The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by President Duane Hoffmeyer.
Present: Duane Hoffmeyer, Mark Jensen, Lisa Soole, Curtis McCline, Tim Marx, Dave Gill, Dave LeGree
Absent: Lynn Mills, Laura Mahaney, Mark Johnson, Harlan Halverson and Robert Sundlie
Guest: Roger Kelly, Kirk Lukehart and Dan Holzrichter

Minutes for the December 20, 2000 meeting of the Board of Directors were reviewed. Motion by Jensen and second by Soole to approve the Minutes as printed. Unanimously approved.

The Treasurer’s Report was presented by Soole. It was noted that the larger total expense shown for this year compared to the same time last year is due to the Association’s contribution to the IBP Ice Center. This accounts for most of the increased level of expenses shown in this year compared to last year at this time.

On behalf of the player Disciplinary Committee, Marx and Hoffmeyer reported that one Bantam player had been suspended due to an alcohol incident. It was reported that one High School player has quit the program and may now be playing with the program in Sioux Falls.

Hoffmeyer opened the issue of the possible adoption by the Siouxland Youth Hockey Association of the policy used by the local High School programs for discipline related to athletes involved in alcohol or substance abuse incidents. It was noted by one of the board members that the charge of frequenting a disorderly house is viewed by the Sioux City School District as calling for implementation of the discipline set forth in the school policy relating to alcohol and substance abuse incidents.

Further discussion was tabled until copies of the high school policy could be obtained and reviewed by the Board Members prior to any further discussion of the issue.

The Board then discussed the list of travel accounts provided by the Treasurer. All Board members were directed to contact their age level travel treasurers to encourage more diligent efforts to collect the current balances due for travel team members at each age level.

Gill reported that Jeff Gray had been considered and then appointed by the coaches committee to fill the vacancy of the high school head coach position created by the time demands experienced by Dave Davies as a result of the fire at his business. Further discussion was had and following the discussion Jensen moved that the Board approve Gray’s appointment as associate head coach as recommended by the coaches committee. The motion received a second from Marx. The motion was unanimously approved.

Communication team comments were then heard. Curtis McCline asked whether the Board wished to address the issue of changing the House League "hat trick" rule. This rule has traditionally indicated that in House League games a player is allowed to be credited with up to three goals per game. Any scores by that player thereafter are not counted. The Board felt that this rule should not be changed at this time and felt that coaches should be encouraged to follow the rule. Thus, the Board asked that the Minutes reflect that it would not address a change of the rule and confirmed its adherence to this policy.

Dan Holzrichter addressed the Board and advised that he had reviewed the ice schedule for the upcoming months in an attempt to devise a schedule that would allow the Mites, Tykes and Metros to make up some of the sessions of SYHA regular ice that are lost to these various age groups due to other non-ice activities being conducted at the Auditorium. He reported the following "bumps" and hours of lost RYH ice for each of the following groups:

Dan reported that the Mites and Tykes had made up or were scheduled to make up 10 of the sessions, the Metros had made up 11 and the PeeWees had made up 1.

Then Dan proposed a schedule for substituting some of the "bumped" groups for sessions previously scheduled for other age groups at the IBP Ice Center in an attempt to more evenly share the lost ice incurred at the Auditorium. Dan proposed the following:

1. The Pee Wee sessions scheduled at that Ice Center on January 22, February 5, and February 19 would be used by the Tykes.

2. The Squirt sessions scheduled at the Ice Center on January 23, February 6, and February 20 would be used by the Mites.

After discussion a motion by Jensen with a second by Moreland to approve the schedule proposed by Holzrichter was passed by the Board unanimously. Appropriate notifications were to given as soon as possible by the house league coordinators of these scheduled changes in the ice schedule.

LeGree reported that the new experimental scheduling in the PeeWee Midwest format has resulted in tournament play where some PeeWee teams are playing back to back games. He expressed concern that such situations may increase the possibility of injuries due to player fatigue at this young age level. Jensen reported that the Midwest would evaluate the PeeWee concept at the end of the year to determine whether it will presently continue as scheduled this year, and whether other changes need to be made due to concerns such as that expressed by LeGree.

LeGree further reported that everything is in place for the Pancake Day fund raiser.

Moreland reported that the Future Vision Committee is considering the investigation of goals and strategies that will lead to future initiatives to increase membership in the SYHA.

Hoffmeyer then announced that there would be four openings on the Board of Directors for the upcoming year of 2001/2002. Gill, LeGree, Marx and Jensen have indicated that they will not be seeking nomination for return to the Board at the conclusion of their terms ending this year.

It appears that next year the returning Board Members with unexpired terms will represent the following age levels:

Discussion was then held and the Board authorized Roger Kelly to solicit members on the SHYA internet site who might be interested in being considered for nomination to the Board of Directors for the upcoming year.

Further, the Board authorized Roger Kelly to solicit interested persons from the membership for consideration by the Board of Directors as an independent contractor to operate the concessions at the IBP Ice Center.

Hoffmeyer reported that a box of the Tri-State Handbooks are now available at the IBP Ice Center for any members who are interested in that Handbook.

Kirk Lukehart indicated that there would be no ice at the Auditorium from the 4^th of March through the 16^th of March. The Board confirmed that regular youth hockey will end on March 11, 2001.

Lukehart indicated that Tykes, Squirts, PeeWees and the High School team would be most affected by this loss of RYH ice. Proposals were then discussed to adjust the schedule to share the lost ice.

It was further discussed that the High School Varsity State Tournament will take place on the weekend of March 9 through 11. Therefore, it was agreed that the Metros would be allowed use of the ice at the IBP Ice Center during the following times:

LeGree then moved for adjournment with a second by Gill. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

The next Board meeting will occur February 21, 2001.

Dave Gill, Secretary to the Board

Index of Past Board Meeting Minutes