MAWHA - Announcement

MAWHA has continued to monitor the status of youth sports in each state within our league footprint. In conjunction with the Atlantic District, we have been evaluating the ever-changing landscape of regulations regarding the ability for each of our organizations to return to full competition. Based on the current allowances and what we project to be potential positive developments in the coming weeks, the Executive Board has determined that MAWHA will move forward with an anticipated formal start date for scheduled games beginning October 1. Please note that ALL on-ice activities MUST abide by all regulations of the state in which the game is scheduled, including any restrictions on travel, capacity for indoor activity, or type of activity (i.e. game vs practice). Games that are not held in accordance within the parameters of the respective state and local governments will not be sanctioned by MAWHA, the Atlantic District, or USA Hockey. Again, it is the responsibility of the home team to ensure proper compliance for any contest, including making the visiting team aware of any and all applicable policies and/or restrictions.

While we would like to have all games scheduled by October 15, we recognize that each organization will be in a different position with regards to state restrictions, financial status of the club, and travel considerations, among others concerns. As such, the Executive Board has also made the following adjustments to the by-laws for the 2020-2021 season:
1) There will not be any penalty assessed to teams who have not completed their scheduling and entered it into the website by October 15
2) Any scheduled game that cannot be played because of existing state or local government restrictions should be attempted to be rescheduled, but can be canceled without penalty.
3) All teams will qualify for MAWHA playoffs
4) All AAHA teams will qualify for AAHA District Playdowns

Finally, the schedule and format for the postseason will be as follows:
Weekend 1: Feb 20 & 21  = MAWHA Playoffs U14/U16/U19 (Hatfield)
Weekend 2: Feb 26, 27, & 28 = MAWHA Playoffs U8/U10/U12; District Playdowns U14/U16/U19 for AA Only (Hatfield)
Weekend 3: Mar 6 & 7 = AAHA Best-of-3 District championships (Hackensack)

As a reminder, MAWHA will not be assessing any league fees for this season; instead, each team will be assessed a "tournament fee" to participate in MAWHA Playoffs.  

MAWHA - Executive Board
 

The SafeSport Training and Refresher Training are each valid for two seasons. Thus, if you took the training during the 2014-2015 season, it was valid for the 2014-2015 and 2015-16 seasons and you will need to complete the SafeSport Refresher course for this 2016-17 season. http://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining . It is the policy of USA Hockey and the AAHA that those participants who (1) have regular, routine or frequent access to or supervision over minor participants (e.g., coaches, team managers, chaperones, etc.), (2) are responsible for enforcing child abuse and misconduct policies, (3) are in managerial or supervisory roles of a USA Hockey Member Program, and (4) are new and current employees and/or volunteers of a USA Hockey Member Program, shall complete appropriate training

Screening of all coaches, managers, locker room monitors, officials and others that have regular, routine or frequent access to minor participants are to be screened every two years (see screening schedule below). Those in Pennsylvania (or participate in PA for 30 or more days) are required to comply with Pennsylvania Act 153 (amended by Act 15) screening requirements; o Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance; o Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check; and o Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check. For more information on the PA requirements go to http://www.atlanticdistrict.org/screening_rules.php If you are not subject to the Pennsylvania law then go to http://www.atlanticdistrict.org/screening.php All PA clubs must report to the AAHA a list of the cleared certificates received by November 30, 2016. Attached is a copy of the report that needs to be filed with Pete Rothman, AAHA SafeSport Coordinator aaha.act15@gmail.com.

If your Screening Started:

If your Screening Started:
 

Locker Room Monitors that have followed the above training and screening procedures should be scheduled for the season. It is the policy of USA Hockey that all USA Hockey Member Programs must have at least one responsible screened adult (which may include coaches, managers or other volunteers) present monitoring the locker room during all team events. Acceptable locker room monitoring could include having locker room monitors inside the locker room while participants are in the locker room, or could include having a locker room monitor in the immediate vicinity (near the door within arm’s length and so that the monitor can sufficiently hear inside the locker room) outside the locker room that also regularly and frequently enters the locker room to monitor activity inside.

Review your organizations Electronic Communications Policy. If the player is under the age of 18, any email, text, social media, or similar communication must also copy or include the player’s parents. Coaches are prohibited from having players joined to or connected through their personal Facebook page or any other similar social media application. To facilitate communication, an official organization or team page may be set up and players and parents may join (i.e., “friend”) the official organization or team page and coaches can communicate to players though that site. All electronic communication of any kind between coach and player, including use of social media, must be non-personal in nature and be for the purpose of communicating information about team activities or for team oriented motivational purposes.

Submit your Organization’s SafeSport Coordinator Name and Contact Information to Pete Rothman by September 1, 2016. This individual should be familiar with the USA Hockey SafeSport Program Handbook. https://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0102/5713/USA_Hockey_SafeSport_Program_Handbook.pdf

Coming this September (scheduled) USA Hockey will publish a SafeSport Manual.

If you have any questions during the season please call Pete Rothman 610.721.4378 or email pete@rbcpa.net.

Roster changes may be made after December 31st , however players added to the roster after December 31st are not eligible for District playoffs or MAWHA league games and playoffs.

1. Player movement

1. No player will be allowed to play in a Mawha league game unless rostered with AAHA USA Hockey Registrar and Mawha league rosters for the team and confirmed by the appropriate Vice President (or Commissioner).
2. Until December 31st players within a club can move (with appropriate notification and confirmation) within an age division and/or between age divisions, as long as age appropriate (goalies exempt).
3. A player who has played in 3 (goalies; 5) or more Mawha Tier I league games during the current season may not move to Tier II or lower without Executive Board approval.
4. Notification of the move must be made (by telephone or email) to the appropriate Vice President (or Commissioner if the appropriate Vice President is not available) no later than noon the immediate Friday before the Mawha league game.

• Age groups 8U, 10U and 12U – Vice President
• Age group 14U, 16U and 19U – Executive Vice President

1. Once a player move is confirmed, they cannot be moved back to, or to another Mawha team for the weekend.  If the player is to be moved back to, or to another team the next weekend, this player movement procedure must be followed for the next weekend.
2. Required information in notification to the appropriate Vice President;

• Club Name
• Player’s Name
• Birth Date
• Uniform Number
• Position
• Team (Age and Division) Movement From
• Team (Age and Division) Movement To
• Club representative name, email address and cell phone number requesting the move.

1. The appropriate Vice President will email confirmation of the player move to the club official that requested the move.
2. Failure to follow the above notification process may cause the player to be declared ineligible, the club fined and/or the game forfeited by the Commissioner.