President’s Weekly Recap: RCFHA Regular Season Week 7 

Welcome back for the recap of Week 7 of the 2024/2025 season! Another weekend filled with thrilling showcases of skill, sportsmanship, and community spirit – and we’re back at Burnett (hope you were able to check out the Burnett Fair)! Highlights from a noteworthy Week 7: 

Shining Bright in Junior Squirts: Evan Kanda in Action 

If you’ve watched the Junior Squirts division this season, you’ve likely noticed Evan Kanda. One of the most exciting players to watch, Evan brings a mix of speed and creativity. His knack for being in the right place at the right time, paired with his ability to make smart plays, keeps his opponents on their toes. Junior Squirt games are already exciting, but Evan’s presence on the floor elevates the energy even further. 

PeeWee All-Stars: Team Highlight Reel 

One of my favorite teams to watch this season has been Highlight Reel in the PeeWee division. While the team boasts standout players like Connor Wong, Jack Simmons, and Jack Moser, two players who often fly under the radar are Cameron Gee and Jian Le Kok. These shifty, skilled players are crucial to their team’s success, providing depth and creativity on the floor. Big plays at key moments just highlight their value, and why I want to shout them out! 

Thrilling OT and Postgame Pizza: Mavericks vs. Scorpions 

This week, the Mavericks and Scorpions faced off in one of the most spirited games of the season. The game went into overtime, with both teams battling shorthanded as their defensemen were serving penalties. After the game, both teams celebrated together with a pizza party, reminding us all of the incredible camaraderie and sportsmanship that define the RCFHA community. My shoutout goes to the coaches, Christin Gannon, Tom Yang, Brad Bolger, Danny Atkar, Nav Kanda, and Rick Bowal for instilling good sportsmanship in our players! 

Building Excitement: The RCFHA Events Operations Committee 

A big shoutout to the Event Operations Committee, led by the talented Director of Event Management, Leah Sprintzios. This dedicated group has been hard at work planning events that bring our community together. You’ll be hearing more from Leah as we head into the new year, with one major highlight being our first-ever Pub Night! Mark your calendars for January 31st, and keep an eye out for tickets, which will go on sale in January. This promises to be a fantastic opportunity to connect and get to know the RCFHA family. Photo Day is also around the corner – January 18th. A schedule will be released to you all during Winter Break. 

Looking Ahead 

Next weekend marks the final week of games before Winter Break. Pay close attention to practice schedule cancellations and don’t forget to bring your food bank donations. 

Cheers!
 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association

President’s Weekly Recap: RCFHA Regular Season Week 6 

Welcome back for the recap of Week 6 of the 2024/2025 season! Another weekend, another set of incredible games – this time at Grauer Elementary and McRoberts Secondary Schools! Highlights from a memorable Week 6: 

Quick Calls, Fast Setups: The Referee Squad Shines 

A huge thank you to a few of our referees Cora Mah, Griffin Hunter, and Ziv Greenberg, who helped us set up McRoberts in record time, allowing us to stay on schedule despite the challenges. Your dedication is a big part of the reason why we love having you as referees! 

When Leadership Meets Skill: A Star Emerges 

This week, we shine a light on Brayden Marcinowsky, whose leadership and playmaking abilities led his team to victory, even with a short bench. Brayden’s calm composure and ability to read the play ensured his teammates were always in the right place at the right time. His passes in the first period were a masterclass in setting up plays, leading to key goals that gave his team the momentum they needed. Leadership like Brayden’s shows that even in challenging circumstances, teamwork can achieve amazing results. 

OT Magic and Unbreakable Grit: A Game to Remember 

At Grauer, the Mavericks and Titans delivered an unforgettable game with fans on the edge of their seats. With goals flying in from Kosta Sprintzios, Isaac Yang, and Tristan Kong, it was a high-energy affair from start to finish. Both teams played with grit and determination, and goaltenders Lillian Halperin and Levi Chung made save after save to keep the game tight. When Lillian was injured in OT, Nate Simmons stepped in cold, showing poise under immense pressure. His incredible saves held off a flurry of shots and helped secure a hard-fought 7-7 tie. 

