Volunteer Bond Program
This page details the Volunteer Bond Program implemented by the Canmore Minor Hockey Association.
Purpose
The main purpose of the Canmore Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) Volunteer Bond Program is to encourage all members of CMHA to assist in the operation of the association. Maintaining a high quality, and affordable hockey program, such as the one in Canmore, requires huge amounts of effort from a variety of individuals. In the past, the trend has been that this work falls on a far too small group of volunteer board members, coaches, managers, and parents. As the association grows, becomes more successful, and takes on more, having the same 5% or 10% of volunteers doing the work is not sustainable. As individuals burn out, have kids that age out of the association, or have other circumstances that change, it leaves major gaps as those key volunteers step away. The Volunteer Bond Program is designed to do a better job of sharing the volunteer load amongst all members of the association.
Overview
The CMHA Volunteer Bond Program is based on a credit system, rather than an hourly one, in which every member family of CMHA must earn a minimum number of credits to fulfill their volunteer requirement. Credits are organized into two categories:
- Team Level Credits, that involve volunteer tasks specific to the day to day running of a team. These include year long tasks such as coaching and managing, and also game-day tasks such as (but not limited to) transporting jerseys, running the time clock or penalty box.
- Association Level Credits, that involve volunteer tasks not specifically related to a single team.These include tasks such as (but not limited to) Tournaments, Casino’s, other fundraising events, managing equipment and inventory, or other CMHA related events and operations.
Each family is required to earn both Team Level Credits and Association Level Credits to fulfill their Volunteer Bond. The minimum number of credits required to fulfill the Volunteer Bond Program depends on how many players a family has registered with CMHA. For a single player, a minimum of 10 total credits are required to fulfill the Volunteer Bond Program commitment. Each additional player adds on another 5 required credits.
During registration, families choosing not to meet the volunteer bond credit criteria, will be required to select the Volunteer Bond Opt-Out Package. The Volunteer Bond Program Fee depends on a few variables, including how many players a family has registered in CMHA, whether they choose to forgo any volunteering and pay the fee outright, and whether they are able to earn a minimum number of credits. The next section breaks down how the fee is calculated in detail.
Finally, CMHA reserves the right to adjust fees for a family based on circumstances, and will evaluate each situation on a case by case basis.
Fee Breakdown
The following flowchart describes how the Volunteer Bond Program Fee is calculated.
Credit System
The following is a breakdown of volunteer tasks, with the associated number of credits for each.
| Association Level | |
| Task | Credits |
| Board of Directors | 10 |
| Casino Shift - Once every 2 years (2026) | 10 |
| Equipment Manager | 10 |
| RHL Governor | 10 |
| Sponsorship Coordinator | 10 |
| Committee Member | 5 |
| Tournament Assistant | 5 |
| Tournament Shift | 1 per hour |
| Tournament Shift - Boards | 0.50 per shift |
| Team Level | |
| Manager | 10 |
| Head Coach | 10 |
| Assistant Coach | 4 |
| Jersey Manager | 3 |
| Volunteer Manager | 3 |
| Time Clock | 0.5 per game |
| Penalty Box | 0.5 per game |
| Music | 0.5 per game |
| Scorebook | 0.5 per game |
| Data Entry | 0.5 per game |
| Board Setup | 0.25 per game |
FAQ
Why is there a volunteer bond when parents already pay a registration fee?
Canmore Minor Hockey fees are quite low compared to other minor hockey associations. The fees also get a player access to skills development, power skating, and other benefits at no additional charge, whereas these perks are typically extra in other associations. The diagram below shows how much of the program is paid for by registration fees alone, and how much of the program depends on funding obtained through volunteering.
As is shown above, registration fees alone account for less than half of the Canmore Minor Hockey program funding. For too many years, the volunteering component has been done by the same 5% of members. Having 5% of the membership do 100% of the work is not sustainable for Canmore Minor Hockey, and ultimately puts the program quality at risk, as people burn out. The Volunteer Bond Program is a necessary measure to ensure that this volunteer load is spread more equally throughout the membership. It is also meant to create a community of shared ownership among the members, which is a healthy one for any association.
The alternative to the Volunteer Bond program is to more than double current Canmore Minor Hockey registration fees.
How much is the volunteer bond?
The Volunteer Bond Program fee is $500 for a single player, plus $250 for each additional player. This will only be charged at the end of the year, in the event that a family does not fulfill the number of credits.
For families that wish to forgo any volunteering and pay the fee at the beginning of the year, the fee is $500 per player. In the event that less than 10% of the required credits are earned by a family, the fee is treated the same as paying out at the beginning and is $500 per player.
How many hours do I need to put in?
The Volunteer Bond Program is based on credits, rather than hours. The number of volunteer hours required will change depending on the task(s) a volunteer chooses to perform. The number of credits also depends on how many players a single family has registered with CMHA.
Is the Volunteer Bond Program mandatory?
Yes, every family who has a child registered in Canmore Minor Hockey must take part in the Volunteer Bond Program.
Can I choose to not volunteer and pay the bond fee outright?
Yes, if you choose to not volunteer at all, you have the option of paying the Volunteer Bond Program fee during registration (select the Volunteer Bond Opt-Out Package). In this circumstance, the fee will be charged at $500 / per player registered in CMHA.
Can I roll over credits to the following year?
No, credits do not roll over to the next year.
What happens if I only earn a partial number of credits?
In the event that you do not complete 100% of the required credits, the fee charged at the end of the year will be prorated based on the percentage of credits earned. For example, if you earned 75% of the required credits, your fee will be reduced by 75%.
If you earn less than 10% of the required volunteer credits, this is treated the same as paying the fee upfront, in which a family is charged $500 per player.
What happens if by the end of the year I haven’t volunteered any credits?
This situation is treated the same as paying the fee upfront, in which a family is charged $500 per player registered in CMHA.
What will funds from the bond fee be used for?
Funds from the Volunteer Bond Program will be used to pay for other individuals to perform the tasks that members are not able to volunteer for.
How does the program work if I have multiple players in minor hockey?
The number of credits required for a family to fulfill the Volunteer Bond Program is calculated as follows:
- The first player comes with a requirement of 10 credits
- Additional players come with a requirement of 5 credits per player
So a family with 2 kids registered with CMHA, will require 15 credits. Families with 3 kids will require 20 credits.
The Volunteer Bond Program fee is structured in a similar fashion:
- The fee for the first player is $500
- Additional players come with a fee of $250 per player
