Frequently Asked Questions

Richmond/South Delta Minor Ball Hockey Association is a registered Not for Profit Association in Richmond, BC Canada.
Formed in 2000 by a few dads who loved to play ball hockey. We have experienced continued growth each year.
Our only restriction to growth is floor space and volunteer coaches.

• Organized non-contact sport.
• Co-ed teams for players ages 5-18.
• No experience necessary - everyone is welcome no matter what the skill level.
• Similar to playing street hockey but inside the arenas once the ice sheet has been taken out.
• Game is played with one goalie and 5 players.
• Rules are generally the same as ice hockey with a few exceptions.
• Fun and exciting sport!

Each player will be issued a Richmond/South Delta jersey which is only to be worn during games. These jerseys will need to be returned at the end of the season.

Mandatory equipment:

• CSA approved helmet with a full cage
• Hockey gloves
• Protective cup
• Shin guards (ones for soccer work great)
• Wooden or composite hockey stick (no plastic blades)
• Runners
• Black Shorts
• Socks (Soccer socks to cover shin pads - coach will tell you colour)

Optional equipment but highly recommended:

• soft kneepads
• soft elbow pads

• The Tykes division is the entry-level to ball hockey for players aged 5 & 6
• Focus is on learning basic ball hockey skills
• Mandatory equipment is required
• Sessions are once a week for one hour (no scheduled games with other associations)

• Once registration is completed, players will be asked to attend a short evaluation session at the end of February or beginning of March. Teams will be drafted during by the first week of April.  Practices and games will start once the City of Richmond removes the ice from the rinks at Minoru arena, and then the Coliseum at Richmond Ice Centre.
• Our goal is to give each team one weeknight practice and two-weekend games each week.
• Older divisions will have weeknight games.
• Approximately 14 regular-season games per team of which half will be home games played in our home arenas (Minoru and Richmond Ice) and the other half will be away games played in one of our interlocking associations' arenas.
• At the end of the regular season (end of June), there will be an exhilarating round-robin playoff within our own association (parents will tell you it's much more exciting than the Stanley Cup playoffs!)
• The winning team from each division will then represent Richmond/South Delta at the Provincials Tournament hosted by one of the local associations usually at the end of June

• Peanuts/Pups/Peewees play two 15-minute periods (stop time)
• Minors/Majors/Juniors play two 20-minute periods (other associations may differ)
• 1-2 referees are present and rules and penalties similar to ice hockey apply with extra attention given to ensure that the game remains non-contact
• Players will "change on the fly" for shift changes
• Scores will be posted on the game scoreboard
• Stats are recorded on the website

• Our goal is to provide one practice and two games per week for each team.
• Practices will usually be on a weeknight and games on weekends - the exception being the older divisions who will likely get some weeknight games.
• Game/practice schedules are dependent on our floor allotment from the rinks and the game times given to us by the associations we interlock with.
• At the present time we are still awaiting our floor allotment and are not able to tell parents what exact days the players will be practicing.
• We will post schedules to the website as soon as they are available.

• Our primary goal is to have teams as even as possible in skill level
• At Minor, Major and Junior levels, teams are tiered. Players are placed on balanced teams in either the Pacific or Mountain League
• At the evaluation session, players run through basic ball hockey drills and participate in a short scrimmage
• Evaluators (experienced coaches) give each player an evaluation score (kept confidential)
• Coaches are welcome to watch their division's evaluation session
• A team selection meeting is held with a mediator and the division's coaches
• Coaches select players for their teams and the mediator ensures that the skill level is distributed evenly amongst the teams
• Teams can have a minimum of 12 players and maximum of 16 - all teams must have the same number of players
• Coaches must be in agreement before they leave the table

• Players are not permitted to play in a division lower than their age group (i.e. A Pup aged player cannot play in the Peanut division)
• This is mandated by our governing body, West Coast Minor Ball Hockey
• Players occasionally are permitted to play in a division higher than their age group but in order to do so must show an advanced skill level and receive permission from the President and Head Coach of the association

• Registration is open to players from Richmond and South Delta (Ladner/Tsawwassen)
• If you live in a different community but would like to play for Richmond/South Delta, you must get a release form signed from your home association

• Sponsorship is always appreciated!
• Whether it is a cash donation, advertising, donation of gifts in kind or support of another means, feel free to speak with our Association Executive to see how you can best support our kids!

• We welcome any participation that your time allows
• The opportunities are endless!
• If you have time to offer and are interested in becoming a member of the executive and assisting with planning, or coaching a team, or assisting in a variety of other ways, please contact one of the Executive or our Association Administrator.
• Any and all participation is greatly appreciated by the kids...remember it's all about them!