From Chaos to Coordination: A Gym Coordinator’s Touch 

A special acknowledgment to our Gym Coordinator, Eliza Ko, for her tireless efforts in securing McRoberts Secondary School for a portion of the day to accommodate our PeeWee and Bantam games. Her behind-the-scenes work made it possible for us to adapt to changing schedules and ensure that all teams had the space they needed to play. Eliza’s dedication doesn’t just stop at logistics; her willingness to step in and assist wherever needed shows her incredible commitment to the RCFHA community. We are grateful for her contributions, which are crucial to RCFHA. 

Looking Ahead 

We’re excited to return to Burnett for Week 7. Remember to bring food bank donations as we support the Richmond Food Bank Society. Let’s make a positive impact during the holiday season. 

Cheers! 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

President’s Weekly Recap: RCFHA Regular Season Week 5 

Welcome back for the recap of Week 5 of the 2024/2025 season! It was great to be back at Burnett this weekend. Thank you all for your continued enthusiasm and support as we keep the momentum going! Here are some highlights from an action-packed Week 5: 

Blowing the Whistle on Sleep: A Referee’s Dedication 

A special shoutout to one of our newly hired referees, Noah Murray. After attending a graduation event with his friends, Noah stepped up and refereed seven hours of games—on just three hours of sleep! Even on that amount of sleep, he was still able to keep his spirits and booming voice up to our standards! His commitment to ensuring smooth games for everyone is commendable. Thank you, Noah, for your hard work and dedication to the RCFHA community!  

The Poultry Playoff: Chickens Take the Spotlight 

In one of the most entertaining games this season, the Screaming Chickens faced off against the Chicken Tenders. The Chicken Tenders clinched the win thanks to the incredible teamwork of Gabriel Lee, Matthew Yuen, and Joshua Mah, whose relentless efforts made the difference. On the other side, Oliver Wan and Tyler Lavergne gave it their all, keeping the Screaming Chickens in the fight. And who can forget the spirited fan cheering, complete with a real screaming chicken in the crowd? 

The Bantam Spotlight: Dancing Queens and Daring Coaches 

This week featured some nail-biting Bantam games, including an overtime thriller where the Dancing Queens edged out the Crashouts 6-5. Brendan Zhan showcased his amazing stickhandling and playmaking abilities, while Mattias Rempel kept the Crashouts alive with stellar goaltending. A bold move by Crashouts Head Coach Barrett Gross—pulling the goalie in OT—added to the excitement, even if it didn’t pan out. Kudos to all players for their competitive spirit! 

Guiding the Guides: Building Stronger Teams 

Our Director of Coaching, Mehmood Ghani, has started visiting practices to support our coaches with drills and advice. His willingness to share his expertise and sacrifice of his time is making a big difference for both players and coaches alike. Please thank Mehmood when you see him around, for helping fostering growth and development across the league! 

Looking Ahead 

Next weekend, games will be held at Grauer Elementary and McRoberts Secondary School. Dress warmly as the temperatures drop, and let’s keep up the energy and excitement! 

Cheers! 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

President’s Weekly Recap: RCFHA Regular Season Week 4 

Welcome back for the Recap of Week 4 of the 2024/2025 season! First, a big thank you to everyone for your patience on a very rainy Saturday when our games were held at Ferris Elementary School. It was tough not having our usual lively spectator crowds, but we made it work, and the rain did not bring our spirits down one bit! On to some highlights from Week 4: 

From Goals to Giving: RCFHA Food Drive Kicks Off 

As we approach the holiday season, the RCFHA Event Operations Committee has begun planning and we are excited to announce we will be hosting a Holiday Food Drive! Donation boxes will be set up at Burnett every weekend from now until Winter Break. Let’s work together to support those in need in our community. Your donations will be provided to the Richmond Food Bank Society. Bring your non-perishable food items and help make a difference this winter!  

High-Octane Action: Junior Squirt Goal Bonanza 

Week 4 brought some truly jaw-dropping scores in the Junior Squirt Division, with 67 goals scored across three games! Highlights include an 8-8 tie after OT, a 15-14 showdown, and a thrilling 12-10 battle. These games kept everyone on the edge of their seats (at least those who were able to sneak a peek…), and we want to give a special shoutout to the goalkeepers who stood tall during these wild matches, specifically during the OT game: Takumi Reznik, Miles Pettersson, and Fitz Velasquez. Your efforts in the net kept your team in the game, so well done! 

