Golden Spike Amateur Hockey Association
Policy
Sta=
tus:
App=
roved
– 3 February 2008
Table
of Contents
3 Board Membership and
Responsibilities
4 Registration and Defined Divis=
ions
7 Player Accommodations/Equipmen=
t=
9 Administration and Game Struct=
ure
These polici= es and procedures were initiated and established to provide written guidance for t= he Golden Spike Amateur Hockey Association, Inc. (GSAHA). In no way should the= se policies and procedures be construed as formal requirements or supersede the by-laws (where a conflict should exist), but rather a tool providing guidan= ce for consistency from one year to the next. They should be considered dynami= c, subject to change, and revised as necessary to meet the needs of GSAHA. Approval of these policies and procedures will require a majority vote of t= he acting board and evidence of vote will be kept in the meeting minutes.
The philosop= hy of GSAHA is consistent with that of USA Hockey for its Youth Programs which is= :
“To provi=
de
improved grass-roots foundation for the growth and development of USA Hocke=
y,
designing programs aimed at increased participation, improved skills, and a
responsible environment for the conduct of youth hockey.”
SPORTSMANSHIP - Foremost of all values is to learn a sense of fair play. Become humble in victory, gracious in defeat. We will foster friendship with teammates and opponents alike.
RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL - = Treat all others as you expect to be treated.
INTEGRITY - We seek to foster honesty and fair play beyond mere strict interpretation= of the rules and regulations of the game.
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE - Each member of the organization, whether a player, voluntee= r, or staff, should seek to perform each aspect of the game to the highest lev= el of his or her ability.
LOYALTY - We aspire to teach loyalty to the ideals and fellow members of the sport = of hockey.
TEAMWORK - We value the strength of learning to work together. The use of teamwork is reinforced and rewarded by succe= ss in the hockey experience.
Golden Spike= will follow the USA Hockey Model Program as defined in the current USA Hockey An= nual Guide which is:
§ A safe and healthy environment for all.
§ An opportunity for all players who wish to p= lay hockey.
§ Fair and equal opportunity for all to participate in our sport.
§ An opportunity to learn the basic skills wit= hout an over-emphasis on winning.
§ A philosophy which attempts to reduce the nu= mber that may become disenchanted and drop out.
§ An opportunity for those who wish to advance= in a more competitive environment, to do so.
§ Qualified adult leadership.
The followin= g is a list of board members both voting and non-voting. This list is inconclusive and board pos= itions can be added as needed during a vote of a scheduled board meeting. The duties listed under each member are= a guideline and should be used as such.
The Presiden= t shall provide overall direction of all GSAHA activities, to preside at all meetin= gs and to enforce all rules and regulations relating to the organization.
§&nb= sp; The President has the authority to act on behalf of GSAHA in making commitments= and decisions in support of the Association’s mission.
§&nb= sp; The President has the power to call all meetings of within the Association, app= oint all committee chairpersons, serve as an ex officio member of all committees, delegate the routine management of Association and act as the organization’s official spokesperson.
The Vice Pre= sident shall assume the duties of the President in his absence as well as preside = at all meetings in the absence of the President.
The Director= s at Large are responsible are charged with carrying out the Association’s By-la= ws and Policies.
The Immediat= e Past President is responsible to ensure continuity on all matters to the Association.
The GSAHA Tr= easurer is has primary responsibility for all financial matters. Prepare annual budget, cost analysis and financial reports. File all approp= riate forms for compliance with the applicable local, state, and federal laws.
The GSAHA Se= cretary is responsible for the capturing of all official business conduct within the Associations. Duties include but a= re not limited to:
§ Record minutes during board meeting, special meetings, and disciplinary board meetings.
§ Type minutes into a readable format.<= /p>
§ Provide minutes to all board members for approval and acceptance as outlined within the Association By-laws.<= /p>
The GSAHA Re= gistrar to ensure that all personnel (player, coaches, manager) are properly regist= ered with USA Hockey. Duties include bu= t are not limited to:
§ Collection of all player and coaches IMR numbers.
§ Enter and maintain personnel into the CyberSport database
§ Preparation of rosters for all house and tra= vel teams
§ Coordinate with State and District Registrar= to obtain official signatures on rosters.
§ Coordinate official registration within the Association.
§ Collect registration fee and deposit into designated financial institution.
§ Invoice outstanding members.
