Robert E. Lee Hockey Club

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can join the Robert E. Lee Hockey Club?

Any student, male or female, can join The Robert E. Lee Hockey Club so long as he or she satisfies the requirements of the Robert E. Lee High School for participation in school-sponsored activities.

A student joins simply by completing an information sheet and attending meetings. In addition, any student who plays on a hockey team must register with USA Hockey Inline and obtain the required insurance.

Q: Who determines the Varsity Team Roster and the Junior Varsity Team Roster?

The Varsity Coach, Junior Varsity Coach, Assistant Coaches and Team Managers, along with approval from the Faculty Sponsor, determine which students play on Varsity and which play on Junior Varsity. As a general rule, the more experienced and skilled players, in the discretion of the coaches, will be named to the Varsity team.

Q: Who are the Coaches?

For 2005-2006, the Varsity Head Coach is Mark Miller. He is assisted by Bill Heimbaugh. The Junior Varsity Head Coach is Brian Johnston. He is assisted by Frank Manginell. All of these men have coached elite travel hockey teams for several years. They have also coached recreational league and travel teams at several different age levels.

Q: How are Coaches selected?

The Coaches are volunteers who are selected through a careful process. The process involves an assessment of coaching experience and an interview to insure that the candidate’s coaching philosophy is consistent with the Club’s purposes. Neither the Robert E. Lee Hockey Club nor the Tyler Hockey Club provides any compensation to the Coaching staff.

Q: What happens if there are more students participating than available positions on the team rosters?

The Club can form as many teams as there are players available to play. Specifically, the club can have more than one Junior Varsity team.

Q: Who governs the Club or sets up the rules and regulations?

The Club is an approved student organization of Robert E. Lee High School and is governed by the rules and regulations of Robert E. Lee High School and the Tyler Independent School District. Games and practices are conducted under the Rules of USA Hockey Inline, the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States.

Q: Is “no pass, no play” a requirement for the REL Hockey Club?

Yes. All clubs, organizations and UIL sanctioned sports affiliated with the high school are required to comply with “no pass, no play”. This means that a student must maintain a grade of “C” or better (≥70) in all classes in order to gain eligibility.

Q: Is each Club Member required to play on one of the Club Teams?

No. Any qualified student can join the Club, participate in meetings and attend games and other activities without playing on one of the Club teams.

Q: Can a student join the Club and play even if he or she has never played hockey before?

Yes. The REL Hockey Club coordinates with the Tyler Inline Hockey Center to teach every interested Club member the fundamentals of inline hockey, including skills and the rules of the game. Every student who desires to play is guaranteed a spot on one of the teams as long as all school requirements are satisfied and all team expectations are met.

Q: When and where will the teams’ games be played?

Both the Varsity and Junior Varsity travel teams will play in the Houston High School Inline (HHSI) League. Games will be played in the North Houston area (Spring, TX and/or The Woodlands, TX) and will likely be held on several Saturdays during the months of January, February, March and April. In addition, the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams will most likely play in the Tyler Inline Hockey Center Recreational League (Adult Division) during the fall and spring, although this is not a requirement.

Q: What are the costs?

There is no cost to join the REL Hockey Club. For those Club members who choose to play on a hockey team sponsored by the Club, the total cost for the 2005-2006 season will likely be in the range of $300. This includes practice fees for six months, HHSI league registration fees and transportation costs to Houston for HHSI league play. In addition, every player is required to obtain insurance from USA Hockey Inline before they are allowed to play or practice. Each player is also responsible for providing his or her own equipment.

Q: Who provides funding for the REL Hockey Club?

The REL Hockey Club receives no monies from Robert E Lee High School or the Tyler Independent School District. All expenses are born by the Club members (and their families). Club members are encouraged to solicit donations and participate in fund raising events to help defray program costs.

Q: How often will the teams practice?

Generally speaking, the teams will practice once a week. The practices will be held at the Tyler Inline Hockey Center located at 6902 South Broadway Avenue in Tyler.