Guiding and Grinding: A Spotlight on Passionate Play 

A massive shoutout goes to Mark Bevan for his unmatched enthusiasm. Known for his booming encouragement that left us all a little deaf at Ferris, Mark continues to inspire his Junior Squirt players with his positivity and passion. As a Bantam player, even in the face of defeat, Mark’s dedication and team spirit shine through. Thank you for embodying the heart of the RCFHA! 

From the Floor to Your Feed: Social Media in Action 

Behind every great organization is a great storyteller, and this week, we are recognizing Rubyia Ghumman, Director of Social Media. Rubyia has been working to showcase the best of RCFHA on our platforms, keeping the community connected with highlights, updates, and exciting moments from our games. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to see her amazing work in action! 

Looking Ahead 

This weekend, we’re thrilled to return to Burnett for our games. Let’s bring back the energy and crowd spirit that make our games so memorable. Don’t forget to bring your food drive donations! 

Cheers! 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

Hi everyone,

Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association is proud to announce that we are putting together a drop in for kids with disabilities. We want to create a safe space where those whose normally cannot play floor hockey can further develop skills such as fine motor and social skills. We want to teach how to pass, shoot and stick handle – some of the essential skills taught to our current hockey players.

Rubyia Ghumman, our Director of Social Media, has taken on the task of organizing this offering. This is a volunteer run program and the drop-ins will be offered completely for free, but they do require registration ahead of time.

The link for registration can be found here: Richmond Para Cosom Floor Hockey. The first session will be in November on Saturdays at Burnett Secondary School. All equipment will be provided.

If you have any further questions, or would like more information please email Rubyia Ghumman directly at paracosom@rcfha.org.

Please help us spread the word if you know of anyone interested in this program.

Cheers,

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President
Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association

Welcome back for the Recap of Week 3 of the 2024/2025 season! According to everyone’s favourite referee, Zamaan Meralli, we witnessed an early candidate for game of the year in Senior Squirt when the Phantoms played the Chicken Tenders. The crowd cheering added to the whole atmosphere of the game, so let’s see more of that! On to some highlights from Week 3:

Active Recreation and Sport Fund

We are excited to highlight the Richmond Sports Council and City of Richmond’s Active Recreation and Sport Fund, which is available to families when financial barriers impact inclusion. This fund covers registration costs, and we’re thrilled to announce 4 families have already received full funding for the season! Visit this link to see if you qualify and to apply. It is a simple process and guaranteed money if you qualify. Feel free to contact me if you need any assistance with applying.

Capturing the Action: MacNeill Secondary’s Volunteer Photographers

As you may know, we are not just a hockey organization. We are looking to be pillars of our community. Part of those efforts are providing opportunities for youth volunteers. We are proud to partner with the Photography Class at MacNeill Secondary School for young photographers to capture some fantastic moments. Armaan Sahota and Gerardo Castro joined us this past week. We hope to see that work showcased our Social Media platforms shortly!

Playmaker Spotlight: The Skill Behind the Assist

Although goal scoring is a part of hockey, we like to highlight other aspects. One of which is our playmaking ability and our ability to distribute the puck to our teammates. We want to shine a spotlight on some key players who really stood out during Week 3. Evelyn Chung, Zachary Lee, and Anamta Ali were the driving forces on the floor, showcasing outstanding puck handling skills and playmaking ability. It was impressive to see these players working hard and setting up their teammates for success. We look forward to seeing more great play from them!

The Webmaster’s Revamp: A Digital Makeover

Behind the scenes, our Webmaster, Alan Chu, has been hard at work giving our website a much-needed overhaul. While the improvements are already making it easier to navigate, the work is still ongoing, with updates happening weekly. We are excited to see the final product, but in the meantime, we want to acknowledge the effort. Stay tuned for more enhancements!

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead, please note that we have a long weekend coming up, which means a week off from play. Enjoy the break, and we’ll see you back on the floor soon!

Cheers!

