Rules

GOALS

Madison Hockey League is committed to providing your child with a quality program that will help develop character, self-confidence, good sportsmanship, teamwork, and a sense of fair play. MHL wants all players to develop their skating & hockey skills, to have fun while doing so, and to learn to love the game. MHL is dedicated to providing all of the above in a safe environment. AGE – INSTRUCTIONAL: Ages 6 through 8. Players age 5 and 9 may be considered for this league based on ability. JUNIOR/SENIOR: A player must be age 8 by November 1, and cannot turn 18 before March 1 of the current playing season. EXCEPTION: A player who is 18 may play if still attending high school. Junior league is generally considered ages 9 through 12. Senior league is generally considered ages 13 through 17. The league reserves the right to place players according to ability.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES

1. EQUIPMENT - Parents are responsible for providing their child with appropriate equipment. All players must have skates, street hockey stick, hockey helmet with full face guard, protective gloves (do not have to be hockey type), elbow pads, athletic cup for males, hockey shin guards or skate board type knee pads, soccer type shin guards are optional. Jerseys, mouthguard, and goalie equipment are provided by MHL. Required protective equipment shall be worn during all games, practices and other league events. No part of any stick shall easily pass through the facemask of a typical hockey helmet (butt ends should be capped or taped).
2. UNIFORM - Players will be provided a jersey. Please make sure they are returned to the coach at the end of the season - clean and in good condition. Jerseys are only to be worn for games.
3. DRESS - Please help dress your child for the weather. Layers are best. Your child could become overheated if he/she cannot remove a layer.
4. WATER - Please send water with your child to games and practices.
5. TRANSPORTATION - Parents are responsible for arranging transportation to and from all games and practices. Please be prompt in picking up your child. Coaches will remain at a practice or game until all children are with a parent or responsible adult for that child.
6. ENVIRONMENT - Help provide a positive atmosphere for your child and his/her teammates. Physical or verbal abuse of any coach, player, game official, or other spectators will not be tolerated.
7. PARTICIPATE - The success and the quality of this program depend upon your help. We need coaches, helpers, team mom/dad, first aid person, phone contact person, scorekeepers, and referees. Please be a volunteer. A SCOREKEEPER IS NEEDED FOR EACH GAME. PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS JOB (it's fun).

