Open Border Statement (Douro Minor Hockey)

This year the OHF announced “a series of updates to the Player Movement Regulations” effective the 2025/26 season, meaning that next season there will be completely open borders for U9 age groups and up regardless of the level. Meaning that Douro-Dummer players can play wherever they want and players from other communities can come to be a Duke. 

Douro Minor Hockey has always been a welcoming and inclusive centre, opening our doors to players when our neighbouring centres have been unable to offer REP hockey or if players were looking for a place to play LEO. That will not change. We pride ourselves on being a centre that is here for the players, and we will always do our best to find a spot for any player to play hockey. Our continued commitment is to ensure a fun, safe and positive learning experience for all involved.

Watching and advocating over the years at provincial levels, DMH saw the writing on the wall. We suspected that big changes were coming and feel we are in a good position to continue with the strong foundation that has been laid over the past almost 45yrs of Dukes hockey. 

Change can be a great motivator for innovation, over the past few seasons, we have initiated programs to attract and retain players committing to developing a lifelong love of the sport, hopefully for years beyond when the minor hockey journey ends. Some of these programs include:

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• Our Goalie specific training programs, offering free goalie training, by-weekly all season long lead by expert goalie coaches for all Dukes’ goalies. We’ve also put in place a Goalie equipment credit not only to entice goalies to give tending a try but also to keep our current goalies engaged and developing.

• With a vision, Douro Minor Hockey has implemented a “Learn to Skate” Program as a soft start to introduce our younger groups to skating and the hockey program at an affordable rate, knowing that our youngest Dukes will feed the long-term sustainability of Douro Minor Hockey.

•    At the beginning of each season, all Dukes U11 and up provide on ice “Skills and Drills”  lead by Canadian Hockey Enterprises, as well as body contact clinics, once again at no cost to Dukes’ families. 

 

•   Douro Minor Hockey provides Rep teams the option of an additional hour of practice time weekly,( at a cost recovery to the team)  during prime times, understanding the challenges of scheduling and commuting families.

 

•  Although a seemingly small expense, Douro Minor Hockey does still provide jerseys and socks to all players at no cost to our registrants.

 

•    We value our volunteers and appreciate their expertise. The past few years we have revised our coaching selection policies and that combined with in house D1 certification, we continue to strengthen our Coaches each season. 

• Douro Minor Hockey believes in equal opportunities and transparency.  Each Coaching applicant, regardless of how many candidates there are, will be interviewed by a panel composed of non-affiliated, non-biased community members and executive board members who will provide recommendations to the DMH Exec. All Executive Board members will declare a conflict of interest if applicable and remove themselves from the decision-making process.

 

• DMH provides additional individuals for Rep evaluations beyond the Coach for U9MD and up to ensure Rep team selection is as fair and equitable as possible.

 

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• We are a winning center, our teams both LL and Rep have numerous provincial

championships, showings, banners and trophies, too many to mention.

 

As a Duke, your player has the opportunity to play hockey at the level that meets their developing needs, with their friends and classmates in a community that cares for each as their own. Douro Minor Hockey has committed over many years to ensure every Duke has a place to play hockey in their community if they so choose. We are confident we will continue to strengthen our program and are excited for the future because “We’re the Dukes and We’re the Best!