Get the Point FAQs

Get the Point!

Federation Hockey

Injury Prevention & Respect Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Get the Point program?

Get the Point program is an initiative of the Federation Council of EMHA aimed at reducing injuries in minor hockey. Get the Point program awards teams with an ‘Injury Prevention & Respect Point’ (IPRP) for staying within a preset, penalty minute threshold during league games.

Having sufficient IPRP points will determine whether or not a travel/event permit will be issued to a team. Specifically, a team will need to have earned at least 50% of the possible IPRPs in the league games they have played at the time of the application. For example, if a team has played 4 games at the time of the application, they must have received at least 2 IPRPs. If they have played 5 games, they must have received 3 IPRPs. Note that a points reset will occur after each tiering round.

Teams who fall below the 50% IPRP level between the time the permit is issued and the date of the event, may lose their permit privileges. This will be at the discretion of the Category Director.

How did Get the Point come about?

Get the Point had its beginnings with the former Capital Health Authority and their concerns with the high levels of head and neck injuries in minor hockey in the region. Over a 5-year period from 1997-2002 there were 1250 recorded injuries at emergency rooms - more than twice the next nearest organized sport.

In the fall of 2006, an EMHA committee made up of coaches, trainers, referees, parents, and administrators worked through a process to develop an injury prevention strategy. The committee noted that a number of injury prevention programs were already in place, however they recognized a need to go further. When credible research was presented which clearly correlated penalties and injuries, the program was formed.

In early 2007, sub-committee members established Get the Point program details for presentation and subsequent approval by the Federation Council and endorsement by the EMHA Board (April, 2007).  The program was successfully introduced in the 2007-08 season of play.

What does Federation Hockey and the EMHA hope to gain from Get the Point?

High rates of minor hockey related head and neck injury is a concern for EMHA, the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research (ACICR), the City of Edmonton, and the community. Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between injury rates and penalties.

It is expected that reducing penalties within games will not only help to decrease injuries, it will also increase playing time for athletes as a result of fewer stoppages in play. It is also expected that the use of illegal play to gain competitive advantage will be significantly reduced.