Association Rules 2009-2010
TCMHA
The Township of Clarence Minor Hockey Association (TCMHA) exists for the purpose of promoting sportsmanship, fair play, and the sport of ice hockey in Clarence Township. The overriding purpose of the Association is to create an environment where minor hockey players can learn and enjoy the sport of hockey in a safe, friendly, and non-threatening environment, where ice time is shared equally.
The following rules have been adopted by the Association to further these objectives.
a) Teams are responsible for cleaning the dressing room after games and practices. This includes picking up tape, broken sticks, soft drink cans or bottles and other garbage.
b) Teams are responsible for any damage to the dressing room that may be caused by players or team officials before and after games and/or practices.
c) The association expects that the ice time given to each team for practice sessions will not be abused or misused. Not all of the ice time allocated for practices should be used for exhibition games.
d) All major penalties must be reported to the appropriate level vice president immediately following the game in which they were assessed.
e) Team jerseys are not to be used for activities that are not sanctioned by the Association.
f) Each team will receive 30 pucks at the beginning of the hockey season, and return 30 pucks to the Association at the end of the year. No additional pucks will be provided to teams during the course of the season except under exceptional circumstances.
g) The Township of Clarence Minor Hockey Association does not condone games between parents and players, and the Association's insurance policy does not cover injuries sustained during any non-sanctioned activities. Teams that engage in non-sanctioned activities do so at their own risk.
h) Each team will be provided with ice time and referees for two exhibition games during the course of the season. If additional exhibition games are scheduled, referees must be paid in cash, before the beginning of the game.
i) Only registered team players, affiliated players, registered team officials, or other officials who carry ODMHA insurance coverage are allowed to participate in team practices.
j) Teams are responsible for properly filling out game sheets and ensuring that the visiting team receives its copy of the game sheet after the game. The top two copies of the game sheet must be placed in the game sheet box in the coaches' room.
k) Each team may, at the discretion of the coach and team officials, develop its own team rules. These rules may address issues such as the time at which players and team officials should arrive at the arena before games and practices, acceptable behavior, dress code, and disciplinary measures, and may include a code of conduct.
Possible rules include:
Players and coaches shall be at the
arena at least 45 minutes before a game, and half an hour before a practice.
All players are responsible for their own equipment.
All injuries must be reported to the team trainer.
Any player who misses a practice or a game without a valid reason may be
suspended.
Guidance on diet, exercise, dress code, etc.
Information on parental access to the dressing room.
Restrictions on the use of tobacco, drugs and alcohol.
a) TCMHA is using Club Affiliation.
b) Parents of non-contact (Nation) players affiliated to teams competing in body checking divisions/leagues (PGL/A/AA) must be advised by the affiliating coach that their child will be competing in a body checking division/league. The parents' signatures on the Specially Affiliated Player Permission Form will confirm notification and/or discussion in regards to body checking.
d) All affiliation requests must be approved by the appropriate level vice-president. Every effort must be made to ensure that all teams at each level have equal access to the pool of players eligible for affiliation.
e) Coaches must approve an affiliation request from a higher-level team.
f) A team must secure the permission of an affiliated player's coach before using the affiliated player in a game or practice. A coach can refuse to grant permission for a player to play or practice with a higher-level team if the affiliated player has a game with his team later during the same day, or if there is less than a three-hour interval between games at the Novice and Atom levels, and one hour at the PeeWee, Bantam or Midget levels. Exceptions to this rule can be made under exceptional circumstances, with the approval of the appropriate Vice-President.
g) Coaches must request the permission of the affiliated player's coach before approaching a player, or the player's parent, to participate in a game or practice with the affiliated team.
h) A coach may refuse a request to use an affiliated player during the playoffs.
i) There are no restrictions on when an affiliated player can be asked to participate in a game or practice with the higher-level team.
j) An affiliated player can only play five games with his higher-level affiliated team after January 10. If he/she plays a sixth game with the higher level affiliated team after January 10, he/she becomes part of that team, and can no longer play with his/her lower level team.
a) All players agree to abide by the Players' Code of Ethics (Appendix I). Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action by the team or the Association.