M Y S HOCKEY LEAGUE RULES

BROKEN STICK - A player may continue to play without a stick if his/her stick breaks but must immediately drop the broken stick. The player may return to the bench for a stick but a stick cannot be thrown to a player.
DRAFT – A full league draft shall be conducted every two years. In the intervening years players may be moved and every effort will be made to balance the teams.
FACE OFF - Play is started or resumed with a face off. A player from each team will stand squared up facing each other and facing their opponent’s end of the rink with their sticks touching the surface. Play begins when the referee drops the puck/ball between the sticks. The puck/ball must hit the ground to be considered in play. No other player may be within 10 feet of the face off spot. Face offs occur at the beginning of each half, after a penalty, time out, or anytime the puck/ball goes out of play, or if held by the goalie more than 2 seconds.
GAME CALLED DUE TO WEATHER - If a game is called due to weather with less than ten minutes left to play the game will be considered complete. If there are more than ten minutes remaining the game will not count and may be rescheduled.
GOAL CREASE - An attacking player including his stick may not enter the goal crease before the ball/puck. For a violation of this rule while the attacking team has possession, play shall be stopped and shall resume with a face off. If the puck/ball should enter the goal while such a condition prevails, the goal shall not be allowed. A goalie may not catch or hold the puck/ball outside the goal crease.
GOAL JUDGE - In addition to the referee each game may have a goal judge behind each goal. The goal judge will indicate when a goal is scored by raising his/her arm. The goal judge will indicate no goal by using the "washout" signal (both arms swung horizontally at shoulder height). The referee may override the decision of the goal judge.
GOALS - A goal is scored when the puck/ball completely crosses the goal line. The puck/ball may be deflected off another player. If the puck/ball is intentionally kicked into the goal or if it is deflected off the referee or other game official the goal does not count.
KICKING THE PUCK/BALL - Kicking the puck/ball is permitted however a goal shall not be scored if the puck/ball is kicked in or if it is kicked and deflects off another player.
LOOSE EQUIPMENT - A player whose helmet or facemask or other protective gear comes off during play must immediately go to the bench and may not resume play until properly refitted. Note: If a goalkeeper’s equipment comes off during play, the referee shall stop play immediately. A minor penalty will be assessed to a goalkeeper who intentionally removes his/her equipment during play.
MINIMUM PLAY TIME – Each participant will play at least 50% of each game providing he/she participates in at least 50% of the scheduled practices.
OFFICIAL SCORE KEEPER - In addition to the referee each game may have an official score keeper who will keep track of each teams score and keep track of penalty time and which players have been assessed penalties.
PUCK/BALL OUT OF PLAY - If the puck/ball goes outside the playing area, becomes lodged in the goal netting or in a players equipment, or is "frozen" between opposing players, or otherwise becomes unplayable, the referee will stop play and hold a face off. The puck/ball is considered in play if it strikes the referee.
SIGNALS - The referee will use the following hand signals: DELAYED PENALTY - one arm raised straight up; GOAL - one arm outstretched pointed at the goal; PENALTY - point to offending player; TIME OUT - hands form Tee; WASHOUT (indicates no goal, no penalty, or no clearing) - both arms swung horizontally at shoulder height.
SUBSTITUTIONS - Players may sub on the fly. Exiting players must be at the bench before the sub can enter. An injured player will sub off. If an injured player cannot remove themselves play will stop and the referee will call time out. A goalkeeper may be substituted at any time for a player. Note: the goalkeepers re-entry may only occur during a stoppage of play.
TIME OF MATCH - Teams play two 20-minute "running time" halves with a five-minute rest period between halves. There is a five-minute warm-up period before each game. Running time means the clock does not stop for face offs (i.e.: ball out of play, ball “frozen”). The clock will stop for penalties, injuries, time outs and penalty shots. EXCEPTION: When the score of a game has a differential of two goals or less, than the last five minutes will be played with”stop time”. During “stop time” play the clock will stop at each whistle and restart at the ensuing face off.
TIME OUT - Each team is allowed a one-minute "time out" per half. A team may request a time out at any time however the referee will only stop play for the time out when the requesting team has possession or during a stoppage of play. After a time out play will resume with a face off conducted at the face off spot nearest to where the ball was in play when play was stopped.

PENALTIES

ALL REFEREES DECISIONS ARE FINAL.

