Experiential Sports Group o/a NASHA Sports (hereby referred to as NASHA in the By-Laws)
REGISTRATION
To ensure coverage extends to players, coaches, administrators, instructors, etc. all participants must be registered and noted with the NASHA SPORTS Experiential Sports Group (ESG) brand. Waivers must also be signed (or acknowledged on the registration form provided online by NASHA, and on record to ensure we can verify participant is a member in the event of a claim.
DEFINITIONS For the purpose of all NASHA Articles, By-Laws, Regulations, Policies and Playing Rules unless otherwise defined in a specific regulation, the following words, terms, and expressions are defined as follows in alphabetical order:
- “Minor Hockey” – only includes the following Divisions: Junior, Juvenile, Midget, Bantam, Pee Wee, Atom, Novice, Initiation;
- “Parent” – Legal Guardian OR Birth Parent of Player;
- “Player(s)” – Means goaltenders and skaters;
- “Seasons” – The season for NASHA is unique based on the activity, and insurance coverage is confined to the season;
- Spring/Summer Teams the season is from January 1st to August 31st
- Hockey Schools are from January 1st to December 31st
- Hockey School Camps are for the dates of the camps
- Hockey Leagues 3 on 3, 4 on 4, and 5 on 5 are for the dates of the league
- Tournaments are for the dates of the tournament.
- “Skater(s)” – means all players other than goalkeepers;
- “Team” – a collection of players registered to a member team;
- “Team Official(s)” – means all or any of the persons involved in the management of a team or club, which includes: the coach; manager; safety person/trainer; equipment manager; team physician; President and other members of the Executive and/or Board of Directors of a team or club;
- “Tournament”- A schedule of games played among three (3) or more teams, which follows an inter-locking schedule and leads to an eventual winner;
- “Vertical Chain(s) of Teams” – means a group of club teams registered in the same category but in different Divisions;
The above definitions are an integral part of NASHA’s Regulations.
COMPETITION
- NASHA governs competition in amateur hockey in various Divisions, including:
DIVISIONS AGE ELIGIBILITY
- a) Senior Male and Female Open to players of any age.
- b) i) Junior Male Open to players twenty (20) years of age and younger in the current playing season. ii) Junior Female Open to players twenty-one (21) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- c) Juvenile Male and Female Open to players twenty (20) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- d) Midget Male and Female Open to players seventeen (17) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- e) Bantam Male and Female Open to players fourteen (14) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- f) Pee Wee Male and Female Open to players twelve (12) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- g) Atom Male and Female Open to players ten (10) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- h) Novice Male and Female Open to players eight (8) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- i) Initiation Male and Female Open to players six (6) years of age and younger in the current playing season.
- k) The player’s age is determined for the current playing season by the player’s age on December 31 of the current season.
- l) In Minor Male Divisions, where a Member operates on an aging system whereby the name of the first year of a Division is prefaced by the word “Minor”, and the second year by the word “Major”, each of these two sub-divisions shall be considered a Division. NOTE: For some Members, the word “Major” is not used in designating the second year of a Division.
- Where the Divisions are further divided, such subdivisions shall be known as categories.
- a) This Member divides each of the Divisions into the following categories: AAA, AA, A, and B.
- b) Other designations are allowed by Tournament Operators including ELITE, PREMIER, and other names to designate a level of competition.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
- Each Tournament operator must submit a proposal to NASHA of all their events for official sanctioning. This proposal is part of the approval process for eligibility of insurance provided by the Insurance Broker. NASHA will grant sanctioning based on rules provided by the insurance provider.
- Incoming teams to a tournament from Canada, USA, of the outside country must produce a valid certificate of insurance from a licensed Broker.
- The NASHA, member making the application for sanctioning of a tournament is responsible for any damages, unpaid debts or other liabilities arising out of the operation of that tournament. The NASHA, member is also responsible for obtaining from the visiting team(s) documented proof of insurance satisfactory to NASHA. The aforementioned must be available to NASHA and its Insurance Broker as part of any claim investigation. To assist tournament operators the NASHA registration system will include the requirement of verifying insurance coverage eliminating the need for hard copy certificates to be gathered by tournament operators.
TEAMS, CLUBS, and AFFILIATIONS
- Definition of “teams” for registration purposes:
- a) a group of team officials, at least one of whom must be a coach, with all officials being over the age of 21. Preference of NASHA is that one of the coaches be certified in Speak Out requirements, and one of whom be qualified in a hockey or other safety program. (Does not apply to Adult Recreational teams and Adult teams.)
And either
- b) a group of not less than eleven (11) registered players, at least one (1) of whom must be a goaltender, who are qualified in one (1) Division and category under NASHA regulations governing age. Tournament Operators have the right to designate a group of players less that (11) registered players as eligible to play in emergency situations during a tournament to satisfy the need for a team to complete the competition schedule.
- Membership is the responsibility of the Tournament Operator to ensure that every team competing in any series conducted by NASHA be a member of NASHA or an association like NASHA.
- A team shall become a member of this NASHA by taking up membership with NASHA providing insurance through its membership.
- A team shall annually and when changes occur, keep NASHA in which it is registered informed of at least one contact name and address of:
- a) Its President;
- b) Its Secretary; or
- c) The two (2) persons that the President and Secretary may designate as signing Officers.
