Lower North Island  Regional Competition - Event Notice 2003

 

Organising Authority

·        The organising authority for the Lower North Island 2003 Regional Competition is the Lower North Island Regional Committee.

·        The Competition will comprise of a Regional League and a Regional Championship.

 

Rules

·        The Lower North Island 2003 Regional Competition will be conducted under the N.Z.I.H.A. By-laws, N.Z.I.H.A. Game Rules, this Event Notice and the NZIHA Guidelines for the National Competition.

·        Players not dressed in the team uniform (jersey and pants) cannot participate in the game.  The only exception to this is Masters playing across clubs.

·        Stop time will not apply in Regional League games, but will apply in the Regional Championship games.  Stop time commences when at any time in the last two minutes of the game the score is tied or within one goal.  Stop time continues for the remainder of the game.

·        Overtime will not be played in League games, however all Regional Championship games must have a winner and rule 638 relating to tied games will apply.

·        A team will default if they are not ready to play within 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time.  Where possible early notification of a default should be advised to the host club.

 

Eligibility - Teams & Clubs

·        The 2003 Lower North Island Regional Competition is open to teams, entered by N.Z.I.H.A. Lower North Island Region clubs, in the U10, U12, U14, U16, U18, Women, Senior, and Masters Grades. 

·        A club may enter more than one team in any grade in the Regional League.  Players may not play across teams in the same grade.

·        At the Regional Championships and at Nationals players are only permitted to play for one team.

 

Eligibility - Players

·        All players must be current financial members of the NZIHA for the club they are playing for. (Note Masters may play across clubs if their club does not have a Masters team.) 

·        There will be an audit of players.  Players not registered are ineligible.

·        Players shall be entered as playing for one team only, except for women who may play for both the women’s grade and an age grade for the same club, and Masters who may play in a Senior or Women’s team and a Masters team.

·        Provided that they comply with age eligibility at all times, players are permitted to play in other teams of a higher age grade of the same club, but not on the same day to a maximum of three times. Where a player has played for other teams on three occasions they shall remain with the team with which they next play for the rest of the competition.

·        All players in a Masters team must all be aged 35 or over if a male and 30 or over if a female.  To encourage the Masters competition players may play in a Lower North Island Club different to that they normally play for.  (Eg a member of the Renegades Senior team could play Masters for the Penguins if the Renegades cannot enter a Masters team.)  Once a player has nominated a Masters team different to the club they normally play for the player must remain in that team unless the Regional Committee approves a change.

 

Dates

·        Regional League games will be scheduled to commence 13 April and finish no later than 3 August.

·        There will be no regional league games scheduled on 1 June.

·        If possible regional league games will not be scheduled on 13 July.

·        The Regional Championships will be held at Jubilee Stadium on Aug.15/16/17 (Under 10/12/14/ Premier) and on the following weekend Aug 22/23/24 (Under 16/18/Senior and Women)

 

 

Venues

·        The Nothing But Wheels, Wellington Recreational Centre, Manawatu Arena, Kapiti Skate and Blade, Rimutaka Rink, Jackals Rink and Jubliee Stadium rinks may be used depending on the number of teams entered and rink availability.

·        All Senior A games will be played on a rink equal to or greater than 40 x 20metres and where possible only at Arena 4 and Jubilee Stadiums.

 

Format

·        The format of the regional league competition is expected to be at least a double round robin within each grade.

·        At the end of the series of round robins the winners of each grade will receive a trophy as the winners of the Regional League competition.

·        At the completion of the Regional League the top 5 placed clubs in each grade, except Seniors, will play in a round robin playoff to determine the top two teams who will be eligible to enter the National Competition.

·        The Senior Competition will be split into two grades as follows:

1.     Grade A will comprise those teams wishing to qualify for a place in either the senior or premier grades at nationals and who have a realistic chance of obtaining a place. 

2.     Grade B two will comprise of the Masters teams and teams not wishing to compete at National level.

·        If there are more than six teams in Grade A the teams will be split into two levels, Division one and Division two) at the end of the first round robin.    The top teams (Division one) will compete against each other for the remainder of the League with the top two teams being deemed the Regional Premier teams at the end of the League.  The remaining teams and the top team(s) from Division two (five teams in total) will compete at the Regional Championships.   The first and second place getters shall qualify to enter the Senior competition at the National Competition.

·        The two teams deemed Premiers will play three games against each other at the Regional Championships to determine seedings for Nationals. 

·        There will be no Regional Championships for the Senior division two or Masters teams, although a separate competition may be arranged.

 

Officials

·        All Teams are to make arrangements for one scorer/timekeeper for each game.

·        All clubs are to provide the Referee Co-ordinator with a list of suitably qualified referees.   The allocation of referees will be co-ordinated by ____________________,

·        All host clubs are to provide a qualified First Aid person.

 

Entries, Rink Entry Fees & Bond

·        Entries are to be on the attached entry form.

·        The closing date for entries is 20 March.

·        No late entries will be accepted.

·        The entry fee is payable to the Lower North Island Regional Committee

·        A refundable bond is required from each Club to cover rink fees in the event of a default or forfeit.  Each default or forfeit will reduce the refundable portion of the bond. 

·        Rink and referees fees are payable to the host Club, preferably by one club cheque to cover all teams.  Any admission fees charged by independent venue owners will be an additional cost.

·        The host club is responsible for reimbursing the referees.

·        Teams that default will be required to pay a team fee to the host team to cover the liabilities for the rink hire and referee costs.  Any failures to pay will be referred to the Regional Committee for action.

·        All referees and game officials are to be admitted free except when required to pay the admission fees charged by independent venue owners.

 

 

Draw

·        A draw for the Regional League will be published and distributed to all clubs by 1 April.  

·        All games are to be played as per the draw but may be rescheduled by mutual agreement between the two teams, the rink manager and the Regional Chairperson or if the application involves his/her own Club, or where they have a close personal interest the application will be considered by Regional Secretary.

·        The draft draw for the Regional Championships will be published and distributed to all clubs not later than 5 August and will be finalised as soon as all of places can be confirmed.

 

Results

·        An NZIHA official scoresheet ( four period version) must be completed for each scheduled game including those defaulted, forfeited or no-shows.   It is the responsibility of the Host Club to provide the scorebook.

·        All team managers are to sign off the scoresheet prior to the start of each game.

·        In the case of a player serving a suspension, the Team Manager must record the game served on the applicable scoresheet.

·        A copy of the score sheet shall be given to the Manager of each team at the conclusion of each game.

·        It is the responsibility of the Host Club to forward the top copy to the Regional Statistician (____________________________________) no later than 10 days after the game.  In the event of a score sheet not being received on time the visiting team shall be awarded two points and their score and the host team shall be awarded no points and no score.

·        Full game results and competition progress results will be notified to each Club by the regional statistician at least once per month. 

 

Points

·        A win will be awarded 2 points, a draw 1 points, a loss 0 points, and a default, forfeit or no show will result in a minus 2 point being deducted from the teams overall points.

·        A team found to have fielded an ineligible player shall default the game and the result shall be recorded as 5 – nil or the actual score whichever is the most advantageous to the non offending team.

·        At the completion of the Regional League competition if teams are tied this will be resolved in favor of the team that beat the other when the tied teams last met. If that fails to resolve a tie, then the tie will be resolved in favor of the team with the best ratio of goals scored for and against over all games in the regional league.

·        At the completion of the Regional Championships ties will be resolved in favor of the team that was placed higher in the Regional League Competition.

 

Further Information

·        All inquiries should be to the Tournament Scheduler, the Regional Chairperson or the Regional Secretary.