High School Roller Hockey Needs Your Help!

[zipyaj]

Dear Friends and Hockey Fans,

One of our League's valued group of high school clubs, the Saddleback League consisting of El Toro, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and Trabuco Hills high schools, has had their program put onto the economic chopping block by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD). The economy takes yet another bite from our very soul, but not without a fight!

The supporters of this league have petitioned the School Board to save the student benefits including PE credit, Varsity letter and others while they are proposing to convert this public school funded program to a private, self-funded program - a win-win for everyone!

I have just read and signed their online petition: "SAVE SVUSD ROLLER HOCKEY PROGRAM 2009-2010" hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SVUSDRH/

The supporters will make their first showing with the SVUSD School Board tomorrow evening. Any support you might show in signing their petition and/or commenting is appreciated. After all, this is the true spirit of Hockey Helping Hockey. One Community United!

And if you are in the IHF High School Roller Hockey League, semifinal games have been scheduled around the teams from this league to accommodate their presence for this important meeting. If you'd like, throw on your jersey and meet with them tomorrow night in the back parking lot of Mission Viejo High School at 5:45 for a rally before going into the meeting. [location: 25025 Chrisanta Dr., Mission Viejo, CA 92691].

I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself.

And to all of our IHF alumni in the college ranks around the US, and high school hockey supporters everywhere, thanks in advance for your support!

Best wishes,

[NC Mustangs]

Jay,

Keep us all on IHC posted on the developments on this petition. I have signed the petition and I would like to THANK YOU for your commitment to our sport. Let's all stand behind this and prevent our sport from going backwards. There has been a lot of work to build this league and we must do our part in an effort to keep it standing.

[zipyaj]

Mario,
Thank you for your support and for taking your valuable time to sign and comment on this important petition!

In reading through the signatures of this hours old petition this morning, I also give notice and extend thanks for the support and comments from others across the country.

While we often speak about building the sport from the grassroots level, as caretakers for this sport, we must also grapple to keep the seeds that have been sewn to grow and remain strong.

Along with hundreds of supporters, I, too, will attend tonight's meeting and strive to keep our roller hockey community posted for developments.

Best of luck in all you do!

[minutemen]

Jay,

Best of luck hope it all works out. I did the petition this morning. Everyone on IHC should do the petition.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Jay,

Good luck!

[zipyaj]

Richard and IHC Readers,
Thank you for your support in our challenge to keep this high school roller hockey program alive!

Before the meeting with the school board earlier tonight, I read through 454 signatures at 5:00 PDST - a mere 20 hours since being posted. Among the signatures were many IHC readers - some well-known and some unknown - who signed and even commented in the petition. They included well-known officials and leaders, rink owners, team owners and managers, collegiate leaders and high school league leaders from across the country each joining in the petition to demonstrate their support. In my presentation to the School Board, I brought to their attention that this was not just a local community interest, but also one crying from the roller hockey community everywhere. I can honestly say that the message of Hockey Helping Hockey was heard by them loudly and crystal clear.

Likewise making an impact to this Board was the presence of the local hockey community and the showing of the student-athletes impacted by the proposed budget cuts.

We received an encouraging response from the Board. The process of the petition and next steps will be on-going over the weeks ahead and your help with more signatures and comments in the petition will be of great assistance in demonstrating to them the importance of this program and the support it has from so many like-minded supporters everywhere. Please help by signing the petition and adding any comment; your location, title or affiliation, maybe that you also played HS roller hockey or recognize its importance, at: http://www.petitiononline.com/SVUSDRH/petition.html

Please also know that our local roller hockey has committed itself to the support of others who should ever find themselves in a similar circumstance. After all, it's the common concerns such as this that cement us as a unified sport community and break down the barriers that may otherwise divide us. Who among hockey fans doesn't like a good fight, especially when it's for a good cause; like kids and keeping our sport alive!

Thank you IHC Readers!!!!!!

Sincerely,
Jay

P.S. And a SPECIAL THANKS to the Hockey Moms that pale the likes of Sara Palin, especially Sharon Duffner who spearheaded this campaign!