- All lists, declarations or other submissions made on behalf of a team shall be communicated by the President and/or Secretary or designated other official of the team (Coach) involved or by the designated signing Officers.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Every person who is an amateur in accordance with this NASHA’s definition is not under suspension by NASHA shall be eligible for membership on a team in this NASHA. The same credentials would be required by other NASHA type Association involved in Independent Hockey. The key criteria for eligibility are that every player or team management personnel be able to produce a certificate of insurance when required.
- The team officials of every club and team shall be responsible for representations made with respect to the eligibility of the players of the team or club.
REGISTRATION
- Every player competing in the games provided by NASHA and its Members shall be a member of a team which is a member of this NASHA or other organization similar to NASHA as designated by proof of insurance coverage and shall, prior to competing in any league or championship game, be registered by the Member and duly validated by NASHA other similar NASHA as designated by proof of insurance coverage.
- A Member or the Officers of NASHA, as applicable, may take disciplinary action against:
- a) Any team found to be in violation of any NASHA registration regulation, and/ or;
- b) Any individual found guilty of having falsified or forged any document that would make that individual eligible to play hockey in any NASHA SANCTIONED Tournament, or League.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
- A team registering players must submit all information per player as required on the National Registry online system for proper validation and approval.
- NASHA may refuse to validate and approve any registration which is not properly completed as requested.
- The specific mandatory fields of information required to be part of all real-time electronic submissions made to the NASHA Registry are identified in the electronic form.
- NASHA assures the MEMBERS that any and all Registration data gathered by NASHA from the MEMBERS will be kept in a protected and secure manner. The MEMBERS of NASHA shall always retain ownership and control of any and all data in the NASHA Registry specific to their respective Branch. There will be no commercial use of the data by NASHA in any way, shape or form, unless expressly agreed to in writing by, and in partnership with, the Branch(s). (To clarify, the data will not be used directly or indirectly to market to and/or contact those registered within the NASHA Registry without the express consent of the registrant.
PLAYERS
- NASHA will not approve a registration until it is fully completed through the NASHA online registration system, with all required information.
- Registration shall be accepted only if the player is registered on the NASHA online system before such player steps on the ice as part of a program SANCTIONED by NASHA.
- Every player applying for the first time for registration must record the birth certificate number issued by a competent authority, in the registration system
- In cases where it is impossible to secure a birth certificate, NASHA may, if it considers the supporting evidence satisfactory, accept in lieu thereof a duly certified baptismal certificate, issued before the age of ten (10) years, or the age at the date of entry in this country as certified by the form filed at the port of entry.
- Any player who is a registered member of NASHA, and who has been proven guilty by NASHA of:
- a) Falsifying or forging a birth certificate;
- b) Falsifying or forging NASHA registration information;
- c) Playing under an assumed name; or
- d) Having had knowledge that any of the above has occurred shall be automatically suspended from playing hockey under NASHA sanctioning and will not be considered insured even if playing for a Member Team, Tournament or League.
- Any team official, executive member of a team, club or NASHA, proven guilty after a proper hearing by NASHA of having been a party to, or having had knowledge of such falsification, shall be automatically suspended from playing hockey under NASHA sanctioning and will not be considered insured even if participating for a Member Team, Tournament or League.
- Every club team shall be responsible for the representation made to NASHA regarding the age of players.
- Every coach, manager, safety person/trainer, and equipment manager of any registered team competing in the games provided by NASHA or its MEMBER shall be a member of a team which is a member of NASHA or similar Association and shall, prior to competing in any tournament or league game, have a NASHA registration completed through the online system.
- Every player, coach, manager, trainer by acceptance of registration in NASHA, acknowledges the authority of NASHA and its MEMBERS and undertakes to abide by the Articles, By-Laws, Regulations, Policies and Playing Rules of this NASHA and its MEMBERS.
- Team officials wishing to also play must also be registered on an approved player’s registration. This impacts Adult Hockey only as Team Officials must be 21-years of age to be considered a team official.
- A player may not register and play under a second registration in the same season. Violations of this provision will result in the player being removed as a MEMBER, by NASHA at their discretion.
MEMBERSHIP
- The members of the NASHA are operators of Hockey Schools, Tournaments Operators, League Operators, Spring/Summer Teams, Independent Fall/Winter Teams, Adult Leagues and Teams, and other independent programs.
- Members are entitled to rights and privileges as the Board of Directors may, from time to time, decide.
- Members are not entitled to:
- Vote at NASHA meetings;
- Use of the NASHA logo without the written consent of the NASHA Board or their designate;
- Use of the NASHA human / financial resources without the written consent of the Board.
- Appointed individuals are entitled to:
- Receive notices of meetings;
- Speak at meetings;
- Participate in the programs of the NASHA in accordance with the By-Laws of the NASHA;
- All other rights and privileges as the Board of Directors may, from time to time, decide.
SUSPENSION LIST
- The Health and Safety of Amateur Hockey Players is a prime mission of NASHA. The concern is the inability to track suspension from Tournament to Tournament which puts players at risk of playing against a player suspended from a previous Tournament. Without the NASHA system players can/will take liberties in playing outside the rules at final games in a tournament.
- Spring Hockey Tournaments are operated by hundreds of unrelated businesses spread across North America. The fact they are not all NASHA members we cannot make the use of the suspension list a requirement. HOWEVER, we will make the list available to as many tournaments as would like to use to protect the safety of our players from players not concerned acting outside the rules.