WELCOME TO THE 2024-2025 SEASON!

The executives of the North York Knights Hockey Association (NYKHA) would like to welcome back all players, parents and families; we are very excited about the upcoming 2024-2025 hockey season. For the families that are new to our organization, a special welcome is offered. The NYKHA’s overall goal is to provide a rewarding hockey experience for each child. The Knights seek to provide a safe and challenging hockey program where children are able to realize their potential through appropriate levels of play. We want each child to develop and improve their hockey skills so as to want to continue to play hockey. The Knights promote participation on a fair and equitable basis for all players. Equal ice time for all is a fundamental policy of the Association.

Our goal is to provide a positive and enjoyable environment that encourages respect, discipline and good sportsmanship among coaches, players, parents and game officials while participating in the game of hockey. For players, the primary goals are to have fun, to learn the principles of the game, and to appreciate the importance of team play, good sportsmanship and companionship. For parents, our goal is to have you positively involved in your child’s development by becoming supportive fans and active volunteers, and by maintaining open lines of communication with the coaches and the Association. It is our sincerest wish that all participants in the various Knights programs have a great and rewarding year playing hockey.

This welcome note sets out some important information so please read it in its entirety.

1. Registration – if you have not already registered for the upcoming season, please do so by registering at House League Registration for 2024-2025
2. Tell a friend– Our numbers to date are very encouraging but we have room for more players.  Encourage your neighbours, friends, and family members to join the Knights.  We are one of the few hockey associations in Toronto that offers a weekly practice and a weekly game. We also still have some room in some of the Learn to Play (“LTP”) sessions. Please encourage your friends and family members to visit the LTP registration page at: Learn To Play Registration 2024-2025
3. Schedules for Hockey –  We know families are busy and at this point in the year are scheduling Fall and Winter events.  We recently received our ice contracts with the City of Toronto and are finalizing the schedule.   To help you plan your weekends, we have set out below a tentative practice schedule.  It is subject to change (but we hope any changes are minor tweaks based on final registration numbers). Similar to previous years, games will start late Sunday afternoons for the youngest division and will end with games for the oldest division.  Teams are in the process of being prepared and the game schedule is being populated.

 

Age Group (Birth Year)	Practice Times and Arenas  (Saturdays)
U6/7/8 (2019, 2018, 2017)	Pleasantview  8 – 8:50 am or York Mills 8 – 9 am
U9 (2016)	Oriole 9 – 9:50 am or 10 – 10:50 am
U10/11 (2015, 2014)	Oriole 11 – 11:50 am, 12 – 12:50 pm or 1 – 1:50 pm
U12/13 (2013, 2012)	York Mills 12:10 – 1 pm or 1:10 – 2 pm
U14/15 (2011, 2010)	Mitchell Field 2:10 – 3:00 or 2:50 pm or 3:10 – 4 pm
U16/17/18 (2009, 2008, 2007)	This age division does not have practices. However this year we have set aside time at 2:00 – 2:50 pm on Saturdays at Oriole for open scrimmages.

Weekly practices and games to start the weekend of October 19-20, 2024.

 

1. Days With No Scheduled Practices or Games –

1. 1. Christmas Break –December 28 and 29, 2024: No practices or games.  Weekend off.
   2. Super Bowl Sunday – Sunday, February 9, 2025: No games for U16/17/18 age group.
   3. Family Day Weekend – February 15 and 16: Practices on Feb. 14 and Exhibition games on Feb. 16.
   4. March Break – March 8 and 9, 2025: No practices or games.  Weekend off.
   5. Finals weekend – April 5 and 6, 2025.
2. Schedules for Learn to Play –  Please see the Knights’ website at Learn To Play-Registration-2024-2025 for the times and locations of Learn To Play.  Start date is October 19, 2024.
3. Professional Coaching –  As an added benefit for the upcoming season, the Knights have rehired the services of ATN (Around the Net) Skills Development to help run practices, provide practice plans and to help train house league coaches.  The details are the following:
4. ATN will run the House League the U6-U8, U9, U10/11 and U12/13 regular practices between October and December (but we still need volunteer coaches to help ATN on the ice, observe the practice drills and coach the games).
5. Skills Program – The Knights are organizing a Skills Program on Saturday afternoons (additional hockey training) for the upcoming season.  Details to follow.
6. Volunteers –  The success of our League is based on our volunteers.  There is lots to do.  We need division conveners as well as coaches and Team Snap coordinators for each team.   Never coached but are interested?  Don’t be shy.  One of the reasons we have hired ATN is to help train coaches and provide practice plans.   If you want to volunteer as a convener, coach or Team Snap coordinator, please respond to Ed Lau at elauknights@gmail.com and provide details (including indicating the relevant age group).
7. Goalie Equipment – Yearly we assess the goalie equipment and make purchases of replacement equipment as necessary.  If you have some good goalie equipment at home that your child has outgrown and want to give it a new home, please contact Michael Pan at mpanknights@gmail.com.
8. Sponsorship– Do you want to sponsor a house league team?   Sponsorship opportunities exist for $600 per team.  With a sponsorship, the business logo will be posted on the Team’s TeamSnap page will and there will be an acknowledgment on the Knights’ website.  If you are interested in sponsoring a team,  please contact Ed Lau at  elauknights@gmail.com.
9. Coaches / Conveners meeting – – Our coaches meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 29, 2024 at Pleasantview Community Centre starting at 4:00 pm.  There will be a meeting followed by distribution of team jerseys/socks and goalie equipment for each team.  We will also have team lists for the coaches.  We hope everything can be completed between 5:30 – 6 pm. We welcome anyone who is available to come to the coaches meeting. Otherwise, we will reach out to those who indicated on their registration page about coaching a HL team. If you are interested in coaching or convening but did not indicate that in your registration, you can also contact Ed Lau at elauknights@gmail.com and provide your name, email address and the applicable age group for your coaching interest.

 

Go Knights!

North York Knights Hockey Association