Pennsylvania-Ohio Women’s Hockey Association
Bylaws

As amended through the 2008-2009 Post Season Meeting held on Friday April 17, 2009.

1: Membership

a. All member teams and the individuals which comprise them must maintain USA Hockey Registration/Insurance which is up to date.

i. All players and each team will be sanctioned by USA Hockey (USAH). Sanctioning requires proper registration of teams with the USAH Registrar, including all team members, coaches and managers. Unless otherwise stated, USAH Rules shall apply.

ii. All teams must be registered at least one week prior to the beginning of the team’s POWHA season (first league game). USAH rosters must be submitted to the League Secretary to confirm team registration, which includes submission of proof of payment to the USAH Registrar. Failure to register a team with USAH at least 1 week before the beginning of the team’s season will result in a $25 fine.

iii. So that rosters may be validated prior to a team’s first game each season, a roster freeze will be in effect one week prior to and through a team’s first game.

iv. Team size: USAH has a maximum roster size which shall apply to POWHA.

v. Changes to the roster will be made in accordance with USAH rules. Notification must be given to the League Secretary at least 48 hours prior to the game in which these changes take effect. An updated USAH roster must be provided to the Secretary before the game in which these changes take effect.
Each failure to notify the Secretary of roster changes at least 48 hours in advance of the game in which the changes are to take effect will result in a $25 fine, with the exception of changes to player numbers. A team must notify the opposing team of changes to player numbers prior to the start of the game in which the change will take effect. Listing the number on the score sheet will constitute notification.

vi. In all cases where a USAH roster must be submitted to the Secretary, a copy of the roster to be sent to the local USAH registrar must be given, emailed, faxed or mailed to the Secretary by the specified deadline. In the case of mail, the roster must be postmarked by the deadline. A copy of the roster containing players’ signatures and the USAH registrars stamp and signature must be given or mailed to the Secretary within one week of receipt from the local registrar.

vii. Teams who are improperly registered for a league game will receive a penalty listed below.

a. First Offense – Forfeiture of game
b. Second Offense – Forfeiture of game
c. Third Offense – Forfeiture of game and team suspension from the league the year following the current season.

b. To remain in “good standing” with POWHA the Member Team must pay all dues by their appointed dates, abide by all rules and guidelines of POWHA, and honor all commitments to appear at league games except in cases of extenuating circumstances.

c. Once lost, good standing can only be regained by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all of the Executive Board and Member Teams in good standing, including the President.

d. Each Member Team in good standing is entitled to two votes in the conduction of regular business at general membership meetings or in the event of action by ballot, except in cases specifically described within the Constitution or Bylaws of POWHA. To exercise their votes each team should send two members of their team to the meeting to act as voting representatives, unless specific permission has been granted to do otherwise. The names of the people acting as the voting representatives should be disclosed to the President in writing either via electronic or physical mail at least five (5) days before the meeting at which said person shall act as their voting representative.

e. Member teams may be admitted to POWHA by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the current member teams in good standing and the Executive Board Officers.

i. The division placement of a newly admitted team is to be determined by the current member teams in good standing and the Executive Board Officers in the vote taken for that team’s admittance to POWHA. The member team must be admitted to the league by a 2/3 majority approval by the current member teams in good standing in the division into which the new team will be admitted.

ii. Member Teams may be admitted on an exhibitionary basis or as full members in good standing. The status of a newly admitted team is to be determined in the vote taken for that team’s admittance to POWHA. Exhibitionary teams are allowed to participate in league competition, but may not vote or compete in the yearly tournament.

f. Member Teams may be suspended or put on probation by a majority vote of the Executive Board for failure to comply with all guidelines and policies of POWHA and USAH, or for such other reasons as may be determined as grounds for suspension or probation by the Executive Board.

g. Member Teams may be expelled from POWHA by an eighty percent (80%) majority vote of all the Member Teams and Executive Board Officers for extreme non-compliance with the
guidelines and policies of POWHA or USAH, or for such other reasons as may be determined as grounds for expulsion by the Executive Board.

h. A suspended Member Team may not compete in league competition including the yearly tournament, and will not be allowed to vote until full membership is reinstated.

i. Probationary Member Teams are not allowed to vote or compete in the yearly tournament, but will still be allowed to participate in league competition.

