WINNETKA
HOCKEY CLUB
POLICIES FOR ALL STAR TEAMS
Updated 2004
INTRODUCTION
This pamphlet sets forth the
basic policies of the Winnetka Hockey Club (WHC) concerning All Star teams.
The fundamental goal underlying these policies is to give the best possible
experience to the greatest number of children. While we hope that our teams
will win their share of games, it is more important that the children have
fun, develop hockey skills, and learn the rewards of teamwork, dedicated
effort, and sportsmanship.
This pamphlet is a compilation of WHC policies. Anyone with questions
about these policies should contact a Winnetka Hockey Club Board Member.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY FOR NIHL
TEAMS
The WHC has eligibility rules
that go beyond the requirements of NIHL and the Amateur Hockey Association of
Illinois (AHAI). These rules are designed to preserve the community
orientation of the club and to maximize the playing opportunities for
children from Glencoe, Kenilworth, Northfield,
and Winnetka
- the villages that comprise the district of the WHC. The WHC’s
eligibility rules are as follows:
The WHC does not allow out-of-district players on NIHL All Star
teams (gold, silver & bronze) unless there is an
insufficient number
of qualified players from the WHC district to field a team. The
prohibition
of out-of-district players does not apply to (a) children of coaches in the
All Star program or (b) children who played in the WHC program while
residents of the district, who move to another district, and who
continue to play in the WHC program without interruption.
ELIGIBILITY POLICIES FOR ALL
PLAYERS
1. Any resident who plays for
another Tier II team during a regular
season shall thereafter be ineligible to play for a WHC All Star
team unless there is an insufficient number of
players who have
not played for another Tier II team available to field a team.
This prohibition does not apply
to a player who: (a) tries out,
but is not selected, for a WHC All Star team and then plays
for another Tier II team during that season; or (b) resides in
an area shared jointly by the WHC and another Tier II team,
and the player has not previously played for a WHC All Star
team; or (c) plays for an open (AAA) team and does not play
for another Tier II team before playing for a WHC team.
2. The WHC does not allow
children to play up on a team of
older players. For example, a Mite-age player cannot play on
a Squirt team. Similarly, the WHC does not allow double rostering under which a skater would play on two
All Star
teams during the same season. Any parent who seeks an exception
to the rule against
playing up should file a written request with the Hockey
Director, specifying the basis for the exception. The Hockey
Director will evaluate the request and make a recommendation
to the Board, which will then vote to approve or deny the
request.
3. Once a player is selected for
a team and placed on the team’s
roster, the player is prohibited from playing on any other team
until the AHAI State Tournament is completed.
PLAYER CONDUCT
Players are expected to conduct
themselves in a respectful and responsible manner and act as a team on and
off the ice.
On the Ice - Unsportsmanlike
conduct (trash talking, swearing, yelling at the referees, opposing team, or
your own teammates.) or the intent to injure another player (slashing,
checking from behind, high sticking, etc.) will not be tolerated.
Off the Ice - In the locker
rooms, corridors, parking lots, and elsewhere, you are representative of your
team and the Winnetka Hockey Club. Players are expected to show the highest
level of respect for their teammates, officials, opponents, and spectators.
This means no bullying, no teasing, no trash talking, no hand gestures, no
demeaning locker room antics, no swearing, no locker boxing and no fighting.
At hockey games and practices, all coaches will be addressed as coach, sir,
or Coach D.J.-- not by first name only.
Reporting - Reporting of
violations can come from players, coaches, parents, referees, league
officials, or WHC Board members.
Disciplinary Action - Any player
exhibiting behavior described above will be required to appear with his or
her parents before the Rules and Ethics Committee. The Committee will examine
the reported infraction and may assess strike(s) against the player.
Consequences - Every player will
be allowed a maximum of three strikes per season. Each instance of behavior
that is deemed to have violated the above code will result in at least one
strike. It is possible to earn all three strikes for a single infraction.
Player and parents will be notified in writing of any strikes assessed.