CALLING PENALTIES - A penalty called on the team in possession of the puck/ball will be called immediately. A penalty called on the team not in possession of the puck/ball may be called when that team touches the puck/ball. The referee will signal a delayed penalty.
GOALKEEPER PENALTIES - A penalty committed by the goalie may be served by another player.
MINOR PENALTY - A minor penalty is two minutes.
MAJOR PENALTY - A major penalty is five minutes. A player who is assessed a second major penalty in the same game will also be given a game misconduct penalty resulting in the player being removed from the rest of the game.
GAME MISCONDUCT - A player who is given a game misconduct will be ejected from the game and will not be allowed to play the next game. That player will not be allowed on the team bench during the game.
PENALTY SHOT - If a player is in control of the puck/ball in the attacking zone and has no opposing player between him/her and the goalie and is fouled, a penalty shot may be awarded. For a penalty shot the referee will place the puck/ball at the center face off spot and signal play to begin. The fouled player will advance the puck/ball and shoot on goal. The puck/ball must always remain in forward motion and a goal cannot be scored off a rebound. No other players may participate. Note: If the offending team had pulled their goalie when the infraction occurred, then the offending team will not have a goalie in the net during the penalty shot.
SERVING PENALTIES - When a penalty is assessed the offending player will immediately go to the penalty box. The penalty time will start when the puck/ball is dropped to re-start play. The player may re-enter play when the time has been served. If a goal is scored against the short-handed team then the player shall be immediately released (NOTE: This applies to minor penalties only). If more than one player from the same team is serving a penalty only the first player assessed a penalty will be released. A team will never play with more than one player short. If more than one penalty is assessed the same team, all offending players will go the penalty box. The penalty time for the second player will begin when the time for the first player is up. The offending team may still play with four players on the rink.
DELAY OF GAME - A minor penalty will be assessed on a player who intentionally delays the game. This includes deliberately: displacing the goal, shooting the puck/ball out of bounds, "freezing" the puck/ball, or otherwise holding or covering up the puck/ball. Note: The goalie is allowed to hold and to cover up the puck/ball when in the goal crease.
ELBOWING/KNEEING - A minor penalty will be assessed any player who fouls an opponent in any manner with his/her elbow or knee. A major penalty may be assessed if the foul results in injury.
HANDLING PUCK/BALL WITH HANDS - A player shall be permitted to stop or bat the puck/ball in the air or along the surface with his/her hand, unless it is directed to a team mate in which case play shall be stopped and shall resume with a face off at the spot where the offense occurred. If a player closes his/her hand on the ball play shall be stopped and shall resume with a face off at the spot where the offense occurred. A penalty shot will be assessed if any defending player (except the goalie in the goal crease) covers or holds the puck/ball in the goal crease.
HIGH STICK - A minor penalty may be assessed any player who carries the blade of his/her stick above waist height. A major penalty may be assessed if an intentional high stick results in injury.
HOLDING - A minor penalty will be assessed any player who holds an opponent with his hands, stick, or in any other way.
HOOKING - A minor penalty will be assessed any player who impedes or seeks to impede the progress of an opponent by hooking the body with his/her stick. Stick to stick contact is allowed. A player may check an opponent by turning his stick down over his opponents stick or by lifting it off the rink surface. This is neither hooking nor holding.
INTERFERENCE - A minor penalty will be assessed any player who interferes with or impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck/ball, who deliberately knocks a stick out of an opponent's hand, or prevents a player who has dropped his or her stick from regaining possession of it. Note: Often it is the action and movement of the attacking player which causes the interference since the defending players are allowed to stand their ground.
LOFTING - Lofting will be called when a player intentionally lofts the puck/ball above the heads of the players. Play will resume with a face off at the point where the puck/ball was lofted (passed or shot) from.
MOUTHGUARD – All players are required to wear a mouthguard during play. The referee may issue a team warning for the first offense. Each subsequent offense during a game may result in a minor penalty.
TRIPPING - A minor penalty will be assessed any player who places his/her stick, knee, foot, arm, hand, or elbow in such a manner that it causes his opponent to trip or fall.
UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS - A minor or major penalty, at the discretion of the referee, will be imposed on any player who uses unnecessary roughness. Unnecessary roughness includes but is not limited to: body checking, butt ending, charging, cross checking, kicking, slashing, spearing, or any act which results in injury.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT - A minor or major penalty, at the discretion of the referee, will be imposed on any player or coach who uses unsportsmanlike conduct. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes but is not limited to: abuse of officials (verbally or physically), interference, profane or abusive language, shooting the puck/ball after the whistle is blown, attempting to injure, fighting, not immediately following the decision of a game official. An official’s time out will be called and a warning issued to spectators who act in an unsportsmanlike manor. A second offense of spectator unsportsmanlike conduct may result in a stoppage of play and/or removal of the offending spectators.

MADISON HOCKEY LEAGUE

WHO WE ARE

Madison Hockey League is an all volunteer organization that runs the youth in-line hockey program in Madison County under the Madison County Parks and Recreation Department. Volunteers are always needed as there are many positions to fill such as: commissioner, deputy commissioner, coach, assistant coach, referee, team parent, phone contact, fund raising, concession manager, equipment manager, facilities manager, promotion director, referee coordinator, registrar, secretary, special events coordinator, statistician, treasurer, web master, concession help. PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP.

WHAT WE DO

MHL organizes, funds and administers the hockey league. We provide weekly games and practices; special events and group outings; referee training; drafts and beginners clinics; schedules, rosters and budgets. We conduct rink workdays to effect repairs and make improvements.

HOW THE LEAGUE IS GOVERNED

The league is governed by a Program Governing Body. The governing body consists of a head commissioner, deputy commissioners, and an elected body that consists of coaches, game officials, and parents. The governing body decides issues such as league policies; rules; budget; fundraising; equipment purchases; minimum play time; league affiliation; special events; and training for coaches and officials.

MEETINGS

The MHL Program Governing Body meets twice each year to organize, administer and improve the league. Our annual meeting is in March at the conclusion of our season and is usually scheduled in conjunction with our post season league banquet. A pre-season meeting is usually scheduled in November. All parents and players are invited and encouraged to attend.

FINANCES

MHL does not receive funds directly from Madison County. All funds needed to operate the league are raised through registration fees, team sponsorships, fund raising activities, and donations. The Madison County Parks and Recreation Department provides support in the way of field maintenance, player registration, port-a-johns, liability insurance, and tax exempt purchasing.

Madison Roller Hockey