Rules & Regulations U9 & Below (Grand River Local League)

U9 ½-ICE GAMES RULES AND REGULATIONS

Overarching Goals:

1. Game that is safe and fun for all participants. 2. Development of all participants.

3. Follow Hockey Canada’s U9 Canadian Player Pathway and OMHA Addendum. 4. Two simultaneous ½-ice games of 4-on-4 hockey.

1        TWO SIMULTANEOUS 1/2-ICE GAMES

a) Requires minimum team size of 14 players – results in goaltender and 6 skaters on each end of the ice. Double shifting required.

b) U8 may register on U9 team if deemed able by ability using parameters identified by the Centre or where registration numbers require. (U8 players playing up to U9 this season, will also play U9 next season.)

c) As cannot AP from U8 to U9, Centres are encouraged to structure teams so that always have minimum of 14 players at an event. (This may not be possible at some Centres due to registration numbers. Good communication between Centres will be required so there are no surprises when a team gets to the rink for a game.)

d) When absences bringing team number to less than 14 players, teams may borrow a player(s) from another Local League team at their Centre (same age group or younger age group) to bring the number of players to 14.

No later than end of day of the game a player(s) is borrowed for, the Head Coach of the borrowing team, or their designate, must inform the GRLL President via email, cc to the U9 Convenor, of:

i.        Team borrowing the player(s).

ii.        Why they were short a player (s). iii.             Name of borrowed player(s).

iv.        Team the borrowed player(s) is rostered to.

Failure to follow this process will result in a one game suspension of the Head Coach of the offending team registered for that game.

e) If one team has less than 14 players and the other team has more than 14 players, the larger team will share with the smaller team. The smaller team will accept those players. (Be prepared for this by carrying extra jerseys. The player(s) being shared will wear a jersey supplied by the team they are shared to. Teams should wash the extra jerseys after each time they are used.)

f)     If sharing players does not get to minimum of 14 players per team, go to one 4-on-4 ½-ice game only. Either all players participate in the one game or some players“practice” in the other end, then switch for second half of game.

g) No 3-on-3 games permitted.

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2        FAIR AND EQUAL ICE TIME

a) All players play all positions – forward/defence/goaltender.

b) All players get to start the game or the second half. Carry this forward game to game if necessary.

c) All players should have the same opportunity to contribute, regardless of skill or ability. It is the coaches’responsibility to develop all players. Shortening of the bench is not permitted. All players should receive fair and as close to equal ice time as possible.

3        GOALTENDERS

a) Rotate goaltenders game to game. Encourage all players to try it once. Provide all those that desire an opportunity to play goal to do so.

b) Goaltenders wear full goaltender equipment – throat protector (dangler/billy goat beard) – see OMHA Reg. 11.4.b, blocker, trapper, chest protector, leg pads and goal stick.

c) Centres should provide good quality goaltending equipment (both righthand and lefthand) to be shared by those playing goal.

4        PLAYING SURFACE SET-UP

a) As shown on Page 19 of Hockey Canada’s U9 Canadian Player Pathway (copy attached). b) I/2-ice boards preferred over bumpers or cushions along centre ice red line.

c) Where ½-ice boards block one of the doors to the players’bench use another door in the boards toward the end of the rink for the home team’s bench area. This might require mats over the concrete floor and provision of a bench for the players. (Coaches should not climb on the glass to shout instruction at their players.)

d) Ideally the centre ice spot will be marked with a dot to indicate where the period opening face-off will occur and markings provided for where the nets near centre ice will be placed.

5        GOAL NETS

a) Full size (4ft x 6ft) goal nets will be used for all games. 6          PUCK

a) 6 oz. black puck will be used for all games. b) Home team to supply the pucks.

7        LENGTH OF GAME, PERIOD & SHIFTS

a) Provide minimum 50 minutes of ice (one hour ice rental). b) 3 minute warm-up.

c) Two periods 22 minutes and 30 seconds long – straight run-time.

d) 90 second shifts. Set score board clock to buzz indicating shift change. e) One minute break between periods.

8        GAME PARTICIPANT LIST/GAME SHEET

a) New this season the electronic game sheet platform provided by GameSheet Inc. will replace paper Game Participant Lists. The electronic game sheet must be used any time players from two different teams participate in the same game.

b) Home team is responsible for the game sheet. Supply the ipad, enter home team data, and get info from visiting team. Remember to get signature of referees, then lock and upload to the cloud after every game.

c) Encourage the coach to delegate responsibility to team manager – someone not involved in other activities on game day.

d) Must be completed prior to the start of every game.

e) If sharing players annotate details in Game Notes. If share different players for each half, describe which half what players were shared.

f)     For events with single game only, describe in Game Notes“single game”. If all players participated in both halves of the single game, note that as well. If some players practiced for one half of the game, describe which players participated in the game in the first half and which ones participated in the second half of the game.

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g) Annotate description of any other anomalies in Game Notes.

h) When the referees come off the ice after the game, present to the referees to sign and enter notes of anomalies. (Take to their dressing room if they get off the ice before you get their signature and notes.)

i)      Lock and upload to the cloud after every game. 9          GAME SET-UP AND FLOW

a) The home team defends the 2 ends of the rink. The visiting team defends the centre-ice nets.

b) After the first half the visiting team switches ends and benches so players can play against the other half of the opposing team.

10     PLAYING RULES

a) Hockey Canada playing rules apply unless noted else wise herein.

b) All players, including goaltenders, must wear mouth guards in accordance with OMHA Reg. 11.5 and Policy 3.4.4. (Must not be clear or translucent in colour.)

c) 4-on-4 plus a goaltender.

d) Minimum of one referee per ½-ice game. Referee must be registered as such with OMHA. (A second ref is permitted for training purposes.)

e) Face-offs to start each half only.

f)     Players change on the fly at the buzzer.

g) At the buzzer players immediately relinquish control of the puck and go to the players’ bench. The new players enter the ice immediately. Failure to immediately relinquish control of the puck at the buzzer, or new players entering the ice surface prematurely, will result in a penalty.

h) Players double shifting must touch the boards near the door of their players’bench prior to returning to play. It is ok if the touch is with the blade of the stick. Failure to touch-up will result in a penalty.

i)      No offside or icing.

j)     Continuous play. When whistles lead to a change in puck possession, the referee will signal the attacking players to back off 3 meters. Once the attacking players have moved back, play resumes as soon as the possession team has control of the puck.

k) When the goaltender freezes the puck, the referee will blow their whistle. The attacking team backs off 3 meters and the defending team gets possession.

l)      If the puck goes out of play, the offending team backs off 3 meters and the referee gives the non-offending team the puck.

m) Incidental contact may happen. Body-checking is not permitted. n) No score is kept.

11     PENALTIES

a) Minor Penalties:

a. The referee will briefly raise their arm to indicate a penalty will be assessed.

b. If the offending team has control of the puck, the referee will blow their whistle to initiate a change in possession. The offending team backs up 3 meters from the puck. Play continues.

c. At the conclusion of the shift the referee will inform the coach of the infraction and jersey number of the offender.

d. The offender will sit out their next shift. The team plays even strength – not shorthanded.

e. Coaches of the offending player are encouraged to use the penalty as a teaching moment.

b) Major Penalties:

a. For infractions that would normally require a player to be ejected from the game (Game Misconduct, Match Penalty, Gross Misconduct) the player will be removed

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