1. Team Governance- Team decisions will be made by all rostered Diva players via team ballot. Voting should be done in a timely manner. All players will act as a steering committee for current and future team issues, based on input received from the entire team through emails or phone calls. It is the responsibility of each player to present any issues that require a team vote to the Captain. 70% majority of rostered players who vote will constitute a valid team vote. Team meetings will take place 4 times per year (end of season-April, late August, before first league game-late November, late January/early February). Additional meetings may be called to address pressing issues.

2. Team Communication-The primary means of communication with players is email (with the exception of emergencies such as late schedule changes, weather problems, etc, in which case the phone tree will go into effect). If a player is unable to access email, it is their responsibility to contact the Captain each week for any team updates. The Secretary will email Diva “Briefs” (newsletter) to the team once per month communicating with players on updates/issues regarding the team with input from the Coach, Captain, Treasurer, and Schedule Manager.

3. Team Roles and Duties-All team roles and duties are on a volunteer basis. At the end of each season players will indicate their top three choices for team roles and duties for the following season. Based on each player’s preferences, ballots will be distributed to the team for voting to determine who is chosen to fulfill the roles and duties of the team. An anonymous review sheet will be distributed at the end of each season for all players to give feedback on the role performances received. The Secretary will be responsible for the ballots, tabulations, and distribution of all elections and feedback.

a. Schedule Manager- (elected player) Duties: Scheduling of all practices and games, communicates with rink manager, WACH, and league contacts, manages roster with regards to player information and USA Hockey registration. Maintains team player contact information, i.e. phone numbers, cell numbers, addressees, emails. Communicates player information to the Alternate Captain to make phone tree list. Works with Captain to arrange ice time for try-outs in October to fill roster (if needed), and any other ice time opportunities. Creates current email list with:
1. Rostered team members only
2. Rostered team members and subs together
3. Subs only
Makes sure Team Polices are signed by each player prior to the first league game.

b. Coach- (non-player) Duties: Attends and plans practices, attends and arranges lines and plays for games, makes all game and practice on-ice decisions, gives input regarding new players, teaches hockey skills, speaks individually with players regarding on-ice conduct. Assesses and evaluates all players in early season and continually throughout the season as to strengths/weaknesses, positions preferred, etc. Communicates update to Secretary once per month to be added to the Diva “Briefs”.

c. Captain- (elected player, non-goalie) Duties: Communication within team; player-to-player, players to coach, coach to players, coach to referees. Player communications include, but are not limited to interpersonal issues, team suggestions, vote/ballot requests. Leads team cheer on the bench, and generally facilitates team unity. Captain will attempt to get confirmation of rostered player’s status by Wednesday of each game week. Captain will attempt to find alternate Coach for games the head Coach cannot make and will assume coaching duties if and only if coach(s) is/are unable to be present. Determines if and how many substitute players are needed for games each week and takes appropriate action (see Substitute Players). Captain will try to get commitments from players by August 15th for the upcoming season and coordinate with Schedule Manager to get practices/try-outs in October. Captain will be responsible for coordinating try-outs; including posting dates/times (with help from Scheduling Manager), emailing potential recruits, etc. The Captain will be elected at the end of each season. In the event the elected Captain cannot fulfill the position, a re-vote will be held to fill the Captain and Alternate Captain roles. This election will be handled by the Secretary.

d. Alternate Captain- (elected player, non-goalie) Duties: Assists Captain in all duties and assumes role of Captain, if Captain is unable to be present. Keeps record of practice and game attendance on website and midway through the season updates the players via Diva “Briefs”. Communicates any emergency changes to schedule, i.e. bad weather, last minute practice/game cancellations. Makes sure there is a calling tree in effect and all players have a copy. Alternate Captain will be elected at the end of each season.

e. Treasurer- (elected player) Duties: Accounts for all team finances, including collection of dues (players and subs), tournament fees, sponsor and fundraising monies, and payment of invoices such as rink/ice time fees, referees fees and coach’s expenses and gifts. Works with Scorekeeping Coordinator and Travel & Tournament Organizer to make sure referees are paid and tournament dues are paid. The Treasurer MUST approve all expenses (both verbally and in writing). Any purchase over $100 must be voted on by the team. Any purchases under $100 can only be made by the Captain, Alternate Captain or Coach (with the approval of the Treasurer before it is made). A written note with receipt attached with a brief explanation of what was bought and by whom needs to be given to the Treasurer within two weeks of the purchase (for the Treasurer’s bookkeeping). Communicates update to Secretary once per month, which is then distributed to the entire team by the Secretary. The update will include dates when player’s dues are required, amount required, and financial status of team.

