Shooters Indoor Sportsplex

6140 Brad McNeer Parkway

Midlothian, VA  23112

 

Bylaws for the Adult Division

Revised date:  July 25, 2011

 

 

 

I.          Scope of Bylaws

 

I. A.        The bylaws of the Shooters adult hockey league apply to the "Level 5", "Level 4", "Level 3" and "Level 2" divisions, but do not apply to the “Level 1” division.  

 

I. B.        The league shall follow the Official Rules of USA Roller Sports (USARS)/AAU, except where specific rules have been passed by the Management Team to supersede or augment them.           

 


II.        Management Team             

 

II. A.       The Management Team consists of the rink owners (Richard and Cynthia Kent), the General Manager (Richard Kent III [“RK”]), the Manager (Amy Mansini), and 1 commissioner (Jerome Kendall).

II. B.       Duties of the Management Team include making and passing rule and bylaw changes, approving rosters for all teams, disciplinary procedures, and player suspensions.  The Management Team is the Competition Committee and the Disciplinary Committee. 

 


III.       Officiating 


III. A.     Game officials (referees and score keeper) are arranged for and paid by the rink owners.
                
III. B.     USA Hockey official score sheets must be turned into the rink owners by the end of the

                evening on which the game is played.

 

III. C.     For any infraction that could result in a suspension (game misconduct, fighting, and abuse of referee, gross misconduct or match penalty), the official must submit informal and formal notification according to the procedure shown below:

 

1.      Informal notification - the referee must write a note on the back of the score sheet and turn it in to the rink owners and also notify the Management Team the night of the game.  The note must include the player name, team name and the penalty assessed.  The Management Team will contact the team captain to ensure their player understands the terms of his/her possible suspension and possible hearing.

 

2.      Formal Notification - Rink owners request that referees remain after the game to fill out the game report.  The referee must send an email to the Management Team containing the Referee’s Game Report with a more detailed description of the incident within 24 hours of the incident.   Referees may make suggestions as to appropriate actions that should be considered by the Management Team.  All game reports should be as detailed as possible.

 


IV.       Eligibility

 
            IV. A.    Financial Eligibility

 

1.      Player Payment - In order for a player to participate in a game, he/she must be financially cleared by the rink owners to play.

 

2.     Team Payment - The minimum team roster is 8 skaters and one goalie.  If a team has less than 8 total players, the team is responsible for paying the league fee for the remaining slots.  Team owners and captains are encouraged to roster 9 or even 10 players.

 

                IV. B.    Age Restrictions

 

1.       For the Level 4, Level 3 and Level 2 divisions a player must be 18 years old on or before the day of the first scheduled game of the regular season to be eligible to play that season, with the following exceptions:

a.       Goalies.

b.       A father-son combination may play on the same team.

c.        Unless approved by management on a case by case basis. 

d.       Unless the player is a 16U Youth League player given special permission to play in Level 4.

         

2.       For the Level 5 division, a player must be 15 years old on the first scheduled game of the regular season to be eligible to play that season.  Players under 18 must submit a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian to play in the Level 5 division.

 
              IV. C.  Rosters

 

1.       Each team must turn in a roster to the rink owners and Management Team before the start of the season.  The rosters must be approved before the start of the season by the Management Team.

 

2.       Final rosters must be turned in one week after the league plays its first game of the season.  An example of this is, if any division starts on 8-1-11 , then all teams’ final rosters must be turned in to the Management Team on 8-7-11.

 

3.       If any changes are made to a team’s roster by the final roster due date, then players must be approved by the Management Team before they can play.  The Management Team may put a 3 game evaluation on any known or unknown player and then determine at the conclusion of those 3 games if they will be allowed to continue to be on the team’s roster.
        

4.       If a team allows a player who is not listed and approved to be on their roster for a particular game, that team may be forced to forfeit that game.

 

5.     No more than 4 minor or pro Robins players or any combination of both are allowed on any given house Level 5 team (this includes goalies).  This will apply to players listed on the most recent Robins roster.

 

6.    No more than 2 Level 5 players are allowed on any given house Level 4 team; this does NOT include goalies, but if a Level 5 goalie plays on a Level 4 team, he MUST play in goal, and cannot skate out. 

 

        “Level 5 players” is defined as “players with Level 5 skills”, which includes, among others, Robins pro and Minor players, and 16 year-old and above players who have extensive experience in the House Youth League, the Rattlers, other hockey travel teams, and anyone else deemed to be of “Level 5 skill” by the Management Team, regardless of whether or not they are currently playing on a Level 5, Robins pro, or Robins minor team.  A list of available Level 5 skill-level players is maintained by the Rink Management.

 

        No Level 4 team is compelled to roster any Level 5 players.

 

7.     Substitutes must be approved in advance by the Rink Management, and substitutes must be of appropriate skillset for the Level in which they are being asked to play.  Subs may be derived from both rostered and non-rostered players.  There is a $15 fee for a substitute to play, which may be waived by Rink Management at their discretion.   A substitute is limited to playing in no more than two games for the same team.  (Goalies are generally exempt from the 2-game limit, but must also be approved in advance by the Rink Management.)


                       

  IV. D.   Multi-Division Play

 

1.      A player may participate in multiple levels as long as the player is approved by the Management Team to be on the team’s roster, either through unanimous vote or by two votes out of three cast by the Management Team.  If a player is determined to be too strong for a division then the Management Team may not allow that player to play in a lower division.  No Level 5 player may play on a Level 2 team, with the exception of a subbing goalie in a non-playoff, non-championship series game.

             

  IV. E.  Team Requirements

 

1.     Team Owner - Each team has an “owner” who shall be registered with the league.  The owner must have a valid email address through which all official correspondence, including disciplinary actions, will be made.  Transfer of team ownership must be submitted to the Management Team in writing.  A Level 5 player may “own” a Level 2 team, but in accordance with Section IV. D. above, that Level 5 player may not play on the Level 2 team he/she owns.

 

2.      Player Uniforms - All players on a team, including the goalie, must wear substantially the same color.  A grace period of not more than three calendar weeks will be allowed for a brand new team to the league at the start of the season to acquire uniforms.

 

3.      Uniform Colors - Each team is assigned a non-white color which is to be worn for all games.  The home team, at their option, may wear a predominantly white alternate jersey, which is substantially the same for all skaters.  The home team in any game may protest to the referee if they believe the visiting team’s jerseys are too close in color to their own (navy blue compared to black, for example), and the referee may require the visiting team to take action to differentiate their uniforms from those of the home team by wearing different jerseys or some easily identifiable device such as a vest.

 

4.      Uniform Numbers - Every player, with the exception of the goalie, must have a number on his uniform.  The number must be a minimum of 8 inches high and be the same number on the official team roster.

 

 

V.  Game Play

 

   V. A.  Division Schedules

 

1.      There will be no inter-division games.  Level 5 teams will only play other Level 5 teams, Level 4 teams will only play other Level 4 teams, Level 3 teams will only play other Level 3 teams, and Level 2 teams will only play other Level 2 teams.   This is what allows players to play on different teams in different divisions.  There will be separate playoffs for all divisions.

 

                   V. B.  Game Composition

 

1.    Each game will include the following:
                a.  A 5 minute warm-up period will precede each game.  The 5 minute warm-up                                   does not commence until the teams in the preceding game have left the rink                          floor.

b.  Three 15 minute periods; the clock will continue to run at all times during

      periods except for when referees stop the clock at their discretion or during the

      last 2 minutes of the 3rd period if the difference in goals between the two teams

      is 2 or less.  If one or both teams have rostered 9 or more players, and all of

      those players are on the bench at the start of the game, then that game will

      consist of three 17 minute periods.  If the 9th or 9th and 10th rostered players

      arrive to the game after the game has begun, the game will consist of the three 15

      minute periods
c.  A 2 minute intermission between periods.

d.  Two timeouts per game, one timeout per period.

