PARK RIVER YOUTH HOCKEY HANDBOOK

PARK RIVER YOUTH HOCKEY HANDBOOK 2017-2018 The policies set forth in this handbook are meant to provide a guide outlining expectations of all parties involved in Park River Youth Hockey. These policies and procedures do not supersede rules and regulations set forth by the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association or USA Hockey, the governing agencies. They extend the rules and regulations to manage the Park River Youth Hockey Program. Park River Youth Hockey includes Park River Termite, Mite, Squirt, PeeWee, Bantam, Junior Gold and Girls 19U. PARK RIVER YOUTH HOCKEY MISSION, VISION, AND GOALS Mission Statement: To effectively manage a youth hockey organization that develops hockey and life skills for all players within our affiliate. The vision of Park River Youth Hockey is to create a positive athletic opportunity in a fun and competitive manner. Goals of Park River Youth Hockey include: Help youth hockey players become better citizens, better sports persons, and more educated in the sport of hockey. Provide youth with safe and enjoyable experiences. Help participants in their physical, social, and mental development. Provide an opportunity for youth players to develop personal values, such as self-control, patience, courage, determination, and hard work. Abide by USA and NDAHA rules and regulations, including having certified officials and coaches, following guidelines on practices, games and the SafeSport Program. MEMBERSHIP GENERAL YOUTH HOCKEY INFORMATION Anyone serving as a parent or legal guardian of a youth player who has paid registration fees playing on a Park River affiliated team is a member of Park River Hockey Boosters. Park River Youth Hockey welcomes and encourages participation by its members. Board members will be elected by popular vote through absentee ballot in the spring. Members are welcome to attend meetings, express thoughts and concerns, most importantly; volunteer to support the program. The Board of Directors will consist of 7 voting members. See PRHB Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Officers will elected from the members of the Board. Board members will be required to observe the Parent/Spectator Code of Conduct and serve the entire program to the best of their ability. Monthly board meetings will typically be held and attended by board members as required. Meetings will be scheduled for the 1 st Wednesday of each month and begin at 7:00 pm unless otherwise noted. Notice to the secretary is required for time on the agenda. Sub-committees of the board may meet as required to conduct business in a timely manner between Board meetings. 1

PARK RIVER YOUTH HOCKEY BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS Officers and other Board Members: President: Dale Holand 331-0434 Vice President: Amber Nelson 331-1664 Secretary: Duane Landsem 360-0260 Treasurer: Alissa Foerster 360-0830 Other Board Members: Scott Daley 331-4168 Mike Hodny 741-6670 Andy Gire 331-4446 Scheduler & Website: Jesse Irvine 331-9485 Concessions: Sally Larson 331-1971 Arena Manager: Jeff Tverberg 331-0385 Coaching Coordinator: Dale Holand 331-0434 Officials Coordinator: Jesse Irvine 331-9485 Board members will: BOARD MEMBER CODE OF CONDUCT 1. Act as a representative of Park River Youth Hockey in a professional manner at all times. 2. Work to the best of their abilities to run an efficient, cost effective program for all youth hockey participants. 3. Serve as an unbiased party managing the program. 4. Address issues and concerns from players, parents, coaches, game officials, community members and other hockey programs as they arise. 5. Abide by the rules and guidelines set forth by USA Hockey. 6. Abide by the rules and guidelines set forth by the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association. REGISTRATION Park River Youth Hockey strives to provide the best program at the most reasonable cost to all participants. Hockey registration will be held in September each year. USA Hockey Registration verification (printed) must be provided along with all required registration forms and payment of fees. If payment of fees cannot be made, arrangements MUST be made with the Board President and Treasurer prior to the registration date. AGE CLASSIFICATIONS 2017-2018 SEASON (See USA Hockey Website) Level Age Range Termite Born after 7/1/2010 Mite 7/1/2008 to 6/30/2010 Squirt 7/1/2006 to 6/30/2008 Peewee 7/1/2004 to 6/30/2006 Bantam 7/1/2002 to 6/30/2004 Junior Gold 7/1/1999 to 6/30/2002 Girls 19 and Under 7/1/1998 to 6/30/2003 2

