The Tomcat Board of Directors and select other Tomcats met last evening to discuss the recent season and plans for 2022-2023. The Tomcats taking part were:
Rocky, Stevo, Hollywood, Sunny, Sparky, Kamikaze, Falcon, Chico and Bender
Here is a recap of the items discussed and decisions made:
– $50 start fee and $5 per night (no change from recent years)
– Season will start September 20th. Last night of hockey (and pizza party) will be December 20th. We start back up on January 10, 2023 and we wrap April 18th. Last night in April will be a special game where goalies draft the teams.
– Annual tournament returns to last Saturday in February (25th). The play each team twice format makes it return (last done in 2016). So more games, but the games are shorter (8 minute periods). Captains for the tournament will be: ANIMAL, SCHOOLEY, HATCHIE and BIG EASY. New fines for missing/backing out of tournament also will be enforced:
— 1st rounders – 3 case fine
— 2nd rounders – 2 case fine
— 3rd rounders – 1 case fine.
No new rules but everyone will be reminded of key items that need to stop…hacking goalie when they cover ball, chopping down on sticks, swinging sticks, even when along the ground.
Friendly Reminder for warmups: do not shoot on net near stage – we will move that net to side until games start. And for the love of god, when warming up the goalies, shoot at them and below the waist. You are warming them up, not trying to take off their head or score.
2022-2023 will see the return of special games. Big Net Night will be played again, and other games proposed are Vets vs. Youngbloods, Detroit vs. Toronto and maybe a night where we bring some Tomcat kids out to play.
Other Special Events:
– The return of the holiday party at Rock Bottoms with significant others. Everyone loves this event and really missed it during COVID. Hoping to have it on a Friday in late November and hoping Chevy and Snowpants can help organize.
– Spitfire Suite – Bender to organize and split costs amongst interested Tomcats.
– Potential Tomcat Softball team – Chico to look into
– Cool Bus to Tiger’s game or other event. Also something for Bender to look into.
Other Plans:
– Chico, Director of Community Outreach to head up fundraising concept to first purchase the Tomcats a defib machine. After that, continue concept to then raise funds to give to local, grass root Windsor charitable organizations.
– New/Different Tomcat Swag – potential purchase of new hockey shorts for Tomcats to order, as well as Tomcat golf/polo shirts. Also hockey bags are under discussion. These will require some fee to each Tomcat, but Tomcats may be able to offset portion of costs based on budget at that time. Goalie jerseys were also considered if the goalies want to purchase those for themselves.
– Tomcat room and gym floor will need organizing/cleaning/repairs. Kamikaze and Rocky will look for volunteers in the summer to make this happen.
– Purchase speaker for music every night, not just when LaBamba is there
– Purchase net weights to hold them in place better. Rocky to procure.
– New balls and disperse them across more Tomcats so there will always be many available each night. Rocky to procure.
– Leverage Rocky Algorithm for picking teams and if not, ensure teams are as fair as possible for two-team nights.
– Stevo to once again start printing and mailing paper copies of the St. Felix to all Tomcats monthly so we can stop paying for the blog hosting.
That’s it for now. Here’s to a great evening at River’s Edge with a fine group of Tomcats and here’s to all Tomcats!
Tomcats Forever!