Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and the upcoming season. This page will be updated periodically.

Below are some Frequently-Asked Questions about Covid-19 and the upcoming season. Please review the Covid Preparedness Plan to answer many of your questions. This page will be updated periodically.

Will season fees be refunded in the event the season is delayed, shortened, or cancelled?

There is a third-party SportsEngine registration insurance program (RegSaver) available when registering your player and may be a good option if you are concerned about refunds. This service is not affiliated with the JHBC in any way and any terms or questions would need to go through that service. It also does not change JHBC’s refund policy.

If the season was cancelled due to Covid, the JHBC policy is to refund fees minus costs already incurred.

Outside of a season cancellation due to COVID, all existing JHBC refund policies will be in place which is the following:

• Clinics: No refunds on clinics once they begin. If signed up for the season, tryout fee would not be refunded but season fee would.
• Before Tryouts: If JHBC receives a request to withdraw from the program prior to the first tryout session being held, JHBC will refund the first payment, less the tryout administration fee.
• During Tryouts: If the JHBC receives a request to withdraw from the program after the first tryout session is held, JHBC will not refund any portion of the tryout administration fee and will not refund any portion of the first payment. Thus, the entire fees are non-refundable. This includes all reasons for requesting a withdrawal from the program, including, but not limited to, an injury sustained during tryouts.
• Post-Tryouts: Once tryouts are complete and a player has been placed on a team and the teams have been posted to the JHBC website, the in-season portion of the season has begun. In-season refunds will only be considered by JHBC for season-ending injuries or illness. If a season-ending injury or illness occurs in-season and before December 31st, a request for a refund may be made to the JHBC Executive Board. A refund, if any, will be based upon several factors, including the date of the injury or illness, the team budget and the costs expended for the team by JHBC. All refund decisions by the Board are final. No refunds will be given for injuries or illness suffered after December 31st of the current season.

What is the registration fee insurance offered by SportsEngine?

The RegSaver registration insurance included as an option during registration is offered in partnership with a third-party provider and SportsEngine. This insurance, which is like travel insurance, has no affiliation with the JHBC and is unrelated to any prorated refunds that would be granted by the JHBC.

What are the operating procedures at the rink?

Each rink will have slightly different operating procedures. For BIG, there is a detailed list in the Covid Preparedness Plan. It is IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF THESE PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED. We must do all that we can to ensure we can continue with the season. Some key BIG procedures:

• Parents must ask their player if they have any symptoms prior to coming to the rink. Coaches will also be required to ask any player if they have any symptoms before entering the ice. If at any point, a player does not feel well, they should not come to the rink under any circumstances.
• Players must arrive fully dressed no more than 15 minutes before their scheduled ice time (without helmet or skates on). Locker rooms are not to be used under any circumstances.
• Players 10 years or younger may be accompanied by one adult to assist with getting on skates, helmets. Players 11 and older should be dropped off at the rink and picked up afterwards for all practices.
• Masks must always be worn by anyone when entering the rink, putting on skates, and exiting the rink.
• No hockey bags are allowed. NOTE: We have been informed that this will likely change for goalies by mid-September.
• Players must be picked up immediately after exiting the rink. Parents need to be punctual at pick-up time as players will not be allowed to wait inside the building regardless of weather.

What if there is a positive case on my team or pod?

The JHBC will follow the most current guidelines set forth by the CDC, the MDH, and local governments. A confirmed case of COVID on your team or pod, as indicated by a positive test, should be reported to the JHBC board president at managers@jeffersonhockey.org. For purposes of tracking, positive cases will be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health at health.sports.covid19@state.mn.us or 651-201-5000.

• If a player/coach becomes symptomatic during an JHBC event, they will immediately be removed from the event, and if applicable, their parent/guardian will be notified of the necessity of an immediate pickup.
• The facility will be notified so the areas of contact can be closed until properly sanitized.
• If a player/coach/parent is symptomatic and has taken a test, it is expected that the player removes themselves from all team activity until a result is obtained.
• If a player/coach tests positive, all team activities will be paused until local health officials and/or MDH is consulted. 
• All team members will be notified of a positive case on their team, while maintaining that person’s confidentiality in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
• The team COVID manager will notify any opponents or teams that practiced or played with the infected player over the previous 14 days.
• If a positive case is found on the team of an opponent, it is expected that the Jefferson team monitor the health and temperatures of all involved very closely for 14 days.
   

