How are captains determined?

 

Captains are recruited by the league executive from the current active players.

 

What are the captains’ responsibilities?

 

• draft a competitive team as best they can

• communicate with players on league news and schedule

• organize the team lines and tactics during games

• be a positive and productive influence in the league’s operation

 

Are there any other perks or rewards for being a captain?

 

No. However, captains often also act as referees and/or scorekeepers which may receive a benefit for their service (see below).

 

Are there team jerseys/shirts?

 

No. Teams have no standard shirt but there is a generic league game shirt (white and black) that players will be required to have; purchase if necessary from the commissioner. Players wear their dark shirt (home team) or white shirt (away team).

How are referees and scorekeeper selected?

 

Are there referees and scorekeepers?

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Referees and scorekeepers are recruited by the league executive from the current active players.

 

Are referees and scorekeepers paid?

 

No. Any small benefit for refereeing and scorekeeping is at the discretion of the executive and would only be provided after the season in which the duties were completed.

 

What are the referees’ responsibilities?

 

• Ensure that the game is fun, fair, and safe for ALL players.

• Know the league rules.

• Call appropriate stoppages in play.

• Keep the game moving.

• Communicate clearly, quickly, and dispassionately to all players under all circumstances.

 

 

Which stats are recorded?

 

Stats will be kept for

1. Goals

2. Assists

3. Penalties

4. Shots on goal

5. Save percentage

 

Why do player have to sign a waiver?

 

It is an acknowledgement that players are accepting formal responsibility for the inherent risk of playing the sport of ball hockey.

 

How much does it cost to play in the league?

 

The current individual registration fee is $120 for our Sundays league.

 

How many games does a player get for each season?

 

Nine regular season games.

Two play-off or pick-up games.

 

What do players need to do to play before the season begins?

 

• Sign a waiver (once per calendar year).

• Pay the league registration fee.

 

What are players responsibilities during the season?

 

• Bring the appropriate shirt color to each game. It is a best practice to bring both a dark and white shirt to every session.

• Inform the team captain (via email, sms, or phone) if they cannot play in the next scheduled game.

• Be respectful of all other league members. Disagreements are fine but personal attacks or verbal abuse is not acceptable.

 

What equipment is required?

 

• Stick

• Indoor footwear

• Ice hockey or ball hockey gloves

• Helmet with a strap

 

 

What equipment is recommended?

 

• Eye protection

• Shin guards

• Groin cup

 

 

What kind of stick can I use?

 

Any official hockey stick (of any material) is permissible. No stick tape, around the blade such that it would touch the floor, is permitted.

 

What is indoor footwear?

 

Indoor footwear is footwear that is primarily worn indoors (not wet and dirty).

 

Season

 

How are the teams organized?

 

There is one division. Teams play their division teams three times in the season.

 

How are points awarded during the regular season?

 

Teams are awarded 2 points for a win and 1 point for a tie.

 

Play-offs

 

How are first-round play-off match-ups determined?

 

Play-off match-ups are determined as follows.

4th  versus 1st

3th versus 2nd

 

How are ties handled?

 

Season ranking tiebreakers are determined in the following order

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1. Number of wins

2. Best head-to-head record

 

How are subsequent round play-off match-ups determined?

 

1. After the first play-off round the two winning teams advance to the championship game

2. After the first play-off round the two loosing teams advance to play for 3rd and 4th place

 

Rules - In Game

 

How long are the games?

 

The games consist of three 20-minute straight time periods (monitored by the scorekeeper). The official game clock is run by the scorekeeper. They are responsible for sounding the whistle to end the period.

 

There is a one minute break between periods.

 

When is the clock stopped?

 

When there are injuries and/or major delays. The clock is also paused for stoppages in play during the last minute of the third period. This may be waived if the game will run beyond the end time of our facility rental.

 

How many players are on-the-court during play?

 

Teams will have a maximum of four players and one goalie on the court during play.  Players shift as needed or as agreed by the team.

 

Can a team pull their goalie?

 

Yes. The goalie can be pulled and replaced by a player at any time. The rules for player changes still apply.

 

When can players change?

 

On-the-fly or during a stoppage in play. A team may be assessed a too-many-men penalty should a player that is shifting off interfere with the play.

