Volunteer Bond Program

This page details the Volunteer Bond Program implemented by the Canmore Minor Hockey Association.

• Purpose
• Overview
• Fee Breakdown
• Credit System
• FAQ

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 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. The Volunteer Bond Program is designed to do a better job of sharing the volunteer load amongst all members of the association.  

Overview

The Program is based on a credit system, in which every member family is required to earn a minimum number of credits to meet their volunteer commitment. Credits fall into two categories:

1. Team Level Credits: These involve day-to-day tasks directly related to a specific team, such as coaching, managing, transporting jerseys, operating the time clock, or working the penalty box.

2. Association Level Credits: These are tasks that support CMHA as a whole, such as helping with tournaments, casinos, fundraising events, equipment management, or other association activities.

Each family is required to earn both Team Level and Association Level credits to fulfill their Volunteer Bond Program commitment.

The Volunteer Bond Program Fee varies depending on:

• The number of registered players per family
• The age groups of those players
• Whether a family chooses to opt out of volunteering and pay the fee directly
• Whether the minimum credit requirement is fulfilled

Credit requirements:

• 1 player at U7: 5 credits
• 1 player at U9 or above: 10 credits
• Each additional player in a family that is in U9 or above: 5 credits
• Each additional player in a family in U7: 2.5 credits

Families that have not met their volunteer credit requirement will be charged a fee, which will be processed at the end of the season.  Further details on how fees are calculated are outlined in the next section. CMHA reserves the right to adjust fees based on individual circumstances and will evaluate each case individually.

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.

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 include 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 and/or the age of the player(s) 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. 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 is the process if a player is injured for a significant period of time, impacting a family’s ability to participate and obtain credits?

In this situation, the family and team manager should provide the CMHA Operations Manager with information on the injury and length of time the player will be away, as this would result in a reduced credit requirement in proportion to the amount of time the player’s season has been impacted. A doctor’s note will be required.

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 the 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:

• 1 player at U7: 5 credits
• 1 player at U9 or above: 10 credits
• Each additional player in a family that is in U9 or above: 5 credits
• Each additional player in a family in U7: 2.5 credits

For example: A family with 2 kids registered with CMHA in U9 and/or above 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

Last updated on Oct 5, 2025.