Aug 19, 2010 SSWHL Meeting Minutes

Laura Bowser opened the meeting.

– please update email list; need 2 contacts per team

To vote on –

Taking on ice at Milton Academy, 2-9 Sundays start Nov 7-mar 13 up to 6 games per weekend; We could gain flexibility and not have as many bye weeks ; we need to vote; approved; we need to find a score keeper.

Rule changes coming up; based on comments from Bill Paulsen and trying to make the league run better.

From Bill Paulsen, referee supervisor – players must have numbers on jerseys that match the score sheet and no duplicates; we need to be able to track penalties.

Two new teams C2 and D; should be ok with ice; haven’t heard from the AB team

Wizards D approved.

C2 Noreasters approved.

AB team approved if we hear from them within 5 days.

First Proposed rule change – Barb Callahan:

League does pre-printed game sheets (Stacey) – info will be sent via Judy Sheldon for labels this year

Rule 107/d cross off those not there on all pages – have until the second period; jersey must match game sheet – change it if needed; game sheet must be signed;

Comment – suppose someone doesn’t do it; one step at a time – we will try to address

USA hockey on us to get registered

Treasurer’s report: Louise Cardinale - if we want to play 24 games, cost will be more. Max is $4400 we will try for 24 games within that fee. Contracts will go out soon. They must be signed and returned – you are bound to that contract. Please return them asap. A couple of teams need to replace the forfeit fee.

List of players with financial obligations: not allowed to play until cleared by Laura Bowser:

Ice devils : Molly Eggleston and Emily Hoyt

East Coast Wizards: Renee Sisti

Storm: Brittany Hernandez

Ice Coordinator’s Report: Nick Cardinale – ice – NESC Rink6 construction 3 weeks behind although promised to us; NESC 265 hours; 104 hours Bedford; Canton 146 hours, cost up by $20 different costs different weeks at Canton rink.

Milton – new ice so we can do 24 games for 44 teams (prob $4400) will try to keep costs low; slight change to score sheet – took off number of goals so that there is more room for asst scorer jersey number.

If you are a home team; go on the home team side of the ice to help the score keeper.

For scratching out missing players on the 2^nd and 3^rd sheet, he tries to have scorekeeper double check.

He can sell us 6 hours day after Christmas and day after Thanksgiving if the league wants it.

No games on Superbowl Sunday; no Christmas eve, no New Year’s eve, no Christmas: but will skate day after Christmas and day after Thanksgiving.

We do have some 9:30 hours in Canton, Bedford.

NESC rinks 3,4,5,6 (requested 13 hours per week but some weeks we have only 4 hours).

Reminder – must sign contract; $150 at end as credit; teams that owe must replenish ex. Shamrocks forfeited against Nighthawks.

Should be look at increasing the forfeit fee? The cost is more like $180 per game? $150 good enough for now – credit will go toward fees for next year.

We only had 2 forfeits last year – has improved since having the forfeit fee in escrow.

If a rink closes due to snow, teams will get a $150 credit for those games.

Canton opens sept 19; closes Easter Sunday; league will probably schedule through Mar 13.

NESC Mar 19 ends; Sat 9/11 opens.

Bedford Sat 9/11 opens.

Scheduler’s report: Jill Depto: Darcy tournament Sept 19; same weekend as all of our rinks are open so it may be a problem with teams asking for that week off.

Do we want to give back Friday ice if we don’t need it on a particular weekend? No one would mind losing Friday night ice.

Eveyone will play late, everyone will play on Saturdays.

Renegades and Cheetahs never got back to Jill. She got info from both teams at meeting.

Concern expressed that NESC Rink 6 is not going to be ready on time, but Jill says that the only hours we have been given on Rink 6 is 3 hours a week on Fridays.

Secretary’s Report:

Minutes from June 2010 meeting approved.

Registration review: all players must be registered before they step on the ice because one unregistered player will void insurance coverage for all the other players on the ice.

Teams must have all their players registered before the first game; must send a USA Hockey roster (not signed or stamped by Oct. 1 and a signed and stamped roster by Nov. 15.

Rules committee Report:

Have been meeting 1.5 months – all ideas welcome; everyone can join.

3 rules that we want to approve tonight as they are proposed; if don’t pass, will take the input and redraft; rule changes require a simple majority to pass.

Vote to waive the 30 day notice requirement – unanimously in favor; waiver passes.

Rule 7 – game sheets 701 players in uniform – 19 years old to play in a game (turn that this year by December 31).

701e a team may use a goalkeeper that is from your division or lower as a sub; C2 is a separate division from C1; they do not have cross over games.

NB teams may borrow from their own organization.

Concern with age restriction – comment that it is based on behavior; should not be age-discrimination;

Limits opportunities for these girls to play hockey; last year there were 15 and 17 year olds.

Monarchs and RI panthers; they would be OK with the proposal if we add that an individual waiver may be obtained from the President for underage players to play.

Vote: 3 opposed to Rule 701; 29 in favor; rule passes.

Rule 702 – player suspended until they are registered with USA Hockey and team forfeits the game.

Vote: unanimous in favor; rule passes.

703 players – only be rostered on one team; can’t add players unless Secretary receives info on roster; no more 5 game rule; aside – can play a non-league sanctioned game

Vote: 7 opposed; 25 in favor; rule passes.

Excessive penalties –old rule 14: once a team gets to 9 penalties, the person who has received the most penalties is suspended for the rest of the game and next game; someone else will sit in the box; goalkeeper penalties – someone else will sit in the box. Minor change B will be struck. Add and shall be suspended for the next game to A. CJ found that 96%of games had 4 penalties or less, 60% no penalties.

Comment – what gives the team the right to kick someone out of a game when they are paying for their hockey; sometimes the referees are too sensitive. You should look at cross-divisional play – because when people play teams who are better, it gets chippy. CJ did not find that to be the case.

Vote: 13 opposed; 19 in favor; rule passes.

Rule 10 division placement; competitive balance of the league; it has been somewhat subjective. Criteria may include GF/GA, etc. Teams with an excess of wins by 5 or more goals may be considered to move up. On average, most goal differentials are around 1. Stoneham will move up to B. Otherwise, teams are pretty close. Proposed rule change gives the President more concrete things to consider and adds division guidelines.

A/B will play A.

Unanimous in favor; rule passes.

A teams will play A/B teams.

B teams will only play B, etc.

We should look long term at divisions – B teams that want to move up but don’t want to play the A teams – need a subcommittee to address that.

New Business: Bylaws committee CJ, Judy , Barb

We will email the date of the next meeting – in Canton.

Meeting adjourned.