Discipline Policy and Procedures

Greater Hamilton Girls Hockey League

 Discipline Policy and Procedures

1. The OWHA Suspension procedures as detailed in the OWHA Handbook and the minimum suspensions are to be followed as outlined per the OWHA.
2. The Greater Hamilton Girls Hockey League (GHGHL) has the following ADDITIONAL suspensions guidelines.

PURPOSE:

The GHGHL follows all regulations, rules, policies, procedures, and code of conduct set forth by the OWHA. The GHGHL is focused on providing an equitable playing environment for all participants of varying playing ability, supporting an opportunity for progressive development of all players to a higher level of play and to foster cooperation, sportsmanship, and friendship among competing centers. The focus of this policy is to provide guidelines of what the GHGHL expects all coaches and players to abide by and follow. This policy outlines the policies and procedures that will be applied and furthermore enforced by both on-ice officials and/or the Disciplinary Policy should the rules be crossed. Failure to play within the following guidelines will result in Disciplinary action and violate terms of the Memorandum of Understanding for Association teams to be a part of the GHGHL.  Failure of the Association to adhere and enforce the recommendations of the discipline policy, may jeopardize an Associations "Good Standing" within the GHGHL.

This policy signifies minimum suspension and discipline policies applied by the GHGHL and to be carried out by Associations. All disciplinary actions will be applied to the next OWHA sanctioned game, regardless of venue. The use of exhibition games for the serving of suspensions is prohibited.

DEFINITIONS:

Minor: Any 2-minute penalty given to a player.

Major: Any 5-minute penalty given to a player.

Misconduct: Any 10-minute penalty given to a player.

Suspendable Penalty: Any game misconduct, any gross misconduct, or any match penalty.

League Play: All league games (regular season, playoff, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and championship games).

Bench Staff: Any team staff member who is documented on the game sheet. Any bench minor penalty given to a bench staff member will be considered as a bench minor regardless of who the penalty was given to or how many bench staff members received the penalty (i.e., a bench minor goes against the bench staff, not specified to the individual bench member receiving the penalty). 

Discipline Chair: The GHGHL spokesperson for the Discipline Committee.

Disciplinary Committee: Committee created to log all penalty minutes, deal with any disciplinary hearings, and any rule discrepancies that should arise (i.e., illegal players used, 3 goal-rule for U9 & U11, 3 penalty rule etc).

POLICY APPLICATION:

Note: All associations with teams playing in the GHGHL are to implement measures or guidelines provided by the GHGHL Discipline Chair and Committee. Failure to do so will result in violating the Memorandum of Understanding between all GHGHL Associations that may result in sanctions being imposed against the Association.

Players:

1. Any player who obtains any combination of misconducts or any combination of other penalties worthy of disciplinary action as determined by the GHGHL Discipline Committee totaling 2 (two) as per the above definitions in league play will receive a written warning.

2. Any player who obtains any combination of misconducts or suspendable penalties totaling 3 (three) as per the above definitions in league play is automatically suspended one additional game above the Suspension given by OWHA.

3. Any player who obtains any combination of misconducts or suspendable penalties totaling more than 3 (three) as per the above definitions in league play is automatically suspended 2 (two) extra games above the Suspension given by the OWHA. ADDITIONALLY, the player must attend a GHGHL league disciplinary hearing and will not be allowed to return to play until they have attended the hearing and have been cleared by the Disciplinary Committee.

Bench Staff

1. If the Bench Staff obtain 2 (two) suspendable penalties as per the above definitions, the head coach will receive a written warning.

2. If the Bench Staff obtain 3 (three) suspendable penalties as per the above definitions, the head coach will automatically be suspended one additional game above the Suspension given by the OWHA.

3. If the Bench Staff obtain more than 3 (three) suspendable penalties, the head coach will automatically be suspended for 2 (two) additional games above the Suspension given by the OWHA. ADDITIONALLY, the head coach must attend a GHGHL league disciplinary hearing and will not be allowed to return to bench until he/she has attended the hearing and until they have been cleared by the Disciplinary Committee.

TEAM PENALTY MINUTES

1. Any team whose penalty minutes exceed 25% of their total season game minutes played to date will be given a written warning.

2. Any team whose penalty minutes exceed 30% of their total season game minutes played to date will be penalized with one game suspension to be served by the head coach.

3. Any team whose penalty minutes exceed 35% of their total season game minutes played to date will be issued a MINIMUM (2) two game suspension served by the head coach. ADDITIONALLY, the head coach will be mandated to attend a League Disciplinary Hearing and will not be allowed to return to the bench until the hearing has been completed and the Disciplinary Committee has cleared the coach.

This rule is to be implemented after 5 regular season games and continues until the end of the regular season. It will be monitored periodically as deemed necessary by the disciplinary committee.

ADDITIONAL SUSPENSIONS:

At all times suspendable offences occurring during any sanctioned games are subject to review by the OWHA and further suspensions may occur.

The GHGHL is authorized to request the implementation of additional suspensions by associations under the GHGHL Rules and Regulations.

Reporting Procedures

For any League game in which a possible suspension occurred, the offences and penalties need to be reported to the OWHA. See OWHA procedures and reporting requirements.