[zipyaj]

Thank you!

IHC Readers from across the country have helped through their joining our local supporters for this petition to help save the roller hockey program for over 100 players from four high schools in our league. Others have also contributed with their signing and comments including supporters within the NHL and AAU, facility owners, league directors, team owners, and more.

Your support has been encouraging and more is still needed. The efforts so far have resulted in the petitioners being invited to meet with the District Superintendant later this week.

Please sign and add your comment to this petition at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SVUSDRH/

Thank you again for your support and love for our sport!

[Doug Jones]

The SVUSD league is a league that brings great experience to the teams that participate and it's well policed and organized. The players are bused to the facility for their games and returned home. The program encourages players to continue their PE credits and of course offers some great competition.

I truly hope the board reconsiders.


Doug

[CUDangled]

I am glad to see people from all over the inline world have come together to support your cause. Also, great idea of posting this on IHC. This is what our sport needs. People joining together to help our cause. We scratch your back today, perhaps you scratch someone elses tomorrow.

[RichardGraham]

Hey Jay,

Thanks for adding the photographs; they really helped make the issue that more immediate and powerful. It's mighty cool to see the kids with the picket signs fighting for their sport!

[zipyaj]

I am glad to see people from all over the inline world have come together to support your cause. Also, great idea of posting this on IHC. This is what our sport needs. People joining together to help our cause. We scratch your back today, perhaps you scratch someone elses tomorrow.

CUDangled,

A B S O D A M N L U T E L Y ... it's tough spots like this that can help knit our hockey community and bring us together. We're fighting the good fight to help these scholastic clubs keep what they've earned since 1999.

Kids who grew up in & around this community are today playing D1 and D2 College and even on current All-Star rosters while others have grown to hold reputable positions with hockey companies and even NHL offices. It's about the sport and about kids who will someday grow up to give back to others - the succession plan in-the-making.

So, my brother, if you and/or yours should ever need help, just say the word and I/we will fight side-by-side with you!

Thanks also to others who have taken their time to comment in this forum and be counted within the petition, and to Richard Graham for giving us this IHC forum and a voice beyond our immediate reach.

Bless you!

[zipyaj]

Dear Readers, Friends and Supporters,
Thank you for your continued support! I am overwhelmed by this topic's reach across the boundaries of faction, geography or even sheets of the game we love.

Michael Schulman, CEO, Anaheim Ducks
"Jay, The Anaheim Ducks would like to be supportive so feel free to use my name and the team name. Mike"
Doug Heller, VP Finance, Anaheim Ducks.
"The Anaheim Ducks support this effort to keep hockey a CIF sanctioned sport"


As you may read, there's a veritable Who's Who list of signors from across the country who have joined in this drive to help. Won't you? After all, it's tough spots like this that can help knit our hockey community and help bring us all together.

Please help by signing the petition and comment with your thoughts at: http://www.petitiononline.com/SVUSDRH/petition.html

Thanks in advance for all you do!

Hockey Helping Hockey. One Community United!

Best Regards,

[zipyaj]

Dear Readers, Friends and Supporters,

Thank you each and all again for your support. I learned earlier today, and received confirmation moments ago, that our Save The Hockey Program has indeed met its goal and the High School Roller Hockey Program will continue for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

While threatened with termination under fierce pressure in this state's budget cuts, this program was salvaged through the commitment of parents to self-fund the league fees and associated costs reflecting an immediate savings to the district of nearly $14,000. The student athletes in the district's roller hockey program will maintain their benefits including PE Credit, Club status, Transportation and Varsity Letter program and their program will continue! The resulting savings will also help contribute to keeping one more district employee from losing their job.

Letters from middle school parents and from the four allied High Schools are now beginning to arrive celebrating their victory and giving thanks to all those who helped support the future of this important program. I am personally heartfelt over this and only regret that I can't share more with the many IHC readers who helped these kids.

When I go back to the rink tonight for our League's championship games, I will give pause to remember each smiling face on every player and remind myself just why we do what we do.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who assisted with this game-winning goal! Please never hesitate to ask if we can ever return the favor.

