Wichita Youth Hockey Association: Administration: WYHA Rules and Regulations - Part I (Revised 09/11/12)
Section 1.0
LEAGUE
1. The rules contained within pertain to, and are the property of Wichita Youth Hockey Association (W.Y.H.A.).
2. The rules contained within are to be used in addition to the most current issue of the USA Hockey, Official Rules of Ice Hockey.
3. The W.Y.H.A. Rules and Regulation may be amended, added to, or repealed by a majority vote of the W.Y.H.A. Executive Board at any meeting, provided there is a quorum present.
4. No District, State and National Tournament entry fees will be paid by the Association unless the Executive Board authorizes prior approval for participation.
5. The USA Hockey “Individual Membership Registration (IMR)” form is a binding contract with the Association.
6. There will be a player registration fee set by the Executive Board which shall be non-refundable.
7. The W.Y.H.A. shall provide and maintain a suitable First Aid Kit to be kept at the arena. The team coaches will have access to this.
8. No spectators are allowed on the bench or in the bench area during games.
9. Smoking or other use of tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs is not allowed in the locker rooms or in the bench area by anyone.
10. Any member suspended from the rink by the rink management shall be suspended from W.Y.H.A.
Section 2.0
PLAYER
1. Any player or parent who willfully gives false information in connection with their IMR shall be suspended for the current season.
2. No player shall be allowed to participate on a W.Y.H.A. team who does not have a player registration form filed and Registration fees paid to the W.Y.H.A. Any player found playing without valid players registration form shall be declared ineligible until such form is properly filed. Any coach knowingly playing an ineligible player shall face suspension
3. Only a coach may request Executive Board approval for a player to play up a single age division if the following criteria are met:
3.1. If by playing up the player does not replace another player of appropriate age from a team slot. This applies to travel teams or otherwise.
3.2. Parents have signed the USA Hockey Player Movement Risk Acknowledgment and Liability Waiver form.
3.3. Parents agree to sign a copy of this policy and further acknowledge that:
3.3.1. Hockey can be an inherently rough sport. Playing in an older age division exposes your child to increased risk of injury due to discrepancies in player size, weight and ability.
3.3.2. This is especially the case in the travel team situation where your child may be playing teams with a significantly larger player base resulting in better, stronger and faster teams than your child may have yet encountered.
3.3.3. Parents also acknowledge that playing up may hinder the overall skill development of a player.
3.3.4. It may be inappropriate for players of different maturity to be on the same team.
3.4. There is a signed recommendation from TWO coaches, one of which must not have an interest in the child playing up, outlining following:
3.4.1. The player has the ability to play up one division.
3.4.2. The players’ attitude and sportsmanship has been such to justify special treatment and consideration from the board.
3.4.3. The player and his/her parents have been counseled on inherent risks of playing up one division.
3.5. Players moving up into divisions with body contact generally should be of average size for that division. In other words, the child should not be in a position where they are the smallest player on the ice in a checking league.
3.6. Players will not be allowed to move back down to their original division
4. A player may be suspended from his team by the Head Coach for one game, due to detrimental behavior on or off the ice. (In absence of the Head Coach, Assistant Coach assumes power). The Disciplinary Committee will review suspensions of a longer duration.
5. Any player found defacing, destroying, or attempting to destroy any equipment, furniture, or facilities in or around any arena could face suspension from the W.Y.H.A. This includes out-of-town facilities as well as local facilities.
6. When ice is being resurfaced between skating sessions, no player shall step on the ice until after the resurfacing machine has left the ice surface, the rink attendant has closed the door and the coach or referee has signaled to take the ice.
7. No player shall be allowed on the ice without the supervision of a USA Hockey Registered W.Y.H.A. coach.
8. All W.Y.H.A. players must wear all protective equipment mandated by USA Hockey.
8.1. Concussion or Brain Injury: W.Y.H.A is committed to the safety of its players. If a W.Y.H.A player is reasonably suspected, after observation, of having sustained a concussion or brain injury; the player shall be removed from play and the parent or guardian of the player shall be notified by the coach, team manager or a representative (present) of W.Y.H.A. of the date and approximate time of the injury suffered by the player, the signs and symptoms of a concussion or brain injury that were observed and any actions taken to treat the player. No player shall be allowed to return to play after a potential head injury until a comprehensive assessment and subsequent diagnosis of the injury is performed by a medical professional.
8.2. Return to Play. The player with a suspected concussion or head injury must obtain a Release of Medical Hold and/or Return to Full Contact Play by a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). The doctor’s written advice of release or return to play must be received by the Head Coach and forwarded to the W.Y.H.A. Vice President before a player’s return to their respective team.
9. Players registering after selection of House League teams will be evaluated and will then be placed on the appropriate Age Division House League team, subject to prorated registration fees.
Section 3.0
HOUSE LEAGUE TEAMS AND PLAYERS
PHILOSOPHY
The Wichita Youth Hockey Association House League program is recreational in nature. The emphasis is placed on skills development, sportsmanship and fun. The importance of winning and losing is de-emphasized. Positive reinforcement should be used at all times. Officials are to be respected. The Zero tolerance rule is in effect. Coaches must make every effort for games to be as even as possible in regards to matching lines. Coaches must make every effort to educate players and parents of this philosophy.
