Policies & Procedures
General Policies of KYHC
At all times, Keene Youth Hockey Club strives to abide by all rules and provisions of USA Hockey, the New England District and the New Hampshire Amateur Hockey Association. Their rules and provisions are available on the internet.
Programs
Skill Development Program
As the title implies, Skill Development Program, or “SDP,” is an opportunity for true beginners to learn to play ice hockey. Keene Youth Hockey offers a comprehensive SDP to include basics of skating, stick handling, passing, shooting and introduction to the rules of the game. Boys and girls, age five to twelve, are welcome to participate. Thanks to a partnership with the Cheshire Fair Association, KYHC has been able to provide SDP to over 200 area children, free of charge since 2005. KYHC will offer SDP at no charge again in 2009-20010 for the childs first four lessons. SDP is held every Wednesday during the season at 5:00 pm at Cheshire Fair Ice Arena.
KYHC House League
In conjunction with the Skill Development Program, the KYHC House Leagues are the cornerstone of our organization. They offer all the fun, exercise, camaraderie and competition of traditional travel hockey to its participants at far less expense and time commitment. House league players have one practice and one, guided, cross-ice game at Cheshire Fair Arena per week. Members on most travel teams also play in the house league if space is available. For 2009-2010, KYHC has three house league; mite house, squirt house and upper house.
Travel Hockey
The portion of our program for which Keene Youth Hockey is most widely known is our travel hockey program. KYHC enters travel teams into competition at the Mite, Squirt, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget levels. Teams compete in a league (usually Granite State League and new for 2009 KYHC has joined the Greater Springfield League) that includes a regular season and tournament (for teams that qualify). Travel is throughout the state (or specific league’s geographic area); games are played both home and away. The regular season generally consists of 15 to 20 games for each league plus additional scrimmages. Parents of travel players should expect an average of two practices per week, one to two games per weekend and one to three full weekend tournaments, which can consist of as many as five games each.
Granite State League includes associations throughout New Hampshire. The league has tiers of play at each level based on the teams’ relative competitiveness. GSL is KYHC’s primary league for travel teams. As a member of the NHAHA, KYHC is required to have a delegate at each monthly Granite State League meeting.
Greater Springfield League includes associations throughout the Greater Springfield Massachusetts area. The league has tiers of play at each level based on teams’ relative competitiveness. KYHC has chosen to join the Greater Springfield League for the 2009-2010 season.
Tournaments
As mentioned above, travel teams that qualify, based on regular season standings, are entered into their respective league’s tournament. KYHC pays the entry fee for the tournament; families are responsible to pay for travel, lodging and other expenses. In many leagues, teams that win state tournaments advance to regional and, perhaps, national tournaments. Teams that qualify for State, Regional, Sectional and/or National tournaments MUST attend. Serious consequences will be applied to the entire club by NH Hockey if a single team does not attend one of the aforementioned tournaments.
In addition, travel teams are encouraged to attend at least one additional invitational tournament which are usually held during holiday weekends or at the end of the season. This is a decision made by the coaches and team parents; the team is responsible for all costs. Entry fee for tournaments are usually between $400 and $1,000 per team. Tournaments typically require overnight or weekend stays, which provides a great opportunity for the team (and parents) to socialize away from the rink.
Events
There are several events, of which members should be aware. From time to time, there may be extra clinics, camps, workshops or lectures, advertised and made available to the entire membership. There is usually no cost, or occasionally a small fee will be charged, for those who wish to attend.
Generally, the KYHC annual calendar is as follows:
· March
o Registration for next winter
o Tryouts for travel teams
o Annual Banquet and Election of new Directors
· April
o Team Selections Announced
o Orientation Meeting for Board; election of Officers
· May
o Season Planning Meeting
· June
o Coaches Selected
· July
o Annual Golf Tournament
o First Tuition payment due
· August
o Travel Team Meetings
o Off-Season practices
o Second Tuition payment due
· September
o Pre-Season ice for travel teams
o Kick-Off Weekend
o Final Tuition payment(s) due
· October
o Travel games begin
o Cheshire Fair Ice Arena Clean-up Day
· November
o Cheshire Fair Ice Arena Opens
o House Leagues Begin
o Goalie Clinics Begin
o Skill Development Group 1 Begins
· December
o Skill Development Group 2 Begins
o Holiday Invitational Tournaments for Travel Teams
· January
o Skill Development Group 3 Begins
· February
o House Leagues Playoffs
o Travel Regular Season Ends
o Travel State Tournaments
· March
o Travel Regional, Sectional, National Tournaments
In-Line Hockey
KYHC has not yet attempted any in-line (or “roller”) hockey programming. The Board of Directors would entertain the possibility of in-line hockey if interest existed among the membership of the club.