1. Strike One - one week (minimum
one game) suspension.
2. Strike Two - two week (minimum two games) suspension.
3. Strike Three - suspension for the balance of the regular season.
Appeals - Appeals may be made to a joint committee of no less than five
members of the Executive, All-Star, and Rules and Ethics committees assembled
on an ad-hoc basis by the President of the WHC.
COACHES CONDUCT
Coaches are role models on and
off the ice and are expected to exhibit quality leadership and enthusiastic
behavior. It is the intent of the WHC to enjoy a variety of coaching styles, however, certain types of behavior will not be
tolerated: verbal abuse of players on either team or abusive remarks to
referees.
Coaches will arrive at the rink
at least 20 minutes before games and practices. They will be in the locker
room with their players (not outside with the parents). During this time the
Coach will be responsible for supervising the players and upholding WHC
conduct policies. Coaches will remain in the locker room after games.
Coaches should abstain from
profanity and encourage sportsmanship. Coaches will not allow bullying or
misconduct by players. They are responsible for enforcing the player’s code
of conduct.
COMMITMENT & ATTENDANCE
Parents and players must realize
that membership on an All Star team requires significant commitment (a much
higher level of commitment than House League play or most other recreational
activities). Although the attendance policy excuses certain types of
absences, it is important to remember that hockey is a team sport and that
the team suffers if any of its members are absent. Parents and players should
make every effort to be responsible, contributing members of their teams if
they choose to try out for travel hockey and are placed on a team.
Parents and players should be
willing to abide by the following policies before committing to an All Star
team.
1. All Star hockey players are required to attend all scheduled games,
practices and skills clinics over the course of the season and will be given
3 excused absences per year. The only excused absences are: (1) required
school activities requiring the skater=s attendance, (2) religious holidays,
ceremonies, and services involving the player, illness or injury, and (3)
family emergencies.
If a team or player has more than
one scheduled hockey event in
one day, (excluding tournaments) one of the events must be
designated (by the coach) as optional. If a practice scheduling change occurs with less than 48 hours notice,
the rescheduled team practice must be considered optional. If a
practice game is scheduled with less than 48 hours notice, the
practice game must be considered optional. Rescheduling of NIHL
or Central States regular season games will not
be optional.
Attendance will be mandatory.
Attendance at NIHL, Central States, and AHAI playoff games are
mandatory regardless of last minute scheduling.
2. Attendance is required over
the Thanksgiving weekend for participation
in a local tournament, and all other weekends during the hockey season.
This includes Martin Luther King and Presidents Day weekends. Winter break for the WHC is
generally two weeks long and is
scheduled to coincide with the calendars of the local schools.
3. If NIHL or Central States
schedules do not coincide with a
particular school calendar, those players will be required to
attend all scheduled events.
4. Coaches will be responsible
for enforcing the WHC policy
on unexcused absences. These rules, as well as any other
rules concerning disciplinary matters, shall be applied
consistently to all players. It will be the responsibility of
the Head Coach and the Manager to determine if an absence is excused or
unexcused. Any planned absence, not discussed with the coach and manager
prior to the absence, will by definition be unexcused.
Coaches will deal with the unexcused absences within the framework of the
following guidelines:
First absence Player will sit out
the first period of the following game.
Second absence Player will sit out the first period of the following game.
Third absence Player will sit out two periods of the following game.
Fourth absence Player will be suspended for the next game.
Fifth absence Player will be suspended immediately and may be eligible for
dismissal from his/her team pending a hearing by a review board, composed of
the WHC President, the Hockey Director, the All-Star Director, and the
current WHC Board members overseeing Rules and Ethics.
WHC All Star coaches and managers are responsible for enforcing these
guidelines at WHC All-Star team events. In the event of extenuating
circumstances that limit the number of players on a particular roster for
that next game (e.g., due to excused absences such as a sickness, school
event, etc.), the head coach has the authority to postpone the punishments
with notification to his team parents.
