South Shore Women’s Hockey League

Meeting Minutes

Monday 18 August 2008 

7:00PM

NESC Marlboro MA

 

I. Administration

 

  1. Attendance
    1. A quorum was present.  (27 Teams)  

 

  1. Old Business
    1. $300.00 Payments – Collected or due to Louise Cardinale. 
    2. Laura Bowser has the List of Players with Financial Obligations to team in the SSWHL.
    3. Confirmed Disciplinary Committee Membership
    4. Disciplinary Committee Rule passed by unanimous vote. It will be inserted into the SSWHL Rules for 2008-2009

 

“Disciplinary Committee.  Each year during the pre-season meeting, the SSWHL will nominate, elect, or appoint at least five but no more than nine members of the Disciplinary Committee.  The Disciplinary Committee work for the League President and when directed by the President will review the number and type of penalties accumulated by a player or team and make recommendations to the President regarding disciplinary action against a player or team.  Disciplinary action includes suspension in addition to USA Hockey and SSWHL suspension penalties already stated in USA Hockey and SSWHL Rules. Disciplinary action also includes expulsion from the SSWHL.

 

The player and team will be notified of a Disciplinary Committee Hearing regarding the player or team and the reason or incident that is under investigation by the SSWHL.  The Hearing will be scheduled as soon as possible but not later than one month after notification.  The player or team is encouraged to attend the hearing however are not required to attend and may waiver their participation in the hearing. 

 

The Disciplinary Committee will convene with no fewer than 3 members.

 

The Director of Referees or his designated referee representative will attend and act as an advisor regarding hockey playing rules.  Referees may participate as witnesses to the incident if necessary. 

 

Players may present their explanation of the incident in person or in writing.  In the case of a player incident team representatives may participate only if allowed by the League President or the Disciplinary Committee.

 

For Team incidents the team can be represented by the Team’s Captain, Coach, or Program Director or any combination of the three.     

 

Following the hearing, the Disciplinary Committee will provide a record of the hearing and make a recommendation in writing to the League President.

 

The President implements punishment and contact the Team representative or coach to make notification.  The punishment is posted on the “Dog House” page of the SSWHL web.  This is to notify all teams, coaches, referees, and players of the action and assist in compliance.”

 

This Rule Proposal eliminates the following from the Rules

 

“***The Disciplinary Committee will review the number and type of penalties accumulated by a player and may, in the interest of sportsmanship and safety, take action necessary to eliminate sportsmanship and safety related issues.”

 

                        f.  Vote on Rules Committee Rule.

 

  1. Proposal:  Add Responsibilities of the Rules Committee to the Rules

 

“Rules Committee.  Each year during the pre-season meeting, the SSWHL will nominate, elect, or appoint at least three but no more than five members of the Rules Committee.  The Rules Committee work for the SSWHL Board of Directors and when directed by the Board will review aspects of the SSWHL rules that relate to safety, sportsmanship, competition, and administration. 

 

USA Hockey Playing Rules can not be disregarded.  However the Rules Committee may make recommendations that create SSWHL Rules that carry a greater penalty than USA Hockey Rules. 

 

The Rules Committee will draft Rules Proposals and submit the Proposal to the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors will review the proposal and either submit the Proposal as written for League Vote per SSWHL Rules paragraph 3. The Board of Directors can make modifications to the proposal and submit it to the League, send the proposal back to the Rules Committee for further study, or reject the proposal.

 

The Rules Committee will convene with no fewer than 3 members.

 

The Director of Referees will serve as an advisor regarding USA Hockey Playing Rules.  He can attend Rules Committee meetings and/or comment on the proposal and make recommendations.”

 

These paragraphs will be added to para 3.

 

 

  1. Treasury Report.  Request teams to provide one check per team vice sending the SSWHL a pack of personal checks from individual players.  One team – One Check.

  

II. 2008-2009 Season

 

  1. Ice Availability and Ice Contracts were reviewed by Laura Bowser and Nick Cardinale.
  2. Schedule /  Rinks  /  Ice Time
    1. Teams submitted their scheduling preference forms to Cynara.

                                                               i.      The spread sheet was reviewed by teams in attendance.

                                                             ii.      Included on the form was Home Rink and Weekend Off requests.

    1. Season start date:  (07SEP - SUNDAY)
    2. Season end date  (04APR – SAT  and 05APR - SUN)
    3. Christmas –The SSWHL WILL PLAY between Christmas and New Years
    4. Super Bowl is Sunday 01 Feb – NO GAMES SUPER BOWL SUNDAY  
    5. SSWHL Playing -  Potential Playing Weeks

                                                               i.      29 weeks prior to Nationals (27-28-29 March – Rochester NY)

                                                             ii.      31 weeks total in the SSWHL

 

  1. Division Alignment
    1. Approved 2008-2009.

 

III.  Final Comments / Wrap-up / Further Action

 

  1. SSWHL Secretary will research and draft a letter of indebtedness for a claim against Team Connecticut for failure to pay the SSWHL for numerous forfeits from last season per SSWHL Rule 6 – Game Cancellation and Forfeit Policy.  The letter will be signed by the SSWHL President and sent to the Director and District Registrar of USA Hockey New England District with a copy sent to the USA Hockey Women’s Director.  

 

  1. The SSWHL will compile a voluntary Goaltender List and pass the list to all teams.  Team Representatives are requested to ask their goaltenders if they wish to participate.

 

  1. SSWHL commences play on Sunday, September 7th.

 

  1. Body Contact and illegal physical play were discussed at the meeting.  In addition to game penalties assessed to players who commit illegal physical play, the SSWHL President and Disciplinary Committee will review all games and players. The Disciplinary Committee will be used to recommend disciplinary actions against players to the League President for decision, assessment and compliance.       

 

               Next Meeting is in November 2008.

 

2008 - 2009  DIVISION ALIGNMENT

 

A Division (4)             B Division (10)           C-1 Division (9)

                       

Assabet A                    Lightning                       Nighthawks Red

Nighthawks A             Stoneham                      RI Panthers C

Needham                     Nighthawks B    Phantoms C    

NEWHL Stars             Quincy                          Ravens

                                    East Coast Wizards      Storm                         

Renegades                    Ice Sharks                              

                                    Cheetahs (B2)               Lady Monarchs                                  

                                    Sirens (B2)                    Randolph

                                    Bears (B2)                   Chaos

                                    Nighthawks Blue (B2)             

 

C-2 Division (6)                                              D Division (9)

 

Raptors                                                            Black Ice

Shamrocks                                                       Trinity

Fury                                                                 Storm Chasers

Ice Devils                                                         RI Panthers Blue

Cougars                                                           Raging Storm

NH Lady Panthers                                            NEWHL Outlaws

                                                                        Bulldogs

                                                                        Cougars D

                                                                        Panthers Red