League News

   

U9 Evaluations update: A message from our VP of U9 Shawn Wright

This page contains everything U9 Families need to know about the U9 Division for the 2024-2025 Season. 

U9 Division Contacts:


U9 Jersey Pick up

Please note the following U9 Evaluations Jersey Pickup Time for U9. 

Monday, Sept 29, 2025 - 5:00-7:00pm @ Sackville Arena Mezzanine 

Requests for a specific jersey number cannot be accommodated. 

A parent or guardian will be required to initial at jersey pick up. If a player's assigned Jersey is not returned at the end of the Competitive Tryout Process or Rec Evaluations, there will be a Jersey Replacement Fee added to the player's HCR account. 

Please note players registered for the U9 division have the choice to opt out of Evaluations. These players will be automatically added to our U9 developxment teams. If your player would like to opt out, please email Jen Blair our U9 division coordinator above. 

About SMHA U9 Division

U9 is a development program aimed at meeting these 4 outcomes:

  1. Have fun and be active
  2. Learn fundamental skills
  3. Refine those fundamental skills
  4. Cooperation and fair play

U9 Season Structure

Each team will have four ice times: 

  • Team Practice (weekly)
  • Development practice (weekly)
  • Game (weekly)
  • Power Skating (bi-weekly)

The U9 Program plays half-ice 4v4 games, with 12 full-ice games allowed after a date set by Hockey Nova Scotia, usually in February.

The exact schedules will be shared to families by Team Managers once teams are finalized.

 

 

Sep 17, 2025

Important update for U18 Competitive Goalies: Competitive Tryout & Rec Evaluation Pages are now live.

U18 Competitive Tryout Goalie Update - September 16, 2025

Please note our U18 Goalies trying out for U18 have a Goalie Evaluation scheduled with U15 ahead of regular U18 Competitive tryouts.

A4 - U15 and U18 Goalie Skill Evaluation - Friday, September 19, 2025 - 8:00 -9:00pm Sackville Arena

The U18A tryout page is currently listed under our "Tryouts and Evaluations" tab of our Flyers website. More information will be added to the page as it becomes available. 

 

All divisions- All Tryout and Evaluation pages are now live from U11 - U18. Please remember to check back regularly on your Tryout or Evaluation pages across Competitive and Rec as all updates and possible changes will be posted to the division pages. 

The SMHA Board and Executive are working extremely hard behind the scenes to prepare for the Tryouts and Evaluations process. Thank you for your patience while we work on getting out information to all divisions across SMHA.

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Competitive Tryout & Rec Evaluation Schedules Posted - September 15, 2025

Ice schedules and important information for U11, U13, and U15 divisions have now been posted under the "Tryouts & Evaluations" tab on the Flyers website.

Please continue to check back regularly for any updates related to your division.

Note: U18 schedules will be posted as soon as they become available.

 

Sep 16, 2025

Sackville Minor Hockey Under 13AAA Tryout Update - September 14, 2025.

Sackville Minor Hockey Under 13AAA Tryout Update - September 14, 2025.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Phase 1 of the Under 13AAA tryout. Please note, the player list for Phase 2 will be posted tomorrow, September 15, 2025 at 6:00pm on the U13AAA page.

Any players not listed on the player list tomorrow will be released to the U13AA/A/B Competitive tryout process.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me at VPcompetitive@Flyershockey.ca.

Brad Aucoin
VP of Competitive

Sep 15, 2025

Attention: Competitive Tryouts & Rec Evaluations - Jersey Pick up Information

Jersey pick up Information:

Please note the following Competitive Tryout and Rec Evaluations Jersey Pickup Times for U11, U13, U15 & U18. We will be scheduling a separate Jersey pick up for U9 closer to the start of U9 evaluations. 

Wednesday, Sept 17, 2025 - 6:00-7:30pm @ Sackville Arena Mezzanine

In keeping with the SMHA Competitive Tryout Policy, requests for a specific jersey number cannot be accommodated. 

A parent or guardian will be required to initial at jersey pick up. If a player's assigned Jersey is not returned at the end of the Competitive Tryout Process or Rec Evaluations, there will be a Jersey Replacement Fee added to the player's HCR account. 

Players released from the Competitive Tryout Process keep the same assigned jersey throughout the Recreation Evaluation process.

 

 

Sep 14, 2025

Welcome to Hockey! Second ice Time for New Rec Players

Welcome to Hockey! Ice Time for New Rec Players (U11–U18) 

Are you new to hockey and registered in Rec (U11–U18) for the upcoming season?
SMHA would like to invite you to join us on the ice for a second session before evaluations begin!   

This is another great opportunity to get comfortable on the ice, meet other new players, and have some fun before the season kicks off!

Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Sackville Arena
Cost: Free

To regisiter, please fill out the Google Form: Sign up Welcome to Hockey!

Please bring full hockey gear and stick, including a helmet with a cage. See example below! 

bauerequipment

We look forward to seeing you on the ice!

Questions? Please reach out to our VP of Recreation, Dan MacDonald at vprecreation@flyershockey.ca

Sep 14, 2025

Welcome to the 2025-26 Sackville Minor Hockey Season!

We’re excited to begin another season filled with opportunities for our players to grow, try their best, learn new skills, make new friends, and carry lessons that go well beyond the rink.

Over the summer, our volunteers worked hard to listen to your feedback and improve the SMH Tryout Process 2025-2026 . The updated approach is designed to ensure fairness, equity, and transparency. We are really proud of what our committee developed.

As an association, we are committed to supporting our players in every way possible. That means not only developing hockey skills but also giving players and coaches the tools to handle mental health challenges and create a positive, inclusive team environment. We know that competitive tryouts, high-performance teams, and the broader demands of youth sports can bring added pressures, and we take seriously our role in helping young athletes manage these challenges. You will see this reflected in our updated Tryout Process.

As we get ready to hit the ice for another exciting season of hockey, we would like to remind everyone that there will be a zero-tolerance policy for any abuse directed at referees this season – at our home rink or away. This includes abuse from players, parents and coaches.   It is hard to retain referees. One of the key reasons for this is the negative treatment that officials sometimes receive from spectators and even volunteers.

It’s important to remember that our referees are not highly paid professionals — they are members of our community who generously give their time to make the game possible. They have families, jobs and other commitments and like all of us, they’re human. It is our responsibility as an association to create a positive, respectful environment so that everyone — players, coaches, referees, and families — can enjoy the game.

Furthermore, there is a zero-tolerance policy for any bullying or harassment towards our players, coaches or volunteers. This includes on the ice, in the dressing rooms and on social media. As we embark on this season, please take a moment to review our policies found on our SMHA Bylaws & Policies Page.

Remember:

  1. These are kids.
  2. This is a game.
  3. Referees are human. Coaches are human. Volunteers are giving their time.
  4. This is not the NHL.
  5. Respect the game and have fun!

Together, we’re building a culture where every player feels safe, supported, and empowered — both on and off the ice.

 

SMHA Board of Directors

Sep 14, 2025
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