2: Dues

a. The amount of the league dues will be determined at the annual spring meeting based upon an approved budget.

b. Each member team must pay the league dues by the prescribed deadline of each year to remain in good standing with POWHA.

3: Fiscal Year

a. The fiscal year of POWHA shall run from May 1st to April 30th of the following year.

b. All funds of POWHA shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of POWHA in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Executive Board may select.

c. The Executive Board may accept on behalf of POWHA any contribution, gift, bequest or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of POWHA.

d. The POWHA Treasurer shall provide the Executive Board with an itemized listing of all checks issued and deposits made on a quarterly basis.

4: Duties of Officers

a. The President acts as the main representative of POWHA. The President is responsible for calling meetings and overseeing their proceedings. At least ten (10) days before each meeting, the President is responsible for distributing an agenda for the meeting through the Secretary to all the members invited to the meeting. In the event of an unresolved vote the President casts the deciding vote. Any public relation issues must be approved by the President. The President shall co-sign any checks written by POWHA along with the Treasurer. The President shall fulfill or delegate any responsibilities which are unfulfilled by other Executive Board Officers for any reason.

b. The Vice President of Administration oversees the development and maintenance of the Constitution, Bylaws, and other rules or guidelines of POWHA. The Vice President of Administration shall also handle all legal paperwork of POWHA. In the event that the President is unable or unwilling to perform her/his duties the Vice President of Administration shall fulfill the President’s duties.

c. The Vice President of Competition oversees the enforcement of all POWHA rules and guidelines. It is his/her responsibility to administer suspensions to individual players when warranted, to see that all suspensions are fully served, to ensure that all league sanctioned games comply with POWHA and USAH rules and guidelines, and to report non-compliant member teams to the Executive Board to the best of her/his ability. All disputes or complaints dealing with a member’s non-compliance with POWHA or USAH policy should be lodged to the Vice President of Competition. The Vice President of Competition shall coordinate efforts with the Vice President of Administration should any policy changes be warranted to resolve a dispute.

d. The Secretary maintains the minutes of each meeting, coordinates communication amongst the members of the league, keeps records of all vote outcomes, reports all actions of POWHA to the members, handles all mail (physical and electronic) for POWHA, and maintains current official rosters of member teams. 

e. The Treasurer maintains the financial dealings of POWHA, prepares a yearly budget proposal for the spring meeting, keeps records of all financial transactions of POWHA, collects all dues from member teams by the appointed dates, and co-signs all checks written by POWHA along with the President.

f. The Statistician will maintain records of statistics accrued in his/her division of league competition and make records of these statistics available to member teams via the POWHA web site within a week of receiving statistical results from league games, barring extenuating circumstances. Individual statistics kept will include games played, goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes, and shots, saves and save percentage for goalies. Team statistics kept will include record (wins, losses, ties), goals for, goals against, and points. The Statistician will also maintain the schedule for his/her division on the POWHA web site, and notify the executive board of discrepancies discovered between current rosters and submitted statistics.

g. Each member of the Executive Board is entitled to one vote in all voting matters of the POWHA except those described otherwise in the Constitution or Bylaws of POWHA.

h. An officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Board including the President or a unanimous vote of the Member Teams.

i. Any prematurely vacated office may be filled by a person chosen by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Board including the President of a unanimous vote of the Member Teams.

j. No one person may hold more than one office in the Executive Board at one time.

5: Committees

a. The Executive Board may, at any time, establish a Committee as it shall deem desirable or necessary. Members of such Committees shall be appointed by a majority vote of the
Executive Boards and such Committees shall have the authority and shall perform the duties prescribed from time-to-time by the Executive Board.

b. Any Committee member who is unable or unwilling to complete her/his full term of service for which the member was appointed shall be replaced by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

c. Any Committee member appointed by the Executive Board may be removed from the Committee by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Board whenever, in the Board’s judgment, the best interest of POWHA would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to subsequent re-appointment or appointment to another Committee.

d. The objectives, programs, budgets and fees proposed by each Committee shall be subject to the approval by a majority vote of the full Executive Board including the President.

e. Nothing herein should be construed that the Committees are to be organized in an identical manner nor that the objectives and programs of the Committees will be the same. At a minimum, each Committee will have a Chairperson and a Secretary.

f. All proceedings of Committees shall be recorded and minutes of the meetings provided by mail or facsimile to all committee members and the full Executive Board within seven (7) days of any Committee session or meeting.

g. Each Committee shall be allowed to place items on the agenda of POWHA meetings under their respective Committees.

