Elder Skatesmen |
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Rules and RegulationsElder Skatesmen: Friendly games - we pass the puck around!The Elder Skatesmen is an over-60 non-contact recreational hockey group. We emphasize friendly games: team rosters change frequently, and we do not keep records of game scores or player stats. We use this website to facilitate keeping track of attendance and obtaining spares. It is important for all players to respond PROMPTLY to the weekly "Are you playing?" emails. If you will NOT be playing, please let us know as soon as possible so we can get a spare. MISSION STATEMENT of the Ottawa ELDER SKATESMEN
Our Mission is to provide friendly hockey, fitness, and fun for mixed-skill players over 60, and to raise money to help those less fortunate than us.
On the Ice we emphasize competitive but Friendly games, and encourage the more skilled players to give the slower players some space, and pass the puck to those less skilled. Team rosters are changed frequently, and we do Not keep statistics re game scores or individual player stats. Players are limited to 3 goals per game, and the goalies may switch ends at half time. Off the Ice we provide social opportunities for the players and their spouses. Many players go to the pub /restaurant after the games to eat, drink, and socialize. Subsidized parties are held, typically at the end of the Fall, Winter, and Summer seasons. Financial Plan: Fees are set to meet our costs or generate a small surplus, to (a) minimize risk to those who sign the ice contracts; (b) pay for end-of-season parties for the players; (c) possibly provide funds to donate to charity; and (d) support miscellaneous activities such as hockey skills schools. Charity: We recognize that most of the players in our group are very fortunate in many ways and we may chose to donate surplus funds charities. RULES for Safe and Enjoyable Play for ALL
Oldtimer’s Recreational Hockey - WAIVER and Release of LiabilityIn consideration of being allowed to participate in any way in the hockey organized by the Elder Skatesmen and related events and activities, I acknowledge, understand, and agree that:
I HAVE READ THIS WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY, FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS, UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY AGREEING TO IT, AND AGREE TO IT FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT INDUCEMENT. HISTORY of the Elder SkatesmenThe Elder Skatesmen hockey group was started in 2006 by Ken Morin, who wanted to provide more opportunities for over-60 recreational hockey players since many of the existing groups were full. The nucleus of the group was a summer hockey group that Ed Harvey had run at the RA on Monday nights for many years, and handed over to Ken for the summer of 2006. In the fall of 2006, Ken got enough players, with help from a number of others including Hector Lenet and Earl Canham, to book ice Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the University of Ottawa.
We were a democratic group, and chose the name "Elder Skatesmen" following much discussion and voting. We decided to get team sweaters, and our Logo was chosen after soliciting inputs from the players and then voting. The winning design was based on the "funny old man" drawn by Larry Pickard’s daughter Andrea, and Tom Somerton’s suggestion of having the Parliament Buildings in the background. Sweaters and clothing purchases were organized by Al Foubert.
In the summer of 2007 we began using a website www.ElderSkatesmen.itzhockey.com to facilitate organization and communication. That summer Moe Marchand took over the organization of the Monday night group, and we started a Thursday morning group in addition. In the fall of 2007 we started an over-70 group on Mondays, with major recruiting work by Karel van Duyse. In the fall of 2008 we had enough players to fill the rosters (22 players) for the Monday 70+ and the Tuesday and Thursday 60+ groups. In the fall of 2009 we started a second over-70 group on Thursday afternoons.
In April of 2009 we held a Hockey FunFest - a friendly tournament-style fundraiser (round-robin play with no refs or finals). We ran similar annual tournaments to and including 2016.
The group is run by volunteers, who donate many hours of their time to keep things running smoothly.
Spares and lineups are organized by Tom Somerton for the 60+ groups, and by Mike Donoghue for the 70+ groups. Moe Marchand organizes the summer Monday evening group. David Reeve organizes exhibition games. Registration and finances are handled by Ken Morin with the help of others. David Potter has reviewed the financial records. Larry Pickard and Georges Parent have organized special events. David Reeve and Richard Sennott organized a 2-week 6-day Hockey Camp in Sep for perhaps five years. Bob Tompkins organizes our CARHA insurance. Our thanks to these and other volunteers for their generous work and support!
