Fair Play Policy including Playing Up or Down

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We will promote proper behavior and respect for all participants within the Kinnelon Youth Hockey Association (KYHA) while observing the principles of Fair Play. Youth athletes play to have fun and must be encouraged to have confidence in themselves. We teach our athletes to play fairly and to respect the rules, officials, opponents and teammates. Our coaches ensure all athletes receive equal instruction, discipline, support and appropriate, fair playing time. No KYHA participant should ridicule or yell at youth athletes for making mistakes or for performing poorly. Above all else, it is important to display good sportsmanship. Always respect players, coaches and officials.

 KYHA has adopted and follows the USA Hockey age definitions for determining the proper levels in which each skater should skate. Hockey rules permit a player to ‘play up’, but players should not generally ‘play up’ more than one age classification. USA Hockey’s formal terms for levels, such as Squirts is “10 & under”, thus their policy implies that a Mite aged (8 & under) player can play in a Squirt age division. In accordance with that definition, KYHA has adopted clear and concise guidelines for player requests to “skate up” above his/her appropriate age level. Parents or legal guardians must sign a Risk Acknowledgement and Liability Waiver for players requesting to play up. When considering these requests, the objectives are to provide the best skill development opportunities for the player and the best team strength for the association. The following procedures shall therefore be followed when there is a desire to place a skater in a higher level.

1) Playing at a Higher Level. A player and his/her parents may seek permission for their child to “play-up” by filling out the proper risk acknowledgment and liability waiver form for players requesting play up at the no later than by September 1st. 

2) Player wishing to play up are also subject to WAHA Rules and Policies. Goalies are excluded from this requirement. Exceptions will be made if need to complete a full roster. 

3) Changing teams skaters are typically not allowed to move up to a higher ranked team within a level once rosters are selected. Exceptions includes situations when permanent vacancies arise, because roster sizes will often cover these infrequent situations. 

Examples of permanent vacancies include: 

• Skaters moving out of the area

• Skaters discontinuing hockey play 

• A response to multiple roster changes. 

• Multiple roster depletions for a team.

• Clear player misplacements identified and substantiated by the head coach. 

• New Skaters Adjustments: Players who move into the district after try-outs are immediately placed on the lowest age-appropriate leveled team. 

4) Head coaches may request that the player be moved to a higher skill level team within the same age bracket if more than one team exists. In any event, there will always be multiple factors involved with moving a player within the same age bracket and careful consideration will be given to all aspects. 

5) Any such player move shall never result in moving a player “down” a level with rare exceptions. Simply being “small for their age” or “not very skilled” are not considered to be adequate reasons for granting a “play down” exception, since they do not rise to the level of a disability under definitions and current court decisions concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In order for a player (of any age), regardless of physical size or skill level, to “play down,” it must be shown by the child’s physician that it is medically necessary for the child to do so. USA Hockey’s current rules do not permit “playing down,” however, in an effort to accommodate disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), USA Hockey has shown its’ willingness to make some (though not all) accommodations, based on a physician’s medical evidence and their statement regarding the child’s safety and health. The doctor (M.D. or D.O.) must detail (in writing) the specific medical condition that causes the child to incur this medical necessity of “playing down.”

6) Double rostering, while in general skaters are not allowed to change teams, may be appropriate to allow a skater to double roster for purposes of team strength. At no time will a coach approach a player regarding this subject without the other coach’s acknowledgement. The final decision to double roster ultimately rests with the parent(s) of the player(s). The parent(s) decision will be final in regard to allowing their player to play-up and/or double rostering. 

Please contact us by email for the liability waiver form by emailing us contactus@kinnelonyouthockey.org