b) No player shall go on the ice for a game or practice until the ice-resurfacing machine (Zamboni) has left the ice surface, and the doors to the Zamboni entrance are closed. No player shall go on the ice for a practice until there is a registered team official on the ice. For games, players are not permitted on the ice until one or more of the officials (referees) are on the ice.
c) Any player registered with the association who is found guilty of having falsified a birth certificate or any other documents shall be automatically suspended.
d) Any player who behaves inappropriately during any team activity shall be reported to the President by his/her coach, and may be subject to disciplinary action.
e) All players in the TCMHA must use a BNQ approved neck guard during all games and practices.
f) The use of a mouth guard is mandatory.
g) Players who transfer to the Clarence Minor Hockey Association mid-season are not eligible to play at the PGL level without the approval of the VP Nation, the VP PGL and the Association executive.
h) All players who suffer an injury that causes them to miss a game or practice must receive medical clearance to return to play from a physician, and present a signed doctor's note to his/her team's trainer before being allowed back on the ice. This applies to all injuries, including those suffered while engaging in activities other than hockey.
a) All team officials agree to abide by the Team Officials' Code of Ethics (Appendix II). Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action by the team or the Association.
b) All team officials must consent to a police record check to be conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police. Failure to submit to such a check will lead to immediate suspension until a police record check is conducted.
c) All team officials who are directly involved with the players (i.e. officials who have duties on the bench or in the dressing room) must attend a Speak Out course.
d) All major, match and game misconduct penalties must be reported to the appropriate level vice-president by a team official immediately upon the conclusion of the game in which they were assessed.
e) PGL level teams must have at least one team official certified at the intermediate level.
f) For the protection of all players and team officials, no team official should ever be alone with a player in the dressing room.
a) All Clarence referees and linesmen agree to abide by the District 3 Officials' Code of Ethics and the Hockey Canada Code of Ethics for Referees (Appendix IV). Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action by District 3, or Hockey Canada.
b) Referees and linesmen shall arrive at the arena at least 15 minutes before a game. Any referee or linesman who does not show up for a game that was scheduled for him/her by the Referee-In-Chief or the Assistant Referee in Chief (without just cause) will be fined an amount equivalent to the fee that he/she was to be paid for the game.
c) Referees and linesmen must sign their name on the game sheets of all games which they officiate, and print, in legible handwriting, their last name and their Hockey Canada referee number.
d) Referees are required to submit a monthly pay sheet to the Referee-in-Chief in order to get paid.
e) Referees must be on the ice for games before the two teams get on the ice.
a) All parents (or legal guardians) of players registered in the TCMHA must read, agree to abide by, and sign a code of conduct governing their behavior during minor hockey games, practices and team activities (see Appendix III).
a) Travel permits must be obtained before participating in any tournament that is outside or inside of the ODMHA. Travel permits must be signed by the TCMHA president or vice president, and by the responsible District 3 official. This process may take several weeks to complete, and teams are required to take this into account when planning to attend tournaments outside the ODMHA.
b) Non-contact teams that wish to play in a contact tournament must obtain the written consent of the parents of all of the players on the team. All of the players on non-contact teams that elect to play in a contact tournament must first attend a body-contact clinic, or receive special instruction, approved by the Association, on body contact procedures.
a) Definitions:
Minor Fundraising: Minor fundraising is any fundraising activity conducted within the time allotted for team practices or games, e.g. 50/50 draws, or juices sales in the dressing room.
Major Fundraising: Major fundraising is any fundraising activity conducted outside the time allotted for team practices or games, e.g. bottle drives, raffles, door-to-door sales, organizing tournaments, etc.
b) For some fundraising, the Municipality of Clarence-Rockland may require that a permit be obtained (at the team's expense).
c) The limit of all fundraising (minor plus major) per team is not to exceed $2,000 per season.
d) Money raised through fundraising must be applied equally to all players on the team. For example, if one player raises $50.00 and another brings in $20.00, the total will be shared equally, that is $35.00 each.
e) The amounts raised are only to be used for tournaments, extra ice time, team activities or prizes for the players. Surplus money must be returned to the association at the end of the season.
f) No approval is required for minor fundraising, but the activity must still be reported to the association before it takes place.