In 2009 we were invited by SportChek and the Senators Foundation to play a game at the Canadian Tire Center where the Ottawa Senators play! This was a fun event, with players names in the dressing rooms, two Senators as coaches, Spartacat, an announcer and the score posted on the big board. You can see a video of the event at https://youtu.be/jzyVxILKfN4 . Our thanks to SportChek and the Senators Foundation for this excellent opportunity!
Our players were getting older every year, and in 2020 a new 60+ group was started, spearheaded by Jacques Lortie and Trevor Pearce. This group played twice a week and operated mostly independently of our existing groups. They ran their own recruiting (seeking equal-skilled players) and finances (surplus did not go to charity). Our existing groups were renamed 65+ and 75+ and continued as usual. All told we played six games a week during the winter.
When the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic was realized in March, 2020 we cancelled our games for the remaining three weeks of the season and the arenas at U of Ottawa were shut down.
When hockey games were allowed again our 60+ (Trevor Pearce) and 65+ (Roy Vankoughnett) groups resumed playing, with Covid restrictions, at the Richcraft Sensplex East. As Covid restrictions changed, games were allowed for some periods but not others. Roy looked after registrations and finances for the 65+ group (surplus no longer went to charity).
We resumed playing in 2021-Oct when Covid cases had dropped and our population was getting vaccinated. Our 65+ group played four games a week to accommodate the large waiting list (three at Richcraft Sensplex East and one at U of Ottawa). Roy Vankoughnett, Dave Sinclair, Alan Johnston and Brad Ruth were the coordinators, with Peter Lutfy handling finances. Our 75+ group also resumed, playing two games a week at Richcraft with Reg Woods coordinating and Ken Morin treasurer. Our 75+ is the only group still accumulating a surplus for charity. Bob Tompkins continued to handle CARHA insurance for our 65+ and 75+ groups.
At the end of 2023, Geoffrey O'Brian was also a Coordinator, and Roy Vankoughnett was handling CARHA insurance. Ken Morin had arranged the last O75 donation to charity, and is stepping down from active involvement. Our O75 bank account will be closed.
We have donated money to various charities over the years. The money came from surplus funds and from HockeyFest events. At the end of 2024 the total was over $68,000.
CHARITABLE WORK by the Elder Skatesmen
2009: We held a Hockey FunFest in April - a friendly tournament-style fundraiser (round-robin play with no refs or finals). Together with other groups including the Silver Foxes (both groups!) the White Hawks, the Old Buzzards, the RA Power Bars, and the Silver Streaks we raised $2,180 for the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada. We were also able to arrange for the participants to receive tax receipts for the full amount! For photos see http://picasaweb.google.com/btompkins20/HockeyFunfest?authkey=Gv1sRgCJrdp-SN_KSNtAE# (taken by John MacLatchy and posted by Bob Tompkins).
2009: In the fall, we donated $1,200 from surplus funds to Amnesty International in support of human rights in Canada and around the world.
2010: HockeyFest II was held in April with the $3,500 proceeds going to assist Rene Faucher, who had been paralized in a hockey accident at the U of Ottawa in January of 2010. (The Faucher Douglas Trust Fund.)
2010: In December we donated $2,500 from surplus funds to the Ottawa Valley Ambassadors, a local charity helping to provide people with developmental disabilities an opportunity to play hockey - the game we love, and $1,700 to the Guatemala Stove Project, an international charity with local roots that works to improve the lives of aboriginal women and families in the highlands of Guatemala.
2011: HockeyFest III was held in May with $2,400 going to LiveWorkPlay, a local charity that helps intellectually challenged persons to have a good life, and $1,200 going to the Canadian Red Cross for Japan Relief following their recent earthquake and tsunami.
2012: We held HockeyFest IV in April with $2,880 going to the Canadian Diabetes Association, a local charity that helps people with diabetes to live healthy lives while working to find a cure and $2,280 going to SchoolBOX, an international charity working out of Almonte, ON that promotes education in Nicaragua, providing school supplies and building classrooms.
2012: In December we donated $2,175 from surplus funds to The Ottawa Mission, which helps homeless people with shelter, food, clothing and counselling; and $1,425 to Habitat for Humanity: Haiti, which builds homes in Haiti, which was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, and where over 350,000 people were still living in tents.
