Minnesota Hockey

Participation Rule

At the 2010 Winter Board Meeting, Minnesota Hockey (MH) unanimously approved an updated Participation Rule, effective for the 2010-2011 Season.  The changes were based on inputs received and internal discussions on how the revisions implemented for the 2009-2010 Season were working.

Prior to 2009, MH had a "Residency Rule" which used players' residence to determine the hockey association in which they were to play.  There were provisions for waivers, but the various MH associations and districts were somewhat inconsistent in the consideration and approval of such waivers.  The most prevalent reason that waivers were requested was that a player had enrolled in a school which was outside of their Association of Residence's boundaries.

For the 2009-2010 Season, MH changed the rule to a "Participation Rule" using the location of the school a player attends to determine the hockey association in which they were to play.  A one-time choice option, with a few provisions, was added to allow players to continue to participate where they live if they wished.

Beginning in 2010-11, the MH Participation Rule will now allow players the option of essentially playing where they live or where they go to school.  Changes in the rule approved for the 2010-2011 Season include:

• Reverting default association membership back to residence
• Mandating waivers requested from players enrolled and attending school in another area
• Defining "Home Association" as either the Association of Residence or the Association of School Attendance to which a player has been properly waived
• Further defining options for players changing schools

The review process and resulting changes were handled by MH's Discernment Committee, co?chaired by Dave Bakke - Planning VP and Greg Nagan - District 2 Director.  The intent is to acknowledge school attendance while preserving the community-based foundation of Minnesota Hockey.

The text of the approved 2010-2011 Participation Rule is included below.

If you have comments on this initiative, please contact your District Director or e-mail us at info@minnesotahockey.org.

A.      RESIDENCY POLICY

MH is a community-based amateur hockey program. Members in good standing are to participate on teams from their local association (local affiliate) based on the residence of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). The boundaries of the geographical area served by each local association are determined by MH and recorded in the Affiliate Agreements. In some circumstances, players may participate in another association by requesting a formal waiver from this policy.

B.      RESIDENCY RULE

1.      Youth Hockey players must register and participate with the association whose boundaries incorporate the player’s residence. If a player desires to participate on a team from any other association, the player must obtain a waiver.

a.      All waiver requests must be submitted on the current Waiver Form provided by MH.

b.      The Waiver Form must indicate the reason for the waiver request.  (school attendance, opportunity to play on travel team, co-op team, etc.).

c.      Any conditions that apply to a waiver must be indicated on the Waiver Form and initialed by all parties executing the waiver.

d.      Waiver Forms must be signed by the releasing and receiving association presidents before being submitted to the District Director responsible for those associations for approval.  If the releasing and receiving associations are in two districts, the waiver form must be submitted to both District Directors for approval.

2.      Definitions

Association of School Attendance: the association whose boundaries incorporate the location of the school the player attends.

Home Association: either the Association of Residence, or the Association of School Attendance to which a player has been properly waived.

3.      A waiver shall be granted to any player who wishes to participate in the MH association whose boundaries incorporate the school in which the player is enrolled and is attending.  For schools with multiple campuses, the "main" campus shall prevail unless agreed otherwise by the affected District Director(s).  Players waived based on school choice shall be deemed to be members of their Association of School Attendance and shall have full rights and privileges accorded to all members of that association, including voting rights. (Exception – see "Changing Schools" below.) Players receiving a waiver based on school attendance shall register with their Association of School Attendance for as long as they are qualified students of that school (including the first year).

4.      Players waived for non-school attendance reasons shall be subject to the receiving association's policies in accordance with MH governing documents (e.g. may not be eligible for "A" team, may be assigned to lowest available team, etc.). They shall remain members of their Home Association, not the association they were waived into, with full rights and privileges accorded to all members of their Home Association, including voting rights.

5.      Changing Schools

a.      Players whose Home Association has been based on residence:

Players who newly enroll in a school outside of the boundaries of their Association of Residence without a corresponding change of residence, shall elect one of the following:

1.      Retain full eligibility to compete at any classification in their Association of Residence; or

2.      Be eligible at the "B" classification or lower in their new Association of School Attendance for one (1) year beginning with the first day of attendance in the new school (a waiver is required).

b.      Players whose Home Association has been based on school attendance:

Players who newly enroll in a school outside of the boundaries of their Association of School Attendance without a corresponding change of residence, shall elect one of the following:

1.      Have full eligibility to compete at any classification in their Association of Residence; or

2.      Have full eligibility to compete at any classification in their new Association of School Attendance if they completed the grades of school offered at their former Association of School Attendance; or

3.      Be eligible at the "B" classification or lower in their new Association of School Attendance for one (1) year beginning with the first day of attendance in the new school if they did not complete the grades of school offered at their former Association of School Attendance.

c.      Unusual circumstances may be submitted to the District Director for determination.  The District Director's decision is final.

6.      A player that participates without a necessary waiver is considered an ineligible player. Refer to the Section entitled Eligibility Provisions. A waiver must be obtained before a player can participate outside of their Home Association. During a season, a player that registers or participates with one association cannot participate with any other association without a waiver (applies to players with dual residency).

7.      A player denied a waiver by his/her Home Association may appeal in writing to the District Director having jurisdiction over the Home Association, who after investigation will issue a ruling. ThedecisionoftheDistrictDirectorisfinal. AlsoseeSectionentitledEligibilityProvisions.

8.      Players having dual citizenship, one being the United States, must also conform to the residency rule.