U11-U18 Seals A Hockey

Winnipeg Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) A Hockey is organized into two levels.

• A Hockey and Non-Body Contact (8 yrs to 12 yrs)
• A Hockey and Non-Body Contact – Direct Entry (13 yrs and Up)

For both levels, teams are formed according to WMHA Rules based upon the number of children registered at each age division. The number of registered players and the minimum/maximum roster size determines the number of teams to be entered. The number of teams entered then determines the number of teams at the A1, A2 and A3 level of play. These teams all represent the area association of St. Boniface Minor Hockey and are known as the St. Boniface Seals.

A Hockey and Non-Body Contact is divided up within the city into two leagues – East League and West League. SBMHA plays within the East League (which also includes River East Minor Hockey Association, Lord Selkirk Minor Hockey Association, North End Hockey, Seven Oaks Minor Hockey Association and Transcona Minor Hockey Association) and then both the East League and West League are put into joint standings for city playoffs. Team Categories are as follows:

• Novice – U9A1
• U11 – U11 A1 / U11 A2 / U11 A3
• U13 – U13 A1 / U13 A2 / U13 A3
• U15 – U15 A1 / U15 A2 / U15 A3
• U18 – U18 A1 / U18 A2 / U18 A3

At U11, when players are transitioning to full-ice hockey for the first time, Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Canada have developed the U11 Player Pathway which provides requirements and recommendations to create a fair, needs-based program that is of maximum importance for this developing age group.

After registration closes and U11 players have had the opportunity for their practice skates (as outlined in the U11 Player Pathway), SBMHA coordinates evaluations to determine the placement of players – see full information in the SBMHA Player Selection and Team Formation Process.

SBMHA has many players in our catchment, creating multiple teams at almost every level and therefore requires many coaches for our program to run. To find out more about coaching, please review our coaching information page, which also has a coaching application form available to apply.

 

A Hockey and Non-Body Contact – Direct Entry is a city-wide league. Team categories are as follows:

• Minor Bantam – 13A1 / 13A2 / 13A3
• Bantam – 14A1 / 14A2 / 14A3
• Minor Midget – 15A1 / 15A2 / 15A3
• Midget – 16-17A1 / 16-17A2 /  16-17A3
• Juvenile – 18-20A1 / 18-20A2 / 18-20A3

Coaches are preferred to be non-parent with the A1 level coaches selected by the SBMHA board and the A2 and A3 levels are selected by the Community Centre which is hosting the A2 or A3 team.

For Direct Entry the coaches conduct their own tryouts and select their entire team starting with the A1 coaches. After the A1 teams have been selected the A2 team will then be selected followed by the A3 teams. Maximum roster size is between 15 and 19 and again is determined by SBMHA.