The season has begun, the soreness is just starting to subside from those first games, and our sleep patterns are rapidly changing. Things are going as expected for the beginning of fall!

A few thank you’s, reminders, and housekeeping items will complete the season kickoff, so here we go:

• SPONSORS: A huge thank you to all the businesses who have sponsored JAHA jerseys! Using sponsored jerseys helps JAHA keep registration fees low by avoiding costs associated with buying, maintaining, laundering, and storing jerseys. Big shout outs to – in no particular order – ISLAND PUB, ALASKA AIRLINES, LOUIE’S, SEARHC, KENSINGTON, CARPENTERS LOCAL 1281, SHAW DENTAL, COUER ALASKA, HECLA GREENS CREEK, JOE GELDHOF (10th MOUNTAIN DIVISION), RICK DRISCOLL (DRISCOLL’S DUGOUT), BILL CAMPBELL (DOUGLAS WHALERS). Thanks to these businesses and individuals, Tiers A and B are completely sponsored and we are working our way toward fully sponsoring all other tiers. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SPONSORING A TEAM OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE? Before buying a set of jerseys, shoot us an email and we’ll work with you on colors, recommended quantities and sizes, and custom jersey sources.

• GIVE US A PIECE OF YOUR MIND: We can take it, I promise. We need to know how we can improve your experience because if we don’t know, we simply can’t fix it. Please take a few minutes to take a very brief survey here so we can make JAHA better for YOU: http://j.mp/jahasurvey

• DON’T FREAK OUT, YO: Your tier representatives spend a lot of their personal time trying to create teams that balance competitive parity with honoring player requests. Most of the time, everything works out great, but we’re all human and sometimes there needs to be an adjustment here and there. Within the first two weeks of the season, tier representatives and team representatives will meet to discuss potential player moves to try to balance out teams if things look off. They will work to ensure players don’t miss out on games that they would have gotten to play if they hadn’t been moved. If you are identified as a player who may be moved, your tier or team representative will get in touch with you to let you know.

• R-E-S-P-E-C-T THE R-E-F-E-R-E-E’S: They are there to officiate the game according to JAHA and USA Hockey rules, maintain order, and ensure everyone’s safety. If a penalty is called on you, head directly to the penalty box. If you disagree with a call, wait until immediately after the game and calmly bring it up with the ref or ask your team rep to do so. If you cannot do this and/or still disagree, please contact JAHA and we can get in touch with the Juneau Hockey Officials (JHO) board on your behalf. Any abuse of officials, including swearing – even if not directed at a specific person – can result in at least a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and can escalate to a game misconduct, which carries an automatic one game suspension imposed by USA Hockey.

• INTRO/TIER D: If you know someone who is interested in hockey, JAHA waives the late fee for those new to the association, so encourage them to join. There is plenty of room and their registration fee will be prorated for the number of games left in the season. If they sign up for both Intro and Tier D, they will get a $20 discount on top of everything else – help us get more people on the ice!

• YOU CAN STINK AT THE RINK, BUT PLEASE DON’T DRINK AT THE RINK: We can’t stress it enough – the rule against possession/consumption of alcohol inside the rink is a City & Borough of Juneau rule, not a JAHA rule. Savikko Park, the park that Treadwell Arena is located in, does allow for open alcohol containers. So if you would like to enjoy an adult beverage after a game, you may legally do so in the park area immediately outside the rink as long as you are not in a roadway.

• JAHA RULES: You should already be familiar with USA Hockey rules , but you also need to know that JAHA has its own supplemental rules and be familiar with them as well. If a JAHA rule calls for a suspension or ban, this is in addition to any penalties assessed under the USA Hockey rules.

• WANT TO KNOW MORE?: Check out our Frequently Asked Questions and if you’re still skating in the dark, please contact us !

Thank you all for being a part of JAHA and contributing to the awesome community of adult hockey players here in the capital city! We appreciate each and every one of you skating with us. See you on the ice!

— Commissioner Soza

If you signed up for the Holiday Jamboree, please see attached for Teams and Schedule.

As soon as jerseys are finalized, we’ll enter teams and schedule into the website so you can enjoy the additional features!

A couple of reminders:

• KEEP YO’ DRINK OUTTA THE RINK: Remember, Treadwell Arena has a strict NO ALCOHOL policy. This is not a JAHA rule, this is a City & Borough of Juneau rule, so please observe it. Breaking this rule reflects poorly on JAHA as a whole and could make it more difficult to rent ice and/or obtain legal alcohol permits down the road. Treadwell Arena sits within Savikko Park, which has an open container policy. If you’d like to responsibly enjoy an adult beverage after a game, you may legally do so outside of the rink within the park, as long as you’re not standing in a roadway.

