The West Michigan Phantoms have created the largest roster of players in a decade of play to fill the team’s roles for this current 2023-2024 Fall/Winter season.  The Phantoms have added full-time skaters in excess of the normal 13-man roster to better handle game day scratches and help players with the lowest possible league fees. The team used data collected from the past year to help formulate the concept of an increased roster.  During the Phantoms 2022-2023 fall/winter season, the squad had 61 scratches due to unavailability.  The Black and Yellow had 42 scratches during the most recently completed short Summer 2023 season.  “We understand life creates it’s own schedule at times in which hockey may not be possible during a given week, having all three teams carry extra players full time creates flexibility and eliminates the rush and panic sometimes associated with calling subs last minute,” said Kevin Wootton.  The Phantoms roster consists of 16 skaters.  In terms of the Phantoms and Locomotives, the goal is to skate at 13 skaters each game and the team hopes that this new Volunteer Scratch Program (VSP) pilot program will help with that goal.  

The concept of this program is to offer instant refunds on game days in which the Phantoms have skaters above the desired 13 skaters.  These refunds will be sent electronically via CashApp, Venmo or PayPal to those who voluntarily sit out a game to help handle the excess amount of players.  Here’s out it works, if on game day the team is above 13 skaters, a message will be sent to the team’s group chat asking for any volunteers to sit out a game.  If, up until game time, the team remains above 13 skaters, those players who volunteered to sit out that game will be refunded electronically if possible or in person.  Money will be available for refund after a player has paid his league fees in full. (If a player is not paid in full, money will held and given to player once their fees are paid in full).  Any money left in the team’s VSP account at the end of the season will be put against the team’s league fee balance for the following season (ultimately lowering everyone’s total).  This program is based on the honor system and is designed only for players who voluntarily sit out a game to help reduce the roster to 13.  If you know you are going to be out, please don’t abuse the system.  The VSP funds are only available while there is a balance in the VSP fund.  VSP rates are shown below for the Phantoms.

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Phantoms:

$11.78 per game for volunteers

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