Whats coming in 2025-26?
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR TRAVEL TEAMS
RMHA welcomes Torres Hockey, Marilyn Holland, and Jon Hunter as part of our new Skills Development program for the U10-U15 travel teams.
Skills Development Instructor Casey Torres: RMHA is excited to welcome Casey Torres to the Ranger family as our new Professional Skills Development Instructor. Casey will be working primarily with the U12-U15 Rep teams in the 2025-26 season providing our players and coaches with high-level instruction to enhance their hockey development individually and as a team. Casey comes to us with years of experience as a player and coach at the Jr level of hockey and is currently part of the Windsor Spitfires Jr. A coaching staff.
Dedicated Skating Instructor Marilyn Holland: Marilyn is a Skate Canada Professional Coach with more than 20 years of experience. Her certifications include NCCP Trained Instructor and NCCP Certified Canpowerskate Coach. Marilyn has taught competitive skating, ice-dancing, figure skating, and Cansk programs.
Dedicated Organization Goalie Coach Jon Hunter: Jon comes to RMHA with an experienced hockey background as a goalie. His career accolades include being a draft pick in the OHL, 5years of Jr. hockey leading to a Sutherland Cup win, and backstopping the University of Windsor Mens Hockey team. Jon has coached multiple teams in the Windsor / Essex area, including the 2020 Alliance Championship team with Sun County, and has taken various office roles in both the NHL & AHL. With over 20 years of goalie coaching experience, he aims to provide technical training and focus on situational and self-awareness in each session to develop all-around goaltenders. RMHA welcomes Jon to the Ranger family and is excited for all our goaltenders to learn all they can from him.
Why Riverside?
Since 1958 Riverside Minor Hockey Association (RMHA) has provided this community’s players with the opportunity to represent Riverside in the largest minor hockey league in the world: the OMHA (Ontario Minor Hockey Association). RMHA is also a crucible for developing athletes and leaders of tomorrow. We provide a fun and competitive environment and hockey experience where players will develop their skills to the highest level through practices and games against teams from across Essex County.
Our main focus includes:
• Advancing competitive and affordable programming: Providing opportunities that cater to all skill levels and aspirations.
• Strengthening Coaching Resources: Enhancing the quality and availability of coaching for player development.
• Building a Supportive Community: Fostering an environment where players and families can thrive on and off the ice.
What do Open Borders mean and how are we going to manage the future?
To some, open borders may seem like an opportunity to explore other hockey associations. To others, open borders may seem daunting. Should you stay or should you go? What matters to you most when making your decisions? We believe that RMHA still has the best options available for our players. We are committed to providing the best hockey experience in the area and have proven it year after year.
COACHING: Quality coaching is essential to the success of our players and teams to advance the continued development of our coaches, RMHA provides an in-house coach mentorship and development program for all team staff throughout the season. RMHA also prioritizes the selection of non-parental coaches for our Travel teams whenever possible to ensure an unbiased selection process and to provide fresh voices and perspectives for our athletes. RMHA offers complete autonomy for our coaches throughout both the tryouts and team selection processes. Our Vice President of Travel and Coach Director's role is to support the coaches if asked and only when necessary. There is no “selection by committee” or interference. We are here to support and assist our coaches as necessary.
COSTS: The RMHA has prided itself on maintaining the lowest base registration costs and has not raised our fees for the past three years. The RMHA Board of Directors has emphasized the importance of being fiscally responsible while delivering the best on-ice product. Competitive hockey comes at an added cost to our families however based on data we have collected, our ‘travel’ fees remain among the lowest across the county.
EVERYONE PAYS: All players will pay their fair share. If there is a financial challenge, families can take advantage of several remedies that are offered by RMHA, including our payment plans.
FACILITIES: All RMHA programming is at the WFCU Center. You won’t be traveling to multiple rinks for your practices every other day. With multiple ice pads at one location, the WFCU Center is still the most sought-after venue in the county.
FULL ROSTERS: We will never intentionally run a team with a short roster. Hockey is a team game and therefore our Rangers teams will always roster at least 17 players when it is possible. We recognize that in some age groups, extenuating circumstances may arise, however, it will continue to be our goal.
ICE TIME: Our teams practice out of one facility, the WFCU Centre, all season with consistent practice days and times that are set and published at the start of the season. This convenience makes a significant difference for families that need to travel any distance to their hockey arena. The WFCU Center is a central location with ease of access from all directions. Our competitive travel teams will practice a minimum of 2.5 hours per week and will also be allocated one home game slot per week. Additional ice time is often available throughout the year and will be assigned by the VP Travel as necessary.
NO POWERBROKERS: We’ve all heard the stories and some of you may have even lived them where some parents control coaches either financially or otherwise. RMHA will do whatever we can to ensure that these power imbalances do not materialize within our association. Our VP of Travel, Coach Director, and Board of Directors will manage adverse situations and conflicts of interest as they occur and will do everything, we can to appropriately manage all adverse situations.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: As outlined earlier, RMHA has contracted with Torres Hockey and Marilyn Holland to provide bi-weekly skills development sessions to our U10-U15 teams exclusively. These sessions will be in addition to your regular 2.5hrs of practice per week. For the 2025-26 season, RMHA will be covering this cost.
SUCCESS: The development of our young athletes is at the forefront of our policies and everything we do. We know that for too many in minor sports, many believe in and prioritize a “winning at all costs” approach. While we recognize that a winning team makes for a more enjoyable experience for everyone, we also know that the team experience is what matters most. We are not only committed to developing the best hockey players but also to instilling important core values that will help create the leaders of tomorrow. Whether it’s player development, sustainability, access to resources, or team success, RMHA prides itself on offering the very best environment for all players to succeed and have a positive experience playing the greatest sport in the world.
RETENTION U5, U7, U8, U9: Over the past few seasons RMHA has emphasized the development of our young Rangers to ensure proper development of core hockey skills. The Hockey Canada Pathway has helped to emphasize the necessary skills to help young players advance into competitive hockey if they choose. Skating, stick handling, shooting, and positional play, are just a handful of the skills that we believe should be built up at an early age to give players distinct advantages as they progress in their youth hockey careers.
TOURNAMENTS: At the travel level, RMHA has hosted the most prestigious tournament in North America for over 64 years. The International Christmas tournament has welcomed teams from all over