OUR VOLUNTEER POLICY

To keep association dues from increasing yearly, and more equally to distribute the workload across the entire membership, we are pleased to announce the OYHA Volunteer Program for the 2024-2025 season.

The goal of the program is not to raise funds but to help the organization accomplish necessary jobs without having to pay outside vendors, and burnout our existing volunteer base. The volunteer program is simply a way to track volunteer time and distribute it more equally amongst the entire organization.

TRYOUT VOLUNTEERS

Locker room monitors must be of the same sex as the players. He/She must be Safe Sport certified with a USA Hockey number.

Bench monitors must be non-conflicted - your player may not be in the same LEVEL as the tryout you are attending.

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

7 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE PER PLAYER WITH A MAXIMUM OF 14 HOURS PER FAMILY

• 1st year players new to organized hockey in the mite/U6/U8 level will be exempt from volunteer hours for their first year
• The volunteer season runs from June 1st (prior to the season) through District and State Tournaments (in the following spring)
•  Every OYHA family is required to complete volunteer service hours
• There are no exemptions to the volunteer requirements except the exempt roles noted in the following section
• It is each family’s responsibility to seek volunteer opportunities to fulfill their requirement or select the buyout option described below. This is only available at the time of registration.
• No roll-over of volunteer hours will be allowed from year to year
• No transfer of volunteer hours will be allowed from family to family
• Any family member age 16 or older may participate as a volunteer

TWO TYPES OF VOLUNTEERING

1. Volunteering to support the Orono Youth Hockey Association benefits all players throughout our program.

There are a large number of opportunities posted throughout the season on the “DIBS” page of our OYHA website. Those opportunities include but are not limited to tryout support, D3 tournament support, fundraising, Try Hockey for Free, help equipment manager, Mite Jamboree, etc. In addition, there are exempt positions available that will allow an individual to support OYHA throughout the year.

Exempt roles include but are not limited to:

• Board Member
• Coaches Board Member
• Board Partner Roles
• Registrar
• ACE Coordinator
• Manager of Managers
• Ice Scheduler Coordinator
• Level Representatives
• Travel Head Coach
• Travel Assistant Coach - up to 3 per team as approved by Head Coach
• Travel Team Manager - 2 per team

• Mite Coach - will receive 7 volunteer hours per team coached. If you have more than one player you must coach a second team or volunteer 7 more hours.

2. Volunteering on your son or daughter’s team is a critical role to support the team.

Every family is expected to participate in supporting their players team and be an active, supportive part of the team community. Examples of supporting the team are: running the clock, scorekeeping or working the penalty box during games, locker room monitor duties etc... This type of volunteering does not count towards your family's volunteer hour commitment.

WHERE DO I CLAIM ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?

Volunteer opportunities can be found at:

https://www.oronohockey.org.app.crossbar.org/dashboard/volunteer

• You may complete your family's volunteer obligation by claiming any opportunity posted at any time throughout the season.
• It is each family’s responsibility to seek these opportunities out and claim hours to fulfill required volunteer hours
• To receive credit for your job, you MUST go back in and verify completion
• Please check the website frequently for updated jobs
• If you have additional questions about claiming, fulfilling or viewing completed volunteer hours, please contact your volunteer coordinator:

WHO CAN CLAIM A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Any family member age 16 and older may volunteer for any opportunity. You can claim volunteer opportunities for any level.

VOLUNTEER HOURS BUYOUT INFORMATION

You have the option to buyout your volunteer hours if you choose. You MUST submit your buyout payment with your registration at the beginning of the year.

The buyout fees are $700 per player or max $1,400 per family at the time of registration.

VOLUNTEER HOURS “NO SHOW” INFORMATION

If a family has signed up for a volunteer opportunity and does not complete that opportunity, for whatever reason, they will be charged a $50 fee per hour missed and also will not receive credit for the time.

VOLUNTEER HOURS CANCELLATIONS

You may release your Volunteer hours up to 7 days prior to the obligation. Inside 7 days, it is your obligation to find a suitable substitute. You must then contact the Volunteer Coordinator to notify them of the change.

END OF SEASON INSUFFICIENT VOLUNTEER HOURS INFORMATION

Any outstanding balances for unfulfilled volunteer hours (DIBS) or unpaid registration fees from the 2023-2024 season will be added to your account after you register and charged to your card on file. If you have an outstanding balance that you believe is in error or would like to establish a payment plan please contact treasurer@oronohockey.org.

If you are short volunteer hours at the completion of the 2024-2025 season your card on file will be charged May 1, 2025 at the rate of $125/hour for any hours that you did not fulfill or buy-out at the beginning of the season. You will be unable to register your player for the 2025-26 season without paying all outstanding balances.

SCHOLARSHIP FAMILIES

Families receiving scholarship funding will be required to volunteer an additional 15 hours for a total of 22 hours.

HARDSHIP POLICY

On occasion, there are families that are experiencing a hardship and are unable to fulfill their volunteer hour commitment. Volunteer hours are NOT to be shared or transferred from one family to another without approval. To get approval, please send a note explaining the circumstance to your volunteer coordinator.