1. The head coach selects as goaltender any member of the team who skated out for her own team more recently than she tended goal for her own team.  This rule does not apply to the first game of the season or the bonus game. We ask all participants to embrace the spirit of this rule, which is meant to (a) help goalies become stronger skaters and (b) give other girls a chance to try goaltending.  The coordinator, in her discretion, may waive the goalie rotation rule when doing so serves the aims of the program.

2. Of the remaining skaters playing for the team,
(a) the strongest five, based on the ranked roster and the fair ranking of substitutes, play on first line only,
(b) the second five play on second line, and
(c) the last five (i.e., counting up from the bottom) play on third line.
If this results in double-shifting (due to absences), the two highest-ranking double-shifters must play defense on third line.

Clarification: No player is personally designated as a "second liner," etc.  Similarly, no player's line assignment is affected by her being a forward or defenseman.  A player's line assignment in any game depends solely on where she ranks among the players on her team in that game.  A girl who usually plays on second line is a first liner when she is one of her team's top five players in a game.  (Experienced coaches have the hardest time adjusting to this.  If you are an experienced coach, please re-read the forgoing paragraph.) 

2a. In Junior Division, the last six players skate on third line IF the team has 17 players present.  This rule applies regardless of the opposing team's eligibility to play a sixth skater on third line.

3. Each head coach has the right, BEFORE any game, to modify the opposing team's ranked roster.

3a. Head coach is NOT permitted to modify his/her own team's ranked roster.  Head coach may petition the coordinator for a change of ranking, but not within two days before the team plays.

The game consists of three periods of twelve minutes each. Each period consists of six shifts of two minutes each.  Matching lines play each other and rotate every two minutes, when the horn sounds and play stops.  The location of the ensuing face-off is based on the last play's location. 

The coordinator reserves the right to make player trades at any time during the season in order to balance the teams.

There will be no body checking, as defined by USA Hockey. Although this definition leaves room for body contact, coaches should exercise special care when, due to poor attendance, players of different age, size and ability are playing against each other.

A minor penalty lasts one minute. A misconduct penalty is treated as a minor penalty in this program. A major penalty lasts three minutes. When a game's remaining time does not permit a player to serve her own penalty, a teammate on each succeeding line will sit in her place.

Colored (non-clear) mouthpieces are required by Rule 304(c) in Girls/Women Squirt through Midget levels.  GIRLS SPRING HOCKEY REQUIRES UNMODIFIED NECK GUARDS ON ALL PLAYERS.  A player entering the ice without such a neck guard incurs an automatic misconduct penalty.  It is recommended that each coach carry spare mouthpieces and neck guards.

When a goalie leaves the ice, she may be replaced by a skater without goalie privileges from a line lower than the one currently on the ice.  Therefore, a goalie cannot be replaced while third line is playing.

Coaches should prevent unnecessarily high scoring discrepancies. Tied records at the end of the regular and playoff seasons will be broken, first on the basis of head-to-head records, and second by giving the higher placement to the team with the lower excess of goals against over goals for.  Therefore, excessive scoring works against your team.

As a gesture of good sportsmanship, every game ends with a handshake supervised by the coaches and referees.  Score sheets are retained by the coordinator.

Head coaches are appointed by the coordinator.  We have no formal assistant coaches.  Head coaches are encouraged to involve as many new adult volunteers as possible in the management of their teams.  Non-players other than adult coaches and designated adult managers are prohibited from entering bench areas and locker rooms.  Exception: Parents may enter locker rooms in junior division when necessary to assist with equipment of our youngest players. Although our players are all girls, our coaches and parents are not, so each team should adopt and abide by appropriate locker room policies. It is specifically required that two adults maintain responsibility for each team’s locker room until the last player leaves. The head coach bears ultimate responsibility.

Each head coach is registered as such with USA Hockey. Head coach is responsible to obtain and deliver to the coordinator a properly signed waiver from any other non-player permitted on the bench or on the ice. The coordinator has waiver forms for this purpose. Any non-player under the age of eighteen is considered a student coach, must wear a helmet with full face shield while on the bench and must have a completed and signed USA Hockey student coach form on file with the coordinator.  Student coaches must be older than the age level of the hockey players, so we have no student coaches at the senior level. 

Our referees, along with our players and coaches, are participants in our program, deserving respect and consideration. Girls Spring Hockey supports USA Hockey’s “zero tolerance” treatment of abusive behavior. Any team that fails to temper the behavior of its spectators will incur penalties.

SUBSTITUTIONS. The coordinator maintains a list of eligible substitutes, who have been ranked during the placement session or by other means. All substitutions are arranged by the coordinator.  The name and rank of each substitute is communicated to affected coaches at game time.  Despite our best efforts, the use of substitutes may change the outcomes of some games.  We believe that is less important than the benefit of letting more girls play more hockey. We do not have extra jerseys, so coaches should either borrow the jerseys of girls who expect to be absent or collect jerseys of similar colors for use by substitute players.

The purchase/use of additional ice time for any team is prohibited, and the scheduling of additional off-ice practices is discouraged. This is intended to maintain the program's consistency and limit its demand on our families' time and money.


 

Girls Spring Hockey