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PLEASE NOTE: All playing rules in the London Devilettes Girls Hockey Association (LDGHA) will be the same as those adopted by the OWHA, except for stricter rules that are prescribed and endorsed by the Devilettes Association.

Registration

Each player must submit a registration application form properly completed and accompanied by registration fees as determined by the LDGHA. All registration fees must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the season unless previous arrangements have been made with the Treasurer.


Sponsors

No member of the LDGHA other than the Sponsor Convenor may approach a Sponsor. Teams who wish to solicit additional sponsors must get prior approval from the Board before proceeding.


Hockey Operations - Team Formation and Structure

1. The London Devilettes will run Competitive teams in all divisions where numbers justify their existence. Select teams can be formed by the Vice-President of Operations with the approval of the Board of Directors.

    

2. Where the Head Coach, assistant coach or trainer of any competitive team is a non-parent, meaning they have no daughter, step-daughter or ward on the team, the team will budget a minimum of $500.00 to offset any one coach's receipted travel expenses. The total allowable receipted travel expenses will not exceed $1000.00 per team.

    

3. Competitive teams operating under the auspices of the London Devilettes are considered to have completed their season the day following the OWHA provincials or Easter Monday, whichever occurs later. Any deviation from this requires the approval of the Board.

    

4.  House league teams operating under the auspices of the London Devilettes are considered to have completed their season the day following the House League Day of Champs. Any deviation from this requires the approval of the Board.
   Equipment

1. It shall be compulsory for all players in the Association of Devilettes to wear equipment approved by the C.A.H.A.

    

2. Players registered in the LDGHA playing hockey or practicing under the direction of the LDGHA, must be dressed in the following approved hockey equipment: helmet - CSA approved, face mask - CSA approved, throat protector - BNQ approved, shoulder pads (chest protector), elbow pads, shin pads, hockey gloves, pelvic protector (Jill), hockey pants, hockey jersey, hockey socks and skates. Mouth guards are strongly suggested.

    

3. All team officials participating in on-ice activities must wear a CSA hockey approved helmet. Trainers or any other team official attending to an injured player are considered exempt from this rule. Chin straps on the helmet must be fastened.

    

4. All equipment paid for and owned by the LDGHA will be managed by the Equipment Convenor.

    

5. Goaltenders may be required to pay a rental fee for Devilettes owned goaltending equipment. See Appendix A for complete policy.

Suspensions

1. Suspension decisions will be handled by:
   

   1. The Vice-President of Operations.
      
   2. Coaches in regard to players in consultation with the respective Convenor.

    

2. A player/member of the coaching staff may be suspended for infractions during, prior to or after any game or practice.
   

   1. For disrespect or abuse to any Board member, Devilette member, parent, player, officials or arena staff.
      
   2. For unsuitable conduct on or off the ice.
      
   3. For stealing property. belonging to others.
      
   4. For destroying or mishandling property belonging to others.

    

3. A member of the coaching staff may be suspended for just cause by the Vice-President of Operations.

    

4. All suspensions which occur in the LDGHA may be subject to Appeal Rule 12.

    

5. All suspensions in the LDGHA must be reported to the designated Convenor and to the Vice-President of Operations.

Communications

1. Only the Public Relations Convenor or the President can issue a formal communiqué for the LDGHA.

    

2. All individual team web sites must be made available for review by the appropriate division convenor. The Board reserves the right to censor said sites as required.

Injuries

When injury prevents a player from continuing in the game or practice, the coach or manager will fill out an injury report form and return it to their respective Convenor within 24 hours. These forms will then be forwarded on to the VP Operations whose job it will be to determine if a note from the player's doctor is required before the player can return to play.


Use of Ice Time

1. In House League if allocated ice time is not going to be used, the coach or manager shall notify the House League Division Director a minimum of 96 hours prior to the scheduled time.

    

2. In the competitive program, the policy regarding ice will be set by the VP Operations in association with the Ice Convenor.

    

3. The Ice Convenor must be given at least 72 hours notice of unused ice.

    

4. Non-contracted ice used by any team will not be paid for by the LDGHA without the prior approval of the
   V.P. Operations.

