House League Coaching Staff Overview
Without coaches and trainers who volunteer their time and step behind the bench every season, there would be no minor hockey in Markham/Stouffville. These volunteers are the heart of any minor hockey association. It is an OWHA requirement that each team have certified bench staff consisting of a head coach, assistant coach(es), and at least one HTCP certified trainer.
If you have any questions about volunteering as a member of our house league team staff, please email our VP of House League at [email protected]
Key Dates
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All course requirements complete: September 30, 2025
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Vulnerable Sector Check uploaded to OWHA's screening portal: October 11, 2025
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Submit receipts for reimbursement: December 31, 2025 (all requirements must be complete)
Apply to join our Coaching Staff
- FIRST: Complete our online volunteer form to apply volunteer as a member of our House League team staff. Once you are approved by our VP of House League, follow the steps outlined below to complete any required courses and register in Ramp.
FIRST TIME VOLUNTEERS: Create Your HCR (Hockey Canada Registry) Number
- Follow the steps in the "Create an HRC number for new members" guide to create an HCR number for your OWHA registration.
- The HCR number is a unique identifier used by Hockey Canada and its Members for managing registrations, rosters, player profiles, and much more.
- This is a two step process and both must be completed in order to create an HCR number.
Create Accounts
- Ramp registration portal.
- This is where you register yourself as a coach/assistant/trainer. If you registered a child for hockey, you already created a Ramp account.
- Hockey Canada Registry (Spordle).
- This is where you register for most clinics/courses.
- You can also check the approval status of your Vulnerable Sector Check once you upload it to the OWHA’s screening portal.
- When you visit the site, select "Ontario Hockey Federation" and "Ontario Women's Hockey Association" in the drop-down menus on the 'Register for clinics' page to find OWHA clinics and courses.
Complete course/VSS requirements and register as a team staff member
- Register as a volunteer staff member in Ramp (OWHA's registration portal)
- Register for OWHA Foundational courses and complete
- All coaches/assistants/trainers:
- Register for Team Staff Courses
- U7-U9 Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches:
- U11-U18 Head Coaches:
- Trainers
- Get a VSC (Vulnerable Sector Check):
- The OWHA requires that all team staff members aged 18 and over complete a Vulnerable Sector Check and upload it to the OWHA's Screening Submission Portal. We can accept a VSC for your employer or different organization.
- Download a Volunteer Letter (
SMGHA_Volunteer_Letter_Template). You will need to add your name and date to this document and include in your submission.
- Submit online or Apply in-person for your VSC from York Region Police (if you live in another region, submit your VSC request to your local police department).
- If your VSC has expired or you are a new staff member without a VSC on file, upload your VSC to the "Ontario Screening Submission Portal."
If you have previously uploaded a VSC and it has not yet expired, use the "Ontario Submission Screening Portal" to complete an online VSC Declaration.
- Once all requirements are completed, upload your receipts for reimbursement: upload receipts.
- Note that we only reimburse for course fees and VSCs (not for travel, food, etc.).
OWHA House League Team Staff Requirements (view pdf all OWHA requirements)
- All qualifications listed below are the minimum requirement. All members of our team staff must:
- Complete necessary requirements specified in OWHA's Team Staff Qualification Requirements
- Anyone 18 and over must have a satisfactory VSS/VSC & Declaration document must be submitted and processed via the Screening Portal, in accordance with the OWHA Screening Policy.
- Be registered with the OWHA, and complete Rowan’s Law Resource Review & Acknowledgement.
- Be a minimum of two (2) years older than the oldest player in all divisions.
- Be a minimum of 16 years of age, this includes Trainers.
- Have at least ONE insured female staff
- Each team must have a minimum of 2 Dressing Room Monitors, and they must have completed "Respect in Sport Activity Leader," "Gender Identity and Expression" and screened with satisfactory VSC and Declaration.
- It is recommended that at least one (1) of the Dressing Room Monitors be female.
- All Dressing Room Monitors must be rostered with the Association
- All Third-Party Instructors must be insured and rostered with the Association
- A Head Coach cannot be assigned as the Head Trainer on the same team