f. Fundraising Coordinator- (elected player) Duties: Creates and oversees fundraising events, produces sponsorship forms, collects sponsor logos, produces press release at the end of the season only (game re-caps are done by the Scorekeeping Coordinator), and thank-you’s (including ordering of thank-you cards). Makes sure appropriate action is taken when sponsors are secured, i.e. logos get onto jerseys, website, dasher board, etc. Checks costs of set-up for placements of sponsor’s logos. Up to date on what sponsorship opportunities the Diva’s offer. Draws up an agreement between the Diva’s and the sponsors for all advertising outlining what is included in each sponsor deal (to be signed by Diva’s and sponsor). Strongly encourages all other Diva team players to look for sponsorships and/or donations.
Sponsorship flow, if you get a sponsor your job is to promptly:
1. Email Fundraising Coordinator (to send thank-you)
2. Email Web Mistress (to put on website)
3. Email Fashionista (to put logos on whatever is required)
4. Email Treasurer (knows who to expect money from)
**Email should include sponsors name, logo, general details of the sponsorship secured. Check should go to the Treasurer for deposit. Also include how the sponsorships are divided (i.e. player gets half put towards dues, etc)

g. Travel & Tournament Organizer- (elected player) Duties: Arranges lodging for all overnight away games and tournaments promptly after the schedule comes out (typically in September), assembles rosters, registration, and payment (working with Treasurer) for tournaments. Follows-up and communicates with team on who/where for any travel plans, helps arrange and confirm carpools. Encourages team to partake in any tournament opportunities.

h. Web Mistress- (elected player) Duties: Maintains and updates downvalleydivas.com team website, including attendance, shots/goals statistics, sponsors logos (with help of Fundraising Coordinator).

i. Social Coordinator- (elected player) Duties: Arranges all team social events including holiday and end-of-season parties. Creates opportunities for getting the team together doing fun things through-out the season and off-season. Looks for community service opportunities to showcase Diva hockey (i.e. Habitat for Humanity, Rummage Sale, bell ringers for Salvation Army). Arranges team photo (preferably by the second league game). Provides locker room music for all games.

j. Scorekeeping Coordinator- (elected player) Duties: Arranges (either by assignment/delegation or any other means) for 2 to 3 scorekeepers to work all home games, is familiar with operation of the time clock at the Eagle Rink, and arrives at home games early to train scorekeepers if necessary. Completes, checks, and promptly mails league copies of home game score sheets to WACH, compiles team copies, and works with Web Mistress to update team and player statistics on website. Each group of players that sign up for scorekeeping will bring refreshments for the opposing team’s locker room (i.e. water/Gatorade, snack). Compiles game reviews and emails to team, Web Mistress, and press (when needed).

k. Fashionista- (elected player) Duties: coordinates all team apparel including jerseys (additional jerseys as needed, as well as logo printing for new sponsors), sweatshirts, hats, and practice jerseys for new players. Also any logo-ed items for coaches gifts, etc. Distributes and tracks all game jerseys at the beginning and end of each season. Attempts to recover any missing jerseys from previous years.

l. Referee Coordinator(s) - (elected players, preferably two) Duties: contacts, reserves, and arranges payment (working with Treasurer) for referees at all home games.

m. Banner Caregiver- (elected player) Duties: Maintains Diva Banner; transports to all games, and coordinator of application of any sponsor logos (working with Fundraising Coordinator).

n. Secretary-(elected player) Duties: Attends all meetings, types up notes and distributes them via email to all players and follows-up with Web Mistress to be sure they are listed on the Diva website. Responsible for all team elections; creating ballots, tabulations, and distribution. Organizes and distributes monthly Diva “Briefs” to all players (with input/articles from the Coach, Captain, Treasurer, and Schedule Manager).

o. Team Policy Committee-(elected players, preferably 5-6) Duties: Spearheads any/all revisions to be made to Team Policies. This Committee meets at end of the season to compile a “Review Sheet” to be distributed to players asking for feedback, reflections, and suggestions for the following season.