How do I know the protocol of the rink where we are playing?

It is the responsibility of the team manager to source and communicate each rinks protocol to the team prior to any on-ice event.

Who needs to wear a mask?

In accordance with the MDH and the Stay-Safe-MN plan, face coverings are required at all time inside a facility, with few exceptions. 

The following is expected by the JHBC:

• Players are expected to provide their own mask and will wear their mask from the time they enter any facility until they put their helmet on. At the end of the skate, they will return their mask immediately upon removing their helmet. They will wear their mask until they exit the building.
• Players are expected to follow the rink and association protocols. Any player refusing to follow and/or frequently violating the protocols will be removed from the premises and must appear in front of the JHBC executive board before they are able to return to their team.
• It is suggested, but not required, that the team manager have a supply of back-up masks (paid for out of the team fund) should a participant find themselves without a mask. The JHBC will not provide masks.
• Coaches are expected to provide their own mask and will wear their mask as directed by each rink. It is the responsibility of the Coach to know the protocol, inform his/her staff of the requirements. They are all expected to adhere to the protocols at each rink. If a rink’s protocol is not posted, it is expected the Coach and their staff wear their mask while on the bench.
• Coaches who refuse to adhere to the posted mask regulations will be removed from the bench until they are able to appear in front of the JHBC Executive Committee.
• If a rink allows coaches to remove their masks while on the bench, Coaches are expected to wear their masks until they enter the bench area and return their mask before leaving the bench.
• Coaches are expected to wear their masks in every situation when not on the ice.
• On-ice officials are not required to wear a mask while on the ice.
• Scoreboard, scoresheet, and door attendants must wear a mask and limit the attendees in the booth to allow for social distancing.

Will we reschedule or refund practices that are missed because of COVID?

If the full team is under “pause” or quarantine orders due to an exposure related to a JHBC event: The JHBC will make reasonable efforts to assist the team to reallocate and reschedule ice times. If a substitute team cannot be found to trade an ice time and it is non-refundable by the facility, the practice time may be forfeited. 

If an individual needs to quarantine due to an exposure unrelated to an EPHA event: The individual will not receive a refund for initial lost ice time. If the required absence is deemed excessive, the Board will consider other actions on a case-by-case basis. 

The JHBC understands this pandemic situation is unprecedented, and we MUST coordinate with local health authorities to manage Covid-19. Under no circumstance can we allow a player to participate in JHBC activities if mandates prevent it.

What happens if we have a case on our team and we cannot play a scheduled game?

D6 is dropping the number of district games this year from 16 to 14 to allow for rescheduling. D6 will also be more flexible on rescheduling rules when due to a Covid-related issue.

What about tournaments? Will we go to any?

Currently, we have registered all our travelling teams for tournaments and current plans are to attend these tournaments. Out-of-state tournaments will have to approved by the D6 director but as of this time we do not anticipate any challenges with that approval.

With the limit of on-ice participants and the reduced BIG schedule, can we expect less ice this year?

We do not know a definite answer yet, but we do not currently anticipate a greatly-reduced ice schedule. BIG’s sanitization schedule does cut the number of hours available each day at BIG. We are in contact with BIG management to ensure our ice requests are fulfilled as much as possible. You may expect to have more frequent practices at other arenas, and we will encourage teams to utilize outdoor ice as much as feasible (it is outdoors and it is free).

Will there be a Mite season?

Yes. There will be a Mite season, but it may look a bit different than previous years because of Covid on-ice restrictions (50 total people on the ice at any time).

If the High School teams are cancelled by the MSHSL, does that mean association hockey is automatically cancelled?

The MSHSL (Minnesota State High School League) is completely independent of the MN Hockey Associations. The cancellation, or delay, of the high school hockey season will have no bearing on Association hockey being cancelled or delayed.

Will tryouts be different because of COVID?

Yes. We are currently evaluating changes that will need to be made to afford us to follow return-to-play guidelines.

Pre-season clinics: For purposes of contact tracing, players must stay within their assigned pre-season clinic and try-out groups. Changing groups to accommodate schedules will not be allowed.

We may need to use the scholarship program. How do I apply and what is the process?

Go here and fill out the application. Send it back to scholarship@jeffersonhockey.org. All applications are reviewed by the Executive Board and are kept confidential. In addition, there are other opportunities to help with funding hockey, including Shopping with Scrip, working concessions (when they reopen), and the MN Legacy Hockey Fund.

Last update: 8/28/2020