    

5. The arena must be notified 24 hours prior to a scheduled or exhibition game.

Penalties

For all penalties, the LDGHA will abide by OWHA and CHA rules, except where the LDGHA has stricter penalties. The Devilettes reserve the right to add additional games to any offence.


Protests

1. Protests for House League games will be entered on the game sheets and a letter submitted to the Convenor within 24 hours along with a $20.00 fee, refundable if the protest is upheld. The receiving Convenor in the association along with the VP Operations and one additional non-related individual will render a final decision within 48 hours.

    

2. Competitive teams will follow O.W.H.A. rules.

    

3. Protests which deal with a referee's rulings will not be accepted, unless rule interpretations are involved.

Appeals

A coach, player or parent may appeal a protest or suspension in writing to the Vice-President of Operations within 48 hours. Minimum suspensions as per the O.W.H.A. rulebook or London Devilettes Rules and Regulations cannot be appealed.


Female Adult Participation

All Devilette teams, both competitive and house league, will have at least one adult female (non-playing) as member of the coaching staff to participate in all games.
Her duties are:

1. To act as liaison between the girls in the dressing room and fathers or coaches.
   

2. To endeavor to be at or near the dressing room for all games and practices.
   

3. To endeavor to participate in all practice situations with the team.
   

House League Playing Rules

1. House League players will be graded and drafted to produce balanced teams and movement of players from team to team may take place up to December 1, if required.

    

2. House league teams will operate on the basis of EQUAL ICE TIME PER PLAYER on the following MANDATORY basis:
   

   1. Double shifting of any player is prohibited except that an injured player be replaced by the player of the same position from the immediately preceding shift.
      
   2. INITIATION PROGRAM/NOVICE HOUSE LEAGUE: 2-minute buzzer. All players are to be given equal ice time (with the exception of one goal tender per team). This rule shall be strictly enforced and violations shall result in a loss by default (5 - 0) for the team violating this rule. When teams are playing with less than 10 skaters, double shifting of players will be in rotation so that all players are double shifted.
      
   3. ATOM AND ABOVE HOUSE LEAGUE: No buzzer. All players are to be given ice time of a fair basis and as close to equal ice time as is possible in any game situation including play-offs.
      

   
   

3. No intentional checking will be played in all divisions.

    

4. No foul or abusive language by the coaching staff or players will be tolerated.

    

5. Girls should be ready 10 minutes before scheduled start time so coaches will have time for a pre-game meeting.

    

6. The home team is responsible to supply the game sheet and a timekeeper. The visiting team is responsible to supply a scorekeeper and verify referees are present twenty minutes prior to game time start.

    

7. All games will be two 10 minute and one 15 minute stop time periods or 50 minutes curfew.

    

8. It is the home team coach's duty to assure that the game sheet is submitted to the Convenor.

Competitive Playing Rules

1. Players wishing to try out for a Competitive team must be registered with the LDGHA with no outstanding monies owing. Players from other OWHA associations must present a permission to skate or a release before being allowed onto the ice.

    

2. Girls wishing to play in the Devilettes Competitive program must try-out at their own age level.

    

3. Registration and travel costs to tournaments are not the responsibility of the LDGHA. The maximum number of players on Competitive teams will be limited to 15 skaters and 2 goaltenders. An increase in this number will only be allowed with permission from the Competitive Division Director and the VP Operations.

    

4. The Devilette dress code for Competitive teams is red helmet and forest green pants. Goaltenders are excepted from the red helmet rule. London Juniors and Midget AA will wear black helmets and black pants.

    

5. O.W.H.A. sanctions are required in order for Devilettes teams to play teams from non-O.W.H.A. associations.

    

6. Competitive goaltenders age Atom and above must pay a rental fee to use Devilettes owned goaltending equipment. See Appendix A for complete policy.

    

7. Players may not move from one Competitive team to another within the association without the written approval of the VP Operations and the Coach of the team that they are leaving.

