Non Sanctioned Hockey Programs 2020-2021 - UPDATE

September 11, 2020

Memorandum

To:           Minor Hockey Associations (MHA’s)

From:      Kelly McClintock

General Manager

Re:           SHA Non-Sanctioned Winter Hockey Policy

The SHA Board of Directors have recently reviewed the SHA Non-Sanctioned Hockey Policy created and approved in June 2019. There have been requests from Minor Hockey Associations (MHA) for this review due to potential negative impact of Non-Sanctioned Winter Programs on MHA registration numbers and programs.

It is the SHA’s role to assist and support every MHA in the development of their association, its coaches, players, and officials. The SHA respects the rights of individuals to consider programming outside their local MHA however if that outside programming focuses on the recruitment of players, formation of teams, competition and playing games outside of the SHA sanctioned activities, we must protect those MHA’s and their members.

The SHA recognizes Skill Development Programming that is available outside of the programming of an MHA and encourages the participation in such programming if the focus is on every player being given the chance to register and the focus is solely on skill development and not team formation, competition and games. Currently the SHA sanctions ten “SHA Skill Licensees” and these can be found on the SHA Website. The focus of a SHA Skills Licensee is solely on enhancing a player’s skill and love of hockey without an emphasis on team formation, competition and playing games.

Last June there were several MHA’s throughout the province who created more restrictive policies than the SHA’s

Policy surrounding the participation of their members in Non-Sanctioned Hockey Programs. The SHA Board of Directors reviewed those policies and in support of MHA’s throughout the province have made amendments to the SHA Non-Sanctioned Winter Hockey Policy that takes effect immediately. 

The SHA invests hundreds of thousands of dollars from support of Hockey Canada and Sask Lotteries into player, coach, and officiating development each year to continue to develop and enhance our winter programming.

The amended policy follows and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you.

SHA Non-Sanctioned Winter Hockey Policy

Updated: September 10, 2020

The following is the decision of the SHA Board of Directors regarding participation of individuals in NonSanctioned winter hockey programs or activities during the winter season and their ability to return to SHA sanctioned winter programs.  

 Winter season: August 15 until April 1 annually

Note:  

Definition of a “non-sanction hockey program or activity” is at the absolute discretion of the SHA Board of Directors and/or the SHA staff.

Players

Any player who participates with a non-sanctioned program or activity after September 30th of the current year and wishes to return to SHA sanctioned programming, must apply for a concession from the SHA Registration Committee for re-instatement. The deadline to apply is October 31^st of the current year. The player submits their concession to their respective MHA, and if the MHA chooses to support the application, the MHA will work with the SHA Registration Committee to determine if the player can be accommodated. As roster sizes, tiering and registration deadlines can all be factors, there is no guarantee that a player will be able to return within the season. The Registration Committee will decide what level of hockey that player can participate in.

Any player who was previously registered within the SHA and participates in a non-sanctioned winter hockey program or activity in whole or in part at any age level that wishes to return to SHA sanctioned hockey, will be restricted from playing or affiliating to any SHA; AAA, AA, Tier I or Carded team for a period of one (1) year for each year of participation in the non-sanctioned winter hockey program or activity.

Additionally, the SHA will only accept players registered in the current season with a SHA member

MHA or Accredited School into Provincial Programming. This includes SHA; Female Festivals, Female Futures, Jamborees, Half-Ice events and Sask First Programming.  Access to these programs is a privilege that is offered to and reserved for the proud members of the SHA.

Team Officials/Team or League Administrators/Officials (Referees or Linesman)

Any individual functioning in the capacity of a Team Officials/Team or League Administrators/Officials (Referees or Lines person) within a Non-Sanctioned entity as determined by the SHA will be indefinitely barred as a member of the SHA.

Parents of players participating in non-sanctioned winter hockey

Any parents of players participating in non-sanctioned winter hockey is subject to indefinite suspension from being a registered team official within the SHA as well as ineligible for being a member of any minor hockey association’s Board of Directors or league executive.

The SHA recognizes that individuals have the right to make choices in the type of programming they wish to participate, however the SHA must protect the integrity of the winter season of programming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my son or daughter play both SHA Sanctioned and Non-Sanctioned hockey at the same time during the Winter season?

• They must choose which program they wish to participate within.

If there is a dispute over whether a program is Sanctioned or Non-Sanctioned, who makes the determination?

