Inclement Weather Protocols, News (Stittsville Rams)

A friendly reminder for everyone to review the proper procedure to follow for weather-related cancellations now that winter has arrived.

Inclement Weather & Game Rescheduling Protocol:

1. Team officials must first contact the statistician, as they have the authority to postpone games due to weather conditions.
2. If the statistician is unavailable, team officials should contact the LCMHL President, Treasurer, or Secretary, who also have the authority to reschedule games. Please ensure you are contacting the correct individual to avoid delays in response.
3. The opposing team must be notified by the team official requesting the cancellation due to inclement weather.
4. The team official must also notify the Referee Scheduler to inform them that the game has been postponed and will be rescheduled.

Important Reminder: At no time may a team postpone a game on its own. Doing so could result in a fine or suspension.

Additional Notes:

• Game cancellations are considered on a per-game basis. For example, a game between two Stittsville teams at a Stittsville location is unlikely to be canceled, while a game between Osgoode and Perth may be considered for cancellation due to the distance.
• Games are not typically canceled in blanket fashion (i.e., all games for a particular day) unless the weather is severe.
• Games will not be canceled in advance based solely on weather forecasts. Games are canceled only when the weather event (snow, freezing rain, etc.) actually begins.
• League discussions on cancellations begin as soon as the weather event starts. Many people from across the district weigh in before decisions are made. While safety is our top priority, rescheduling games can be challenging, so cancellations are not taken lightly.
• League officials who handle these decisions are volunteers, many with full-time jobs, and may not be immediately reachable during the day. However, we all monitor our emails closely when bad weather is expected. If you don’t receive a timely response from your statistician, please reach out to the next person on the list and CC the statistician to ensure everyone is aligned on the request.