6: Parliamentary Authority

a. All meetings of the Member Teams, Executive Board, and Committees shall be conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of the “Robert’s Rules of Order” unless otherwise specified by these Bylaws or the Constitution of POWHA.

b. The Standard Order of Business for the POWHA Annual Meetings of Member Teams shall be:

• Call to Order

• Roll Call

• Reading of Minutes

• Officers’ Reports

• President’s Report

• Treasurer’s Report

• Vice Presidents’ Reports

• Committee Reports

• Old Business

• New Business

• Setting of Time and Place for Next Meeting

• Adjournment

7: Amendment Procedures

a. Proposals for Amendments to the Bylaws or Constitution of POWHA should be sent in writing to the Secretary at least twenty (20) days before the meeting at which the proposal will be voted on. The Secretary should then distribute a copy of the proposal to all members at least fifteen (15) days before the meeting.

b. Amendments to these Bylaws may be made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members and Executive Board Officers in attendance at the meeting.

c. Prior to October 1st of each season the Secretary should distribute a copy of the current Bylaws of POWHA to each Member Team and Executive Board Officer.

8: League Competition

a. Upper division: each team must compete against every other team in their division for three games per regular season. Each team will host 2 additional games (or 6 home games) and travel to 2 additional games (or 6 away games). Lower division: each team must compete in one home game and one away game against every other team in the division.

b. For each game that counts for league standings, two points will be awarded for a win, one point will be awarded for a tie and no points will be awarded for a loss. Teams will be ranked by greatest number of points.

c. All games counting toward league standings shall consist of three (3) fifteen (15) minute periods stopped clock time. The home team must purchase at least one and one half (1-1/2) hours of ice time for such games. There may be no ice cuts during the game unless two (2) or more hours of ice time have been purchased. If the length of the game becomes so long that it is a concern that the game will not end before the curfew, the referee must inform both coaches at the beginning of the third period that there may be running clock time. If the game time matches the curfew time then the clock will be running clock. There will be no overtime in games counting toward regular season league standings.

d. In order to cancel any game against another member team a team must provide written notification to both the opposing team and the POWHA Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the game. Any game cancelled which counts toward league standings must be rescheduled by a date no later than two (2) weeks before the post-season tournament. If both teams and the Vice President of Competition agree that the game is not able to be rescheduled then both teams get no points for the game. Any Member Team that feels it was wrongly denied the opportunity to play the game may make a case in writing to the Vice President of Competition no later than thirty (30) days before the post-season tournament, so that he/she may present them to the Executive Board for a vote.

e. Any Member Team who fails to appear at a POWHA league sanctioned game without proper cancellation automatically forfeits the game and must reimburse the opposing team (i) the full cost of the ice time at a rate of at least $150 per hour and referee fees if the opposing team is the home team or (ii) their travel expenses if the opposing team is the away team, except in case of unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances (i.e., inclement weather). The forfeiting team loses good standing with POWHA until the reimbursement has been made. In the event of a dispute regarding this bylaw each team in the dispute must make a case in writing to the Vice President of Competition so that she/he can present them to the Executive Board for a vote.

i. The league will establish an insurance fund of $50 per team. In the event that a team fails to appear at a POWHA league-sanctioned game due to unforseeable and unavoidable circumstances, and the team that did appear is unable to recover costs associated with the unplayed game (ice and referee costs for a home team or travel costs for a visiting team), this insurance fund will be used to cover the costs of rescheduling the game for the team that did appear at the originally scheduled game. The applicability of this rule to any single situation will be determined by the Board. 

f. Any player having played in league competition with one team cannot play during the same season on another league team during league competition, except under special circumstances (i.e., relocation to a different city), or in the circumstances detailed in the following sub-rule 8(f)(i).

i. Any player having played in league competition as a goaltender with one league team may play in league competition as a goaltender with another league team in a different division during the same season.

a) Any player who plays with multiple league teams in the same season under Rule 8(f)(i) must designate one team as her primary team. During the post season tournament, the player may only play with her primary team. Designation of the player’s primary team must be made at the time that the player becomes rostered on multiple teams.

