Sponsorship

[wondervar]

Interesting that the person in charge of SIHA hockey has taken to threatening children with sanctions..Read the letter sent out by Jeff Ingrum to his travel teams...


Note to all Travel Team Players:

The final Stallions tryout was completed this past weekend and we wish to thank all of the SIHA players who participated. There were just over 200 players that tried out for the program. SIHA is excited to be able to provide this program to our members that wish to participate. Harrow Sports has also agreed to sponsor the Stallions Pro team that just won the NARCH Winter Championship in Las Vegas, an 18-under and 21-under team will be sponsored also.
SIHA has always been extremely cautious about sponsorship for our younger players because we want to protect their amateur status for High School and College participation. CHSAA the sports governing body for high school athletics in Colorado and the NCAA for college sports do not allow players to be compensated with travel and meal expenses or free equipment to keep and then be eligible for their organizations.
SIHA does not want to risk the future of one of our player?s ability to play high school ice hockey or any other sport because they were given money, plane tickets or equipment for playing roller hockey. If you are not convinced of my statements on this situation just remember the Jeremy Bloom situation, the wide receiver for CU that is also a great skier.
Therefore, it is important that all SIHA members become aware of our new policy regarding players that wish to play travel and rec league with SIHA and then play elite with another organization that compensates the players or families with travel, food or equipment that you will no longer be able to participate in any of the SIHA programs and will effectively be removed from our organization. We are not going to risk the amateur status of our membership so that a few can receive illegal compensation for their child. SIHA is compiling a list of players that are playing with these other organizations and will have it available for CHSAA and the NCAA for any questions or inquiries.
SIHA has always tried to offer every program possible for our customer base and consider the consequences for all of our players for the long term. This exact issue is one of the reasons that my sons were never allowed to receive free equipment or play on sponsored teams because they played high school and now college football. The fact that roller hockey is not a sanctioned sport by CHSAA or the NCAA does not exempt it from becoming a sport that classifies as professional status when receiving compensation.
Harrow Sports agrees with me on this issue 100% and will follow the letter of the law with the NCAA in regards to our 18-under & 21-under teams they will support.
In regards to younger players, even 8-under or 10-under players that play for groups that compensate players with equipment or money will be removed from our organization. This compensation even if it is considered a gift is not acceptable by sanctioning body standards. This policy for SIHA members takes effect Feb. 23, 2004.
If you have any questions regarding this issue please call me at 719-380-8731.


Sincerely,


Jeffrey J. Ingrum

[SpiderRat]

Doesn't sound like he will have much of a program after he kicks everyone out. It also doesn't sound like this guy knows how to have fun nor does he know what competition is all about. I almost feel bad for the kids left skating in his program. Lighten up.

[SpeedDemon]

Yeah, because we all know he's running a professional organization in the NHL, right?

Heh, it's just a youth sport. Sheesh, lighten up!

[sixpacusa]

This is consistent behavior for this organization. Two years ago it was an insurance issue in that if SIHA players played for other teams it would be a liability for SIHA which would result in them loosing their insurance coverage and/or experiencing law suites. Therefore, no SIHA players could play on other teams or they would be dropped. That letter resulted in 6 teams pulling off a schedule three days prior to one of our events. I have been told on two occasions by Jeff himself, that he is more than capable of doing it all and he will, and this year the Continental Cup came to be. I am not one who usually responds to message boards, however, I have been in Roller Hockey both as a Rink Operator for seven years and a Tournament Coordinator for ten years now and I am disappointed that there is yet one more thing out there confusing our parents and children. Roller Hockey needs to be professional, fun and fair. We need to encourage parents to have their small children begin to play Roller Hockey instead of selecting another sport that they may feel is more organized and less complicated. I want to encourage supporters of Roller Hockey to research this issue, as I am doing now. Lets find out the facts! If the statements in this letter are in fact true, does this mean any free product(s), whether by raffle or vendor sponsorship, as well as discounts offered to teams or cash prizes for winners, by the various Tournament Operators apply? Anyone, who is confident and knowledgeable on this issue is invited to respond. Thanks, di