Piradeepan Uthayakumar 
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

Welcome back for the Recap of Week 2 of the 2024/2025 season! Thank you for bearing with us during the compressed schedule on Saturday October 26 due to Halloween weekend restrictions. We appreciate everyone’s flexibility and understanding. Now, on to the highlights from Week 2: 

Meeting Our Registration Target 

I am thrilled to announce we have once again hit our registration target! This year that goal was 425 registrants across Youth and Adult divisions, marking the largest our Association has been since 2010! Even more impressive, 75% of those registrants are Youth. A big thank you to the entire community for your interest in the RCFHA and helping us reach this milestone! BUT we still have room to grow, so if you have any friends interested in joining us, please spread the word! 

New Referees on the Rise 

This season, we have welcomed new referees who are proving to be great additions to our already outstanding group. Special shout-out to Cora Mah, Noah Murray, and Connor Wong, who have started the season off strong. These three have had numerous years of experience playing, which has helped with their confidence. We are pleasantly surprised at their ability to command control of the games they referee, through projection of their voices – something many first-year referees struggle with. We are excited to see them continue to develop throughout the season. 

Goaltender Spotlight: Key Performers 

Goaltenders are the backbone of teams, and this week we want to recognize three standout performances. Lillian Halperin, Griffin Hunter, and Austin Lal all had stellar showings, making critical saves to keep their teams in the game. Their skills and style while in net were on full display and have been fun to watch. We encourage more players to try out the position (whether they are experienced or not) to experience this exciting, impactful role on their team! 

The Man Behind the Gear 

Behind the scenes, our Equipment Manager, Larry Knurik, has been instrumental in keeping all our coaches happy with the equipment they need. His son, Noam Knurik, has been right by his side (if not in front of him!) by helping organize and distribute equipment. Both their commitments ensure everyone is able to play, so please make sure to thank them whenever you see them! 

Looking Ahead 

As we move into Week 3, we return to our normally scheduled weekends. Keep up the energy, team spirit, and most importantly, sportsmanship! 

See you all soon! 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

Welcome to the 2024/2025 season!

Week 1 kicked off with great energy and excitement as we launched our regular season games on Sunday, October 20, after moving everything to accommodate Saturday’s election. Here’s a quick recap of highlights from our opening weekend: 

Leadership and Logistics in Action 

A huge shout-out goes to Nicole Nagra, our Referee-in-Chief, who led our crew at McRoberts. She took charge of scheduling and volunteer logistics in addition to ensuring organization of the Mites and Junior Squirt games. Nicole’s leadership on opening weekend was key in allowing everything to run smoothly across multiple venues, setting a positive tone for the season. 

Special thanks go to Evann Li, our Assistant Equipment Manager, who had the daunting responsibility of distributing jerseys and collecting deposits. The logistics of doing this in one day, across multiple venues for all players was not easy, but Evann handled it impressively. 

Special Shout-Out: Youth Coaches 

I want to recognize the amazing youth volunteers stepping into Head Coach or Assistant Coach roles. These young leaders play in PeeWee or Bantam, and their commitment to RCFHA shows the community culture we are trying to foster. Mark Bevan, Isaac Chen, Karysa Daniels, Noam Knurik, Kate Li, Cora Mah, Noah Murray, and AJ Villarin have all demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and we are proud they are part of the RCFHA! Make sure to thank them! 

Division Coordinators: Ensuring Balanced Teams 

Our Division Coordinators worked tirelessly to create balanced teams. We recognize we are never going to get it perfect, but we saw several tight matchups across multiple divisions. We are closely monitoring team performances to see where additions may be needed. We had several one-goal games, so a shout-out goes to two OT goal scorers this week Sameer Ghani and Zander Seng. 

Looking Ahead 

Looking forward, we are on a compressed schedule due to the School District wanting us out early on the weekend before Halloween. Please be ready to play at your scheduled game time. 

See you all soon! 

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President, Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association 

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all excited about the first regular season game starting, just around the corner. We have a few reminders for you in advance of that.