A player wishing to switch her primary team designation must make a case in writing to the Vice President of Competition so that she/he can present it to the Executive Board for a vote. A player wishing to play for both her primary and non-primary team in the post season tournament must make a case in writing to the Vice President of Competition so that she/he can present it to the Executive Board for a vote.

b) Any player who plays with multiple league teams in the same season under Rule 8(f)(i) may play as a skater for one league team. Once a player has played as a skater for one league team, she may not play as a skater for any other league team during that season, regardless of division, except under special circumstances.

ii. Players wishing to switch teams under Rules 8(f) and 8(f)(i)(b) must make a case in writing to the Vice President of Competition so that she/he can present them to the Executive Board for a vote. In order to be accepted on the new team, this player must be in good financial standing with her previous team. In addition, both the old and the new team must be in good standing with POWHA. Said player must meet the playoff eligibility requirement (rule 8d) with her new team (her games played statistic does not follow her to her new team).

g. All games sanctioned by POWHA shall be conducted according to the guidelines set down by the Rules and Regulations, and Playing Rules and Procedures of USAH unless otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.

h. All forfeits will be recorded as a loss for the forfeiting team. The winning team will be awarded two points in league standings, and the forfeiting team will have one point subtracted from their point total in the league standings.

i. POWHA provides its teams with a standard score sheet; the score sheet is available on the league website and can be taken to a copy company to be made into carbon copies. It is not necessary to use the POWHA score sheet, however, it is recommended that teams use USAH score sheets or another standard score sheet available to them which has at least a roster section, shot count, goal scoring record, and penalty record.

i. Based on statistics from league game scoresheets, the following awards will be given by the league at the end of each season. Calculation of award winners will be done by the statistician. The purchase and presentation of awards will be handled by the organizers of the post season tournament.

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  • Outstanding Offensive Player – This award will be given to the player with the most total points in regular season league games.

  • Outstanding Defensive Player – This award will be given to the player with the most votes for Game Defensive MVP in regular season league games.

  • Outstanding Goaltender – This award will be given to the goaltender with the highest save percentage in regular season league games. In the event that shots are not recorded for a game, the statistician will use the average of the average number of shots allowed by the goaltender's team and the number of shots allowed by the goaltender's team against the opposing team for the game in question in the most recent previous game between the two teams.

  • Team Sportsmanship Award – This award will be given to the team with the fewest total penalty minutes for all the players on the team. In the event that the team with the fewest penalty minutes incurred a fighting, intent to injure, 10-minute misconduct or game misconduct penalty, the Board may decide whether that team is ineligible to receive the award. In the event that the Board decides the team is ineligible, the award will be given to the team with the next fewest total penalty minutes.

j. Every player who participates in a game is required to sign the score sheet for that game. Back-up goaltenders should also be listed.

i. For each league game, the jersey number and last name of each participating player must be printed on the scoresheet. Each participating player must sign her first and last names next to her printed last name. Initials are not acceptable, unless the player is rostered with an initial as her name. If a player arrives at a game after the scoresheet has been submitted, she must go to the scorekeeper and make sure her last name is printed and she has signed her first and last name on the scoresheet before playing in the game. Players who are not playing in a game must not sign their name on the scoresheet. The printed last name of a player who does not play does not constitute a violation of this rule. Every player who participates in a game is required to sign the scoresheet for that game. Backup goaltenders should also sign. Any player who fails to properly sign the scoresheet will not receive credit for the game towards her post-season eligibility, or for goals and assists earned during the game. Penalties accrued during the game will be assessed to the player.