Warmest Regards,

[ACCCT2]

Dear Readers, Friends and Supporters,

Thank you each and all again for your support. I learned earlier today, and received confirmation moments ago, that our Save The Hockey Program has indeed met its goal and the High School Roller Hockey Program will continue for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

While threatened with termination under fierce pressure in this state's budget cuts, this program was salvaged through the commitment of parents to self-fund the league fees and associated costs reflecting an immediate savings to the district of nearly $14,000. The student athletes in the district's roller hockey program will maintain their benefits including PE Credit, Club status, Transportation and Varsity Letter program and their program will continue! The resulting savings will also help contribute to keeping one more district employee from losing their job.

Letters from middle school parents and from the four allied High Schools are now beginning to arrive celebrating their victory and giving thanks to all those who helped support the future of this important program. I am personally heartfelt over this and only regret that I can't share more with the many IHC readers who helped these kids.

When I go back to the rink tonight for our League's championship games, I will give pause to remember each smiling face on every player and remind myself just why we do what we do.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who assisted with this game-winning goal! Please never hesitate to ask if we can ever return the favor.

Warmest Regards,

Congratulations! Good work, Jay!:)

[zipyaj]

First, THANKS again to the roller hockey community for all their support.

As has been and is currently being mentioned within IHC articles and forum threads, High School (scholastic) Roller Hockey is a key segment to our sport. This segement often faces some unique challenges for its mere existence. As many high school teams across the country are considered "club sports" when recognized by their school district or their own school, they must therefore routinely contend with school administrators as well as the hockey community on many fronts. Perhaps chief among them is fundraising; something that is increasingly important to their survival in these financially troubled times. But thanks to the stalwart efforts of student athletes, parents and an army of hockey moms, these programs continue to overcome the obstacles set before them and thrive despite them.

Provided below is an update to help keep you informed that the high school roller hockey program at four local schools is indeed intact and moving forward. Their efforts have been successful in retaining their beloved "club sport" program and continue to capture media attention as demonstrated by yesterday's news article and the references below.

Kudos to the hockey moms of the world and thanks to everyone who recognizes the importance of our scholastic roller hockey segment.


Shrinking economy penalizes high school sports
Budget cuts are forcing parents in more communities, although not all, to fund athletics.
The Orange County Register. July 3, 2009
... In response, booster groups increasingly are being tapped to raise funds and, at times, beg and cajole parents into writing checks for hundreds of dollars per season, per athlete, per sport. ... Mission Viejo parent Linda Robert, who helps head up fundraising efforts for Trabuco Hills High School's roller hockey team, says that with the loss of all Saddleback Valley Unified financial support, the team must now come up with about an additional $3,400 a year. That's on top of the $1,000 or more that parents individually pay to outfit their children with expensive gear and equipment, she said.
source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/school-parents-sports-2483678-high-going?orderby=TimeStampDescending&showRecommendedOnly=0&oncommentsPage=3#slComments



Roller hockey continues play in Saddleback Valley
The Orange County Register. March 26, 2009
Roller hockey parents and supporters have agreed to give the Saddleback Valley Unified School District a donation in order to offset the costs of running the program, district officials said. ... "They're holding fundraisers and finding ways to donate money," said district spokesman Tom Turner. ... The district will continue providing an on-campus seventh period PE coach and PE credit to their athletes for the spring 2010 season and also letter status to varsity players.
source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/turner-lacrosse-district-2347181-hockey-roller


And a flashback to demonstrate just how long this program has been striving to stay alive...
LA Times. November 20, 1998
More than 50 athletes and parents turned out this week to celebrate the creation of roller hockey as an official sport. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District board of trustees approved the sport this week. ... The student-athletes presented the board with an in-line skate-shaped cake, complete with Lifesavers for shoelace loops. The first hockey season begins next semester with high school teams in inter-district competition. The sport will not be considered for California Interscholastic Federation standing until 2002.
source: http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/20/local/me-45499

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