FEES AND COACHES FOR 2017-2018 SEASON: Team Fee Coaches Target # of Games Termites $100 (1 st year free) Casey Dahlen 3 4 Jamborees Justin Lindell Mites $225 Andrew Lindell 20 25 Games plus Squirts $275 Eric Kuhn 25 35 Games plus 3 Tournaments PeeWee $325 Matt Peschong Dean Thompson 35 Games plus Bantam $350 Brent Zimmerman John Markusen 35 Games plus Girls 19 and Under $325 Brett Midgarden 20-25 Games plus Jr. Gold $400 Jerseys are provided for each player for the season. They will be handed out during registration. Please take good care of your jerseys and return them in the same condition at the end of the season. Team socks are the responsibility of each player. Socks are on sale in the concession stand. The color scheme is the Detroit Red Wings. VOLUNTEER POLICY Park River Youth Hockey is a volunteer driven organization. To provide quality programs in a positive, fun, and quality environment for all players, help is needed from every member. Volunteers are needed for fundraisers, tournament administration, and other jobs as needed. Volunteer responsibilities also ensure that your team runs smoothly. Every parent is expected to help in some manner. Once the team manager has been selected by the coach, the team manager will need volunteers for: Time keepers / Score keepers Tournament Coordinators Fundraising Travel Coordinators Families are also required to work in the concession stand. Please see Concession Stand for more information. CONCESSION STAND Each family will be required to work a minimum of 2 games in the concession stand per child in the program and 1 time during the Walsh County Fair. This consists of 2 individuals (kids 14 or older can work with an adult). If you are unable to fill your shift(s), you are responsible to find your own replacement. If you have an opening shift, you need to be at the stand 1 HOUR before the start of the game. If you have a closing shift, you are responsible for cleanup. There are detailed instructions on the refrigerator in the concession stand. The concession manager will make sure the stand is unlocked for the first game. The closing shift may need to lock the door when leaving. Failure to complete your shifts will result in cashing your deposit, (see DEPOSIT section below). The only people exempt from working at the Concession Stand are the coaches. This is a volunteer program and everyone needs to help. No help means no concession stand during games. 3

There is no charging allowed. No children under the age of 12 are allowed in the concession stand at any time. If you are working a shift, please abide by this rule. DEPOSIT A $100 deposit will be required at registration. The deposit is to help encourage all parents to participate in the Park River Hockey program. The deposit will be cashed at the end of the year if any of the following three items are not completed or turned in: 1. If you are a Termite parent that is assigned an equipment bag, the bag is to be returned at the end of the season. 2. Game jerseys need to be returned by the night of the banquet. The jersey needs to be clean and in good condition. 3. If you miss your shift(s) at the concession stand and do not find replacements your deposit will be cashed. SELECTION OF COACHES Head coaches will be selected by the board for the 2017-2018 season. Head coaches will choose their assistant coaches. It will be the Board s intention that coaches will be announced prior to registration, which will be held in the fall each year. Coaches will be selected based on a set of criteria. The Coaching Committee will look for coaches who exhibit the following traits: Commitment to player and personal development Respect by and from peers, players, and parents Past hockey coaching experience Well-developed positive & motivational skills Good communication skills Strong organizational skills Support of principles and core values. USA Hockey and the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association require all head coaches to be certified through their Coaching Education Program. The level of certification depends on the level of team coached. All coaches are subject to an annual background check in adherence with the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association rules. All coaches are required to have a current SafeSport Certification. TEAM MANAGERS Each team will have a team manager appointed by the coach. This person(s) is usually a parent(s) of a player. Duties include: 1. Act as a go between for parents and coaches. 2. Help reserve hotels/motels for overnight stays. 3. Help the coach update parents with schedule changes, tournament info, etc. 4. Submit scores and game information to NDAHA. MOVE UP POLICY Park River Youth Hockey will enforce a policy of placing all participating players in the level of play associated with their age/birth date. While some players may be more advanced at a particular age than their peers, PRYH agrees with USA Hockey that overall development of the player emotionally and physically is best served by 4

having him or her progress normally through the age level and age classification. The only exception to this policy is if numbers are low or a specific position is needed (i.e.: goalie). It is recommend a child playing on two teams play no more than 3 games in any given day. Priority shall be given to the team which fits their age level. Coach s discretion shall be used in making final determinations. GRIEVANCE POLICY All members have the right to appeal decisions or discipline assessed by the Park River Youth Hockey Board of Directors. Please note that all complaints must be signed prior to submission to the Board. Park River Youth Hockey provides an orderly procedure for discussion and resolution of all problems, concerns, and formal grievances. The objective is to resolve issues at the most immediate level. The key criteria in any resolution must consider what is best for the team, best for the player, and best for the youth hockey program. 1. Problems or concerns that have to do with the coaching of the team (playing time, positions, practice, etc.) should be taken to the team manager of the respective team. The team manager will then attempt to resolve the situation with the coach. 2. If the problem cannot be solved at the coach or team manager level, contact a board member to initiate communication with the board and/or Discipline Committee. 3. Problems or concerns that have to do with other team issues or are broader issues should be directed to the board and/or Discipline Committee. It is strongly recommended that before any grievance is presented to the team manager or board, a 24- hour cooling off period be observed. PARENT/SPECTATOR CODE OF CONDUCT AND RESPONSIBILITIES Parents Should: 1. Remember that youth are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment, not spectators or parents. Make this a positive experience for all participants. Be respectful of all players, parents and officials. 2. Encourage players to abide by the rules. 3. Teach participants the importance of teamwork on and off the ice. 4. Teach participants that honest effort is more important than winning. 5. Try to turn defeat into victory by helping the player work towards skill development and good sportsmanship. Remember that learning and development as a person and a player are more important than winning. 6. Recognize the value and importance of our coaches. 7. Let the coaches coach. Parents Should Not: 1. Force an unwilling child to participate in sports. 2. Publicly question an official s judgment or honesty. 3. Yell at officials from the stands during or after games. 4. Ridicule or criticize any player. 5. Condone physical or verbal abuse of players. 6. Use profanity or vulgar language at any time. 7. Criticize coaches. PLAYERS CODE OF CONDUCT Realizing that they are representatives of Park River Youth Hockey, all players will: 1. Follow USA Hockey and North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association rules and guidelines. 2. Follow PRYH Handbook 3. Learn the rules of the game. 5