[EMANON]

This is the strangest thing I have ever heard. Does this or will this include tournament play in which the Tournament gives out free product. I know that like TORHS is sponsored by Tour and Rink Rat and a few more people and give out product during the tournaments as well as Patty from TopCat and NARCh. Indirectly the company gives out stuff to players. What about the tournaments that the players win like Hyper pants and stuff will they have to give that stuff back. Come on get a life! As long as the players are not being paid for playing they can not be held out of colleges or playing college sports. Receiving equipment does not constitute as a contract that will hold you out of college. Now if you bump into someone giving out hummers for playing Hockey drop me a line because I would definitely forfit for that!

[MDE3]

In the world of "professional sport" as listed by the NCAA, none of the inline leagues are listed as qualifying to be considered "professional sport". This issue has been researched multiple times by those who run the various college inline leagues, as to whether their players would lose any eligibility for college athletics ..even in parellel disciplines if they played PIHA or MLRH. My understanding is that there is no penalty from playing these sports.

I believe in spite of the fine print in NCAA regulations concering gifts etc., that because there is no "true or recognized professional league" for inline hockey in their documented limitations, any "incentives" to play cannot be construed as enticements, because there is nowhere to be "enticed to"..... at least not yet.... in the sense of a professional sport which allows an athlete to earn a living from playing the sport.

Most sponsorships I have seen, still require that teams pay approximately "wholesale" value for the goods supplied. If addtional private sponsors pick up that cost, then there may in fact be a "free ride" somewhere out there. Even in the MLRH or PIHA I have yet to see a full "free ride".

The above being said, there would be no way that the tournament structure currently in place could survive based on the ability of kids or parents to foot the whole bill. Whether the sponsorships involve "fundraising", direct commercial subsidy, reduced equipment costs, special group or team travel and hotel rates, reduced rink rates, donated coaching or clinic time, there will always be some form of subsidy involved in this sport.

The attempt by the person deliniated in the original post to limit the access of his players to other teams should in no way be viewed as an attempt to "protect" his players, but rather as an attempt to protect his organization.

[hockey_72]

Can you say not true? Who is this guy? He has some serious guts to be sending out something like this. If he follows through he could be dealing with some lawsuites.

[Berry_Bramble]

If he didn't know about him being sponsored by quickchange, he knows now!



http://www.easternchallenge.com/eeyore.jpg

[colohockeydad]

Thanks for allowing me my anonymity, Roy......lmao.

This has all been taken competely out of context. People need to take a deep breath and.........HAVE FUN!!!!! That's what I do. I have a child playing with SIHA. He loves it. I have another child playing with another organization (the Mayhem). Both organizations are good. I personally know someone in almost every organization here in Colorado. Most are great people. I joke around and have fun with all of them. People need to lighten up and enjoy this wonderful sport. Be careful who you deal with (these are our children after all), but have fun.
In my humble opinion, SIHA is the best organization to belong to. No other organization provides the opportunities that SIHA does. My kids have both had a blast playing there.

[umroller]

It may be a great organization but that gives them no good right to restrict who can play in their organization depending on whether equipment sponsorships are accepted. No recreation league should police that sort of thing. That should be between the player, his or her parents, the potential sponsor and the NCAA. He should at least get his facts straight about what is allowed or not allowed before making ridiculous restrictions that will only harm the potential financial situation of players and their parents.

[dtlpuck]

If the stallions really run such a good program they would not need to resort to threats. So everyone knows they recruit from the state of Colorado and he can't stand to lose to the new teams in town that have turned to the ice players to start their programs. Now what kids can have fun traveling all over the state just for practice? He has recruited heavily this year with ice players to try and stay competitive. Instead of welcoming the new kids and teams to instill more competition he is moaning. I guess he likes to play tournaments where all the teams are Stallions that way he can't lose. Get a real JOB