2013: In April we held HockeyFest V with $2,280 going to Ancoura, which provides housing and support for people living with mental illness in Ottawa; and $1,320 to Project Tembo, which provides education and small-business support for girls and women in Tanzania. Photos can be viewed at https://picasaweb.google.com/btompkins20/HockeyFunfest2013?authkey=Gv1sRgCNKj6-T5_9nnTQ .
2014: HockeyFest VI was held in April with 12 teams entered. We raised $3,150 for La Soupe Populaire de Hull (helping poor people on the street, improving their wellbeing and assisting them to achieve a normal life - lunch for a dollar), and $1,500 for ACCESO International (providing school supplies and educational bursaries in Latin America and the Caribbean, supporting youth and women). Photos of most teams, some individuals (for hockey cards) and many action shots (by BobT, LarryP & MikeM; click "Download" to get high-resolution images) are at
https://picasaweb.google.com/btompkins20/HockeyFunfest2014?authkey=Gv1sRgCPOtk7eqwe_X_AE .
2014: In December we donated $3,375 to Youville Centre: helping young single mothers in Ottawa complete their high school education & provide a brighter future. We also donated $1,125 to Doctors Without Borders: a humanitarian aid NGO treating people where the need is greatest, eg for Ebola in West Africa.
2015: HockeyFest VII was held March /April with 10 teams entered. We raised $1,980 for Valerie's Flutter Foundation (research for rare cancers - Phil Coulombe is involved; Valerie is Phil's grand-daughter who died four years ago at age 20); and $1,746 for ALIANZA (supporting women, infants & students in Comitancillo in western Guatemala - Ken Morin is involved). Photos (by Bob Tompkins and Michael Mackin) can be viewed at https://picasaweb.google.com/btompkins20/HockeyFunfest201502?authkey=Gv1sRgCJWQ8OHe-_G55QE .
2015: In December we donated $3,150 to the Ottawa Food Bank: Helping people get beyond hunger through Education about preparing nutritious food on an extreme budget. We also donated $2,850 to Operation Smile: Providing free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe.
2016: HockeyFest VIII was held in Mar /Apr with 8 teams entered. We raised $1,010 for SOPAR based in Gatineau, helping the underprivileged in India and $2,040 for Le Gîte Ami, helping homeless in Gatineau.
2017: In December we donated $2,250 to Change for Children: helping Indigenous people in developing countries to rise above poverty, and $3,750 to Ancoura: providing supportive housing for adults living with mental illness in Ottawa.
2021: In December we donated $3,220 to SchoolBOX North, partnering with First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth leaders to make education possible. We also donated $2,860 to Nelson House of Ottawa Carleton, which provides emergency shelter and social services for abused women and children.
2022: In October our O65 group donated $1,000 to the Ottawa Food Bank.
2023: In December our O75 group donated $2,160 to The Ottawa Mission and $1,320 to Doctors Without Borders.
2024: In April our O70 and O75 groups held a special day honouring Ken Morin who founded the Elder Skatesmen. They gave Ken a gift, and raised $1,410 for Ken to donate to his favorite charity. Ken doubled it and donated $2,820 to the Guatemala Stove Project.
Total donations = $68,376 to date. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME 80+ PLAYERS and BUILDERS
The 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame was spearheaded by Moe Marchand and sponsored by the Elder Skatesmen at HockeyFest 2011, to honour local players who had reached 80 and were still playing hockey. In 2012 a Builder's category was added, to honour local volunteer organizers. A plaque with the players names is on display in the lobby of the University of Ottawa Arena. Website: http://www.80plushockeyhalloffame.com . Please see "PURPOSE..." below.
In 2015 the 80+ Hall of Fame (Temple de la Renommée) event was held Nov-01 at the Jim Durrell Arena (Walkley Arena). Seven local Players, three Builders and about 25 other players (mostly from Les Sages Rive-Sud) were inducted.
The following are some of the Local players who have been inducted:
PLAYERS CATEGORY : Year turned 80
BUILDER'S CATEGORY (Year Inducted)
PURPOSE of the 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame
The 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization which started its operations in 2011 and became federally incorporated in February 2015. Our purpose is to “Nationally recognize active recreational hockey players 80 years of age and over.”
Our main objectives are to:
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