USA Hockey Junior Regs Matrix
| As I mentioned some time ago, I've developed a matrix of the requirements for certification for different levels of junior hockey. I think it's pretty self-explanatory. The Tier I regs are without question the messiest. The order and composition of the various elements could be described as "scattered" when compared to the lower levels. USA Hockey Certification Matrix (Adobe Reader required) What is the purpose of this, you may ask? Simply, it is what it is. I tried to compile the regulations into something that made a little sense, while retaining the original language of the regulations and making them easier to compare from one level to another. Let me be clear, I extracted the exact language from the regulations. If there is an element missing within the the Tier I regulations, the language does not exist and therefore it must be assumed the element is not required. The development of this matrix is intended as a constructive criticism, as most of these same gaps can be easily filled with the boilerplate language contained within the Tier II regulations. I tried to color code these deficiencies by how critical I believe them to be. Here is a short summary of most of these deficiencies: League Stability - Tier II and Jr. B require "proven financial stability as a league, including each team." Tier I has no such requirement. Competitive Balance - Tier II requirement states "league shall be composed of as many competitive teams as are available within a logical traveling area, and all trips must be made by bus, train or plane. Further, the league should develop drafts, tenders, trades, protected teams, and other methods in an attempt to provide for competitive balance and parity within the league. Each league must demonstrate competitive capability at the Tier II - Junior A level of competition." Jr. B has similar but reduced requirements. Tier I has no such requirement. Required Filings - Tier II and Jr. B require that "each League and all of its Member Teams shall timely file all governmental reports as required by Law (including, but not limited to: State and Federal income tax, FICA, payroll, etc.)" Tier I has no such requirement. League Schedule Publication - Tier II and Jr. B require that the "league schedule must be developed, published and circulated to all members of the Junior Council on or before August 1 in advance of the playing season and shall be sufficient if submitted as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet." Tier I only requires "the league schedule must be completed, approved and published on or before June 1 of each season." This reduction in requirements may be intentional, but if so then I do not know why. On-Ice Officials - Tier II and Jr. B require that "all on-ice officials shall be properly registered with USA Hockey and shall be assigned by the league, or its designee, and all referees shall be paid by the league. Only Level 4 Referees and Level 3 Linesmen shall be authorized for use in League competition unless Officials at a lesser level are approved in advance by the National Junior Referee-in-Chief." Tier I only requires "all on-ice officials shall be assigned and paid by the league and approved by USA Hockey." I perceive this as a reduction in requirements. While officials must be approved, that is no assurance USA Hockey will still require a a minimum level of Referee certification. Coaching - Tier II requires "a full-time, compensated head coach who has achieved certification at the USA Hockey Advanced Level, its equivalent, or has demonstrated progress toward achieving same, is required. An additional assistant is required, on either a compensated or volunteer basis, at the USA Hockey Intermediate Level, its equivalent or one who has demonstrated progress toward achieving same. USA Hockey strongly recommends that all coaches and any team personnel in regular contact with the players, should be screened." Tier I only requires "each team shall employ a full-time Head Coach/General Manager and one or more assistants (minimum)." This may be intentional, given that even a significant number of Tier II head coaches lack the required level according to USA Hockey's online coaching certification list. In addition, dropping the USA Hockey Level requirement lowers the administrative burden on otherwise qualified coaches who may be moving into Tier I from the college or pro ranks. Off-Ice Officials - Tier II requires "a minimum of six off-ice officials shall be used for all League competition. All off-ice officials shall be registered with USA Hockey. The positions of the off-ice officials shall be as follows: Scorekeeper, Timekeeper, Public Address Announcer (may be combined with Scorekeeper or Timekeeper), Goal Judges (2), Penalty Box Attendees (2)." Tier I has no provisions requiring any off-ice officials. Operating Budget - Tier II requires "each member Team will maintain a minimum of $250,000 per year as its operating budget to meet its obligations for League participation, which sum may include value in kind income." Tier I has no such requirement. Recording of Games - Tier II requires "all Member Teams, when hosting League competition, shall video tape the game and provide copies of the video tape to the visiting team and, if necessary, the League Office." Tier I has no such requirement. As an aside, this language needs to be modified to include