Registration
Players are registered on a first come/first served basis with each player being added to the list in the order that they registered. Registration begins during the last weeks of the season for the following year. All registered players are invited to evaluations for the purpose of trying out for a travel team. Any families with outstanding tuition for any player(s) will not be allowed to register any players for the following season until all outstanding tuition is paid. The registration fee to KYHC is $50. Registration is also required through USA Hockey on annual basis prior to first scheduled ice time with KYHC for the 2009-2010 season.
Any player who has paid 100% of their tuition for the current season may register by mail or on-line and be added to the appropriate level list in the order of receipt. Registrations received without the registration fee (except for SDP Registrations) will be returned and the registrant will not be placed on any list until payment is made.
Players who register after placement is made will automatically be assigned to the appropriate House League. Space permitting, the evaluation committee for that age level may move a house league player to a travel team based on the skill of that player and the needs of the team.
Tuition
Tuition is set annually by the Board of Directors. Changes in tuition are based on modifications to our program offerings and changes in the prices we pay for items/services, of which ice rental is the largest.
Tuition bills are sent out along with placement notification in spring/early summer. All players are required to have their tuition paid in full no later than September 1. Players that have not fully paid by October 1st will not be permitted to participate in any KYHC activities until they comply.
Tuition Refunds
Due to season planning deadlines, tuition is not refundable. Refunds may be requested in the case of serious injury or other rare circumstances, by making a formal written request to the finance committee, which will address these requests on a case-by-case basis. The President, Treasurer and Registrar make up the Finance Committee. The President may appoint another board member to fill in for a finance committee member in the case of any conflicts of interest or a perceived bias.
Scholarships
Scholarships may be requested by members unable to pay their tuition. They also must be submitted in writing and will be considered by the Finance Committee. The maximum amount of scholarship available is one half of the price of tuition.
Payment Plans
Tuition bills are broken into four payments, with the final payment due no later than September 1st. Any request to deviate from making payments as billed by the registrar must be submitted in writing to the registrar for consideration by the Finance Committee within 30 days. If the request is denied, members must make required payments to get current. If the request is approved, members must remain current under the alternative plan. This is a volunteer club of limited means which must pay its bills; it relies on its members to pay their tuition in order for this to happen. Members who have not made required payments will not be permitted to participate.
Third Player Policy
A family having three or more participants will be exempt from paying tuition for the least expensive player. They must, however, pay the registration fee for that player and full tuition for any other players in the family.
Goaltenders
Tuition for up to two named goaltenders on any travel team, will be one half of the tuition paid by other players. Goaltenders are still responsible for their fundraising obligation or buy-out.
Fundraising
Because fundraising is so critical to the operations of our club, each travel player is required to generate at least $200 worth of fundraising revenue for the club per year to fulfill their fundraising obligation. The fundraising director maintains records of fundraising credit through out the year. Players who have not fulfilled their fundraising obligation by February 1st will be billed for any outstanding portion of the $200 obligation remaining. Players who do not meet their fundraising obligation by February 1st may not participate in any team activities, register for the following season or attend the annual banquet. Players may opt for a “buy-out” option to release them from their fundraising obligation; $200 will be added to their tuition bill.
Placement/Player Movement
Any variations from these stated player placement and player movement policies must have the approval of the Board of Directors.
Team Size and Composition
KYHC will begin each registration with a plan of having one travel team per age level, mites through midgets. Teams will consist of a maximum of 15 skaters and two goalies. If all spots are filled (in order from most talented to least) additional interested players will be put on a waiting list for travel and added to the appropriate house league. They will be allowed to join a travel team if a spot becomes available; the newly added player will be added to the lowest team and a player already on that team will be moved up if the vacant spot is on a higher team. An additional travel team will be added if the waiting list grows to 12 or more players. At no time should teams at the same age level have a player discrepancy of greater than three players.
Player Placement
KYHC has developed an evaluation and placement process that that is intended to place players on teams most appropriate for the skill level. Every effort is made to ensure impartiality. Players participate anonymously and are rated by a panel at evaluations which are held at the end of each season. A committee consisting of the Coaching Director, the current coaches and one, disinterested board member will make placement decisions based on the evaluation scores and coaches evaluations from the season that is ending. No more than 15 skaters will be placed on the highest level team; others will be placed on lower team(s) or in the house league if there is no space available. This is done to allow for movement in the fall based on misplacements, new members or child development over the summer, etc. Placement decisions will be finalized and players will be notified of their placement and receive their tuition bill by June 1st. Players must play on the team to which they are assigned.