g) A written request must be made to the Association for any major fundraising activity. Requests for major fundraising activities must be submitted to the member of the executive responsible for fundraising by November 15th.
h) Approval from the association must be granted before any major fundraising is carried out.
i) Team money must be kept in a separate bank account.
j) The sale of 50/50 tickets is permitted at all home exhibition, scheduled league and playoff games.
k) The time allocated to a team to sell 50/50 tickets begins one hour before its game, and ends when the game starts.
l) The sale of 50/50 tickets at Clarence tournaments is governed by the tournament organizing committee.
m) A fundraising report, and a report on how the funds were spent, must be provided to the association by each team at the end of the regular season.
n) Only one major fundraising activity is permitted per team per year. In some situations, an exception can be made at the discretion of the Association executive.
o) Failure to comply with the fundraising rules could result in all team funds being confiscated by the Association, and disciplinary measures against team officials.
a) Players who are not registered with the TCMHA cannot participate in any on-ice activities (try-outs, practices, clinics, games, etc).
b) Payment must be made before a player is allowed on the ice for try-outs, games or practices.
c) All players who register late will be assessed a $50 surcharge. The surcharge may be waived by the Association in exceptional circumstances.
d) Cheques that are returned NSF will be subject to a $25 fee.
e) A handling fee of $50 will be assessed to any player who withdraws from the TCHMA after registration. Refunds of seasonal fees, if applicable, will be pro-rated to the date of a player's withdrawal from the Association.
Try-outs for PGL teams
a) In order to play for a PGL
(competitive) team in the TCMHA, a player must attend the TCMHA try-outs, or the
try-out sessions for a higher level (i.e. Junior, A or AA) team within District
3. Exceptions may be made for players who are injured, or who transfer to
Clarence during the season, at the discretion of the Association.
b) All players must attend a body contact clinic to play for a team that plays contact hockey (PGL level teams). While participation in a body contact clinic on an annual basis is strongly recommended for all players, Bantam and Midget players who have played at the PGL level, or higher are exempt from this requirement. At the discretion of the Association, any player may be required to attend a body contact clinic before trying out for a team that plays contact hockey.
Off-ice officials
a) Each team must provide
adequate and competent off-ice officials (timekeeper, scorekeeper, penalty box
attendant) for all their home games. These officials must be experienced in the
handling of delayed penalties and other situations that may arise appropriate to
the level of hockey being played.
b) At least one of the off-ice officials must be over the age of 16.
c) Off-ice officials must be familiar with the ODMHA game sheet and correctly fill out all sections.
d) Off-ice officials are considered game officials and MUST maintain an unbiased demeanor throughout and immediately following the game. Off-ice officials who yell, swear or criticize other on-ice or off-ice game officials may be subject to disciplinary action.
e) A running time clock must be used for all games. Running times for each period for games at the Novice, Atom and PeeWee levels are 15 minutes (50 minute ice-time). For Bantam and midget level games, running time for periods are 25 minutes (1 hour 20 minutes ice-time). At the end of the running time, the buzzer must be sounded to end the period, even if there is time left on the game stop-time clock.
f) Visiting teams are permitted to have a team official or parent in the timekeeper's box to ensure that periods and penalties are timed properly.
a) Depending on the severity of an infraction, disciplinary measures for failure to respect or comply with the Association's rules could include a reprimand, suspension or expulsion from the Association, at the discretion of the president or the executive of the TCMHA.
b) The president of the TCMHA has the authority to take immediate disciplinary action against any member of the Association, subject to the subsequent approval by the Association executive.
Players' Code of Ethics
I will play hockey
because I want to, not because others or coaches want me to.
I will play by the rules of hockey and in spirit of the game.
I will play by the rules and will resolve conflicts without resorting to
hostility or violence.
I will respect my teammates and my opponents.
I will do my best to be a true team player.
I will remember that wining isn't everything -- that having fun, improving my
skills, making friends and doing my best is also important.
I will acknowledge all good plays and performances -- those of my team and
opponents.
I will remember that coaches and officials are there to help me. I will accept
their decisions and show them respect.
I will respect and show appreciation for the volunteer coaches who provide
sport activities.