digital media, as some teams now burn a DVD rather than provide a tape. Transportation - Tier II requires "Member Teams shall provide adequate, supervised, group transportation for its players for all away games – bus, train, airline. Further, the Member Team shall be responsible for all room, board, and travel expenses for the team while on trips for every away game." Tier I has no such requirement. Expense Compensation To/From Players - Tier II requires "no league or member team shall pay more than reasonable and necessary expenses for travel, meals, and lodging while on team trips. Further, no league or member team shall collect any dollars from a player as a contribution toward the team budget and/or expenses that are incurred by the team in participating in league competition. To clarify, this would include any and all expenses of every kind or nature incurred in connection with any competition during exhibition, regular season, play-offs, and/or other post-season/all-star competition." The Junior B language includes the provision that "no league or member team shall collect more than four thousand ($4,000) dollars from a player as a contribution toward the annual team budget without prior Junior Council approval." Tier I has no such requirement, suggesting that USHL teams could in fact charge tuition. Statistician - All lower league regulations require that "each League shall appoint a League statistician (statistical service) whose duty it shall be to accumulate, calculate and publish updated, current, accurate, statistical data, at least one time per week." While Tier I requires the position of "Statistician" in it's laundry list of league officers, there is no language requiring the person to actually do anything. I admit this is academic given the use of Pointstreak, but it still needs to be addressed. In addition, extensive language requiring Web publication of statistics by teams, distribution of completed score sheets to the league office, and the forwarding of final statistical numbers to the Junior Council is missing. Tryouts - Tier II requires that "no team try-outs shall be held by any Tier II Junior A team until the competition of National Championship for Tier II Junior A has been concluded." It may be intentional that Tier I has no similar language. |
posted by Marc Foster at 1/11/2005 11:06:00 PM
Comments on "USA Hockey Junior Regs Matrix"
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Anonymous said ... (12:02 PM, January 17, 2005) :
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Anonymous said ... (6:12 PM, June 05, 2006) :
post a commentMr. Foster is completely misinformed! By definition, Tier I has the most stringent league operation regulations. The USHL is the highest classified and only Tier I Junior League within USA Hockey, and therefore meets the strictest criterea of all levels of amateur hockey. You would think that one would get his facts straight before posting such erroneous items. Lack of knowledge is no excuse for publishing such false information. Furthermore, compare the junior leagues records in terms of developing and advancing players, officials and coaches and you will see the USHL is by far the premier league in the US. The truth can't be hard to find; start with USA Hockey, college placements lists, NHL Central Scouting, NHL draft records, ect...
First of all let me say that I have only read Marc's "Layman's Guide" and not source he refers to in the Guide.
I would however like to point out some things that I think may be worthwhile.
First of all a statment such as "If there is an element missing within the the Tier I regulations, the language does not exist and therefore it must be assumed the element is not required." does a disservice to a reader. There is an implication that the 'issue' in question is not addressed is some form or sub part of the USA Hockey Annual Guide or regulations or that USA Hockey may have provided in some other fashion or through some other means. They may have, they may have not but perhaps as other points are addressed one may conclude differently than Marc did.
For example, League stability; regarding this item, Marc would have one believe that because there is 'boilerplate'language in in the Tier II etc. listing that Tier I reg's are deficient. I find that interesting as there seems to be a number of areas regarding League requirements and Team requirements contained in the Matrix which clearly speak to the issue of stability. And I might add, clearly provide for stability of the League and its member teams. Things like F/T salaried League personnel such as a Commisioner, Director of Hockey Operations, Director of Marketing, Director of Media Relations, and Financial Officer. The individual teams are required to secure a bond, letter of credit, business interuption insurance, a personal guarantee or some other financial means to cover season play, league assessments, fines, league agreements and Team Ownership is required to have a net worth of no less than five million dollars "which shall be made available to secure the performance of the member" Further, teams must be insured under the standard USA hockey Insurance program. It is worth noting that each of these elements would function to provide stability to the league and its teams but are not areas that the lower tier leagues have any financial requirements listed in the matrix.
