FORT GARRY NORTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
Communication Officer
Each hockey team in Manitoba is required to appoint a Communications Officer who will be responsible for ensuring all individuals in and around the team are equipped with updated and relevant information regarding the COVID-19 health crisis.
This appointed individual is ideally a parent volunteer OR a team staff member and is responsible for monitoring all relevant updates from the public health authorities and Hockey Manitoba.
The Hockey Manitoba Communications Officer Toolkit will clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of the Communications Officer and provides information to help guide the Communications Officer throughout the hockey season. Through the cooperation of all participants, hockey will return safely and provide a positive and fun experience for everyone. Responsibilities The Communications Officer is an important position that must be taken seriously to ensure the health and safety of everyone.
The Communications Officer will be responsible for the following:
1. Reviewing and following updates from the Province of Manitoba
2. Ensuring compliance of Hockey Manitoba’s Return to Play Version 2 Protocols
3. As of October 1 2021, City of Winnipeg owned arenas (e.g. Century and Sam Southern) NO longer have dedicated staff scanning vaccination QR codes and verifying ID's for spectators. It is now the responsibility of the individual teams to do this at all City of Winnipeg owned arenas.
This needs to be done every time (i.e. we can't just scan everyone at the start of the season and keep the results on-file) as a Compliance Officer may show up to any facility at any point and demand proof of compliance.
Per current public health orders:
"Indoor sporting and recreational facilities must not operate unless admission of members of the public to the facility is restricted to the following:
a.) Persons who produce proof that they are fully immunized
b.) Persons who produce proof from the Government of Manitoba that there is a medical reason for the person not to receive a vaccine for COVID-19
c.) Persons under 18 years of age"
As representatives of the FGNHA organization, it is critical that we adhere to these requirements and all COVID protocols, as we depend heavily on City of Winnipeg arenas for ice time. Non-compliance could lead to consequences, including loss of privileges and ice time, for the FGNHA, Twins, and Storm
Teams could have more than one communication officer. They would be the ones that would head up scanning QR codes in the city owned arenas. City rinks you can only get in 20 mins before. So they should be the first ones there. Or, a team can set up a rotation, or they can assign specific people to be the QR code scanners.
5. Completing Hockey Canada’s “Planning a Safe Return to Hockey” course (free of charge) → An E-Hockey account is required to access this course. A new account can be created if one does not already exist.
6. Holding a Parent Meeting prior to the regular season starting, either in person or virtually. Be sure to refer to Hockey Canada’s Parent Meeting Guidelines
6. Tracking attendance at all team events (practices, games, off-ice meetings, etc.), click here for Hockey Manitoba’s Player Tracking Form → Ensure all participants have completed the screening tool before each session and are actively self monitoring for symptoms. Screening can be completed online here or in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) format at 1-877-308-9038 → Ensuring protocol(s) for participants that are feeling unwell are followed and any COVID-19 cases are reported immediately.