Volunteering (formerly DIBs)

The Volunteer Hours Program ensures the association can staff concessions and other essential roles that would otherwise require paid labor. Ample opportunities will be available throughout the season, and no charges are assessed at the start. We strongly prefer families contribute volunteer time rather than incur the monetary charge. Unfilled roles create additional administrative burden and increased costs, so your participation is essential to keeping our programs running smoothly.

Each player is assigned the the corresponding amount of volunteer hours upon registering as shown below:

• Mini-Mites - 4 Hours
• Mite/8U - 18 Hours
• Squirt/10U - 18 Hours
• Peewee/12U - 18 Hours
• Bantam/15U - 18 Hours
• Jr. Gold - 8 Hours

Those hours are assigned to the Primary parent/guardian that registers the player.

Upon registration of additional players, the system may initially assign volunteer hours to the Primary parent/guardian’s profile that exceed the family maximum of 28 hours. To ensure accuracy, FLHA will manually review each families volunteer hours requirements and apply multi-child credits as needed so no family will be required to complete more than the 28‑hour maximum.

To ensure the family maximum of 28 hours is applied correctly, the same Primary parent/guardian must register all players. Once registered, any email associated with a player’s profile can register and receive credit for hours worked.

Program Notes:

• Your email must be tied to your player's profile in order to sign up for Volunteer Hours shifts.
• The following activities, while necessary for team operations, do not qualify toward the fulfillment of volunteer hours: 
• Running the clock or penalty box at home games; 
• Serving as a locker room monitor;
• Any other team specific duties assigned by coaches or team staff.
• Tryouts are the first offered Volunteer Hours every year - these go fast. Don’t worry if you cannot get your hours in during Tryouts, there are plenty of other opportunities throughout the year. 
• If you plan on Managing or Coaching (Head or Assistant), please consider leaving the early Tryout Volunteer Hours for other families who don’t typically fill these roles.
• Team Managers must submit Team Volunteer Hour credits to the Volunteer Hours Coordinator by October 31st for all teams except Jr. Gold.
• Team Managers must submit Team Volunteer Hour credits to the Volunteer Hours Coordinator by December 15th for all Jr. Gold teams.

Q: Who can I contact if the volunteer hours listed for my family don’t look correct.

A: Please reach out the Vice President of Business at VPbusiness@flhockey.org with your concerns and they will review your family situation to determine if any changes needs to be made to the system.

Q: What is the Volunteer Program Fee if you do not fulfill your hours?

A: The fee is $55 per volunteer hour not fulfilled. The fee is charged if the required volunteer hours are not fulfilled by the end of the season.

Q: What level teams are required to participate in the Volunteer Hours Program?

A: Mini Mites through Junior Gold teams are all required to participate. Total hours required may vary by level.

Q: Why do Junior Gold families have to volunteer?

A: To ensure consistent services during Jr. Gold events like concessions, we are asking all Junior Gold families to commit to 8 hours of volunteer time.

Note: Seniors on JGold will not be required to fulfill any hours.

Q: If I get full Volunteer hours for coaching or being on a committee, does that cover ALL my Volunteer Program hours?

A: The position you hold will determine the amount of hours you get for volunteering. This allocation may or may not cover your families full volunteer hours requirement. You should utilize the charts below to determine if you need additional hours.

Q. What are the Volunteer Hour Requirements?

• Mini-Mites - 4 Hours
• Mite/8U - 18 Hours
• Squirt/10U - 18 Hours
• Peewee/12U - 18 Hours
• Bantam/15U - 18 Hours
• Jr. Gold - 8 Hours

Q: How do I earn Volunteer Hours?

A: Volunteer opportunities will be posted on our website. Families can earn hours by working at tournaments, tryouts, jamborees, the concession stand, and more—generally, families will earn one credit per hour. Credits can also be earned by serving on a committee, on the board, or in other association roles.

• Board Member - 28
• Committee Manager/Non-Elected - 28
• Committee Member - 28
• Head/Assistant Coach - 28
• Manager/Scrimmage Coordinator- 28
• Scholarship Committee - 6

Q: The volunteer hours are always claimed when I try to sign up for them. Will there be enough hours by the end of the season?

A: Yes, FLHA will always ensure that there are enough volunteer hours available for families that want to complete them. On average, we post the following hours during the season:

• September - 100+
• October - 300+
• November - 500+
• December - 750+
• January - 500+
• February - 550+

If needed, we’re able to release an additional 500+ hours during March and April. At the end of every season, we average between 50 to 100+ hours that go unclaimed.

Q: What is the last day I can register for volunteer hours?

A: The last day to register for Volunteer hours is April 30th and they must be completed by April 30th which is the last official day of the season

Q: How do Volunteer Hours work this year for team staff?

A: The teams will receive a max of 140 hours for the Head Coach & Manager to distribute among the staff with the following requirements:

• 28 hours are dedicated to the Head Coach whether they utilize them or not.
• 28 hours max for assistant coaches.
• 28 hours max for the role of Team Manager regardless of the # of people. (If 2 people are splitting the position, there are still only 28 hours max available for both volunteers to divide between themselves.)
• 8 hours max for the role of Scrimmage Coordinator at the Squirt/10U & older levels, regardless of the # of people. (If 2 people are splitting the position, there are still only 8 hours max available for both volunteers to divide between themselves.)
• All coaches, managers, and scrimmage coordinators must fulfill all USA Hockey and FLHA requirements and be on the official roster to qualify for the Volunteer Credits.
• Volunteer Hour credits must be submitted to the Volunteer Hours Coordinator by October 31st for all teams except Jr. Gold.
• Volunteer Hour credits must be submitted to the Volunteer Hours Coordinator by December 15th for all Jr. Gold teams.

Q: What if I need to cancel my Volunteer Hours shift?

A: If it is prior to the no cancellation period which is usually 2-3 days prior to the event, you can just login and cancel your shift on crossbar. Once the shift is locked from cancellation, you are responsible for finding your own replacement to work the shift.

Note: It is not the responsibility of the Concession Stand Scheduler to help members find replacements for shift that you cannot cancel and cannot attend.

Q: What happens if I don't show up for my Volunteer Hours shift?

A: If a person does not show up for a scheduled volunteer hours shift, the player's family assigned to the shift will be charged a $55/hr fee. The volunteer hours will still be considered as fulfilled.

We will use the Volunteer Hours System to manage all volunteering. Hours will be added as they become available, and a notification email will be sent.

• Try-Outs (starts late September)
• Concession Stand (starts late September and runs through the season)
• Intro to Hockey (early October)
• Hosted Tournament (several throughout the year)
• Mite Jamborees (Dec & Mar)
• Misc (team pics, Try Hockey for Free, Golf Tourney, etc)
• District 2 / Jr. Gold tournament responsibilities (Mar)
• Spring 4v4 League (starts in March)

Available Volunteer Hours shifts can be found by clicking on the link below:

If your are interested in getting paid for last minute volunteer shifts, please fill out the registration below: