5.09 UNDERAGE PLAYER MOVEMENT See SHA Policy 2.04
Definition: Underage Player Movement, also known as “Playing Up” refers to a player playing at a level one-year-older than their chronological age.
GENERAL POLICY
1. All players with Sarnia Hockey Association are to try-out and play at their age-appropriate level for both social and skill development.
2. Representative team players with outstanding ability are encouraged to try-out and to play for the Zone AAA team in order to continue to play at their age-appropriate level and with their social peers.
The OHF and Alliance have specific criteria that needs to be met for players 8 and under to play up. These criteria and evaluation processes are detailed in the OHF “Playing Up For Players 8 and Under Policy” and Alliance “Info Bulletin 2017-28 Policy for 8 & Under Player Movement”.
A request for a Representative player to accelerate to the next higher age group must be approved by the SHA Board of Directors. The decision to allow a player to accelerate will be made by the Board, in its discretion, on a case-by-case basis.
A request for acceleration will only be considered if the player seeking to be accelerated has played at least one year with the SHA Representative teams in the age-appropriate group (i.e., the age group corresponding to that player’s birth year).
A written request from the parent or guardian of the player seeking to be accelerated to the next higher age group must be received by the Vice President Representative Teams no later than February 1st. The request shall include the team (i.e., age group) the player wishes to try out for and the player’s position (i.e., forward, defense or goalie).
In evaluating a request for acceleration, the Board may consider any factors that it considers to be relevant, which may include but are not limited to the following:
• Whether the Head Coach at the next higher age group believes the player should be selected to that team.
• Whether the player is one of the top three (3) forwards, the top two (2) defense, or the top goalie, among the players trying out for the team at the next higher age group.
• Other aspects relevant to whether the player is a good fit on the team at the next higher age group.
The player’s first responsibility during this process is to their own age group and the player must attend those tryouts first. Players will be required to pay tryout fees for BOTH teams.
If the request for acceleration is approved by the Board and the player is signed to the team in the higher age group, the accelerated player must remain with that team at that age level for the balance of the playing season and is subject to the rules of that age group.
Coaches, and any associated team staff, will not solicit players from younger age groups. Any violation of this rule will be subject to review by the Board and may result in the removal of any team official found to be involved in such activities.
Team staff will not offer any advice, counsel or comments that encourage a player to make a request for acceleration. Interested parties should simply be referred to the Board by means of written request to the Vice President Representative Teams.