IHOA is please to announced that they have added a Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Officiating Seminar to Sunday, November 10th. The seminars will be held at Canlan Ice Sports in Romeoville, Illinois. Please visit www.ihoa.com for complete details.

By Jack Weinberg, AHAI High School Committee Chairman

The AHAI High School Committee recently passed rules that will expand flexibility for dual roster goalies and female High School Players.

1.5.18  Seven Up-Seven Down for High School Organizations with more than two (2) teams: (See Seven Up- Seven Down Rule Clarification)

1.5.18.1  Organizations with two (2) Varsity and one (1)  Junior Varsity Teams – The number one Varsity team is frozen for movement, however, there may be movement between the number two Varsity team and the Junior Varsity team.

1.5.18.2  Organizations with one (1) Varsity and two (2)  Junior Varsity Teams – The number two Junior Varsity team is frozen for movement with the exception of the goaltenders, however, there may be movement between the Varsity team and the number  one Junior Varsity team.

1.5.18.3  Organizations  with  two (2) Varsity and two (2)  Junior Varsity Teams – The number one Varsity team  and the number two Junior Varsity team are is  frozen for movement, however, there may be movement between the number two Varsity team and  the number one Junior Varsity team. The number two Junior Varsity team is frozen for movement with the exception of the goaltenders.

Explanation: This would expand the dual roster capability for goalies as outlined above.

1.5.12.1  A girl High School player may double roster on a boy’s High School team provided that she is not on the roster of ANY other team. Youth, Tier I or other. The rules of what program a girl skater may play for are the same as for boys.

Explanation: This rule is on the heels of the rule that allows girl goalie to do likewise. It allows programs that are short numbers a source of players and provides additional opportunities for girls.

AHAI has announced the Coaching Education Program Clinics for the 2019-20 season. 

All ice hockey coaches as well as instructors of USA Hockey programs shall be registered for the current season (before the start of the season) in order to be eligible to coach/instruct in any regular-season activities (practices, clinics, games, tournaments, try- outs, etc.), state, district, regional playoff, national championships or in the USA Hockey Player Development Programs.

AHAI is pleased to announce the players selected for the Fall High School Showcase Team that will participate in the 2019 NAPHL Showcase at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota, September 18-22, 2019.

2019 NAPHL Showcase Team

Goalies
Connor Wall – Glenbrook South
Ben Mazurek – Barrington

Honorary Goalie
Preston Watt – New Trier

Defensemen
Brian Dolby – New Trier
Kevin Purcell – Loyola
Charles Collopy – Loyola
Evan Izenstark – Glenbrook North
Tom Zschach – Providence
Jack Muir – Glenbrook South

Forwards
Matt Dahlke – Glenbrook North
Tom Davis – Providence
Charlie Slovis – Glenbrook North
Maximillian Pasiennik – St. Ignatius
CJ Parisi – Barrington
Sam Ruffolo – Glenbard
Charlie Ware – New Trier
Jack Jones – Barrington
Peyton Botich – Providence
Luke Lewis – Deerfield

Marco Rovito - Neuqua Valley
Dan McKay – Glenbrook South
Anthony Papalas – Glenbrook South

Head Coach
Greg Mrofcza, Maine Township

Assistant Coaches
Steve Silvey, AHAI
Nick Iaciancio, Providence Catholic
Evan Poulakidas, Glenbrook North

General Manager
Mike Mullally, AHAI

The Tier II substitute choice application process, Squirt 10U through Midget 16U/18U will begin on July 19, 2019. All applications will be submitted online. The Tier II Committee will only have (3) three appeal hearings this year for those denied a substitute choice.  The dates for the appeals are August 8, August 22, and September 10, 2019 at 6:30pm at the North Shore Ice Arena. If denied, please email Gregg Chudacoff, AHAI Tier II Chairman, at  gregg.chudacoff@ahai2.org with your preferred appeal hearing date. The deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 15, 2019.

By Laura Johnson, AHAI Registrar

As you may know, the United States government enacted the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act of 2017 on February 14th, 2018. USA Hockey has been working on addressing the changes necessary for the USA Hockey SafeSport Program based on this Act.

Click HERE for a memorandum from Casey Jorgensen, USA Hockey General Council, which provides details about these changes.

The changes approved at the USA Hockey Annual Congress last week to comply with the government requirements will directly impact players in Illinois.

To comply with the government requirement, USA Hockey does not want players or officials turning 18 to become ineligible in the middle of a season.

Therefore, USA Hockey is requiring all players 17 years of age or older on or before December 31st of that playing season and who play on a team in a classification that allows minor aged players, to complete SafeSport Training before being added to a team and prior to participation with the team (on-ice or off-ice). This requirement applies to all teams in the age classifications Youth, Girls, High School, Junior Hockey, Flex Hockey and Disabled Hockey programs that allow both minor age and adult age players (anyone over 18 years).

Players in the group identified above that have not completed the SafeSport Training cannot be placed on the team’s roster in the USA Hockey registration portal (where rosters are created). The computer program will prevent the player from being added to the team until they have completed the training. Because the player is not on the Official Roster, they are prohibited from participating with the team until the training is completed and the player can be added to the roster.

We strongly recommend that players act on this new requirement NOW if they are currently 17 or older, or will be on or before December 31st.

The program takes about 90 minutes to complete online. Once the fall season is underway, players will be consumed with school, hockey, and other commitments. It is to their advantage to take the SafeSport Program NOW and not wait until it is time to be placed on a roster and games are starting.

The SafeSport Program is free. You must have a USAH Registration Confirmation Number to register to take the training. Players registered with USAH for the 2018/19 season can use the USA Hockey Confirmation Number from that season (which is valid until August 31, 2019) to register to take the training. They may also register with USA Hockey for the 2019/20 and use that confirmation number to register for the course. Effective September 1, 2019, registration for the program requires a 2019/20 USA Hockey Registration.

To take the SafeSport Program access the online program via the USA Hockey Website https://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining. Or use this direct link to access the SafeSport site: https://safesport.org/authentication/register?token=71d4f2f9-bddb-4e6d-bb2a-37211b8999d9.

Like the requirement this year to complete SafeSport, we anticipate additional changes regarding screening in the 2020/2021 season. At the present time, for the 2019/20 season, there is not a requirement for these individuals to be screened.

Enjoy the summer, and if you are or know someone that meets the age requirement for this new rule, we hope you take advantage of using some of your time to complete the SafeSport program.

Questions about this new policy can be directed to the following:

John Dunne, AHAI Executive Director
jdunne@ahai2.org
224-636-3215

Laura Johnson, AHAI Registrar
registrar@ahai2.org
224-636-3233