Player Movement
In the case of players who disagree with their placement, parents may request that the coaching director reconsider the placement decision. The player must continue to participate in activities on the team the player has been placed with. The coaching director will observe the player on-ice at least twice and confer with the affected coaches. The coaching director will consult the Board if Directors if she/he recommends changing the placement.
Petitioning to Play at a Different Age Level
It is the belief of the KYHC Board of Directors that players should be assigned to teams at their age level based on USA Hockey guidelines. The Board does however recognize that circumstances may exist where it may be more appropriate for a player to play outside their age group. If parents desire, they may request, in writing, that the Board move their child to the “A” team at the next age level up, allowing the player to “play up” (requests to move up to an older “B” team will not be considered). The Coaching Director will consider the request and make a recommendation to the Board. The Board’s decision is final. USA Hockey rules do not permit players to play in an age group younger than that in which they are eligible, so on travel teams, “playing down” is not an option. Decisions to place players to “play up” or “play down” in the House leagues are at the discretion of the house director.
2009-2010 Age Classifications
Birth Year Age Category Age Division
1991 18 Years Midget Major 18 & under
1992 17 Years Midget Major 18 & under
1993 16 Years Midget Minor 16 & under
1994 15 Years Midget Minor 16 & under
1995 14 Years Bantam 14 & under
1996 13 Years Bantam 14 & under
1997 12 Years PeeWee 12 & under
1998 11 Years PeeWee 12 & under
1999 10 Years Squirt 10 & under
2000 9 Years Squirt 10 & under
2001 & younger 8 & under Mite 8 & under
Player Ice Time Allocation
The amount of ice time each player receives in a game is at the sole discretion of the coach. It is understood that the coach will be as fair and reasonable as possible in allocating ice time among players during games. Key factors that coaches consider in allocating ice time include: game situation, player ability/skill/effort, disciplinary problems, attendance and illness/injury.
Members should remember that all players get a majority of their ice time during practices, which are usually an hour or longer, while ice time in a game averages between ten and 18 minutes. Players at every level get most of their ice time in practice and get many more puck touches per practice than they do per game. Attendance at practice is also critical in the coach’s decisions about game situations and preparation.
Equipment Requirements
KYHC players must wear approved hockey equipment, conforming to all USA Hockey requirements. Additionally, KYHC requires all travel players to wear approved throat guards for all practices and games.
Communication/Grievances/Discipline
Communication
Open and honest communication is paramount to the growth and success of the club. It is essential that members be mindful of the damage caused by gossiping or complaining without sufficiently understanding all facts involved in a particular situation; rumors and misunderstandings can be very hurtful to the club and to the individuals involved. Members of the Board of Directors are available to address any concerns or questions you may have about the program. It is best that you seek out the member(s) best suited to discuss particular aspects of Club, i.e. if you have billing questions, ask the registrar. Our coaches make themselves readily available to their players for issues they need to discuss.
Grievances
The Board recognizes that from time to time issues do arise that need to be addressed in order to avoid future problems or conflicts. If you have a grievance you want heard, we ask that you follow the following procedure:
Step 1: Parents should feel free to contact the coach directly with concerns that they have, however parents absolutely should not approach the coach immediately before or after a practice or game unless there is a medical issue that must be addressed immediately. It is best that parents e-mail the coach with concerns, so that the coach may consider the situation and respond in a thoughtful way, to avoid further misunderstandings or potential confrontations. Please be aware that playing time, positions, linemates and game strategy are at the sole discretion of the coach and are not subject to discussion. If these issues are of an ongoing concern, parents should communicate with the coaching director.
Step 2: If parents are not satisfied with the resolution of the issue, they should contact their level representative. The level representatives serve as a liaison between the Board and the membership and should be relied on as a valuable resource in conflict resolution.
Step 3: If an issue still has not been resolved satisfactorily, parents should file a complaint with the coaching director. The complaint should be in writing to avoid any confusion about the issues. The coaching director will facilitate a meeting between all the interested parties, so that a resolution can hopefully be reached.
Step 4: If there is still no satisfactory resolution, the parents should file a written complaint with the Board of Directors, who will investigate and address the issue. Coming before the Board of Directors is the last step in the grievance process. Therefore, the decision of the Board must be accepted as final.
Members who feel they have been wronged by the Club should consult USA Hockey’s Annual Guidebook, to consider other options that may be available to them.
Discipline
As an affiliate member of USA Hockey, Keene Youth Hockey Club takes its relationship with USA Hockey and the NHAHA very seriously and makes every effort to adhere to all of their prescribed policies. Incidents that violate policies, members’ rights or are detrimental to the game are viewed unfavorably and are acted on expeditiously. KYHC follows discipline and dispute resolution procedures prescribed by the New England District and takes appropriate action against those who violate the Code of Conduct or any other policies. Sanctions may include suspension or expulsion from the club.
