Three Counties Women's Hockey League
THREE COUNTIES WOMEN'S HOCKEY LEAGUE
(BERKS, BUCKS AND OXON) ("TRYSPORTS")
RULES & REGULATIONS 2016-2017 OF THE TRYSPORTS LEAGUE
Disputes/Queries
All disputes/queries (except those regarding umpiring) must be registered to the appropriate County Representative within seven days following a match. Any disputes/queries registered after this time will not be considered by the Committee.
Umpiring - All disputes/queries regarding umpiring must be submitted to the appropriate County Umpire Representative.
Media – The League will adopt the disciplinary procedures of England Hockey for any disputes/derogatory comments posted on any social media sites.
1. MEMBERSHIP
The League shall be open to all clubs affiliated to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Hockey Associations, and who are fully paid up members of the South and England Hockey Associations.
2. ADMINISTRATION
(i) The League shall be known as the ‘Trysports League' administered by a League Committee consisting of four elected Officers, a Representative each from Bucks, Berks and Oxon and Umpires Representation.
(ii) All correspondence to the League Committee shall be addressed to the League Representatives and the Secretary.
(iii) The League will be structured in to eight divisions with an equal number of teams in each division, where possible.
(iv) A Club shall give written notice to the League Committee if they wish to enter or withdraw a team(s) for the forthcoming season, to be received no later than 1st May.
(v) New teams entering the league shall be considered on a first come first served basis, with new teams entered into the lowest division. The number of new teams accepted will be at the discretion of the League Committee.
3. MEMBERSHIP FEE
Each Club shall pay an annual fee for each team participating in the League for the forthcoming season, as determined by the League Committee. This fee shall be paid by 31st August preceding the season. If fees have not been received prior to the first league game the Club may be removed from the League at the discretion of the League Committee.
4. REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS.
(i) Each Club shall register players prior to their participation in League matches.
(ii) Player or Players shall:-
(a) be fully paid up members of the Club which they are representing.
(b) be permitted to play in League matches for a second Club in any season, provided that the transfer is completed before 1st January February and the League Committee has given permission. The League Committee reserves the right to refuse any such request. Upon receipt of re-registration, the player shall be ineligible for the first registered Club. No player shall be able to simultaneously play for more than one Club. No player may represent a third Club in any one season.
(c) become eligible to represent the Club in League matches upon receipt of a player registration number; all players in the league must be registered on Fixtures Live.
(d) be permitted to play in one League match only for their Club on any one day, with the following limited exceptions:
(1) a Goal Keeper.
(2) an outfield player who is playing a second game on any one day as a stand in Goal Keeper for another team in their Club.
(1) and (2) The Club has to request permission from the League prior to the match. This applies to all League matches, whether played in the Three Counties League, Regional Leagues and/or National League.
(3) a Bench player.
Guidance Note: – Bench players - The purpose of this rule is to assist in player development.
1. A bench player will not be part of the starting eleven for the team.
2. Umpires shall be notified of all bench players prior to the start of the match.
3. A bench player can play up to a maximum of thirty 30 minutes during their second League game of a day.
4. Bench players shall be identified on the match form by including the word (BENCH) beside the players’ name. Failure to indicate a bench player on the match form may result in one point being deducted for missing or incorrect information.
5. A bench player can only play upwards from their normal team i.e. cannot bench for a lower team.
(e) not play in a League match for a team(s) lower than they are normally selected (this includes Regional and/or National leagues).
Guidance Note: - The League Committee requests players do not play in a team more than one team lower than the team where they regularly appear on the team sheet.
(f) It remains a principle that all teams in the League, and above, should be selected on playing strength so that the strongest team is put out at each level starting from the highest team. A lower team must not be strengthened to gain an unfair advantage at any time and this will be closely monitored by the League Committee. Should a higher team be found in breach of this rule, and disciplined as such, then the lower team will be also be disciplined at the discretion of the committee.
(g) become team bound and not be eligible to play in a League match for a team(s) lower than that for which they are normally selected once they have played in the following number of matches:
13 14 games if a team has a 22 match programme
12 13 games if a team has a 20 match programme
11 12 games if a team has an 18 match programme
example: 22 match programme, once played 13 14 games they are team bound
The team bound rule is not applicable to a Goal Keeper. However, a Goal Keeper must not play in a team more than one team lower than the team where they regularly appear on the team sheet.
Note: This rule also applies to players who have played in Regional, National and other leagues. If South has 18 match programme then a player is team tied once they have played 11 matches.
Team bound players shall be indicated on the match form and for all matches thereafter, including the first match for which they become team bound. These players may still play for teams in a higher division or in a higher League.
In exceptional circumstances a Club may apply in writing to their league representative for a team bound player to be allowed to play for a lower team.
(iii) Any Club with a team or teams playing in Regional and/or National Leagues shall nominate, before the 1st November, eight players from all Regional League teams who must appear regularly on the team sheets and eleven players from all National League teams, who must appear regularly on the team sheets, from 1st November onwards, will not be permitted to play in any division of the League.
Only in exceptional circumstances is a club allowed to de-nominate a player. Any request must be put in writing to the league representative for consideration. The League Committee decision is final.
(iv) Any Club with more than one team playing in the same division of the League shall nominate, before 1st January, eight players from the higher team in that division who, from 1st January onwards, will not be permitted to play in the lower team in that division
(v) Changes to a players surname must be notified to the Registration Secretary
(vi) Registrations shall be acknowledged by the Registration Secretary. A unique player registration number is assigned to each player.
Each Club shall submit to the Player Registration Secretary, via the Fixtures Live registration system (or such other system as the League Committee shall decide from time to time), a list of players eligible to participate in the League. When a club wishes to make amendments to this list, the club must submit the amendments via Fixtures Live (or appropriate system). Any such registrations will be approved or declined by the Player Registration Secretary via Fixtures Live (or as appropriate).
(vii) All player registrations should be made before 6pm on the Friday prior the match.
The penalty for breaches of Rule 4 will result in the offending team forfeiting any points gained from the match, plus a further two points deduction and any goals scored for each match in which the breach occurs will be disallowed. Their opponents shall be awarded the match by a minimum of a five goal difference.
5. REGISTRATION OF UMPIRES
(i) Umpires shall be required to be qualified as follows to officiate at League matches:
Premier Divisions – to hold at least the EHA level 1 Award and have successfully been assessed or equivalent (appointed).
Divisions One and Two - to hold at least the EHA level 1 Award and have successfully been assessed or equivalent.
Divisions Three and Four - as a minimum, must have completed the level 1 umpire Award course but does not need to be assessed.
Division 5 and 6 - do not require any formal qualifications, but need to be reasonably competent.
Any disputes are to be referred to the County Umpiring Committee.
(ii) All officiating Umpires shall be registered on the list of active approved Umpires, provided by the Umpires Appointing Committee.
(iii) Changes to an Umpires surname must be notified to the Umpires Appointing Committee.
6. MATCHES
(i) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Rules of the Game of Hockey published by England Hockey.
(ii) All matches shall be played on the dates set by the League Committee unless matches are postponed or abandoned (see rule 7). Any team wishing to play on an alternative date must request permission of the League Committee at least two weeks prior to the match. The League Committee reserves the right to refuse any such requests.
(iii) Any university team, consisting only of members of that university, may apply to the League Committee for permission to rearrange the dates of any matches that are outside its university term. Such application must be made in writing by 1st August.
Guidance note University teams should not regard this as carte blanche to request frequent rearrangements. The League dates are available early in the summer and university clubs must take responsibility for checking the dates and making any necessary applications for changes as early as possible. Permission for rearranging fixtures will be at the discretion of the League Committee.
(iii) (iv) The first named team is designated the home Club, and shall arrange the pitch and provide an adequate number of suitable hockey balls for the match.
(iv) (v) All matches shall be played on a synthetic surface.
(v) (vi) The home Club shall notify the away Club of the match details a minimum of fourteen days prior to the match. If, due to late notification, the away Club cannot provide a team and/or an Umpire, then at the discretion of the League Committee, Clubs may reschedule the match in accordance with rule 7. Clubs shall apply in writing to the League Committee for this to be granted. Every effort shall be made by both Clubs to play a match on the designated league date
(vi) (vii) All matches must start between 10.00am and 4.30pm, save that Premier Division matches shall not have a designated start time after 3pm during November to February inclusive.
(vii) (viii) The away Club must ascertain the colours of the uniform of their opponents. In the event of the two teams having the same or similar playing colours, unless otherwise agreed, the away Club shall play in alternative colours.
(viii) (ix) All players participating in a match must wear unique numbers within their team's squad for that match and the numbers must correspond with those declared on the match form. This Regulation also applies to alternative colours.