 

   V. C.  Equipment

 

1.      All players must wear a helmet with a chin strap (fastened), shin guards, gloves and elbow pads.  The referees will determine if a player is in compliance.   Helmets must be hockey helmets (no lacrosse or other style helmets are permitted).

 

   V. D.  Minimum Number of Players

 

1.      A team must have a minimum of 4 players to start a game, one of which may be a goalie.  If at any time during the game, a team cannot have at least 3 players on the floor, including the goalie, the team must forfeit the game.  A team with only 3 skaters which is charged with a penalty while one of its players is already in the penalty box, forfeits the game at that point.  

 

   V. E.  Players and Coaches on the Bench

 

1.      Coaches - Only rostered players, or approved substitutes, 1 authorized head coach, and 1 authorized assistant coach (provided coaches are listed on the roster) are permitted on the players’ bench.  A head coach may authorize a temporary coach to be on the bench in his absence. 

 

2.      Injured players - Eligible players who are on the team roster but are unable to participate in a game may be on the players’ bench.

 

3.      Suspended players - Suspended players may not dress for the game, be on the team’s bench, or stand in the team’s bench area during a game for which they have been suspended.  Players who are serving a suspension from an offense committed on a previous day may attend a game but are restricted to the spectator’s areas.  Suspended players who create a commotion may be asked to leave the premises by the referees, rink owners, or the Management Team.

 

4.    Fined players – any player assessed a fine must pay that fine in full before being allowed to play in his next scheduled game for the Level in which he was playing when the fine was assessed.
                                      

   V. F.  Offsides 

 

1.       Offsides shall be played in Level 3 and Level 2 adult divisions.  The Level 4 and 5  divisions will not play by the offsides rule.

a.  If the puck is carried across the center red line, it is an onside play.  A player                                 may be in the offensive zone before the puck is, as long as the puck itself is

     carried across by a different player.

b.  If the puck is passed across the center red line and the receiving player crosses

     the red line after the puck, then that player is not offside. 

c.  If a player is in his offensive zone when the puck is passed across the red line, he

     may not be the 1st player to touch the puck.  A different player who is not

     offsides may play the puck.  An offside player may skate out of the offensive zone

     and then re-enter it, in which the case he no longer offsides.  If a defending player

     touches the puck, then all offensive players are considered to be onsides.

d.  Face-offs after an offsides call shall take place at the “top dots” of the team on

     whom the offsides was called.

e.   “Hovering” offensive player after an intentional offsides: when a player who is

     offsides “hovers” above the puck, hoping to be able to steal it as soon as the

     defensive player touches it, refs are to warn that offensive player to back away

     from the puck and get onside.  Failure to do so will result in the ref whistling the

     play dead, and a face-off will occur at the low face-off dots of the team whose

     player committed the intentional offside.
 

   V. G.  Overtime

 

1.      Regular season - all divisions will have a shootout to decide regular season games if tied after regulation.  It will be a 3 round shootout.  The home team will get to shoot last.  Each team will take turns, one on one with the goalie.  The visiting team will shoot first.  If still tied after 3 rounds, then it will go to sudden death, the home team will get the last shot.  The teams must go through their roster before a player can shoot a second time. The winner of the shootout will get two points in the standings and the loser will get one point. 

 

2.      Playoff games - If a playoff game is tied at the end of regulation time, the teams will play sudden death overtime.  The teams will NOT change ends before the start of the 1st overtime period.  Fifteen minute overtime periods will be played until someone scores.  Teams will change ends after the end of each overtime period.  There will be a two minute intermission between each period.
 

 

   V. H. Playoff Schedule

 

1.      Playoff assignments will be made based on the final standings of the regular season.  Teams will be re-seeded at the end of each series.  The regular season champions will be the top seed through the playoffs unless they are eliminated.  The tie-breaking criteria is as follows.
       

a.   Head to head, considering the games between the two tied teams only

b.   Fewest goals against, considering the games between the two tied teams only
c.   Most goals for, considering the games between the two tied teams only

d.   Coin Toss

 

2.    The format for the playoffs will be as follows: the team with the best regular season record is seeded #1, the team with the next best regular season is seeded #2, etc.  If there is an odd number of teams, for example 7 teams, then the #1 seed gets a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  The teams will play each other in a “top to bottom” format, where the team with the best record (assuming it does not get a bye) plays the team with the fewest number of wins, the team with the second best record plays the team with the second fewest number of wins, and so forth.  Teams will be re-seeded at the end of each series.   The Championship for each Level is determined by a best of three series between the two teams remaining.

