Welcome to Ottawa North Hockey!

Hey Ottawa North Players, Parents, Friends, Family and Volunteers;

Hope you’re all laced up and ready for an exciting new season, because we’ve just pulled off a major power play—Ottawa East and Ottawa Center are officially teaming up as Ottawa North! Whether you were teammates last season or played on opposite sides of the rink, this year, our community has doubled the bench strength and the fun. We’re skating forward together and we can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish as one big team.

I’d to introduce myself: I’m Ashleigh Esser and will be your Interim President for Ottawa Center, working alongside François Bélanger of Ottawa East.  Francois and I will guide the Merger Committee in making thoughtful, community-driven decisions and ensure a smooth transition as we build Ottawa North together.

Here’s a quick highlight reel of what’s new and what to expect:

·       Unified Sortout: We’re rolling out a level-based approach to make sure everyone gets the best experience on and off the ice.
·       Coach & Team Selection: Our draft strategy is all about fairness, opportunity, and building winning lineups!
·       Joint Volunteer Approach: Like having a referee from both teams, we’ll have volunteers from each association for key roles to help keep things running smoothly and unbiased (especially at the convenor level).
·       TeamSnap: The association will provide this, at no cost, for team-level messaging and tracking—helping everyone arrive at the right rink on time 😊

Game Plan for the Season Opener:

·       Pre-Season Camp: September 2–5 (get your gear ready and don’t forget those water bottles!)
·        First regular preseason ice : September 6 – stay tuned for updates from your Convenors
.     Equipment Sale: September 6 (perfect time to upgrade your skates)
·       Photo Day: Already scheduled—say cheese and show off those new jerseys!
·       Joint Communications: We’re working as a team to keep everyone in the loop, passing the puck so no one misses out.

Urgent Call for Volunteers:

We still need one U13 Convenor from each association. This is a key role to help organize teams and keep things running smoothly. It’s important that these spots are filled before first ice (September 6–7) so players and families have the support they need. There is also the option to divide responsibilities, if 2-3 people are willing to share the role.

If you can help, or know someone who might, please reach out right away to Ramine Shaw at convenercoordinator@ocmha.ca. Our players are counting on you!

The Road Ahead:

Looking ahead, we’re hoping to launch a NEW Ottawa North Goal Line for easy communications and scheduling. We’re still in overtime on this one, but we’ll keep you posted as soon as we get the win.

And speaking of wins… get ready for Ottawa North’s new logo, nickname, swag shop, and jerseys! Stay tuned for the big reveal—because every great team needs great gear.

Remember, one of the guiding principles behind this merger was to keep that strong sense of community alive. We’re asking you to bring all the best from OE and OC, and let’s make Ottawa North the best association ever. There might be a few bumps along the boards as we get started, but together we can make this season a real hat trick. Be kind, be patient and let's work together.

Your convenors have started reaching out to their cohorts to share updates. Thank you for your patience as we settle into our new association. Let’s bring all the great energy, talent, and spirit from both associations, and make Ottawa North a place we’re proud to call home ice.

Here’s to a fantastic season—let’s drop the puck and make some memories!

Cheers,
Ashleigh Esser & The Ottawa North Team