 

Can timeouts be called?

 

Yes. Each team has two timeouts available per game. A timeout is a 30 second break in play.

 

Play resumes with the team having possession where the time-out was called, or a face-off (For example: behind the net).

 

Under what circumstances can timeouts be called?

 

A timeout is called by a player asking the referee or scorekeeper for a timeout, provided that the play has stopped (see Stoppages).

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Ties

 

Ties - Regular Season

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The game is decided by a shootout 3 players per team participate in the shootout.

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Ties - Play-offs

 

Ties will be decided by a sudden death overtime period

 

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Penalties

 

What are considered penalties?

 

The standard hockey penalties apply.

• Tripping

• Roughing

• Interference

• Checking/boarding (called as Roughing)

• Slashing

• Hooking

• Sliding

• Unsportsmanlike Conduct

• Too-many-men

• Delay of game

 

What types of penalties can be assessed?

 

Four types of penalties can be assessed. Unless otherwise stated, all penalties should be assumed to be Minor Penalties.

 

1. Minor

2. Double Minor

3. Major

4. Suspension

 

Minor Penalty

 

• All penalties unless otherwise noted below.

 

The offending player is removed from the game for 2 minutes. The offending player’s team plays shorthanded for the duration of the penalty OR until the opposing team scores a goal.

 

Double Minor Penalty

 

• Excessive physical contact along the walls.

 

The offending player is removed from the game for 4 minutes (two 2 minute penalties). The offending player’s team plays shorthanded for the duration of the penalty OR until the opposing team scores a goal.

 

If a goal is scored during the first two minutes, the penalized team is still shorthanded. The second two minutes of the penalty time is started at the resumption of play. At that point the penalty is the same as a Minor Penalty.

 

Major Penalty

 

• Excessive physical contact (checking/boarding) along the walls resulting in injury.

• Stick contact to the head or face resulting in an injury (blood, bruise, or visible damage is considered an injury). The incident does not have to qualify as a high stick penalty.

• Reckless play that is deemed by the referees as showing a gross disregard for other players safety.

• Unsportsmanlike conduct that involves threats of physical violence to another player.

 

The offending player’s team plays shorthanded for a full 5 minutes. On The offending player is removed from the game.

 

If the Major Penalty is called within the last five minutes of the game, the player will be removed from the current game AND the following game.

 

Suspension

 

The offending player is not permitted to play in subsequent games (see Major Penalty in the last 5 minutes rule).

 

A suspension may be assessed at ANY point following an incident.

 

Incidents include:

• Late game double minor penalties.

• Late game major penalties.

• Any threats of physical harm to other players, on or off the court.

 

An incident warranting a suspension will be decided by the Exec based on the infraction and player history.

 

Is there a limit to the number of penalties a player can incur?

 

Players are limited to incurring three penalties in a game. If a third penalty is assessed, the penalized player is immediately removed from the game. The penalty is still served by the penalized team.

 

What constitutes a high stick infraction?

 

High sticks, when a stick blade goes above the net crossbar, are discouraged and will have one the following consequences, depending on the situation.

 

1. Minor penalty

2. Major penalty ( head contact )

 

What is the sliding rule?

 

A player that slides along the floor on any part of their body other than their feet may be assessed a sliding penalty if they (1) do so as to make contact, or almost make contact, with an opposing player and/or (2) do so in a reckless fashion.

 

[Why?] This rule is intended to deter people from sliding. Sliding is generally considered by the league to be an unnecessarily risky maneuver (specifically for injuries resulting from trips and collisions).

 

What if a player dig excessively at a ball covered by the goalie?

 

A slashing penalty may be called.

 

What if a player runs into the goalie?

 

The player will be assessed an interference penalty.

 

What is the over-stick slash rule?

 

This is a clarification of the standard slashing rule. The slashing of sticks, in addition to slashing of the body, is not permitted.  Specifically,  bringing one’s stick down over an opponent’s stick in a vigorous downward motion.

 

Players are permitted to lift an opponent’s stick in an upward direction at any time.

 

[Why?] This rule is intended to keep players from slashing.

 

What is the stick hooking rule?

 

This is a clarification of the standard hooking rule. The hooking of sticks, in addition to hooking of the body, is not permitted. A penalty is called when hooking another players stick outside of playing the ball, often during an attempt to impede another player.