§ Provide updated rosters, financial data, mas= ter team listing, and other reports to board and division directors.
§ Provide rosters, financial data, master team listing, or other reports as requested.
The Division Directors have the largest influence on how the GSAHA philosophy is carried out. This guide for Directors responsibilities is just that, a guide. Many of these responsibilities may = be delegated by the Director to various volunteers within their respective division. The Division director responsibilities include but not limited to:
§ Establishes season objectives based on the U= SA Hockey and Association philosophy.
§ Selection of Assistant Director, when applicable.
§ Un= der the direction of the Coaching Director, participate in the selection= of house coaches.
§ Assists in the selection of house teams to ensure parity.
§ Under the direction of the Association Scheduler, participate in the input to the practice and game schedule.
§ Maintain division locker rooms and equipment (e.g. goalie gear, pucks, first aid kits, etc.).
§ Attendance at all games (if possible).
§ Ensure off-ice officials (score box, penalty box, etc.) are available and knowledgeable of their duties during games and tournaments.
§ Preparation of score sheets prior to each ga= me (except mini and mite divisions).
§ Maintain a score sheet in event a claim or protest is filed.
§ Attendance at all GSAHA board meetings and sub-committee meetings, as appropriate.
§ Maintain current Consent-to-Treat forms.
§ Provide news information to the newsletter manager editor.
§ Approve the recipients of individual trophy awards.
§ Cleanliness of the facilities following their respective division use.
§ Resolve game protests by coaches (may solicit coaching director’s help).
§ Attempts to resolve differences of opinions, when needed, between teams, parents, and coaches and be able to communicate= the Associations philosophies and policies.
NOTE: At no time should the Director or any GSAHA volunteer, attempt to resol= ve confrontations when and where personal injury may be a result. Personal saf= ety is paramount in all cases.
§ In conjunction with the ACE Coordinator, sup= port the education to parents and coaches that the house is recreational and str= ess the importance of development of the player is first over winning. <= /p>
§ Right to stop play or eject players and or coaches for conduct not in accordance with USA Hockey Bylaws or GSAHA Polic= ies.
The Associat= ion Scheduler is responsible for all scheduling of all house and travel division based on= the contract provided by the Ice Sheet. Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
§ Establishes and maintains a “master” schedule for all divisions and travel teams throughout the year. (duplicate of 9.1a)=
§ Provides monthly master schedule to the Association Board members for review p= rior to distributing.
§ Attends GSAHA Board meetings.
§ Coordinates any changes to the schedule with GSAHA Board for final approval.
§ Coordinates with GSAHA board in scheduling travel teams and visiting teams to ens= ure adequate ice team is still maintained for development of GSAHA players.
§ Provide schedule to webmaster for posting to= the website.
§ Provide copy to referees association for scheduling of referee for games.
The Coaching
Director is responsible for all coaches with the Association. This includes but is not limited to:
§ Develops the Association’s coaching goals and requirements.
§ Selects coaches for the house teams based on= the input from each Division Director and presents the candidates to the Association Board for final approval.
§ Coordinates selection of house teams to ensu= re parity (works with respective Division Directors, as necessary).
§ Coordinates any required activities (additio= nal coaching clinics, background check, etc.) with the State Coaching Director = as required by GSAHA, Utah Hockey A.H.A, or USA Hockey.
§ Attendance at all GSAHA board meetings and sub-committee meetings, as appropriate.
§ Selects coaches for travel team based on the input from each travel manager and presents the candidates to the Associati= on Board for final approval. Supports= , when necessary, Division Directors in resolving any issues involving GSAHA coach= es within their respective division.
The Associat= ion Coaching & Educator (ACE) Director must be able to communicate a long-t= erm vision of these goals and objectives and be able to sell these within the association. The ACE solidifies USA Hockey’s commitment to skill development as a primary goal of coaching with= in the association. This position rep= orts to the Coaching Education Program District ACE Director.
§ Ensure that the association is promoting age-specific skill development in all of its programs.
§ Encourage associations to implement the USA Hockey Skills Development and Cross-Ice programs.
§ Communicate certification requirements to association coaches and ensure compliance with USA Hockey & District/Affiliate certification levels.
§ Deliver parent education programs to the association.
§ Plan, organize and execute periodic skills workshops for coaches, players and parents.
§ Communicate with the District ACE Administra= tor and USA Hockey on all issues related to coaching at the local association level.
