SECTION 8 - PLAYER AND TEAMS

DCYH must ensure that each player participates in the age group and skill level appropriate for him or her. The following guidelines will be used.

A. Player Eligibility

  1. Age - The player age groups for all players participating in the DCYH program under Minnesota Hockey will be as follows:

    Age Charts for 2004-2005 Season
    Hockey Level Ages Born on or after
    Termite 4, 5 & 6 July 1, 1997
    Supermite 7 & 8 July 1, 1995
    Squirts 9 & 10 July 1, 1993
    Pee Wee 11 & 12 July 1, 1991
    Bantam 13 & 14 July 1, 1989

  2. Age - The age groups for all players participating in the DCYH program under Minnesota Girls and Women’s Hockey (MGWH) sanction will be as follows:

    Girls Age Charts for 2004-2005 Season
    Hockey Level Ages Born on or after
    Girls U10 8, 9 & 10 July 1, 1993
    Girls U12 11 & 12 July 1, 1991
    Girls U14 13 & 14 July 1, 1989

B. Residence Eligibility

In accordance with USA Hockey, Minnesota Hockey, and District 8, each player must live within the Dodge County area, the Byron School District, or Pine Island School District.

C. Move Up Policy

DCYH strongly discourages players moving up among levels, however, there may be exceptions due to roster size and skill ability.

Please read the Process Guidelines below carefully.

  1. All players interested in moving up must apply in writing to the Board for an opportunity to tryout to be a move up.  This application must be made prior to July 31st of the calendar year so that the application may be addressed by the Board at the August Board of Directors meeting.
  2. A Supermite (with one year remaining at the Supermite level) can apply to move up to Squirts A or B level.  The player must go through the Squirt traveling hockey tryout process and must grade out within the top ten (10) individual players’ scores at the A or B level.
  3. A Supermite (with one year remaining at the Supermite level) can apply to move up to the Squirt C level.  The Tryout Committee and coaches at both levels will hold a skills evaluation session for all who wish to tryout for a position on one of the Squirt C teams for the season.  The skills evaluation session will be held immediately following our travel team tryouts so that the C teams can be formed within one week from the end of the regular tryout sessions.  The following USA Hockey guideline skills should be demonstrated:
    Skating Puck Control Passing/Receiving
    Ready position Lateral dribble Forehand
    Edge control Forward to backward dribble Backhand
    Forward Diagonal dribble Receive (stick)
    Backward Forehand shift Eye contact
    Controlled stop (left side, right side, & backward) Accelerating with the puck  
    Forward crossover    
    Controlled turn (left/right)    
  4. Move ups to PeeWee and Bantam level can only be to the A or B level.   If the Board of Directors accepts the application to move up, the player must go through the PeeWee/Bantam traveling hockey tryout process and must grade out within the top ten (10) individual players’ scores at the A or B level.   No move ups will be allowed to the  C levels. 
  5. Because of the natural distinction between “regular” players and goaltenders, and USA Hockey/ Minnesota Hockey/District 8 rules distinguishing between “regular” players and goaltenders, this DCYH provision is modified for goaltenders in cases where a numerical shortage exists at a particular age bracket. The DCYH Executive Committee has the power to move-up a goaltender one-age bracket to fill a shortage of goaltenders at the next higher age bracket. If there is an excess of goaltenders at a particular age bracket (e.g. more than 2 goaltenders for each team at that age bracket), the DCYH Executive Committee will try to find another team for that goaltender. The Executive Committee will look first to higher age brackets within DCYH, then to other Associations within District 8, and finally to other Associations in different districts who are geographically close.

D. Mid Season Move Up Policy

DCYH contemplates two reasons for changing team rosters once the season has begun.

  1. If any player(s) becomes injured and expects to miss a significant period of the remainder of the season and the date to submit final rosters to USA Hockey has not expired (December 31), then a coach may move a player from a lower level (B or C Level team) up to the team suffering the injuries.

  2. If a team loses any player for the remainder of the season due to a non-injury (e.g. leave team for high school tryout, move out of the area, quit, suspension, etc.) and the date to submit final rosters to USA Hockey has not expired (December 31), then a coach may move a player from a lower level up to the team losing the player.

If either situation occurs, the following steps must be followed:

  1. The District 8 Director must be notified immediately to insure DCYH follows appropriate USA Hockey administrative steps.
  2. An emergency meeting is to be held with the Coaching Coordinator, the DCYH Executive Committee, and the coaches of all the teams potentially involved. No player will be contacted prior to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and set the ground rules for the move up, meeting USA Hockey rules, etc. Coaches at this time may give their recommendations of whom to move up. Existing C players will be evaluated off their previous tryout scores.
  3. The Executive Committee will contact the Registrar to make the team roster changes.
  4. Once a player is moved up to a team, she or he shall remain with that team for the remainder of the regular season and post-season play.
  5. If the player selected chooses not to move up, then step #2 will be repeated until all player positions are filled.
  6. Once the upper team’s roster is satisfied, the same process begins for the next lower team. The coach of the lower team has at his or her discretion the right not to bring up a player from the team below.
  7. USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey rules governing goalie move ups should be reviewed first as they provide special treatment that may be more beneficial.
  8. Returning players will return to their original team.
  9. New players following tryouts (just moved to the area or just joined the association) will be evaluated by the Coaching Coordinator and coaches at appropriate level for placement.