Violation of this rule will result in the following penalty:

a. First Offense – Written or emailed warning to the team representative(s) from the Vice President of Competition

b. Second Offense - $25 fine

c. Third and Subsequent Offenses – Forfeiture of game and $25 fine

ii. If a player signs a scoresheet under another player’s name, the penalty for that player’s team will be as follows:

a. First Offense – Forfeiture of game and $100 fine

b. Subsequent Offenses – The matter will be remanded to the POWHA executive board for review. The board may apply such penalty as they see appropriate, up to and including team suspension from the league for the remainder of the season, and forfeiture of all remaining games in that season (with the offending team responsible for all unavoidable costs incurred by other teams relating to the subsequent forfeits).

k. Submission of Official Score Sheets: The home team is required to mail the official score sheet to the League Statistician within seven (7) days after the completion of the game.

i. Teams who do not mail score sheets in a timely fashion to the League Statistician (envelope postmarked within five (5) days of game completion) shall receive a warning for the first offense. Any subsequent offenses will result in a subsequent ten dollar ($10) fine.

l. Scores should be emailed by the home team to the Statistician within forty-eight (48) hours of completion of the game.

m. Each home team will provide two USAH certified referees and a scorer. The home team will be responsible for providing the guest team with a copy of the score sheet. In the event that only one (1) referee is at the game, the referee will appoint a second official. Coaches may serve as a substitute official as a last resort. A player may serve as a substitute official provided she is a USAH certified referee. A substitute official appointed in this manner must have skates, a hockey helmet, and whistle. S/he will not be required to have a referee sweater or pants. Face shields are preferred but not required. If the second scheduled referee arrives at the game after it has begun, s/he will immediately replace the substitute official. In the event that no referees are at the game, the game will not count as an official POWHA game. The game can be rescheduled at the convenience of the visiting team, even if this means the home team must purchase ice in the visiting team’s city. The visiting team cannot be forced to travel to the home team’s city a second time. If the game is not rescheduled, the game will be recorded as a loss (not a forfeit) for the home team, and a win for the visiting team.

n. If a team does not have at least six (6) players (including the goalie) for the game it automatically forfeits that game. There is a ten (10) minute grace period from the time the game starts or the ice is ready for the game to be played, whichever is later. After the ten minutes is up, if one of the teams does not have at least the six required players, they must forfeit the game.

o. There will be a nine (9) goal maximum spread for each game played. If team A beats team B 25-0, the score will be counted as 9-0 for playoff standings. The 9-goal spread will be kept on the scoreboard and recorded for playoff berth information. However, the actual score and statistics associated with the game will be reflected on the game score sheet.

p. Fighting is not to be tolerated. If a player receives a five (5) minute major for fighting, roughing or a game misconduct penalty in a POWHA game, that player will sit out the remainder of the game and the next regularly scheduled league game, including playoffs, which are a part of the league schedule, in addition to any USAH suspension. If that player gets a second 5-minute major for fighting, roughing or a game misconduct penalty in a league game at any time during the season, that player will be suspended for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. For instance, if Player A gets in a fight during a league game, according to POWHA that player will be suspended for her team’s next regularly scheduled league game. If another league or non-league game happens to get scheduled in between the game that Player A was fighting in and the next regularly scheduled league game, Player A may play in the just scheduled game but must sit out the game that was already on the schedule. Further, if USAH rules state that Player A must sit out her very next game and that next game is NOT a POWHA game, Player A will sit out the next game as required by USAH AND sit out the next regularly scheduled league game, including playoff games, as stated in the POWHA rules. This part of the rules stands no matter how many games USAH requires the player to sit out. So, if USAH requires the player to miss her next 3 games, and none of those are regularly scheduled POWHA games, Player A must still sit out her next regularly scheduled POWHA game now matter how many games USAH suspended her for.

q. Should a player get four (4) penalties in a single POWHA game, that player will sit out the next regularly scheduled league game, including playoffs. Provided none of the four penalties results in ejection from the game, the player may finish the game. If the player exceeds the USAH limit for maximum allowable five (5) penalties in the game, that player will be ejected (in accordance with USAH rules), and will sit out a second regularly scheduled POWHA game. Any suspensions incurred under this rule are separate from and in addition to any suspensions resulting from the individual penalties themselves.

r. If a player commits an act in a POWHA game that a referee determines is a match penalty, an intent to injure or a dangerous play, that player will sit out the next regularly scheduled league game, including playoffs. The referee must specifically indicate to the scorekeeper that there was an intent to injure or a dangerous play, and this must be noted on the scoresheet. Any suspensions incurred under this rule are separate from and in addition to any suspensions resulting from penalties stemming from the incident. For example, if a player receives a game misconduct with an intent to injure, that player will receive one suspension for the game misconduct, and an additional separate suspension for the intent to injure. If a player receives a second penalty at any time during the same season that the referee determines is a match penalty, intent to injure, or dangerous play, that player will sit out the remainder of that season, including the playoffs.