    

8. Under no circumstances may a Coach approach or invite a player from another Devilettes team, either Competitive or House League, to join their roster. This is viewed as in-house tampering and the offending coach will be suspended indefinitely pending a hearing to determine whether he/she will continue to coach in the LDGHA. Coaches wishing to add a player to their roster must follow the procedures as outlined in #7 above.

    

9. Call-up rules for the occasional use of a player from another team in either games or practices will be determined each September and will be strictly enforced.

    

10. Managers/Treasurers of Competitive teams will be required to send to both the parents on the team and the LDGHA Treasurer a copy of their initial budget at the beginning of the season plus updated financial statements on January 1st and at the end of the season.

     

11. Each year the London Devilettes sign a contract with the City of London for minor hockey ice. This contract expires the last Sunday of March. Ice is provided to all Devilette teams until the end of March at which point everyone’s season is deemed to be over. Any ice purchased by the team after the end of the City contract is at that team’s expense. There is one exception only. The London Devilettes will support competitive teams that are competing in the Provincial Championships or the Lower Lakes championship weekend. Two practices per week will be supplied to these teams in the weeks following the end of the City contract and before the Provincial championship. Any further ice or other costs (i.e., referees for exhibition games) are at the team’s expense.

Standardized Jackets

Provincial Championship jackets must be purchased by the LDGHA on behalf of the player/team and the design must be approved by the Board of Directors. Purchase of jackets will be limited to the players, head coach and other team staff with Board approval.


Tournaments

1. All teams in the LDGHA entering Tournaments must provide notification to their Convenor of all tournaments, upon acceptance. The Convenors will then pass this information along to the VP Operations.

    

2. All teams who wish to campaign for any and all extra funds must obtain permission from the Board.

    

3. The Association will advance tournament fees at the request of teams until such time as a team fund has been established. These fees will be billed by the Treasurer and must be reimbursed to the LDGHA.

Coaches, Trainers and Staff

1. All Devilettes teams must have a minimum of one "Coach" level coach and one Level 1 certified trainer on the bench at all times. One Trainer must also be in attendance at each practice.

    

2. In the House League program only, the Devilettes will reimburse to any two individuals per team per year registered in the staff section of the team's OWHA form, 50% of the fees required to take a "Coach" Level NCCP certification program or an NTCP Level 1 trainer's course. Documentation of successful completion of the course will be required.

    

3. No individual may be the head coach on more than one Devilette team at any one time.

    

4. An Intermediate Level Coach certification is suggested for PeeWee competitive and above.

RULES OF DEPORTMENT

To foster reasonable behaviour, to enhance sportsmanship and to make competition a developmental experience, the LDGHA requires its players and parents to meet minimum standards of deportment. All coaches in the LDGHA are required to sign a copy of our Coaches Contract and abide by the rules contained therein.

1. The members of the LDGHA will not condone nor encourage violence or bad manners or bad language on or off the ice.

    

2. Among both House League and Competitive teams, CHA behaviour modification penalties will be implemented. In exceptional circumstances, the Vice-President of Operations may impose additional penalties.

    

3. In any team situation, in or around ice surfaces, dressing rooms or arenas, proper behaviour is expected of the LDGHA' players and coaching staff. Acts of violence, use of offensive language, bullying and/or the consumption of alcoholic beverages or drugs are not acceptable behavior.

    

4. Coaches are expected to discourage improper player language by means of immediate verbal reprimand, followed in cases of repeated or serious occurrences, by loss of shift or shift suspension for a period, or removal from the hockey game or practice. Continuous infractions are to be brought to the Vice-President of Operations and the Board where suspensions will be encouraged.

    

5. Coaches and managers are expected to strenuously enforce this guideline in each category from Initiation Program to Senior. (The standard of what is acceptable is what is deemed acceptable in the presence of anyone.)

    

6. Consumption of alcoholic beverages or drugs by players or coaching staff, in a game or practice situation, or arriving inebriated in such a situation, is grounds for immediate dismissal.

    

7. Players, parents or members of the LDGHA who do not meet these standards will be encouraged not to attend games. Failure to comply could result in suspension or expulsion from the hockey program.