§ Communicate USA Hockey’s player development opportunities to players, parents and coaches.
§ Establish and maintain a resource center for coaches, players and parents that would include all available USA Hockey materials.
§ Evaluate practice session and provide feedba= ck to coaches to improve the coaching capability of local association coaches.=
The Travel D= irector is responsible for the overall direction of GSAHA Travel program including recruitment of coaches and team parents/managers and scheduling of games, practices, tournaments and clinics.
The equipment manager is responsible for the equipment room, the inventory of all equipme= nt, and the distribution of the equipment for mini mite and mite players.
The fund rai= sing coordinator is responsible to provide those potential fund raising events t= hat would help players with season ice fees.
The Utah Hoc= key Liaison is responsible to represent the needs of the Association and to att= end all Utah Hockey Association meetings and provide a report back to the Association.
The Division= Head Coach is responsible for the consistent implementation of the skills progression as identified by USA Hockey. Division Head Coach is also responsible to ensure that the coaching staff is following those coaching guidelines as identified in Section 6 of this document.
As associati= on member’s parents/guardian there is a responsibility to encourage sportsmans= hip, teamwork and self-discipline in our children.
All players = must complete an Individual Membership Registration Form (IMR) via the USA Hockey website and the IMR number provided to the GSAHA Registrar prior to steppin= g on the ice for the first time. Only o= ne IMR is required for players competing on more than one GSAHA team (e.g., house = and travel teams).
All players = must register with the Golden Spike Hockey website to provide contact information for payment, point of contact, and email notification capabilities. Additionally, a Consent to Treat= form, payment acknowledgement, waiver, code of conduct, and the initial payment m= ust be made prior to any GSAHA hockey play for the ensuing year. Payments for season dues may be divided among two payments final payment due by 31 Oct of that year. Any deviations to the f= ee policy should be worked through the division director and registrar.
Golden Spike= will follow the USA Hockey defined division structure by age division as follows= .
§ Midget (16- and 18- under)
§ Bantam (14-under)
§ Pee Wee (12-under)
§ Squirt (10-under)
§ Mite (8-under)
§ Mini Mite (6-under or new to hockey) – not a defined USA Hockey Division
1.&n= bsp; GSAHA will implement a mini mite division to establish a consistent practice of player development for those children beginning the sport of ice hockey whic= h are 6 years of age and younger and enrolled in GSAHA Mini Mite Program.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>
2.&n= bsp; It shal= l be the philosophy of GSAHA that any new skater, under the age of 7, starts at = the mini mite level. The purpose for this is to have coaches review the skater’s ability and to ensure the skater has the basic concepts needed to progress to the Mite level.
3.&n= bsp; It is highly encouraged that any new skater = in the Mite age group also begins skating at the Mini Mite level until the Head Coach feels the skater has developed enough to be advanced to the Mite leve= l.
GSAHA will s= upport a full scale travel teams for the Bantam and Pee Wee divisions.
GSAHA will s= upport a travel team for the Squirt division with a limited practice, games and tournaments regulated by the travel director and board on a yearly basis ba= sed upon a developmental travel philosophy.
GSAHA will n= ot support a Mite travel team.
Players play= ing out of their age classification will be approved on a case by case basis with t= he following guidelines:
§ Requests must be in writing from both= the player’s parents and a qualified medical doctor stating the reason(s).
§ This will be tentatively approved by the affected division director, coaching director, Risk Manager, and GSAHA board with final approval being granted by the USA Hockey District Risk Manger.
§ Request= s must be in writing from the player’s parents stating their understanding of the risks associated with playing with potentially faster, stronger, and higher skilled players.
§ A letter from the current division head coach and accepting division head coach stating that the player possesses the ski= ll to compete in the middle of the division.
§ This request will be reviewed for approval by the GSAHA Board of Directors only if both affected Division Directors fully agree to the request.
§ Goalies can be rostered= on two team and across division for support and only when approved by the Association Board.
§ Safety/= injury risk considerations must be given to the skater(s) requesting to move up, as well as other players when considering approving a skater to “play u= p”.
§ If appr= oved, a player may only be allowed to “play up” one year above their curre= nt age (e.g. a first year bantam will not be allowed to move up as a Midget.) = and a payer will not be allowed to play “up” into a checking division from a non checking division(e.g. Squirts to Pee Wee).