s. Should a player get three (3) ten (10) minute misconduct penalties in a single season, that player will sit out the next regularly scheduled league game, including playoffs. For each additional 10-minute misconduct penalty, that player will be suspended one league game, including playoffs.

t. Individual player suspensions are not required to be served until the offending player’s team representative(s) have been notified of the suspension by the Vice President of Competition. However, the offending player may choose to serve a suspension before such notification is received.

u. No player rostered on a collegiate varsity or club team is eligible to play in any POWHA sanctioned competition. If at any time a player becomes rostered on a collegiate varsity or club team, that player immediately becomes ineligible to play in POWHA league sanctioned competition. A team may roster a maximum of no more than four (4) players aged 16 through 18, inclusive. Players aged 15 and younger are ineligible to play in POWHA sanctioned competition.

v. If a team wishes to protest or contest a game, they must notify the Vice President of Competition of their complaint within seven (7) days of the completion of the game in question. The Vice President of Competition shall notify all parties involved of the complaint within (7) days of receiving the complaint, and resolve the complaint in a timely manner.

9: Post Season Play

a. All teams in good standing will be eligible to compete in the post-season tournament.

b. In the event of a tie in determining the rankings for the post-season contenders, tie breakers will proceed in the following hierarchy: head-to-head competition, least goals against, most goals for, fewest penalty minutes, and a coin toss by the President to be witnessed by at least two other members of the Executive Board.

c. Post-season tournament games shall follow the structure of POWHA regular season games in regulation. If any post-season game is tied at the end of the third period, a single five (5) minute sudden-death overtime period will be played. If the game is still tied at the end of the overtime period, a shootout will be played. If the game meets curfew before a winner is decided, a winner will be determined using the same tie-breakers listed in rule 9(b), first using post-season statistics, and then using regular season statistics if the post-season statistics do not determine a winner.

d. Any player who wishes to qualify to play in the POWHA playoffs must play in at least half of her team’s POWHA league games during the regular season. In the case of a player who has missed playing time due to injury, pregnancy or military service, the team may petition the executive board to allow that player to compete in the post-season tournament. Petitions must be made on or before the date 20 days prior to the first day of the post season tournament.

e. Goaltenders are exempt from the 50% game playing rule (9d); however, to be eligible for the playoffs, goaltenders must be on their teams’ rosters for at least half of the playing season.

f. The location of the post-season tournament will rotate alphabetically by city. The beginning order shall be Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. In the event that a new city is added to the league, they shall be placed at the end of the rotation until each of the four original cities have had the opportunity to host the tournament. The next time through the rotation, the new city will assume a regular place in alphabetical order. If there is only one team located in the host city that wants to host the tournament, they should have the plan for the tournament available at the fall meeting. If there is more than one team in the host city that wants to host the tournament, each team should have a proposal for the tournament at the fall meeting, at which point the league will vote on which proposal to accept. In the event that no team in a single city wants to host the tournament, the opportunity will pass on to the next city in the rotation.

g. If the post-season tournament structure requires that a team have a bye in the first round, each team shall have the option of accepting or declining the bye, in the order of regular season standings. No later than two weeks before the tournament, a representative from each team must inform the Vice President of Administration with her team’s bye preference, regardless of whether the regular season standings have been finalized at that time. If a team fails to inform the VP-Admin of its preference, it will be assumed the team would accept the bye. Once the standings are finalized, the bye will be given to the highest ranking team that indicated they would accept the bye. If no team accepts the bye, it will be given to the lowest-ranking team.

h. All scheduled tournament games must be played. In the event that a team does not have enough players to play a game, the game will be forfeited with the score recorded as 1-0, and every effort must be made to bring in extra players to play the game. If a team does not appear for their game, the game will be forfeited with the score recorded as 1-0, and the offending team will be fined the cost of the game officials.

