h-teambalancing

Welcome to the 2020-21 Recreational Balancing phase! This page will contain all the latest information that is needed for all players as we move throughout the process. All information pertinent to a specific division will be listed in that section. Anything that is for everyone will be provided in an update below the division by division area.

The balancing process this year will be a combination of practice times and scrimmages. Each team will be part of a TBird Cohort as per the viaSport Phase 3 guidelines - which basically means that every team will join 2 or 3 other teams to be able to play some scrimmages to help balance the teams within the cohort. Players may be moved to other teams within the cohort during the process, or to teams in the other cohort only once the balancing scrimmages are complete. After these internal scrimmages are complete, all recreational teams will be able to practice for two weeks and then be eligible to join in PCAHA league play which is starting between Thanksgiving and the end of October.

Attendance at Balancing Scrimmages

It is really important to have as many players as possible attend each of the balancing scrimmages. This year, more than any other, we will need your help to make this season start off right. If players don't show, we have no ability to assess the strength of the team. Once teams are formed, it is very difficult to move a player this year due to the requirement to take a two week break before joining a new team, so we do hope you will make every effort to attend all your scheduled sessions.

Don't Forget...

  • There are NO SPECTATORS in any of the facilities at any time during the ice sessions.
  • Skate guards are needed for all venues - they must fit and player must be able to walk in them. Do not use roller style if ice time at UBC Protrans or the Richmond Olympic Oval.
  • All venue rules MUST BE FOLLOWED. Sanctions will be applied up to expulsion from TBirds for the season. We cannot be more clear, our ice contracts are fully dependent on all rules being followed. If you are not sure about something, ask.

Volunteer Roles

If you are willing to act in any of the following roles, please reach out to your Team Manager or Head Coach. The revised Roles and Responsibilities document can be found here.

  1. HCSP
  2. Contact Tracing Captain
  3. Timekeeper (for scrimmages only)
  4. Check-in Coordinator if your team does not have a Team Manager identified

In addition, we have posted lead or coordinator roles for a number of our in-season programs such as our Career Mentorship Program, Players Giving Back program and NHL/NHLPA First Shift program. We would love to be able to offer all of these and many more programs this year but we need help to do so. Log into the volunteer portal here to look through the options and help us make TBirds even better!

UBC Father Bauer and Protrans

The following are the rules at UBC that must be followed:

  • Enter at the North Entrance for all ice times. Arrive 25 minutes ahead of your ice time and UBC staff will escort the group in. Protrans exit is the door half way up the staircase nearest the proshop (out to the North Entrance side). Father Bauer exit is out the back hallway to the Osborne parking lot.
  • Dressing rooms ARE being used but no washrooms/showers are open in them. Public washrooms are located at the ice resurfacer end of Protrans - there are none in Father Bauer but the Protrans ones are just through the doors and down the stairs so they are not far.
  • Masks are now required to be worn by all TBird team staff/volunteers and players aged 6 and older entering the building and until they leave the dressing room to go to the ice
    • This means that a parent/guardian will need to either ensure their child can remove the mask from under their helmet on their own or they will need to enter the building to assist them (one per player, no siblings)
  • Contact and game play will be allowed as of September 21st
  • Maximum TBird group size = 47 at any one time - this includes any parent/guardian help entering the building so a staggered entrance may need to be monitored.
  • There are NO SPECTATORS at any time for the ice sessions at this time. Anyone caught sneaking in or claiming to be a member of the team staff who is not will face sanctions by TBirds.

Richmond Olympic Oval

The following are the rules at the Richmond Olympic Oval that must be followed:

  • Enter at the sliding doors from the parkade. Arrive 25 minutes prior to your ice time and your team staff will escort the players in. NO PARENTS PERMITTED. Players will exit from the green double doors located between Rows C and D in the parkade.
  • Dressing rooms are not being used. They have open air dressing areas set up next to the rinks for players who are old enough to put on their skates.
  • Masks are recommended to be worn by all TBird team staff/volunteers and players until helmets are on.
    • No parents are allowed to enter this venue to assist, so if a player is not able to put on their own helmet they must enter fully dressed.
  • Contact and game play has now been permitted
  • Maximum TBird group size = 47 at any one time
  • There are NO SPECTATORS at any time for the ice sessions at this time. Anyone caught sneaking in or claiming to be a member of the team staff who is not will face sanctions by TBirds.

Vancouver Park Board Arenas

The following are the rules at the Vancouver Park Board Arenas that must be followed:

  • Dressing rooms are not being used at any facilities. They are setting up open air dressing areas but your group may or not be able to access one. In order to not lose an additional 30 minutes between ice sessions due to the cleaning time, it will be necessary to have groups not automatically have access to a dressing area.
    • If you are assigned a dressing area, you will be able to enter 10 minutes prior to your ice time and must leave within 5 minutes after.
    • If you are NOT assigned a dressing area, you will enter right before your ice time and go directly to the ice or bench depending on the facility. Skate guards will be removed and left on the bench. Following the ice time, skate guards are put back on and team will leave the venue immediately. Goalies may have special access early to finish putting pads on at the bench.
  • Masks are recommended to be worn by all TBird team staff/volunteers and players until helmets are on.
    • They will allow one parent to enter with the player if they need assistance but this will only be if a dressing area is assigned to the ice time.
  • Contact and game play will be allowed as of September 21st
  • Maximum TBird group size = 45 at any one time - this includes any parent/guardian help entering the building so a staggered entrance may need to be monitored.
  • There are NO SPECTATORS at any time for the ice sessions at this time. Anyone caught sneaking in or claiming to be a member of the team staff who is not will face sanctions by TBirds.
  • Venue plans for facilities (as of Sept 21) - please note the entrances and exit points: