Hello, Chebucto U7 Families!!

Welcome and welcome back, all you hockey fans!! 

We are super excited to kick off the 2025-2026 U7 Hockey season here in Chebucto after the award winning year our U7 program had last season! Hockey Nova Scotia recognized the efforts of our incredible U7 volunteers by presenting us with the award for significant contributions to minor hockey in Nova Scotia! We are truly honored by the recognition, and excited to continue building something very special for the kids here in Chebucto.

Our first weekend on the ice has been October 13^th and 14^th historically. We anticipate that to be our start date again this season. 

Once we have been given our official practice times, players will be placed into groups, practice times will be allocated and sent out via email, and you will have an official schedule to go by.

Over the first few weekends we always reserved the opportunity to move players to the most appropriate group for their current skill level, if deemed beneficial for the child. We want all the kids to feel comfortable and challenged appropriately during the season, so we take the time to make sure all players are placed into each group with the best development path in mind for that specific player. Sometimes, especially with new players, it takes time to properly assess everyone. We appreciate your insights and patience during the process.

Please read carefully over the following list of equipment as full gear is required for all participants. 

• Helmet (with cage)

• Neck Guard 

• Shoulder Pads 

• Elbow Pads 

• Hockey Pants 

• Jersey 

• Shin Pads 

• Protective Cup (Jock/Jill)

• Hockey Socks 

• Skates (skate guards recommended)

• Stick

• Hockey Gloves

Team jerseys and socks will be distributed at the U7 Draft event in November. Please bring your own practice jersey and socks until then. If anyone requires information on gear, please let me know and I'll do my best to assist. 

Please note: In order for any player to be eligible to play Minor Hockey in Nova Scotia, HNS (Hockey Nova Scotia) requires at least one parent from each household to complete the respect in sport course. If you are new to Hockey or have not yet completed Respect in Sport, please do so by following the link below.

https://hnsparent.respectgroupinc.com/koala_final/

For those interested in volunteering, on or off the ice, please reply to this email with your name, your child's name and how you would like to help. We appreciate all our volunteers so much. In fact, we could not run this program without awesome people like you investing your time here with the kids!! Many hands make light work so please, even if you think you can only do a little, please know, a little makes a BIG difference here. We appreciate all our volunteers at whatever capacity they are comfortable with.

Thank you in advance for helping us make Chebucto U7 an unforgettably positive experience for all the kids who dare to dream of being in the NHL one day, and those of us who are just here to make snow angels and forever friends. Every kid who loves hockey deserves a chance to play, win or lose. As well as a chance to get better, and try again. As coaches, parents and volunteers it must be our aim to create and maintain a culture of caring where we foster growth and development in a positive healthy environment for the children in our community and abroad.

Further details and instructions will be sent out as we approach the start of our regular season.

Below this email is a list of our registered U7 players. If you do not see your player's name, please reach out to myself or Alicia Payne at registrar@chebuctominorhockey.com

Lastly, we will have our incredible Junior Coaches Leadership Program in full swing again this year! Kids and coaches will have extra support on the ice during practices as we welcome some of our finest U13 and above aged players to join in the process. 

We have a very exciting year planned for the kids, filled with lots of opportunities to develop their skills, attend fun bonding events like our U7 Draft, Christmas Party and end of year event and enjoy plenty of Jamborees and hockey games with their friends and fellow hockey players. Together we will build a culture of caring for these young hockey stars to shine bright and learn invaluable life skills in a positive and healthy environment, while enjoying the game we all love.

See you all at the rink!!

Let’s Go Chebucto!!

Yours in hockey, 

Jay McKenzie 

VP U7 CHEBUCTO

U7@CHEBUCTOMINORHOCKEY.COM 

Registered U7 Players