• WINTER SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER: The Winter season will begin on January 8th. The registration deadline will be mid- to late-December and we’ll be sure to bug you with reminders before it passes – but why wait? Sign up now if you haven’t done so already!

Have fun! See you on the ice!

— Commissioner Soza

Alright JAHA – the time has come to prove yourself: the playoffs are here.

Rankings are set and the first round of games have been scheduled. Subsequent games will be scheduled as results are known, but keep an eye on the previously-posted schedule to make sure you don’t miss any action!

Before you cue up your favorite inspirational hockey movie and hit the ice in beast mode, a few important playoff reminders:

• CONFUSION AND ERRATA: The playoff schedule lists Tier C Game 1 as happening after Tier C Game 2. This is correct. However, the schedule also lists the Women’s Tier championship game as happening on “Friday, 11/20/2016.” This is incorrect and should say “Sunday, 11/20/2016.” The Women’s Tier championship game is on the same day as all other tiers’ championships.

• WE DON’T WANT NO SUBS: JAHA rules do not allow any player substitutions during playoffs except for goalies. Make sure to rally your team!

• DON’T. GET. ELIMINATED: The tournament is double elimination except for the championship game.

• AIN’T NO WIN-WIN HERE: If a playoff game ends in a tie, it goes to a 5 minute run time, sudden death OT period. If the game remains tied, it will go to a best-of-3 shootout. If still tied, both teams will continue shootout rounds until there is a winner. No player may shoot twice until all players have taken a shot.

• FOR THE LOVE OF HOCKEY, DON’T ARGUE WITH THE REFS: They are there to officiate the game according to JAHA and USA Hockey rules, maintain order, and ensure everyone’s safety. If a penalty is called on you, head directly to the penalty box. If you disagree with a call, wait until immediately after the game and calmly bring it up with the ref. If you cannot do this and/or still disagree, please contact JAHA and we can get in touch with the Juneau Hockey Officials (JHO) board on your behalf. Any abuse of officials, including swearing – even if not directed at a specific person – can result in at least a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and can escalate to a game misconduct, which carries an automatic one game suspension imposed by USA Hockey.

• GIVE US THE JAHA SWEATER OFF YOUR BACK: If your team is eliminated and you have JAHA jerseys, be sure to turn them in to your team representative! If you know you will miss games and your team may be eliminated in the interim, leave your jersey with someone you trust who can turn it in on your behalf. If you’re unsure who your team representative is, get your jersey(s) to your tier rep. All tier reps can be found on the Board of Directors page. We need to sort, launder, and get them ready for the Holiday season, so getting them to us as quickly as possible really helps!

• ACT LIKE A CHAMPION, RESPECT THE TROPHIES: If you win your tier’s championship game, head over to the Island Pub and politely ask if they’ll grab your tier’s trophy from over the bar. If you ask really nicely, they may even give it a good rinse and throw in a frosty beverage of your choice so you can sip from the cup and taste victory. When you’re done passing the trophy around, snapping selfies with it, and have had your evening of Stanley Cup-like celebrations, please make sure the trophy makes it back to the bar, preferably with a gracious tip for being kind enough to have donated the trophies to JAHA and storing them for us year-round. That’s what champions do! (In no case should any of the trophies leave the Island Pub!)

Above all, go out, skate hard, have fun, win humbly, and lose graciously. We’ll see you on the ice next season.

— Commissioner Soza

Playoffs are approaching fast!

With just 3 or 4 regular season games left, it’s time to start thinking about your playoff superstitions and which parts of which inspirational movie you’ll watch before each game.

All championship games will happen on November 20th, beginning with Women’s Tier at 4pm and ending with Tier C at 9pm.

The Annual Referee Seminar is being held on October 15, 2016, at 9:00 AM at Centennial Hall with a 1-hour on-ice session on October 16, 2016, at 2:45 PM at the Treadwell Arena. If you are interested in being a referee please go to the instruction page for information and links to sign up at:

http://hockeyref.net/background.php

You must be pre-registered in order to attend.

Score Keepers will be trained at the ice session on October 16th. Anyone interested in being a score keeper should sign up for training by sending an email to Terri Gregson at:

We hope to see you there!