TEAM SELECTION
Teams are selected based on
competitive tryouts run by the coaches at each age level. The coaches control
the tryouts and make the decisions as to which players will be on which teams
and which players will be cut.
During the several days of
tryouts, parents are not allowed to watch the tryouts or to communicate with
the coaches on any matter bearing on team selection or their child’s
performance. Any question should be directed to the All Star Director.
Similarly, if a parent feels that the coaches should be aware of some fact
bearing on a child’s performance, the information should be given to the All
Star Director.
If a child’s family decides that
the child will not play if selected for a certain team, that fact should be
communicated to the All Star Director. The information will be held in
confidence until the coaches have selected the teams. The information will be
used only to avoid a situation in which another child would be cut and later
called back onto a team.
All Star tryouts should not be
used as a practice for players whose parents want them to play on house
league or house league select teams. If a family is initially undecided but
during the course of tryouts decides that the child should not be on one of
the full-season all star teams, this decision should immediately be
communicated to the All Star Director or Hockey Director. We need this
information on a timely basis to ensure that another child is not needlessly
cut.
The policy of the WHC is that no
child should be excluded from playing on an All Star team solely because of a
short-term injury or illness which makes complete participation at tryouts
impossible. Each child’s situation should be examined on a case-by-case
basis. The procedure that should be followed, to the extent possible, is as
follows:
1. The Hockey Director will
gather as much information as possible, concerning
both the child’s medical situation and the child’s skill level, to present to
the
coaches making the team selections. In the best case, these coaches will
themselves be familiar with the player, but in all cases, other coaches with
first-hand experience with the player’s ability will be consulted.
2. The Board insists that the coaches
take a conservative approach when
evaluating a child who is unable to tryout. If there is any doubt as to which
team the child should be on, the child should be placed on the lower of the
two teams being considered. Similarly, if there is any doubt as to whether
a child should make a team at all, the child should not be placed on a team.
3. After the relevant information
has been gathered, the Hockey Director will
make a recommendation to the coaches and the Hockey Director and
coaches will jointly decide whether a child who is unable to tryout be
placed on a team. This decision will not be made until all children trying
out have been evaluated.
TEAM SIZE
The WHC has the goal of providing
the highest quality program for the most players possible. This means a
normal team would consist of not less than 13 skaters. This policy allows the
coach to make his team selections based on the natural talent break of the
players. If a coach wants to field
a team of less than 13 skaters, he would first have to obtain the consent of
the Hockey Director, who will render a decision after consultation with the
All Star Committee. Larger rosters are encouraged at the Pee Wee and Bantam
Levels.
EQUIPMENT
In addition to standard hockey
equipment (helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey gloves, cup, hockey
pants, shinguards, and hockey skates), players are
required to wear neck guards at all practices and
games. Helmets will be white. Pants will be black.
Squirts and above must wear
colored mouth guards at all games and practices. They may wear detached mouthguards, preferably, those fabricated by a dentist or
orthodontist.
Home and away jerseys will be
provided by the WHC. No name tags will be worn on jerseys.
Helmets will have no markings
other than WHC logo on the sides and player's number on the back.
ROLE OF MANAGERS
One parent from each team is
recruited by the All Star Committee to act as the team manager. One of the
manager’s most important responsibilities is to act as a liaison between the
coach and the parents. Unless a coach initiates the discussion, parents are
not permitted to engage the coach in a dialogue concerning hockey-related
matters such as player’s ice time, a player’s position, the team’s practice
routine or the team’s offensive or defensive tactics. Questions about such
matters should be directed to the manager, who will confer with the coach and
report to the inquiring parent.
Neither the manager, parents, or the coach should
compile or distribute statistical records showing individual player’s
statistics. The emphasis should be on team play rather than individual comparisons.
For the same reason, individual awards, such as game MVPs or designations as
captains based on game-by-game performance, should not be given our.
Managers may serve consecutive
terms.