1. All games are on Sunday this weekend. This is only due to the Election. Mites, Jr, and Sr Squirt will typically be on Saturdays. Please ensure you check the schedule online (Regular Season Game Schedule – Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association (rcfha.org)) regularly for up to date information.
2. Teams have been finalized at this point, but we are still looking to recruit players to fill out teams that are short. If you have any friend or family members interested in playing, please encourage them to sign up. A reminder that Youth division recruiters bringing in a brand new recruit will receive a gift card for their efforts.
3. Please consider stepping up to be a Team Manager for your team. Our coaches have the hard task of supervising and teaching your kids. Having a Team Manager makes it that much easier for them. Typically the Team Manager role sends emails on behalf of the coach, informs parents about any news, and assigns a scorekeeper from the team for each game. If you are interested in helping out, please let your coach know asap.
4. To be able to run games, we require parent volunteers to scorekeep or timekeep. If your coach hasn’t assigned a scorekeeper or timekeeper for each game, our Referees will ask parents to volunteer for this. I would suggest creating a rotating schedule, so everyone has an assigned week to scorekeep/timekeep. We understand you may not be familiar with our scorekeeping/timekeeping system, but we have Executive at each game who are willing to show you how.
5. A reminder that your child will be picking up their jersey on Sunday. Please make sure to arrive at least 15-20 minutes early before your game to pick it up. You can pick up your jersey at the location your game is at this Sunday.
6. Mites players will not be serving penalties this week. Our Referees will call the penalty, but the players will sub off and talk to their coach about the penalty. Please expect that during the 2nd week, that penalties will be called and served.
7. A reminder that as a condition of entering any School District gym, food is not allowed inside the gymnasium. If you need to have a snack/meal, please exit the gym and eat in the foyer.
8. Finally, as another condition of entering any School District gym, not only are you subject to the Gym Code of Conduct, but you are also responsible for following the Parent, Coach, and Player Codes of Conducts. This includes respect towards our Referees. A reminder that these Referees are often children, most of which have been hired in their first job. Please consider this before confronting a referee. They will try their best, but will make mistakes. Please be understanding of this, as they are kids, like your own.

If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact me or find me during the games. I am always willing to chat!

Enjoy the start of the season, and have fun!

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President
Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association

president@rcfha.org

Hi everyone,

With games starting this weekend for everyone, our Assistant Equipment Manager, Evann Li, would like to send out a few reminders. Please see below.

It is time to distribute jerseys to each player! Each player will get two jerseys, one home and away, regardless of what team they’re on.

Players will not be permitted to keep their jerseys and must return them to the league at the end of the season. In order to ensure safe return of our jerseys, we will be asking for a jersey deposit from each player, similar to what other leagues do.

Please see below for instructions on how to submit your jersey deposit:

1)    The jersey deposit will be $40 per player. This will cover the two jerseys they will be receiving.
2)    The deposit can be paid in either cash or cheque. E-transfers will not be accepted at this time.
a.     For cash: write the name of the player, their division, and their coach on the envelope.
b.     For cheque: write the name of the player, their division and their coach in the note section of the cheque. Make it out to ‘Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association’.

3)    There will be a table set up at both McRoberts and Burnett on Sunday. One of our Executives will be there to collect your deposit and hand you the jerseys.
4)    The deadline to submit the deposit is before your game on the weekend of Oct 26-27 (second game). If you forget to bring your deposit during this upcoming weekend, please give it to your coach or team manager before the deadline. I highly suggest you bring the deposit this weekend if you are able to, to ease things along.
5)    After the deadline has passed, any player who has not submitted the deposit will not be eligible to play until their deposit is received.
6)    At the end of the season, upon successful return of both jerseys in a clean, undamaged state, the deposit will be returned. Details of the return will be sent near season end.
7) Adult players who pre-purchased their jerseys last year do not have to pay a deposit

Care Instructions: do not bleach, do not iron, do not dry clean. Avoid tumble drying, wash in cold-warm water only on the handwash setting. This will help extend the life of these jerseys.

Please show up at least 20 minutes before your game to collect your jersey, as there will probably be a lineup. I also highly recommend you bring both jerseys to each game so you don’t accidentally forget the appropriate one at home.

If there are any questions or concerns please email our jersey coordinator Evann Li at assistantequipment@rcfha.org.

See you on Sunday!

Piradeepan Uthayakumar
President
Richmond Cosom Floor Hockey Association

president@rcfha.org