Tier II Choice Application
The Tier II Substitute Choice Application process for players 10U through 16U/18U will open on July 1, 2026. All applications must be submitted online.
- Application deadline: September 2, 2026
- Application portal: http://twochoice.ahai.org/
- Appeals: The Tier II Committee will hold three appeal hearings for denied applications. July 14, July 28 and August 11, all beginning at 7 p.m.
- Contact: If your application is denied and you wish to appeal, please email Keri Zschach and Catie Locallo, AHAI Tier II Co-Chairs at keri.zschach@ahai.org and catie.locallo@ahai.org.
16.9 TIER II YOUTH CHOICE SUBSTITUTION PROCESS
The online Tier II Youth Choice Substitution Application process shall begin on June 15th of each year. There shall be a minimum of three (3) hearings on this matter held each season. The Tier II Youth Choice Application process shall close on September 15th of each year. Specific hearing dates will be published each year by the Tier II Youth Choice Committee.
16.9.1 A Request for a Tier II Youth Choice substitution shall be submitted electronically to the Tier II Youth Committee Chairperson. The Chair will provide a link to the application form to be filled out online.
16.9.2 The Board of Directors is empowered to set criteria for a substitution of a choice and/or grant a Tier II Youth Player a substitution of a choice of a Tier II Youth Member Organizations with another Tier II Youth Member Organizations and may delegate that responsibility to the Tier II Committee with a limited right of appeal to the Board of Directors or the AHAI Appeals Committee under such terms as set out in advance by the Board of Directors. Each Player requesting the granting of a substitution shall clearly present the facts supporting the substitutions set out by the Board of Directors.
16.9.3 Decisions of the Tier II Youth Committee shall be final unless a notice of appeal form is filed as herein provided. Any person, Player, member, team, or Member Organizations affected by the decision of the Committee may appeal such decision in accordance with the By Laws, and these Rules and Regulations of AHAI by filing a written notice of appeal to the President of AHAI within ten (10) days after the date that the decision appealed from has been rendered, which appeal shall be acted upon by the Appeal Committee whose decision shall be final. The Board of Directors of AHAI shall promulgate such rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of these Rules and Regulations. Such Rules and Regulations shall be in keeping with the missions and purposes of USA Hockey and the AHAI.
16.10 PLAYER SUBSTITUTION CRITERIA
The following provisions must be met for a player’s Tier II Youth Choice Substitution to apply to a new Tier II Youth Member Organization and removed the player’s choice from one of their previous Tier II Youth Member Organizations.
16.10.1 A Player playing at the Tier II Youth level may not substitute a choice of one Tier II Youth Member Organization with another Tier II Youth Member Organization, except in cases where there are practical difficulties or particular hardships in carrying out the strict application stated above. These exceptions shall apply only at each age-appropriate level. An “age- appropriate level” is the age level of the youngest age level that the Player is permitted to play.
16.10.2 The predicament of the Player is due to unique circumstances that were not created by the Player; If a Substitution is based on a Member Organization’s Rules and Ethics or any other issue, the petition must be accompanied by the Member Organization’s Rules and Ethics findings and supporting documents.
16.10.3 The purpose in requesting the substitution shall not be based exclusively upon a desire to be rostered on a team or Member Organization that is perceived to be more competitive than the current AHAI Team or Member Organization to which a player belongs.
16.10.4 The granting of the substitution furthers the goals, objectives and policies of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, Inc.
16.10.5 The granting of the substitution must not be detrimental to Tier II travel hockey or undermining the "community-based principles" of Tier II hockey.
16.10.6 If a Player requests a substitution, such Player must remove a current Member Organization from such Player’s current Two-Choices and the choice that the Player gives up then becomes the automatic 3rd choice at the 16U level.
16.10.7 "Financial Hardship" is not a basis for substitution.
16.10.8 It is not intended that every Player must have two (2) viable options at any given time. The rule states two (2) Choices, not two (2) viable options will be had by all Players.
16.10.9 No additional 3rd choice or substitution shall be given to any Player in the 8U or 10U playing level without the approval of the Board of Directors or its designated representative.
16.10.10 If the Player and family move from the rink of the first choice which is within ten (10) miles of the home and the new residence is at twenty (20) miles or more from the prior choice, they may petition the Tier II Committee for a second choice. The two choices then become permanent until the Player reaches the 16U level.
16.10.11 Players staying within their two Member Organization choices can relocate between those two Member Organizations. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the substitute choice granted by the Board of Directors.