4. Respect other players, coaches, and officials. 5. Demonstrate a good work ethic in games and practice. 6. Conduct themselves in a positive manner. 7. Be a team player. 8. Recognize that the coach(es), not parents, are the primary source of instruction in a game. 9. Be prompt for all practices (1/2 hour before accompanied by parent) and games (1 hour before). If an older child will be helping a younger child prepare for practice let the coach or a board member know. If circumstances arise that make attendance impossible, notify the coach beforehand. Injury, illness, academic situations and religion are a few examples that may be excused at the discretion of the coach. If a player is habitually late, the coach may discipline the player as appropriate. 10. Be properly equipped. All players must have an approved helmet, mouth guard, shin pads, elbow pads, shoulder pads, breezers, cup supporter, gloves, throat protector collar (required for goalies, recommended for others), and all standard goalie equipment when practicing or playing in the goal (except Termites and Mites). 11. Wear uniforms/jerseys for game purposes only. PRYH believes the growth and development of players can best take place in an environment which promotes safety, fairness, courtesy, and respect for one another. The following actions will not be tolerated: 1. Hazing: committing an act against a player or coercing a player into committing an act that creates substantial risk of harm to a person in order for the player to be affiliated with the team. 2. Disorderly Conduct: engaging in an offensive, obscene, or abusive language or in boisterous, noisy, or offensive conduct tending to arouse alarm, anger or resentment. 3. Harassment: participating in or conspiring with others to engage in harassing acts that injure, degrade, or disgrace other individuals. Harassment, whether willful or otherwise, includes offensive behavior relating to gender, religion, culture, disability, race, and/or age. Unlawful behavior by a player may result in immediate suspension of the player and must be reported to the PRYH Board for review and consideration of disciplinary action. Any player removed from a game for fighting will be suspended. A coach may suspend a player for fighting during practice or travel. USA Hockey rules will be used as guidelines. Chronic discipline problems will be brought before the Board of Directors for disciplinary action. All equipment MUST be turned in to the team manager at the end of the season. Parents are responsible to replace any lost equipment. In the event of questions or concerns, the procedure to follow is: 1.Take the concern directly to the team manager who will attempt to resolve the situation with the parties involved. 2.If the team manager is unable to resolve the situation, he/she will contact the SafeSport Coordinator who will initiate the next step with either the Hockey Board or Disciplinary Committee. 3. If the Disciplinary Committee must organize a hearing, they will do so and share their recommendation to the Hockey Board for final approval. COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT AND RESPONSIBILITIES Coaches will: 1. Keep in mind that players are the most important part of the PRYH program. Learning and developing skills are more important than winning. 6

2. Understand the rules of the game and share that understanding with the players. 3. Treat players fairly. 4. Be prompt. 5. Display kindness, consideration, and understanding towards the players. 6. Share ideas and techniques with other coaches for the betterment of the program. 7. Be considerate of other teams. 8. Be well prepared for practices 9. Have a positive attitude at all times. 10. Have knowledge of First Aid. 11. Teach players to respect officials decisions. 12. Inform players not to shoot pucks at the bleacher areas in any arena during a warm up as recommended by USA Hockey for insurance purposes. 13. Lead by example, setting a standard of conduct that the community and youth hockey will be proud. 14. Inform the PRYH Board of any violations of player conduct. 15. Be a Certified Coach with North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association and USA Hockey for the age group coaching. 16. Be in the locker room for a reasonable time before/after practice/games or assign a parent. 17. Lead by example. Set a standard of conduct so high, that the community and youth hockey will be proud. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES Park River Youth Hockey will adhere to the USA Hockey Zero Tolerance Policy: regarding the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs by players or on premises by parents/spectators. PRYH will also maintain high expectations regarding the items outlined in the Codes of Conduct sections detailed above. Violations of these expectations will be followed through with the SafeSport Coordinator and involvement of the Disciplinary Committee as follows: 1. All involved parties will wait 24 hours to cool down. 2. The SafeSport Coordinator will arrange a face-to-face hearing to discuss the issue (including coach, parent, and/or official). Both the SafeSport Coordinator and Disciplinary Committee members must be present for the hearing, either in person or via conference call. 3. The Disciplinary Committee will execute the hearing and will submit a written report of action(s) to be taken to the PR Hockey Board. 4. The Hockey Board will issue the disciplinary action to the involved parties. Upon the completion of a hearing and issue of disciplinary action, it is anticipated the conflict be resolved in the most professional and respectful manner possible. Please refer to the Park River Youth Hockey Website http://www.parkriverparks.com/hockey for information, updates and changes to this policy handbook and schedule changes. LET S HAVE A GREAT SEASON OF RED MACHINE HOCKEY! 7