Scottish Ice Hockey (SIH) has announced the details of their national program for the 23/24 season. Jamie Thomson, Head of Hockey Operations, expressed his excitement about refreshing the national program and providing clubs with ample time to organise players and encourage participation in the upcoming season.
For the next season, the age groups will follow the traditional format, including under 11 (u11), under 13 (u13), under 15 (u15), and under 17 (u17). Additionally, the program will continue to have sessions specific to NM players, and there are plans to host at least one under 19 (u19) game, if not more.
The program will be held at the Dumfries Ice Bowl for the 23/24 season, and the SIH extends their gratitude to the facility’s management for their assistance in organizing the program.
One significant change is that the coaches will be instructed to maintain a larger squad of approximately 40 players, along with 4 NM’s, from September to December, without making any cuts.
Following this period, a two-day event will be hosted in Dumfries. During this event, each squad will be divided into East and West teams, and several games will be played to allow the coaches to evaluate the players in a competitive setting. Subsequently, the coaches will select a “20 + 2 Scotland Squad” based on their assessments.
To ensure participants are well-informed and can plan accordingly, the SIH aims to provide a pack detailing the games, tournaments, and other relevant information for the entire season during the first session in September. This will allow players and organisers to have a clear understanding of the goals and help them get organised from day one.
DATES FOR 23/24 SEASON
National Training Days:
- September 24
- October 29
- November 26
- January 21
- February 25
- March 31
- April 28
SIH Squad Games:
- December 28/29
It is important for clubs to note that no club fixtures will be scheduled on any of these dates, as they are dedicated to the SIH national program activities.
