saves a lot of initial expense. Equipment that is donated to the Giants organization remains our property and is returned to the team so that we can continue to outfit players as they grow. Click here for list of required equipment.

What will be the annual fee to participate?

The fee for participation in the Guelph Giants program has been finalized by the Board of Directors. These programs generally rely on community support via sponsorships to make ends meet financially. Having acknowledged this, the cost per player this year will be $200 per player. This fee largely goes towards ice time and insurance costs. Given today's costs for minor hockey in house league and rep levels, we feel that this cost is fair and also furthers the commitment from each participant's family.

How do you keep the skill level fair when there will be different ages?

This question is often asked when parents and guardians are first learning of the program. Traditionally, all players will excel at their own pace which will result in different levels of skill. For some participants the reality is that their first season may result in their ability to stand unaided on their own while some may pick up skating rather quickly. The main answer to this question is that the players will be assisted to their individual needs and requirements. Our coaches and volunteers will teach the basics of skating to everyone at their pace. Parents and coaches are continually amazed at how far these kids and adults can progress over the years from when they started out!

What do the practices and games look like?

Weekly practices are conducted with individual and team drills being the basis for most of the allotted ice time. Grasping the core fundamentals of skating, passing, and shooting are what the Giants coaching staff will be dedicated to. There is also a large emphasis on having fun which means other ice activities and scrimmages do take place. Games will eventually be played within other teams that belong to SHI. These will occur when the coaching staff feels that the team can keep up with visiting programs. Games do not look like traditional minor hockey score is rarely kept, there are no offsides, icings, or penalties. There are 5 players on the ice for each team and this format is how our annual SHI tournament is run as well.

What is the annual SHI Tournament all about?

The annual SHI tournament is a truly fantastic experience for players, parents and coaches. Each season, one SHI team ‘bids’ to host the annual season tournament. The 2006 tournament was hosted overseas in England, U.K.! The tournament has an opening ceremonies event (Hazel McCallion was the key note speaker for our last Canadian tournament in Mississauga) and each team plays four games over two days. There is no official tournament winner at these events as the focus is on sportsmanship, fair play, and socializing with friends from around the world. During the tournament there traditionally has also been a US-Canada coach’s game which has always been an interesting piece of competition in past years. Following the hockey, the tournament finishes with a banquet where words of thanks are extended to those who made the event possible. The event is truly fantastic and provides an atmosphere like no other!

Any more questions? Send us an email!