The team mus= t have an official roster (USA 1-T or equival= ent as defined by USA Hockey) signed and dated by the District Registrar to= be valid. This form will be prepared = by the GSAHA Registrar. All players must = be assigned a team.
All house an= d select teams must have the player roster information to the Association Registrar = no later than December 1. The Association Registrar shall then forward the ros= ter for approval and signature to the Utah State Registrar no later than Decemb= er 15 of the current playing year (or as defined by the State Registrar).
Teams should= be equally balanced using a method to mix talent and resources within a divisi= on. If it is evident once the season progresses that such a balance was not achieved, the division director should work with the head coach and coaching director to make adjustments as necessary.
Travel teams= will be created using the following guidelines:
§ Selections should be as unbiased as possible utilizing an open tryout or 2-3 sessions.
§ All players shall receive notification of tr= avel team tryout dates including posting information on the Ice Sheet bulletin b= oard at least 2 weeks before the first tryout.
§ Prior to trying out, candidates (including t= heir parents) should be made aware of what is expected during the season (e.g., financial and time commitments).
§ It is the responsibility of the Division Director to post the travel team tryout schedule and fee information.
§ The Division Director must solicit coaching applications to submit to the coaching coordinator.
§ The Director, Coaching Director, President, = and past President will review all applications and make a recommendation of He= ad coach and Assistant coaches to the Board of Directors. Selection will be ba= sed upon skill, experience, and attitude.
§ All participants must have a current individ= ual member registration (IMR) number from USA Hockey prior to stepping on the ice.
The coaching= staff will create a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all participa= nts, share their knowledge and experiences, foster sportsmanship, and pre= pare all players for the next phase of their hockey development.
All coaches = must provide their own IMR (Individual Member Registration) number and consent to the performance of a background check.
All coaches = must have the appropriate coaching credentials for the level they will be coachi= ng as listed below:
§ Level 1 – Mite and Mini Mite
§ Level 2 – Squirt
§ Level 3 – Pee Wee, Bantam
§ Level 3 – Midget (house/recreational only)
§ Level 4 – Midget (Tier 1/Tier 2 National Bou= nd)
All head coa= ches must be over the age of 18.
Student coac= hes will be permitted in Golden Spike based on the following guidelines from the USA Hockey Youth Coaching program.
§ Student coaches must be between the ages of 13-17.
§ Student coaches must have a current IMR numb= er.
§ Student coaches must complete a Level 1 CEP Course
§ Student coaches must be briefed by the ACE Coordinator
§ Student coaches will not be permitted to ass= ist on the bench during a game.
§ Student coaches must wear a helmet with a full-face cage at any time they are on the ice.
§ Student coaches must wear other equipment as mandated by USA Hockey
§ Student coaches must be approved by the Coac= hing and Division Director.
All GSAHA co= aches shall wear a properly fitted HECC approved helmet during all scheduled ice events= .
All coaches = should familiarize themselves with the basic first aid procedures and should make every effort to attend first aid clinics when provided by ACE Director with= in the Association.
All GSHA pla= yers shall abide by and sign the USA Hockey Coaches Code of Conduct as stated in= the USA Hockey Annual Guide and provided during the application process. As wel= l as those rules and the By-laws and Policies implemented by the GSAHA Board of Directors and any other GSAHA disciplinary rules which may be written.
§ Winning is a consideration, but not the only one, nor the most important one. Care more about the child than winning the game.
§ Remember, players are involved in hockey for= fun and enjoyment.
§ Be a positive role model to your players. Display emotional maturity and be alert to the physical safety of players.<= /span>
§ Be generous with your praise when it is deserved; be consistent and honest; be fair and just; do not criticize play= ers publicly; learn to be a more effective communicator and coach; don’t yell at players.
§ Adjust to personal needs and problems of players; be a good listener; never verbally or physically abuse a player or official; give all players the opportunity to improve their skills, gain confidence and develop self-esteem; teach players the basics.
§ Organize practices that are fun and challeng= ing for your players.
§ Familiarize yourself with the rules, techniq= ues and strategies of hockey; encourage all your players to be team players.
§ Maintain an open line of communication with = your players’ parents.
§ Explain the goals and objectives of your association.
§ Be concerned with the overall development of your players. Stress good health habits and clean living.
§ To play the game is great; to love the game = is greater.