 

 

[Why?] This rule is intended to keep players from unduly interfering with other players.

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The Court

 

What happens if the ball hits the rope, basketball net at midcourt, or other fixed gym equipment?

 

The play continues without interruption. However, a referee may signal a stoppage in play at their discretion if something unusual occurs.

 

An exception is the ball hitting the basketball net above the hockey net (and goalie). A stoppage is called and the defending team is awarded possession behind their net. The basketball net includes the netting, hoop, backboard, and metal apparatus that attaches it to the wall.

 

Why is there an exception for the basketball net above the hockey nets?

 

Because of the close proximity to the hockey net (a few feet directly above), ball contact is deemed to be too unpredictable, and therefore, unfair to the defending team.

 

What happens if the ball gets caught on the back of the hockey net?

 

A stoppage may be called by the referee if it remains lodged for more than a second or so. Possession would be awarded to the defending team’s goalie.

 

What happens if the ball hits the ceiling?

 

The play continues without interruption.

 

 

Stoppages - General

 

What signals a stoppage in play?

 

The whistle is blown by a referee.

 

What signals the end of the period?

 

The scoreboard sounds, usually by the Scorekeeper.

 

What happens if the goalie causes a stoppage in play by holding the ball?

 

The defending player gets possession behind the net. The player has 3 seconds to play the ball before the opposing team is allowed to cross the goal line and challenge for possession.

 

What happens if there is immediate disagreement on the call of a play, goal, penalty, or other stoppage?

 

If there is not clear agreement among the referees, all will gather and discuss their view on the incident. They will come to an agreement and announce the decision. The scorekeeper is considered a referee.

 

Wait, why is the scorekeeper considered a referee?

 

The scorekeeper is a third pair of eyes on the game. They have a whistle and are able to call a stoppage in play should they see the need and one of the on-court referees has not called a stoppage in play.

 

The scorekeeper is also a third opinion/perspective in the event of an immediate disagreement on the call of a play.

 

Rules - Out of Game

 

What happens if a player is not acting in an appropriate manner while on or off of the court?

 

If a player is playing excessively physical, or is verbally abusive to other players, on their team or other, may result in an escalating series of actions by the commissioner and/or the league exec. This is in addition to any penalties that may have been called by the referees during games.

 

The actions may be any or all of the following...

1. A discussion with the commissioner about the specific unacceptable behavior

2. A warning from the commissioner that subsequent offenses will have greater consequences

3. A suspension of one or more games

4. A suspension for the remainder of the season

5. Permanent ejection from the league

 

What happens if a player cannot play because they are injured?

 

If a player is injured and it is determined in good faith that they will not be able to play for the remainder of the season, the captain may elect to replace the player if the 7th game of the season has not been played yet. The ‘player replacement process’ would be initiated.

 

What happens if a player cannot play because they quit?

 

If a player decides, or is forced, to leave the league for any reason, the captain may elect to replace the player if the 7th season game has not been played yet. The ‘player replacement process’ would be initiated.

 

What is the ‘player replacement process’ ?

 

This process is intended to guide the league in the process of replacing players after the season has begun in a swift and fair manner.

 

1. Captain requests a replacement player.

2. League exec reviews the available list of recruits. The primary task is to replace a player with another player with approximately the same skill level.

3. If an appropriate player is available, the league exec assigns the player to the team

4. If an appropriate player is NOT available, the request stays open until a player is found or the 7th season game has been played.

 

Can the captain cancel their request for a replacement player?

 

No.

 

What if the captain does not want the replacement player?

 

The team must still take the player. Once the captain initiates the ‘player replacement process’ he must take whomever his team is assigned.

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How are players added to the waiting list?

 

A potential player must express a desire to be on the waiting list either verbally or via email to the commissioner.

Who recruits players for the waiting list or into the league in the pre-season?

 

Everyone. A simple email or in-person introduction to the commissioner is the first step.

 

Does the ‘order received’ of the captains’ requests play any part in replacement player assignment?

 

No.

 

Please note. The league commissioner and executive has the right to address any issue as they see fit, even if covered in this FAQ. All decisions will be made using all information available and always with the better interests of the league as a whole.