BOARD LIAISON
Each team is assigned a Board
Member to act as liaison between parents of their team and the WHC Board of
Directors. If a parent feels uncomfortable raising a particular issue with
the manager, the parent should contact the WHC Board Liaison member. Any
questions or concerns
regarding board policies or practices may be directed to the Board Liaison.
TRIPS
The purpose of overnight hockey
tournaments is to provide an enjoyable environment for teammates to bond, as
well as experience an appropriate level of competition. Trips are defined as travel that
requires an overnight stay.
All tournaments are subject to
the approval of the Hockey Director and the All Star Committee.
Tournaments/trips shall be
assigned in the off-season by the coaches with the input of the Hockey
Director and the approval of the All Star Committee. Each team’s tournament
destination and dates will be posted at tryouts.
Mites and Squirts shall seek out
appropriate tournaments within driving distance.
Pee Wees
and Bantams will be allowed to fly to appropriate tournaments.
Central States Teams will be
allowed a trip, time permitting.
All Winnetka teams will be expected to play in
a local Thanksgiving Tournament. If Winnetka’s
Wishbone Classic offers the appropriate level of competition, WHC teams will
be expected to play in the Wishbone.
Coaches may schedule additional
local tournaments, subject to the approval of the Hockey Director and All
Star Committee.
COACHES
Winnetka Hockey coaches should
coach only one regular season All Star Team. The Hockey Director may coach
two teams, with the approval of the Board. A full-year coach may be allowed
to coach an A-2 team or assist on another full-year team with prior Executive
Board approval.
Qualified fathers will be
considered for All Star coaching assignments and the Board, All Star Director
and Coaches Committee will meet to evaluate the coach’s background and skill
level. Parent coaches are not allowed to move up with their child.
Fathers who are allowed to coach or assist at practices must be screened and
must have their AHAI coach’s certification. NO ONE is allowed on the player’s
bench without the AHAI coach’s certification and screening. THERE ARE NO
EXCEPTIONS.
PARENTAL CONDUCT
The WHC is a member of the
Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL). NIHL Parent's Code of Conduct is
reproduced below. Under NIHL's rules, the team,
coach and manager are responsible for ensuring compliance with this code.
As a parent of a young person in
the Northern Illinois Hockey League, I will do my part to help respect all
participants.
I will not participate in any name calling or undesirable acts that detract
from the game of hockey.
I resolve to conduct myself as a
parent and adult even under the most trying circumstances.
I will remember that all of our
children are looking to us for guidance.
It is important to remember that
through hockey we are building a solid foundation for future character
development.
Let’s all help to make this the
best year this League has ever seen. Welcome our guests at our home rink and
recognize a good play no matter who makes it.
Finally, let's remember that each
game is for our young people, and win or lose, it's
a stride in life for them.
The WHC also has its own Code of
Conduct. The section concerning parental conduct states:
1. Parents will conduct
themselves in a manner which will exemplify good
sportsmanship and fair play.
2. Parents will be supportive of
all team players and coaches both on and off
the ice.
3. Parents will refrain from
negative or derogatory comments about players,
coaches and officials.
4. Parents will be responsible to
see that their child attends practices and games
on time.
5. Parents will contact their
Board Liaison, a Board Member, or the All Star Director
if a problem exists on their team.
6. Parents will be aware that
their conduct at games is a reflection on the
Winnetka Hockey Club.
Any parent's behavior occurring in or about any ice arena during a game or
practice that brings discredit on the Winnetka Hockey Club or any of its
players, parents, or coaches shall be immediately reported to a member of the
All Star Committee or the House League Director, as appropriate. Upon such
report, the All Star Committee or House League Director shall take whatever
steps necessary to investigate the incident. If such investigation reveals
that the incident occurred, the offending parent shall be barred from further
games and/or practices for such period as the Executive Committee deems
appropriate. If such parent who is banned appears at any game or practice
from which the parent has been banned, the child of that parent shall be
benched for such period of time as that parent remains in violation of the
Executive Committee dictate.
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