Another example is Marc would have us believe that because the Tier II listing for a League Schedule stipulates that it be submitted by to the Junior Council before August 1 and the use of language of use of a Microsoft speadsheet renders the Tier I language, "the league schedule must be completed, approved and published on or before June 1 of each season.".
It seems to me that having to have it done a month earlier is not a deficiency and while there is reference to the 'Junior Council' there is no statement as to having to have it "approved" by the Junior Council. One could assume this requirement (ie: sending to the Junior Council) was placed to keep the lower tier leagues in line or at least consistent in their schedule publishing. But I don't like "assuming things". I'm not sure how this is a deficiency or how the language posted could be inferred as a negative.
There are also other Tier I requirements which Marc doesn't appear to credit thier respective value in terms of the league.
For example, Tier I leagues/teams are allowed certification after considering things like venue, attendance, NHL draft requirements, NCAA D-I 'scholarship signings' (not just signings you EJ fans LOL)past and present team ownership and affiliations. Tier I teams are required to play a min of 48 games with the availability of 40 scheduling dates (a min. number)and players are guarnteed to play in at least 25 games. They have to have a Certified Trainer and Equipment Manager for all camps, practices, and games (at no charge to athletes) whereas Tier II only requires the medical presence at games and a person with experience as a trainer at practices (important difference is - doesn't require certiffication !)
Tier I teams are required to have an attendance plan, must draw a min of 60,000 fans (and if they fail to meet this requirement provide a financial guarentee of $250,000 in advance), the playing surface has to be 85 X 200 ft. and any waiver requires the consent of BOTH the League AND USA Hockey, each franchise must have a permanent dressing/lockerroom with training /equipment facilities on premises, and the arena should have proper accomodations for the press and the videotaping of ALL GAMES, arena facilities for new teams require seating for 2500 fans, existing teams have 5 yrs to comply either by building seating or moving to a suitable facility. Its 1500 for Tier II and 500 for Jr. B. As for player 'support' and equipment, Tier I teams are required to provide full equipment including SKATES and sticks, Tier II only protective equipment and sticks, in Billeting for Tier I all expenses are born by the team, with the lower Tier teams there is no language regarding cost for billeting. Tier I teams are required to adhere to NCAA rules and also to provide educational support including HS and college curriculae as necessary and the performance of each team in the areas of education assistance,physical/psychological, assistance are subject to investigative audits by the commissioners office and the commissioner's office is required to file a report annually with USA Hockey on compliance. Not so for the other Tier's.
Re: some of the other inferences Marc would have us draw, ie: because there's no language for Tier I specifically concerning things such as videotaping of games,transportation to away games, expense compensation, statistician, etc. that this is a problem.
I think it is disingenuos to post these without a more comprehensive analysis of the subject. Too many people might read these notes and conclude because these subjects aren't covered in pages 199-217 in the USA Hockey Annual Guide that the Tier I League (USHL) is somehow inferior or not well managed or run. While I would suspect that just the opposite may be true. In fact, the looseness of some of the governance requirements and lack of the Tier I finacial stability elements (ownership net worth, seating capacity, min number of fans, having a business plan, performance bonds etc) may have played a part in the problems several NAHL teams had recently.
To be clear, I'm not saying what Marc published didn't serve a purpose, but I do think many, particular impressionable teens, who read this may conclude the USHL isn't the best option (for other than the hockey play reasons)
It is bad enough that many in the East think HS hockey isn't a good option and there's been a "Lemming like" rush to Juniors by a lot of kids (and thier parents who are footing the bill conditioned by years of internectine struggle between competing AAA Leagues - at least 3 r 4)
Too many choose that path as it is, without an appreciation for the impact on a developing child, both physically and emotionally without contributing to the problem rather than, as I hope, as Marc was trying to do, provide useful information for people to digest.
Clearly, Marc's document,as far as it goes, is helpful with respects to comparing information. However, I think rather than contrast just pages 199-217, all aspects of player development throughout the USA should be looked at.
I can fully appreciate how daunting that task might be for someone. I found it enough of a challange just to review Marc's Matrix and then (as I was taught at my Father's knee) question it.
But hey, that's just my opinion, everyone has one.
F1