10: Dispute Resolution

a. It is the express purpose of this Article to establish a fair and orderly process for the resolution of disputes within POWHA and to require that all Member Teams of POWHA utilize that process. In that connection, POWHA expressly adopts the USAH Dispute Resolution procedure set forth in USAH Bylaw, Section 11, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended.

b. The power to suspend any individual or Member Team shall be with the Executive Board in accordance with the Bylaws and Constitution of POWHA. The Vice President of Competition shall conduct a hearing. All parties involved in the incident and witnesses thereto shall be given the opportunity to give version of the facts. Any individual or Member Team suspended for a period of more than thirty (30) days by POWHA shall have the right to appeal such suspension to POWHA through the Vice President of Competition.

i. In the event that the Vice President of Competition is involved directly (as an individual in question or a member on one of the teams surrounding the incident) in the hearing, the duties of the Vice President will be taken over (in the specific matter only ) by the next highest ranking Executive Board member.

c. In the event a controversy or dispute arises regarding the construction, interpretation, or application of the Constitution, Bylaws, policies and guidelines, decisions of the Executive Board of POWHA, or decisions of the agents or appointees of POWHA, the dispute shall first be submitted to the POWHA Vice President of Competition for resolution in accordance with policies governing the appeals process. Such appeal must be submitted in writing to the POWHA Vice President of Competition no later than ten (10) days after a hearing and a decision was rendered or after a hearing was refused by POWHA. The POWHA Executive Board will review the appeal in no more than thirty (30) days after the appeal was submitted.

i. The written Notice of Appeal shall contain the name, address and telephone number of the party presenting the appeal, a brief statement of the decision or inaction for which the appeal is made, and be accompanied by any documentary evidence or writings relevant to the appeal.

ii. The written Notice of Appeal shall be accompanied by the $200.00 bond as set forth in Section 10(f).

iii. The decision of the POWHA Executive Board shall be announced orally at the time of hearing and reduced to writing within forty-eight (48) hours of the hearing. A copy of such written decision shall be transmitted to the POWHA Secretary and the parties to the Appeal within forty-eight (48) hours of the hearing.

d. To appeal a decision of the Executive Board of POWHA, either party to a dispute submitted or appealed to the POWHA Executive Board may appeal the decision of the Board to the general membership of POWHA. The appeal will be distributed through the Secretary to all Member Teams in good standing. The appealing party may submit a request for an emergency meeting which will be voted upon by all member teams in good standing by ballot, or the appeal may be decided at the next scheduled general meeting. Both the Executive board and the appealing party will be allowed to present their case on the matter. The decision of the Executive Board may then be overruled by an eighty percent (80%) majority vote of the member teams in attendance at the meeting.

e. Sanctions: Each individual, Member Team, and their agents or representatives shall confine the resolution of disputes with POWHA to the process described herein and to the process set forth in the POWHA Constitution and Bylaws. Therefore, any recourse directly to USAH or the courts of any jurisdiction by any individual, Member Team, or Club before all of the procedures, rights, and remedies described in these Bylaws and the POWHA Constitution have been exhausted, shall be deemed conduct detrimental to POWHA within the meeting of these Bylaws. Such violation of these Bylaws and procedures shall subject the individual, Member Team, and their agents and representatives to immediate suspension and disqualification. Sanctions imposed under these Bylaws shall be modified or removed only by the Executive Board of POWHA at a duly held meeting of the Board unless otherwise provided for in these Bylaws or the Constitution. The actions of the Board to remove or modify the sanctions imposed in any matter shall not include the restoration of games and points lost or denied during any period of suspension and/or disqualification.

f. Expenses: In order to defray some of the costs associated with POWHA resolving any dispute, the appealing party of the dispute shall forward a bond of $200.00 in the form of certified check payable to POWHA along with a written request for a resolution of the dispute. If the decision is in favor of the appealing party the bond will be returned. The non-prevailing party in any dispute involving two or more Member Teams of POWHA shall forfeit their bond and may also be liable to POWHA for the entire cost of the POWHA proceeding and any further costs attributable to a hearing by the Executive Board, including attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by POWHA in connection therewith as determined by the Executive Board at their sole discretion.

Rule 11: Ratification

These Bylaws shall become effective upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership, in good standing, present at the meeting on July 13th, 2002.
The date of passage is July 13, 2002, by a 12-0 vote of the membership.