Chelmsford Ice Hockey Club becomes Chelmsford Ice Hockey Academy

Chelmsford Ice Hockey Academy currently has over 110 registered players, boys and girls, making us one of the largest Clubs in the English league and the largest in the South East. The Academy competes in the Division 1 league at every age level and has a number of players representing Regional and National teams.

CIHA competes at all levels of the English Ice Hockey Association (‘EIHA’) leagues – at U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s and U18s, as well as senior teams.

The teams are named: • U10s Cherokees • U12s Mini- Chieftains • U14s Braves • U16B Apaches • U16A Tomahawks • U18s Mohawks • Senior Chieftains (English National League).

There is also a Ladies’ team, the Chelmsford Cobras, affiliated to the Academy.

Riverside Ice and Leisure is home to the Chelmsford Chieftains who play in the English National League (ENIHL).

What A Season Involves Training There are two one-hour training sessions each week. All players are expected to train. League Matches The season runs from September to May. The teams Coach picks the squad for each game. Players are expected to make themselves available. For more information please contact the following: Cherokees (U10s) James Cowan - 07881 941721 Louise Potter - 07815 191207 Mini-Chieftains (U12s) Steve Morgan - 07884 445391 Braves (U14s) Kath Luton - 07769 804086 Tomahawks (U16s/D1) Karen Bartlett - 07730 661537 Mohawks (U18s) Pete Foskett - 07752 059540 Chieftains (ENIHL) Derek Bartlett -  Child Protection Officer Leanda Lay - 07908 804748 Club Secretary  Gerri Staples - 07970 352299

Would you like to join the Ice Hockey Academy ? Joining the Chelmsford Ice Hockey Academy is by invitation.  This invitation will only be extended when the Academy feels your child has reached a sufficient standard to be able to join his or her particular age group. The normal route for joining the Academy is via the Chelmsford Borough Council Beginners' Course. This course is run by the Council using Coaches provided by CIHA. The Coaches continually monitor the progress of your son or daughter on the course and discuss it with the Academy. When the Coach is satisfied with your child's progress, we will normally offer them the opportunity to join the Academy. The Academy team your child joins will depend on his/her age:For the 2008/2009 season • If your child was born in 1999, 2000, 2001 or 2002 he/shewill be an Under 10 player. • If your child was born in 1997 or 1998, he/she will be an Under 12. At U10s level we concentrate on making the game fun, getting girls and boys interested in ice hockey, and encouraging them to continue with the game and develop through the various age groups. We work hard to encourage a strong team ethos,'looking out for each other', and putting the team first.

Child Protection

The governing body, the EIHA, strictly regulates Ice Hockey because at Senior level it is a very fast, full contact sport. At Junior level, the amount and type of contact permitted is strictly defined. U10s hockey is a non-contact game with checking not permitted and, consequently, penalised. At U12s level a limited amount of contact is permitted and this increases in scope through the various age levels to U18 level at which point the game is full contact. All Coaches involved in the sport have attended and passed EIHA training courses. Managers have to attend and pass a similar course. Competitive games are refereed by officials who have also passed EIHA Referee Courses.

All Coaches and Managers have been subject to Criminal Records Bureau ('CRB') checks and have also taken an EIHA course on Child Protection.

The Academy has two nominated Child Protection Officers ('CPO's), one male and one female, whose remit is to ensure that the Academy's Child Protection Policy, and the Academy's Codes of Conduct are adhered to.