Any coach wh= o does not adhere to the Coaches Code of Conduct, may be removed from his/her posi= tion within GSAHA and/or face other disciplinary actions as deemed appropriate by the GSAHA Board of Directors.
Any appeals = made by a coach must be in writing and submitted to the GSAHA Board for review. The Board’s decision on the appeal will be final for that ensuing/current year.= A coach may submit additional appeals yearly.
All female P= layers will have designated an adequate area in which to dress, if required (e.g., Mini - Mite and Mite age players generally do not require a separate dressi= ng room facilities). Coaches and managers will ensure a “gender neutral” environment for all team meetings and discussions. “Gender neutral” is defi= ned as: fully clothed, excluding gloves, helmet, and skates. All coaches and players will follow USA Hockey Guidelines in preventing gender harassment a= nd discrimination.
Full protective gear is required for the Mite age classification and above. Limited equipment is available for rent= from GSAHA on a first come basis. It is intended for use by the Mini-Mite and Mi= te Divisions, as well as the Girls Division, as a means to introduce young or beginning skaters to the sport of hockey. Any remaining rental equipment may then be rented to players or other Divisions, as needed.
All GSHA pla= yers shall abide by and sign the USA Hockey Player Code of Conduct as stated in = the USA Hockey Annual Guide and provided during registration. As well as those rules and the By-laws and Policies implemented by the GSAHA Board of Direct= ors and any other GSAHA disciplinary rules which may be written.
§ Play for fun.
§ Work hard to improve your skills.
§ Be a team player; get along with your teamma= tes.
§ Learn teamwork, sportsmanship and discipline= .
§ Be on time for practices and games.
§ Learn the rules and play by them.
§ Be a good sport.
§ Respect your coach, teammates, your parents, opponents and officials.
§ Never argue with an official’s decision!
All spectato= rs and parents/guardians shall abide by and sign the USA Hockey Parent Code of Con= duct as stated in the USA Hockey Annual Guide and provided during the registrati= on process. As well as those rules and the By-laws and Policies implemented by= the GSAHA Board of Directors and any other GSAHA disciplinary rules which may be written.
§ Do not force your child to participate in sports, but support their desire to play their chosen sport. Children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment. Make it FUN!
§ Encourage your child to play by the rules. Remember that children learn best by example, so applaud the good plays on = both teams.
§ Do not embarrass your child by yelling at players, coaches or officials. By showing a positive attitude toward the ga= me and all its participants, your child will benefit.
§ Emphasize skill development in practices and= how they benefit your young athlete. De-emphasize games and competition in the lower age groups.
§ Know and study the rules of the game and sup= port officials both on and off the ice. This approach will help in the developme= nt and support of the game.
§ Any criticism of officials only hurt the gam= e.
§ Applaud a good effort in victory as well as defeat and enforce positive points of the game. Never yell at or physically abuse your child after a game or practice, it is destructive. Work toward removing the physical and verbal abuse in youth sports.
§ Recognize the importance of volunteer coache= s. They are important to the development of your child and the sport. Communic= ate with them and support them.
§ If you enjoy the game, learn all you can abo= ut the game and volunteer!
§ Observe and Honor the ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY<= /span>
§ Must abide by the USA Hockey Player Code of Conduct as stated in the USA Hockey Annual Guide and listed below.
§ Are forbidden to enter the ice surface durin= g a practice or game.
§ Shall not interfere with the game or practic= e.
GSAHA Board = members have the authority to eject/remove an individual from the rink. If the spectator interference continues, the referee has the authority to suspend = the game and the spectator may be subject to action by the GSAHA Disciplinary Board.
All current = USA Hockey rules apply, except those specifically addressed by the GSAHA Board of Directors and any written GSA= HA disciplinary rules which may exist.
Games should= be conducted, as appropriate, for the skill level involved (e.g. stop play, coach assist, shortened rinks, etc. fo= r Mite game, as well as Mini-Mites, when applicable).
§ Equal ice time for all players shall be encouraged.
§ Games must be completed within the allotted time. No overtime or shootouts are allowed in house games.
§ All disputes or protests shall be presented = in writing to the respective Division Director.
§ All games will be 13 minute stop time with t= he final period being adjusted for time allowance.
§ All minor penalties will be 2:00 minutes in length unless a double minor or major penalty is assessed.
§ All major penalties will be 5:00 minutes in length.