(ix) (x) All matches shall commence within fifteen minutes of the confirmed start time, on the day, providing that seven or more players from each team and suitably registered umpires are present. In the event of a match being unable to commence due to a breach of this Regulation, both Clubs shall submit, within forty eight hours, a written report of the incident to their appropriate County Representative(s). At the discretion of the League Committee, a match may be rescheduled, replayed, or the offending team (if applicable) will be deemed to have lost by a minimum of five goals and, at the discretion of the League Committee, may have two points deducted, in accordance with rule 7. Every effort shall be made by both Clubs to play the match on the designated league date. Umpires must wait the 15 minutes allowed after the scheduled start time should there be any delays to the commencement of the match.
(x) (xi) In the case of failure to complete a match, the result at the time of abandonment shall stand if more than fifty 50 minutes have been played. Otherwise, the game shall be replayed in accordance with rule 7.
(xi) (xii) All Clubs must make an adequate First Aid kit available pitch-side for each League match.
(xii) (xiii) Captains must wear a distinctive band as specified in the England Hockey rules.
Any breach of this rule will be referred to the League Committee, and may result in a team being liable to forfeit the game.
7. POSTPONEMENT OR ABANDONMENT OF MATCHES
(i) A match may be postponed or abandoned on the grounds of:
(a) The pitch of the home Club being unfit for play or due to adverse weather conditions.
(b) Three or more registered players from one of the participating Clubs being required for Regional, National or International commitments or EH priority matches, whether indoor or outdoor. Dispensation for such a postponement must be sought by the Club concerned at least fourteen days in advance of the match.
(ii) If the conditions described in 7 (i) occur at the designated start time or during a match, the Umpires shall decide whether the match should be postponed or abandoned. If a grounds person over-rules the Umpires decision to play/continue the match, the game shall be abandoned. The home Club shall inform their County Representative(s) of the postponement or abandonment and the game shall be re-arranged.
(iii) Any match which has been postponed or abandoned in accordance with rule 7(i) and 7(ii), shall be rearranged by mutual consent, unless slip dates have been stipulated by the League Committee. The home Club shall inform the League Committee of the date of the rearranged match once it has been agreed with the away Club.
(iv) Except in exceptional circumstances and subject to the League Committee's discretion, matches not completed by the final League date, as specified by the League Committee, shall be declared void. If any Club refuses to play a postponed or abandoned match for any reason unconnected with ground or weather conditions, their opponents may submit a written report to their County Representative(s) and the offending team may, at the League Committee's discretion, be deemed to have failed to fulfil the fixture in accordance with 7(v) below.
(v) Failure to fulfil a fixture will result in the defaulting team being deemed to lose by a minimum of a five goal difference and a deduction of two points. The exception to this rule is if the failure to fulfil the fixture is as a result of the away Club and or Umpire(s) arriving late in which case rule 6(x) above shall apply.
Note: On any given date, if a club is unable to fulfil all fixtures, it shall be the lowest team in the league that will forfeit the game, rule 7(v) will then be applied.
8. CONDUCT OF MATCHES
(i) Captains shall submit their team to the Umpires on the match form, clearly indicating the starting eleven, substitutes, bench players and team bound players, including shirt numbers and player registration numbers. These forms shall be handed to the Umpires before the start of the match.
(ii) All substitutions are to take place under the jurisdiction of the home Umpire.
(iii) On completion of the match the Umpires shall complete the appropriate sections of the match forms, including entering the match result, award of warning cards and striking out players listed as substitutes who did not play. An Umpire should initial such deletions and changes made to any names on the match forms. Both forms should be returned to the home captain.
(iv) The award of red cards must be reported to the appropriate County Umpire Disciplinary Officer.
9. UMPIRES
Note: All umpires, whether qualified or not, must ensure they are that they are suitably insured; this is the umpires and clubs responsibility.
A. PREMIER DIVISION’S ONE & TWO - UMPIRE APPOINTMENTS
The Umpires Appointing Committee is responsible for all Premier Divisions umpiring matters and Clubs will adhere to the rules of the Umpires Appointment Committee with regards to teams in those Premier Divisions. Premier Division Clubs should contact their Umpiring County Representative (or any other member on the Umpires Appointing Committee) regarding Premier Division umpiring issues.
(i) Each Club with a team(s) in the Premier Divisions must nominate a Club contact to administer all communications between the Club and the Umpires Appointing Committee for all Premier Division umpiring issues. The nominated Club contact shall provide contact details to the Umpiring Appointing Committee four weeks prior to the first league game.