I will be on time for practices and games.
I will not miss a practice or a game unless I am sick or I have too much
schoolwork.
Team Officials' Code of Ethics
I will be reasonable
when scheduling games and practices remembering that young athletes have other
interests and obligations.
I will teach my athletes to play fairly, to respect the rules, officials,
opponents and teammates, and to resolve conflicts without aggression or
violence.
I will ensure all athletes receive equal instruction, discipline, support and
appropriate fair playing time.
I will not ridicule or yell at my athletes for making mistakes or performing
poorly. I remember that children play to have fun and must be encouraged to have
confidence in themselves.
I will teach the player that doing one's best is as important as winning so
that my child will never feel defeated by the outcome of the game.
I will make sure that equipment and facilities are safe and match the
athletes' ages and abilities.
I will remember that children need a coach they can respect. I will be
generous with praise and set a good example.
I will obtain proper training and continue to upgrade my coaching skills.
I will collaborate with the officials for the benefit of the sport.
I will never question the officials' judgment or honesty in public.
Parents' Code of Ethics
I will not force my
child to participate in sports.
I will remember that my child plays a sport for his or her enjoyment, not for
mine.
I will encourage my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts
without resorting to hostility or violence.
I will teach my child that doing one's best is as important as winning, so
that my child never feels defeated by the outcome of a game/event.
I will make my child feel like a winner every time by offering praise for
competing fairly and trying hard.
I will never ridicule, yell or hit my child for making a mistake or losing a
competition.
I will remember that children learn best by example. I will applaud good
plays/performance by both my child's team and their opponents.
I will not applaud my child when he hits a member of the opposite team.
I will not scream at my child on the ice because it will influence his
concentration on the game.
I will never question the officials' judgment or honesty in public therefore I
will not yell swear at the referees.
I will support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from children's
sporting activities.
I will respect and show appreciation for the volunteer coaches who give their
time to provide sporting activities for my child.
Officials' Code of Ethics
I will make sure
that every player has a reasonable opportunity to perform to the best of his or
her ability, within the rules.
I will avoid or remedy any situation that threatens the safety of the players.
I will maintain a healthy atmosphere and environment for competition.
I will not permit the intimidation of any player either by word or action. I
will not tolerate unacceptable conduct towards myself, other officials, players,
coaches or spectators.
I will be consistent and objective in calling all infractions, regardless of
my personal feelings towards a team or individual player.
I will handle all conflicts firmly but with dignity.
I will accept my role as a teacher.
I will be open to discussion and contact with players before and after the
game.
I will remain open to constructive criticism and show respect and
consideration for different points of view.
I will obtain proper training to upgrade my skills as an official.
I will work in co-operation with coaches for the benefit of the game.
The Hockey Canada Officiating Program "Official's Code of Ethics" also provides guidance to registered officials across Canada.
I will:
Do the best job I
can in each game, no matter what the category of hockey.
Always show respect for my fellow officials, the players, coaches and fans.
Treat all other participants and spectators of the game with respect at all
times. Use of abusive language or gestures (reverse abuse) is completely
unacceptable under any circumstances.
Study and continue to improve my knowledge of the Hockey Canada playing rules,
the Hockey Canada Officiating Program policies and procedures.
Represent myself and the rules of the game as fairly and as accurately as
possible at all times.
When required, I will promptly report all penalties involving potential
disciplinary action to the appropriate authorities.
Always be unquestionably impartial, keeping a professional and appropriate
distance from teams.
Understand that the use of alcohol is not encouraged and is totally
unacceptable on game days. The use of illicit drugs is against the law.
Uphold the philosophy and right of all hockey participants to "Fair Play and
penalize accordingly all violent acts.
Raise the standard of play in each game that I officiate.
Be supportive of my fellow on-ice and off-ice officials at all times, even
when I am a spectator.
Accept the fact that I will make mistakes, but I will not get frustrated or
let this learning process affect my performance or my professionalism.
Contribute to the continuing growth of the Hockey Canada Officiating Program
and its officials within my Branch through support, encouragement and positive
attitude.
Respect and accept constructive feedback from supervisors and the assignments
I receive from my administrators