Purpose:
To have a consistent process and understanding of how suspensions for on-ice behaviour will be administered in the Prescott Hockey league. The Suspension Process and Suspension Rules below were written based on standard processes and rules for leagues across Ottawa (i.e. Travellers, RA, Minto, Capital Rec, Carleton leagues) and the CARHA rules. Based on past experience, it is anticipated that there will be very few suspensions issued. The intention is not to referee games via suspensions, but rather to have rules in place in case there are major incidents that would result in a suspension in any league with referees in the Ottawa area.
Disciplinary Committee Members:
In order to alleviate administrative burden from the team captains and league treasurer, the committee members will consist of other league members. More specifically, one member from each team that has a track record of being level headed on and off the ice and is willing to volunteer on the committee. If a team has no volunteer, the team captain will serve as the committee member.
Suspension Process:
- Committee member and/or team captains submit an incident for review.
- To ensure impartiality, the review will be conducted by the committee members from the teams that were not playing in the game during which the incident occurred. Furthermore, committee members involved in an incident will have no role in the review process for that incident and will not receive any more information than the other individual(s) involved in the incident.
- The committee members performing the review will contact the players involved in the incident to let them know a review is being performed and request their feedback and description of the event, including whether it meets the pre-defined suspension rules listed further below.
- The committee members performing the review will solicit feedback from players that witnessed the incident from both teams that were playing during the incident. Team captains and the league treasurer can also provide their input at this point in the process. The committee members performing the review will determine the appropriate number of players to solicit feedback from. The witnessing players shall remain anonymous to ensure ongoing good relations in the league and to reduce any incidents of reprisal.
- The committee members performing the review will make an assessment based on the information provided in steps #3 and #4, while using this document for reference.
- If there is a suspension, the length of the suspension will be communicated to the player(s) affected and the captains of the affected teams. The disciplinary committee will be the only party/group/individual in the league that can issue and officially communicate the suspension notice for on-ice incidents.
Suspension Rules:
Infraction Type
|
Description
|
Suspension
|
Fighting
|
Multiple punches are thrown, with or without gloves being on.
|
5 games.
An additional 1 to 5 games for fighting an unwilling opponent (which can include extreme instances of instigating)
|
Wrestling
|
This category is to cover when there is in an incident which is essentially a fight, but no actual punches are thrown. In other words, it is so there is no loophole for having a fight where there are no punches thrown.
For example, it would be an extended exchange of behaviour such as chin strap pulling, pulling a jersey over the head, face washing, wrestling each other down to the ice, gloves are dropped but punches are not thrown, etc.
It is not meant to cover the occasional brief interaction where there are a couple of pushes back and forth, etc.
|
2 games typically.
1 game whenever gloves are dropped, regardless of whether wrestling or a fight occurs.
|
Match Penalties
|
Incidents that would be called a match penalty in any typical men’s league in Ottawa that has referees. We all know when something clearly crosses the line. These types of penalties occur rarely in Ottawa.
For example, incidents such as head butting, kicking, butt-ending, spearing, intentional high sticking, intentional or reckless contact to the head, etc.
This category does not include Minor or Major penalties, which are not to be suspended, as noted below.
|
5 games typically.
Additional games can be added if there are extenuating circumstances such as an overly deliberate attempt to injure.
The suspension can be reduced if it was stupid behaviour, but was unlikely to result in an injury.
|
Major Penalties
|
This is defined as incidents that are relatively serious, but are essentially accidental in nature, such as unintentional high sticking, or wrestling / roughing that is not serious enough to be suspended.
|
No games.
The league will continue to address this type of behaviour through filtering the type of players that enter the league, captains discussing issues with players as required, and occasionally telling players they are not welcome to return the following season.
|
Minor Penalties
|
Typical minor issues that would be called by a referee, such as tripping, roughing, double minors for roughing, etc.
|
No games.
The league will continue to address this type of behaviour through filtering the type of players that enter the league, captains discussing issues with players as required, and occasionally telling players they are not welcome to return the following season.
|