§ All misconducts penalties will be 10:00 minu= tes in length.
§ All game misconduct penalties result in game ejection and a 2 game suspension.
The schedule= shall be prepared for the entire season based on the “master schedule” provided f= rom the ice facility. This schedule wi= ll allow for both house and travel practices and games with the following guidelines:
House schedu= les will be revised and adjusted from one year to the next to accommodate changes in= ice time availability and division size.
House practi= ce and games will not occur on the following holiday weekends:
§ Thanksgiving
§ Christmas
§ New Years
§ Presidents Day weekend
§ Martin Luther King weekend
§ UEA Weekend
Draft and up= dated schedules will be provided to all board members inclusive for review and comment prior to posting on the Association website.
This schedul= e should take in to account the following:
§ Mini Mites and Mites ice time no later than = 7:00 pm start
§ Squirt ice time no later than 8:00 pm start.=
§ Pee Wee ice time no later than 9:00 pm start= .
§ Bantam ice time no later than 10:00 pm start= .
§ Midget ice time no later than 10:30 pm start= .
Weekend ice = time should be utilized by the Mini-Mite, Mite and Squirt Divisions as much as possible= .
When feasibl=
e, the
scheduler should establish a house schedule based on the game to practice r=
atio
defined by USA Hockey.10.=
2 Travel Team Schedules Every attempt shall be made to minimize
rescheduling of house games and practice when setting the travel team sched=
ule.
The travel t=
eam
schedule will be scheduled with the available ice after house teams have be=
en
accommodated. In an attemp=
t to
minimize scheduling conflicts, the GSAHA President will have final approval
between house and the travel team schedule. The travel t=
eam
manager and head coach are ultimately responsible for conduct of the travel
team. This includes: §
Meeting the commitments of the travel team §
Providing necessary correspondence with other
Associations (e.g. players rosters, etc.)=
§
Maintenance of the financial records and
submittal of information to the board. §
Proper and effective communication with team
parents and the representation of team parents desires when such action
requires a vote. § Travel
teams are responsible for paying ice fees, referee fees, and other associat=
ed
costs in a timely manner. Failure to remain current on financial matters 11<=
span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> Travel Teams=
§ Travel schedules should minimize occurrences where players must be pulled out of school for travel.
§ The candidates and not the house funds will incur select team costs.
§ Any player who is known to be deficient on f= ees from a prior year shall not play in a GSAHA Travel team until such issues a= re resolved.
House statis= tics (both team and individual) should be maintained for the tracking of individ= ual awards only and shall not be displayed at the rink or the website. <= /p>
Travel team statistics (both team and individual) should also be maintained for the tracking of individual awards can be displayed at the rink or on the websit= e.
The Division Director is responsible for providing award information to the GSAHA Presid= ent. This consists of players eligible for hat-trick, playmaker, and shut-out aw= ards with appropriate marked score sheets of USA hockey sanctioned play.<= /p>
All GSAHA pl= ayers may receive an individual trophy/plaque or medal for participation througho= ut the season.
Individual A= wards will include:
§ Each GSAHA house team (or division?) shall a= ward a “Sportsmanship” trophy as chosen by the team members.
§ Each house team (or division?) (Mite and abo= ve) shall also present one award for “Most Improved”.
§ The Division Director has the final approval= for all recipients of individual awards.
§ The “Nate Hartman Memorial Award” is present= ed to a first year (based on USA Hockey birth year) GSAHA Squirt player who demonstrates overall performance, sportsmanship, and improvement of skills.= The Squirt Division Director and Squirt coaches will make the selection for this award.
§ The “Kyle Argyle Memorial Award” is presente= d to a GSAHA Mite (based on USA Hockey birth year) player in his last year of th= is division who demonstrates overall performance, sportsmanship, and improvement of skills. The Mite Division Dir= ector and Mite coaches coordinate in selecting a candidate for this award.=
§ The Ian Peterson (Bridgett=
e will
get info on this)
§ All awards and trophies will be presented at= the close of the season and will be provided by GSAHA.
Any addition= al awards or gifts shall be funded by those involved and should be presented separately (e.g. coach’s gift following last game of the season in the locker room or a unique individual player awards at s team party, etc.).
GSAHA will not allow the sponsorships from businesses = which directly endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
The GSAHA Board reserves the right to reject any team sponsor.