 

VI.       Discipline

 

                        In addition to penalties defined by USA Roller Sports/ AAU the following “house rules” will be

                         enforced.   In accordance with section I. B. above, “house rules” supersede the rules of “Official                             Playing Rules of USA Roller Sports (USARS) / AAU”.

 

1.       A game misconduct could carry a one game suspension.  This will be at the Management Team’s discretion after reading or reviewing the incident.  More than a 1 game suspension could be given.

 

2.      Fighting  (“Fighting” is determined by the nature of the altercation)

                                                a.  First time fighting (no sticks) penalties will result in a one game suspension.

                             b.  Second time fighting (no sticks) penalties may result in a ONE YEAR suspension

                                  from the Rink.

                                                c.  Serious intent-to-injure penalties, like cross checks to the face or head, or any

                                                      fight involving the use of a stick swung at or used to strike another player will

                                                      result in a minimum five game suspension; suspensions for intent-to injure                               

                                                      fights or fights involving the use of a stick as a weapon will extend into the                               

                                                      playoffs, including the championship series, and if necessary into the following  

                                                  season.

                                                d.  Players who get any major calls will be reported to the league by email and

                                                      placed on the Shooters web page of warnings and suspensions.  This is so all

                                                      Team Captains will know who should or shouldn't be playing against them. 

 

3.    Abuse of referee is an automatic game misconduct and the Management Team will review what happened and will determine if more action is needed.  This could lead to a one-game suspension.  “Abuse of referee” includes but is not limited to cursing at the referee, proclaiming that the referee is “the worst ref ever” after a call has been made (or not made), approaching the referee in such a manner as to violate his personal space and appear threatening, and any similar such misconduct.  The referee has the discretion to determine if the player’s misconduct falls under “abuse” or “unsportsmanlike conduct”, but any Management Team member who was both present at the game and personally witnessed the misconduct may at his/her discretion overrule the referee and deem the episode “abuse of referee”, even if the referee him/herself does not so designate it.

 

               4.      Suspensions will be served in the division that the player was called in.  If the player is

                      in multiple divisions and the penalty is severe (serious intent to injure penalties, like

                      cross checks to the face or head, or any fight involving the use of a stick swung at or

                      used to strike another player), the Management Team may enforce suspensions in all

                      divisions at their discretion.  If the suspension carries over into future seasons, the

                      player must still pay for the entire future season.  If the player skips seasons on their

                      own and then returns they must still pay for the entire season and serve the rest of the

                      suspension before being eligible to play.

 

5.      Profanity will not be tolerated.  Referees will issue a 5 minute misconduct penalty for profanity that is clearly audible to other players, spectators, owners and referees.   Egregious use of profanity may result in a $25 fine assessed against the offending league member.  Any player so fined may not play again for the team he was playing for until the fine is paid, but may continue to play for teams in other levels of which he may be a rostered player.

 

6.    3 penalty rule - After a player receives two penalties in a game, the third penalty called against that player shall be composed of two parts: player so called must serve the penalty called, and must also serve an additional two minutes; if the third penalty is already defined as a four minute penalty, then it shall be assessed as a “four + two” minute penalty.   A double minor for the same infraction is considered one penalty.  For example, a 4 minute roughing call would be considered one penalty.   A double minor for two separate infractions during the same stoppage of play, such as a 2 minute hook and a 2 minute rough, shall be considered two separate penalties. If the same player receives a fourth penalty in a single game, or more penalties, all such penalties shall be assessed at their normal length of time plus two additional minutes each.  If that player’s opponent scores a goal, the called penalty shall be zeroed out, BUT THE TWO MINUTE PENALTY WHICH WAS ASSESSED FOR BEING CALLED FOR A THIRD OR FOURTH (etc.) PENALTY MUST BE SERVED IN ITS ENTIRETY INCLUDING INTO AN OVERTIME OR SUDDEN DEATH PERIOD.  Any player still in the penalty box serving time for third, fourth, etc., penalties, may come out to participate in a shootout (and only a shootout) without finishing his assessed time but that player must sit out the first rotation of players participating in the shoot-out.