PLAYING RULES AND PROCEDURES
1. A House League team roster shall consist of a maximum of sixteen (16) players. The only exception is if there are two (2) goalies, then the maximum is seventeen (17), unless waived by the Executive Board. Every effort will be made to ensure numeric equality.
2. Games will be 3 periods in length. First and second periods will be 12 minutes with clock stopping on all stoppages of play. If necessary to meet time commitments, the third period may be played with a running clock and the game clock will be stopped only on goals scored, penalties or injuries. In case of tie score at the end of a regular season game, there will not be any extra periods or shoot-outs.
3. In the event that a team leads another five (5) points or more the score will no longer be posted on the scoreboard. The game will go to a running clock in all periods until either the game ends or the point difference becomes less than five (5). All scores will continue to be kept on the score sheet. The scorekeeper will notify the referee in charge and he in turn will notify both team coaches when the rule is invoked.
4. One, 30-second timeout per team will be allowed if time allows.
5. Players on all House League teams, barring injury and/or disciplinary action, shall skate as equal as possible in each period of all games (penalty time included).
6. No awards shall be given to any player at any W.Y.H.A. sanctioned event without the approval of the Executive Board.
7. Inappropriate/Abusive language shall be grounds for suspension of any player, coach or spectator.
HOUSE LEAGUE TEAM SELECTION
1. The W.Y.H.A. House League Head Coaches will be responsible for selection of teams. Their primary function will be to ensure that all House League teams are selected equally and will be competitive with one another. The League Head Coaches may realign teams to ensure equality of play. The following process may be used:
2. Initial practices for each division will include all players and coaches. Coaches will evaluate the players and give them a ranking from 1 (strongest) through 4 (weakest).
3. The coaches will provide 4 containers marked 1 through 4 and will make slips for each player and place them in container corresponding to their ranking. Ranking slips will be drawn from these containers.
4. Coaches will rotate through selection with each team receiving equal numbers of 1, 2, 3 & 4 players.
5. Team order will be determined by a straw lottery.
6. At the end of the draft, the coaches provide the House League Coordinator with a complete list of names for each team.
Section 4.0
TRAVEL TEAMS AND PLAYERS
1. All Travel Team players will be selected from registered players of the W.Y.H.A.
2. All Travel Team players Bantam age division and above will be given the option to opt out of playing for a House League team for the season. An ‘opt out’ fee will be assessed to cover registration and league fees that will be set each season by the Executive Board.
3. A Travel Team player can be cut by the Travel Team Coach for any reason, subject to appeal to Executive Board.
4. The W.Y.H.A. will support one Travel Team per age group category per division in whatever association the W.Y.H.A. supports and has made application for membership. A second Travel Team may be added if there exists sufficient interest to support two teams.
4.1. If there are at least 8 players among the same age division that completed tryouts and were not selected for a Travel Team roster, they may form a “Provisional Roster.” A group of players listed on a Provisional Roster may be converted to a W.Y.H.A. Travel Team once a minimum of 12 players total have been confirmed to the roster, Travel Team player deposits have been collected, and a Head Coach is selected. The Provisional Roster must be converted to a Travel Team roster by 15 November of the current season year. If the Provisional Roster cannot be converted to a Travel Team by 15 November of the current season year, the “Provisional Roster” will be dropped from consideration for that Travel season.
5. Classification of the Travel Teams with respect to USA Hockey divisions will be agreed to by the Travel Team Head Coach and the Dean of Coaches and subject to all USA Hockey rules.
6. All Travel Teams representing the W.Y.H.A. will skate under the same colors and style of jerseys regardless of sponsor. Any travel team ordering jerseys must obtain Executive Board approval prior to ordering or using the jerseys.
7. Inappropriate/Abusive language shall be grounds for suspension of any player.
8. The Travel Team Head Coach shall report any game misconduct penalties received by himself, assistant coaches or players on his team to the W.Y.H.A. Executive Board within 48 hours of the incident for review. These individuals may be called to appear at the next regular Executive Board meeting for further consideration relative to the ejection.
9. The Travel Team Head Coach shall be responsible for collecting fees associated with any ice costs, tournament fees, etc. and see that these fees are paid to the W.Y.H.A. on a timely basis.
10. The Travel Team Head Coach and Manager shall have a meeting prior to start of practices for each season. During this meeting, the Head Coach and Manager review the team operations and policies for the upcoming season. Items for discussion in this meeting shall be, team financial operating procedures, fundraising activities and requirements, playing time philosophy, goalie utilization, tournament selection criteria and other information as directed by the Executive Board. One member of the Executive Board shall be in attendance for this meeting.
11. All Travel Team fundraising activities must be consistent with the W.Y.H.A. ‘Not for Profit’ classification. For this purpose, all donated funds shall be submitted to the W.Y.H.A. treasurer and will be subsequently paid to the Travel Team. All sponsorship and fundraising activities are subject to Executive Board review.