• The SHA Board of Directors and Staff have the absolute discretion to define a program as Sanctioned or Non-Sanctioned.
• Hockey Programming that focuses on the development of hockey skills, power skating, etc., such as those programs sanctioned as SHA “Skills Licensees”, which do not incorporate team formation and the playing of games throughout the winter months are not considered NonSanctioned Hockey Programming.

If my son or daughter plays an entire Winter season of Non-Sanctioned hockey, can they return to SHA Sanctioned hockey the following Winter season?

• Yes, they can without a concession application and approval providing the MHA accepts the players registration. However, they would be restricted from registering with, or affiliating to, a team at the highest level of Hockey (AAA, AA, Tier 1 or Carded team).
• Example: A first year U11 (Atom) plays in a Non-Sanctioned Program for a year. He can return the following season to the SHA however would not be eligible to register with, or affiliate to, an U11 (Atom) Team at the highest level of U11 (Atom) nor a carded U11 (Atom) team

If my son or daughter participates in games in Non-Sanctioned hockey prior to September 30th of the current season and wishes to return to SHA Sanctioned programming prior to October 31^st of the current season, are they able to?

• Yes, they can without a concession application and approval providing the MHA accepts the players registration. However, they would be restricted from registering with, or affiliating to, a team at the highest level of Hockey (AAA, AA, Tier 1 or Carded team for the current season.

If my son or daughter participates in games in Non-Sanctioned hockey after October 31^st of the current season and wishes to return to SHA Sanctioned programming, are they able to?

• The final date to apply for a concession to return is October 31^st. Following that date there is no opportunity to return during the current winter season.

If I am coaching a Non-Sanctioned team can I coach a team in SHA Sanctioned programming?

• As an adult you are making the decision to coach in a program outside the SHA jurisdiction during the winter months and therefore are ineligible to coach within SHA Sanctioned programming. The SHA supplements the cost of training coaches throughout the province annually to ensure players receive the instruction from competent coaches to assist in their development as a player. Therefore, the SHA will not allow those same coaches to participate in non-sanctioned programming during the winter months which is competing with SHA programming.

If I serve as a coach of a Non-Sanctioned Team during a Winter season, can I return to coach the following winter season within the SHA?

• All those people involved in coaching, a team official of any kind (i.e.: Trainer; Manager) or a Team or League Administrator (League Scheduler, Commissioner, President, etc.), within a NonSanctioned program, are indefinitely barred from further involvement in SHA programming.
• For example, an individual serves as a coach on an U11 (Atom) Non-Sanctioned winter team, they are indefinitely barred from serving as a team official with any SHA Sanctioned winter team.

If I referee or serve as a linesman in Non-Sanctioned Winter season games may I still officiate in SHA sanctioned games?

• All those people involved in officiating within a Non-Sanctioned program, are indefinitely barred from further involvement in SHA programming.

If I am indefinitely barred from SHA sanctioned Winter activity what is the process to attempt to be reinstated so that I can participate in future SHA sanctioned winter programming?

• The SHA Appeal Procedure is located on the SHA website and must be followed if you wish to be reinstated from the indefinitely barred decision.

Can players participate in Non-Sanctioned Winter activity and SHA Programming such as the Sask First Male and Female Programs?

• Access to these programs is a privilege that is offered to and reserved for the proud members of the SHA. Players would be ineligible for SHA Programming for the corresponding number of years they played Non-Sanctioned Hockey.
• For example: A first year U15 (Bantam) player participates for a full season on Non-Sanctioned Hockey. If they return to SHA Sanctioned Hockey, they would not be eligible to register with, or affiliate to, a team at the U15 (Bantam) AA level nor would they be eligible for the Sask First Program for second year U15 players.

If I place my Novice aged son in a Non-Sanctioned Winter League and I am not a team official of any kind with that Non-Sanctioned team, can I serve as a team official with my daughters’ team who is registered with the SHA?

• No, you cannot.

If my child plays within a Non-Sanctioned Winter League or I Coach/Manage a team within a NonSanctioned winter League, can I access Hockey Canada/SHA insurance?

• The SHA strongly recommends you investigate the levels and types of insurance coverage you have if you choose to participate in a Non-Sanctioned winter League

If my child plays within a Non-Sanctioned Winter League for one season and then he returns to SHA Sanctioned Hockey the following year, can I serve on my local Minor Hockey Association Board? I was never involved as a team official with the Non-Sanctioned Program.

• Like Team Officials and Referee/Lines person, parents who have chosen to take their child outside of SHA Sanctioned Programs are indefinitely barred from participating in SHA Sanctioned MHA/League or Team Official positions.