        In a non-shootout overtime period (playoffs and Championship series games), any player still in the box must serve out the entire 2 minute add-on penalty minutes, and his team must play shorthanded until his full two minutes have been served.  Timekeepers are charged with making sure the full two minutes is served, and that the add-on penalty minutes are not “lost” during the 2 minute intermission before the overtime period begins.

 

        The add-on penalty itself does not count as a called penalty itself when determining the number of penalties that have been called against a player.  For example, if a player gets called for a hook, and then later on gets called for roughing, and then later on for tripping, the tripping penalty will be considered the third penalty and the add-on two minutes will be assessed; but that add-on is not considered the fourth penalty.  If the same player then gets called for a trip later in the same game, THAT would be the fourth penalty, and the add-on two minutes would still be assessed.

 

        The intent of this rule is to ensure that a player must serve the entire two minutes that are added-on for a third, fourth, etc., penalty; the only circumstances under which the add-on penalty minutes are not served in their entirety is during a non-playoff, non-Championship series game which ends with a player still in the box.  As noted above, that player can come out of the penalty box and participate in the shoot-out which determines the score of a regular session game, but that player must sit out the first rotation of players participating in the shoot-out.

 

        The former rule mandating that any player who receives three penalties be removed from the game is revoked.

 

        No game report is required for the 3 penalty rule.  However, the Management Team has the authority to review repeat offenders and assess further disciplinary action if they deem fit.

 

 

   VI. A. Presence of Ejected Players

 

1.      Upon ejection from a game, a player must immediately get dressed and leave the building and grounds for the rest of the day on which the offense occurred.  An ejected player may not be anywhere in the building except at his dressing area or walking toward an exit.  Failure to adhere may result in an additional suspension.  If a player is ejected from a game he is not eligible to play or referee a game later the same day; this includes games in different levels in which that player might otherwise be eligible to play.
                                                                 

   VI. B. Disciplinary Meeting

 

1.       The Management Team may elect to have a hearing for major or severe penalties at their discretion.  These include, but are not limited to, majors, misconducts, gross, match penalties, and intent to injure infractions.  If a member of the Management Team witnessed the situation and is not on either team that was playing, a hearing may not be needed.  The other 2 members of the Management Team can review a report from the witness and the 3 members can determine what must be done. 

 

 

  

VII.     Recognized Championships

 

1.       The Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 divisions will recognize a “Playoff, or Season Champion”

       

a.  The Playoff or Season Champions are the winners of the playoffs for that season.

b.  They will be awarded the trophy and can keep it until the start of the next

      season, and then they must return it to the rink owners.  The rink owners will

      have a plate engraved with the season and team name and attach it to the

      trophy.

 

VIII.    Team Affiliations

                        The “affiliated teams” provision is revoked; however, in the matter of goalies, The

Management Team, in conjunction with a player drawn from each level, will rank the goalies, thereby determining which level(s) goalies may play in.  This is designed to pre-determine a “pool” of goalies which may be drawn from if a team needs a sub goalie.  its level.  The Management Team expects that there will be instances in future playoffs where the ONLY goalie who can be found will not be acceptable to one of the teams playing, and pledges only to do our best to ensure that only goalies ranked for a level will be playing in that level; BUT WE CANNOT GUARANTEE IT.  It would be very helpful if the Team Captains would provide Shooters with at least ten days’ notice if they have reason to believe their goalie will be absent for any playoff games.

 

The Goalie Rankings will be posted on Shooters’ website.