The idea of large sponsorships should be presented to = area businesses and individual investors with the philosophy that their donations might benefit the entire GSAHA and not just a select group.
Any special patches or logos should be provided by the sponsor and approved by the GSAHA Board of Directors.
Disciplinary Board
To establish a Disciplinary Committee comprised of mem= bers of Golden Spike Amateur Hockey Association’s Board of Directors, as defined, for the resolution of grievances involving a member of GSAHA or when reques= ted by Utah Hockey or USA Hockey.
It is not the intent of this Board to overrule game decisions made by a referee, i.e., game miscond= uct, but rather to provide a documen= ted process in which to deal with disciplinary action involving coaches,= players, Division Directors and GSAHA Board members whose conduct is not in accordance with the philosophies of GSAHA or the conduct acceptable to USA Hockey.
Examples may include, but are not limited to: destruct= ion of property, player or coach game conduct (e.g., match play penalty or violati= ons of player’s or coach’s Code of Conduct), physical abuse involving a GSAHA member, etc.
It will be the intent of this Board, after hearing information from all affected, to apply fair and justified decision-making and not invoke personal issues when rendering disciplinary decisions.
* GSAHA Vice President
Division Director(s) – of affected Division(s)
GSAHA Board Member – as selected by the Chairperson
Select Team Manager –when involving Select Team Issues= and requested by the Chairperson
Coaching Coordinator – when requested by the Chairpers= on
Others – as deemed necessary by the Chairperson.
* =3D will act as Chairperson
In those cases wh= ere the Vice President is not available, due to work schedule, travelling, etc. and the issue must be resolved prior to their return, the selected Board me= mber shall act as the Chairperson and another GSAHA Board member shall be reques= ted to participate.
The Board may solicit guidance from USA Hockey, as appropriate, as well as Utah Hockey and other Utah Hockey Associations for consistency, when required.
Affected members may always appeal the decision determ= ined by this Board to the Utah Hockey Board= of Directors when allowed by the Utah Hockey Bylaws and to USA Hockey v= ia the applicable appeals process as described in the USA Hockey Annual Guide.=
There will be no sexual abuse of any participant invol= ved in any GSAHA or USA Sanctioned programs/events. Anyone accused of sexual abuse will be placed on suspension and not allowed to participate in GSAHA functi= ons, including practice and games, until the issue is resolved with the local authorities. Refer to USA Hockey Annual Guide, Policy Section, paragraph B.=
There will be no physical abuse of any participant inv= olved in any GSAHA or USA Sanctioned programs/events. Anyone accused of physical abuse will be required to appear before this Board for review and fact gathering activity. Anyone accused of physical abuse, fighting, etc. will be temporarily placed on suspension from GSAHA (games/practices) until the Disciplinary Board convenes. The Board m= ust meet within 48 hours to begin investigation. Even after the investigation h= as begun, the player may still be required to remain on suspension if determin= ed by the Board.
If the activity results in local authorities (police) getting involved the Board will honor any judicial decisions made, if so ordered, even if GSAHA action has been completed. Refer to USA Hockey Annual Guide, Policy Section, paragraph C.
An example of action GSAHA may take may include but is= not limited to:
§&nb= sp; Complete suspension from GSAHA (with or without unused fees used reimbursed)
§&nb= sp; Suspension from a set number of games/practices
§&nb= sp; Volunteer service within GSAHA functions (e.g. ,off-ice officiating) much like commun= ity service
§&nb= sp; No action taken
§&nb= sp; Destruction of property of the Ice Sheet facilities, visited ice rinks, personal proper= ty of other hockey players may require the individual(s) involved to pay for repairs or replacement costs
§&nb= sp; Other infractions/concerns not necessarily listed above may be handled similar to Items 3 and 4 above.
GSAHA members who do not honor the decisions imposed b= y the Disciplinary Board may be subject to further disciplinary action and temporarily suspended until the decision render has been satisfactorily completed.
Consideration must always given to the type of offense committed, the history of the accused with respect to other disciplinary is= sues within GSAHA, any witnesses’ statements, as well as genuine remorse from the individual(s) , etc., before rendering a decision.
All decisions must be documented by the Board and reta= ined by the GSAHA Secretary and presented to the GSAHA Board of Directors for information only. Decisions must also be kept as confidential as is practic= al by the Board in order to protect the individual(s) involved.
GSAHA – Poli=
cies –
Approved 3 February 2008