The League is intended to provide:

• an introduction to adult hockey as played in most senior leagues,

• recreational, non-checking hockey for a full spectrum of players of all abilities,

• a reasonable balance in the ice time for each player in every game, and

• an opportunity for all players who want to play within each hockey association, regardless of their abilities.

The League is:

• not a "carded" competitive hockey league, although it is expected that every team, having met the above objectives, will strive to perform to the greatest of their abilities,

• not intended for players who choose not to conduct themselves within the League rules,

• not intended for team officials who choose not to conduct themselves within the League rules or who choose not to ensure that their players conduct themselves within the rules,

• not intended for associations that choose not to ensure that their players, team officials and fans conduct themselves within the League rules.

GOVERNANCE: The League operates under the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA), Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association (ODMHA) and ODMHA District 8 Council.

DISCIPLINE OF PLAYERS: Players who fight or who take stick penalties will be removed from the League. Suspensions for fights, match and gross misconduct penalties are very severe.

DISCIPLINE OF TEAM OFFICIALS: Hockey associations wanting to join and play in the League should take care in choosing coaches who have the patience to work with players having skills ranging from those with Junior A capability to those who have never played organized hockey. A coach with the ability to exercise quiet diplomacy on the bench, and either with good administrative talents or with a good manager, will fit well in the League. Coaches and managers are strongly encouraged to co-operate with game officials, and to provide feedback to the League about officiating issues.

Discipline is severe for both coaches and players who break the rules, and we have a high expectation that the coaching staff will maintain a good working relationship with the wide variety of referees that we call upon to officiate our games. Associations who appoint coaches who fail to control their players both on and off the ice, or who do not exercise control over themselves in their dealings with game officials, other coaches and players, the fans or the League, will be removed from the League.

This is a recreational league, and Associations are strongly encouraged to appoint team officials who recognize that.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY, 2005-2006 SEASON:

AGE: Players to and including age 20 (born during or after 1985).  Overage: four "overage" players not more than 21 years old on December 31, 2005 may be permitted on each team, but no such overage player (except former goalies) may have played for a Junior team after the last cutdown date during the previous season (January 10, 2005).

JUNIOR ‘A’, ‘B’ OR ‘C’, MIDGET OR BANTAM ‘AA’, ‘A’ OR ‘B’ TEAMS: No player registered on any team in the preceding levels (those that used to be ‘carded’) can play in the League.  There are special rules that apply to teams allowing their players to be affiliated to any such team.

INSURANCE: All players must be registered and insured with the ODMHA as recreational hockey players.

TEAM ELIGIBILITY: Any Association that belongs to the ODMHA, or that obtains permission to participate in the League from the ODMHA, can apply by submitting:

• Team List, current at all times, including a qualified trainer and coach (Level 1).

• Confirmation from the Association's Referee-in-Chief that he has sufficient Level 3 referees and Level 2 linesmen to officiate all Home Games using a three-man system (game officials are paid by each team).

ICE: Each Team must provide:

• One 1-1/2 hour ice time for each week from October 28^th through March 31st, excluding December 22nd to January 2nd, within the times and on days acceptable to the League (home ice is paid by each team). Ice for the regular season will be released as soon as the schedule is complete.

• ICE MUST BE SUBMITTED IN (.XLS OR .TXT) FORMAT BY EMAIL NOT LATER THAN OCTOBER 17^th.

• ICE TIMES: All ice times must be accepted by the League. Unless sufficient teams register to permit the formation of separate divisions, teams that are 50 km or more from Ottawa must schedule their games in the afternoon or early evening. Teams scheduling home games in a single weekly time slot must also provide at least five regular season afternoon or early evening game times to accommodate distant teams. Teams may play two games in one day to reduce travel requirements.

• No regular season or play-off game may be scheduled to commence before 9:00 a.m. on any Saturday or Sunday or 7:00 p.m. on any day from Monday through Friday, and no regular season or play-off game may be scheduled to commence after 9:00 p.m. between Sunday and Thursday and 9:30 p.m. on Friday or Saturday, without the consent of the League.

Depending on the number of teams that register, the League may be divided into several Divisions, usually on a geographic basis to minimize travelling. Depending on the number of teams, the Regular Season will consist of about 22 games and the playoffs usually provide five to eight games. Where the number of teams and scheduling permits, all teams play in the first playoff round, followed by eliminations that lead to a Championship Game at the end of March or in early April.

16 October 2005