*Note all midget aged players are eligible to play on an 18U team.

USA Hockey shall provide an equal opportunity to amateur athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators, and officials to participate in amateur competition without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, or national orgin, with fair notice and opportunity for a hearing to any amateur athlete, coach, manager, administrator, or official before declaring such individual neligible to participate in USA Hockey programs or competition.

 The on and off ice success of any season is directly proportional to the involvement of the parents.

There are a number of ways to help your team:

• Team Manager
• Scorekeeper/Timekeeper/Penalty Box -  3 volunteers are needed for home games and 1 for away games.
• Viper Tournament Volunteers - score keeping, time keeping, merchandise sales, etc.

 No Team Works Without Teamwork

A.    Support all players on your team at all times by praising good plays and refraining from criticizing what you may consider to be poor plays.
B.   Support your child's effort as a player at all times.
C.   Reinforce the principles of good sportsmanship and fair play.  Encourage team play.
D.   Make it a point to learn the rules of the game.
E.   Very few teams go undefeated.  Encourage humility in victory and reassurance in defeat.  Recognize the efforts of both teams.  Help you child recognize, understand, and accept his strengths and weaknesses.
F.   The team manager is the person to resolve any questions, complaints, misunderstandings, or disagreements.  The team manager will determine the appropriate manner to deescalate problems.
G.   The coaching staff should not be disturbed or approached during games or practices.  Enthusiasm and encouragement are always welcome.  However, parents should not approach or attempt to distract their child while they are on the bench or ice.
H.   Your children are expected to act professionally at all times.  This applies to our rink, to rinks we visit, and especially in hotels.  Any disruptive behavior or damage to any rink, locker room, or hotel will cause for disciplinary action.  Parents will be held financially responsible for any property damage.
I.   According to the NHAHA locker room policy and USAH SafeSport policy, no parent/guardian without ALL proper clearances is permitted inside the locker rooms or locker room hallway. 

A.  Players are subject to suspensions for:

1. Unprofessional conduct on or off the ice
2. Destroying or mishandling the property of others
3. Stealing (penalty can result in expulsion)
4. Use or possession of alcohol or drugs in any form (penalty will result in immediate suspension pending board hearing.)
5. Use of profanity or smoking in a rink.

B.   Coaches are subject to suspensions for:

1. Unexpected absence from practices or games without having appointed a competent replacement.
2. Failure to provide all players at least 3 shifts per game or equal 2 minute rotations where applicable.
3. Disrespect to any fellow NHAHA member.
4. Striking any player or team representative with obvious intent to injure.

C. Players or coaches are subject to suspensions for:

1. Receiving a game misconduct and resultant suspension by the PAHL or other disciplinary committee.  The NHAHA president will also review any league suspensions to determine if any further sanctions should be applied.  A meeting with the coach or player may be required.

D.  Penalties:

Where exceptonal conditions have been noted, penalties will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the NHAHA board as permitted by the organization's bylaws.  Severity of sanctions can range from warnings to suspensions.

E.  Spectators:

Spectators engaging in unsportsmanlike or disruptive conduct can be removed from the area per the USA Hockey Zero Tolerance policy.  Excessive or continual disruptive behavior can be cause for suspension from future NHAHA activities or expulsion from the organization.

F.   Power to Sanction or Suspend:

1. USA Hockey referees have the power to issue game misconduct penalties to players.  Note: Suspension due to misconduct is ruled upon by the PAHL or tournament disciplinary committee. The Board reserves the right to issue additional sanctions as necessary.
2. The NHAHA president, NHAHA Board, or disciplinary committee has jurisdiction to apply sanctions and penalties.
3. Coaches have jurisdiction to apply sanctions and penalties as stated in the "Coaching Responsibilities" section of the handbook.

Yell at or criticize your child, it only serves to degrade their self-esteem.  It is the first step in causing them to lose interest in the sport.

Criticize other players in front of your child.  You child will do the same thing with teammates, which breeds a losing attitude and will hurt other children's feelings.

Complain about coaching techniques in front of your child.  He/she will do the same in front of other players, which decimates a learning atmosphere.

Criticize coaches or referees in your child's presence.  It will eventually lead to excuses for games lost and plant a seed for authority rejection, which certainly will have an adverse effect, as they grow older.

Show anger over losing a game.  If a good honest effort was given, everyone should be proud.

Provide your child with as much positive reimforcement and encouragement as possible.  It bolsters them with the homegrown incentives they need to enoy the game and become a better player.

Encourage your child to see the good things in even the least talented teammates.  It provides a positive learning environment and is a valuable lesson for the big game of life.

Direct your child to listen to his/her coach.  A properly trained USA Hockey coach (as are required by NHAHA) knows a lot more than you.  Also it is a good discipline for kids to learn to respect authority.

Encourage your child to respect referees.  Those striped shirts will be replaced by neckties and badges later on in life.

Teach your child to understand a loss and that learning from it is the key to winning in the long run.  This is the foundation of good sportsmanship.

Approach coaches within a short time before or after practices or games for any reason.  (Observe the 24 hour rule.)

Make strategic recommendations to your coach at any time. He/she is trained by USA Hockey and selected by the Board.

Criticize the coach in front of other parents.  It only creates a negative unproductive environment and serves to undermine the entire program.

Try to schmooze coaches.  Most of them can see through it and do not appreciate it.

Think or believe that scrimmages and games develop your child's skills.  Well-coached, well-run practices that incorporate fundamental skills at all age levels do this.

Understand the proper method of approaching the coach and the reason for the procedure.  It should be done through the team manager.  This is to protect the coach from constant or bothersome communications and ensure discussions will be in a calm, productive manner.

Realize that any problem involving a coach that needs to be conveyed to him should be presented 24 hours after the game, practice or incident, and only through the manager.

Respect the coach for donating his time and effort, before initiating any negative activity.  Then take a good look in the mirror and see if you are capable of the same effort.

Understand that the team manager should alert the coach to any notable problem with the parents.  That way the coach may address the problem individually or collectively before it becomes serious.

Think others find your insulting remarks humorous.  While they may bring a laugh from some in the crowd, the majority of the mature, hockey-educated hockey adults recognize ignorance when they see it and hear it.

Yell at the referee for the sake of yelling.  The large majority of the fans are trying to enjoy the game and find loud obnoxious, under-educated comments to be disturbing and unsettling.  Plus, most of the time your son/daughter is embarassed and disappointed by your behaviour.

Say anything or use any tone to the referee that you would find insulting or upsetting yourself.  Referees are human beings who have feelings and emotions.  Put yourself in their place...would you take the abuse?

Try and gain a full understanding of the rules.  You will avoid the embarrassment of criticizing when they are right and you are wrong.

Avoid yelling even if the referee is wrong.  Referees are human and they do make mistakes.  Understand that after a referee commits repeated inaccuracies or mistakes and clearly is a problem, you must go through the proper administrative channels at the league to address the issue.  Yelling and screaming only makes the whole scene intolerable.