4. Policies

a. Player Expectations- All practices should be attended promptly, and with positive effort. Each rostered player is allowed one “free” pass to miss a practice and still play in the following game (only exception is when there is a scheduled Friday practice without a game over that weekend). Missing this practice will still count as your one “free” pass. Any other missed practices will result in ineligibility to play in the next scheduled game. Weekends that have double headers would result in one missed game. Inability to attend a game must be communicated to the Captain as soon as possible. Players need to be aware that missing a practice that results in missing a game may result in ineligibility to play in the end of season tournament if their numbers are too low. Repeated “no-call, no-shows”, repeated tardiness, or continued negative attitude at practice may result in removal from the Diva roster via a team vote. Each player is responsible to pay their dues in a timely fashion. Lack of payment or communication with the Treasurer regarding dues may result in practice/game ineligibility and/or removal from the roster (see Removal of Players).

i. Situation A Practice with a game attached, that weekend
Player misses practice – they use up their one free pass and are still okay to play in the game Sat. The next Friday practice(s) they miss that is/are attached to a game, will result in them not being allowed to play.
ii. Situation B There is only a practice, with no game attached that weekend.
Player can play in the next scheduled game, but this will count as their one free pass, so the next Friday practice(s) they miss that is/are attached to a game, will result in them not being allowed to play.
iii. Situation C Practice, with no game attached that weekend, followed by another practice with an attached game and the player has already used up a free pass.
Player misses first practice, makes the second practice, they can play in that game. Based on a typical schedule, this should occur rarely.
The reasoning behind this is that a player who has been injured for an extended time period and has missed more than one practice that have no games attached, should not be penalized for more games.

b. Attendance- In order to foster team-spirit, a minimum of 75% attendance record for both practices and games should be made by each player in order for players to maintain Diva roster eligibility (Stick-or-Treat tournament in October will be counted starting in the 2008/09 season). Inability to attend a game must be communicated to the Captain as soon as possible, preferably by the Wednesday before the game, or at least 24 hours prior to the start of a game, or departure time for an away game. Per WACH rules, each player must play in a minimum of 6 league games to be eligible for the end of season tournament. Players who fail to meet the 75% attendance and/or 6 league games will be subject to review for roster status for the following year. Players are encouraged to check their attendance regularly on the website and correct any discrepancies with the Web Mistress.

c. Roster Status- The Diva roster consists of up to 15 full-time players, 1 goalie, and 1-2 coaches. Ideally, players should report their status to the Team Captain for the upcoming season by August 15th. In the event our roster is not at 15 full-time players, additional players may be added (see Addition of New Players).

d. Addition of New Players-In the event 15 players cannot be rostered a try-out will be held in October to fill the roster. The Captain will organize all communication in regards to the try-out with input/voting from existing players. This includes posting the dates/times of try-outs at the rink, emailing potential recruits, etc. Taking into consideration the preferences of the existing players and the Coach, a vote will be taken on who will be invited to join the team. The Secretary will create the ballot, tabulate the results, and distribute it to the team. Any player that comes to the try-outs and is not added to the roster will be offered to attend Diva practices and may be used as a substitute player when needed (see Substitute Players). The cost for non-rostered players attending practice is currently $10 per practice, which will be collected by the Treasurer.

e. Addition of New Coach / other coaches - In the event a coach needs to be added, the Captain is responsible for communication with any potential coaches and will solicit input from the team on who to ask. Should a second/third Coach express interest in coaching our wonderful team, the Captain will ask the current Head Coach if they would welcome a partner/helper.

f. Substitute Players-Keeping in mind that not all rostered players can make every scheduled game, if our roster drops below 13 players for any game substitute players will be asked to play.
Depending on how many substitute players are needed, substitute names will be put into a hat and pulled to determine who is asked to play in the following game (this will happen Friday night after practice with the substitute player playing the Saturday night game). If that substitutes name gets pulled for one week they are removed from the pool for the following game unless no-one else shows up to that practice (Captain will figure this out ahead of time so substitutes are aware they need to come to practice). It is extremely important for rostered players to let the Captain know ahead of time if they will miss a game, so that the team can still play with enough players. The Captain needs to let the substitute(s) know as soon as possible if they will be needed or not. Substitute Players will pay $10 per game for home games only. Substitute Players will not play in the end of season tournament. During the season Diva practices may be opened to players showing sincere interest in committing to the following season. The Captain, in collaboration with the Coach, will make the final decision on how many players may be invited to each practice.

g. Removal of a Player- Any player may be removed from the Diva roster by a team vote at any time during or in between seasons due to excessive absences from practices and/or games, failure to pay dues, or failure to abide by USA Hockey code of conduct (see below). The player initiating a vote for removal needs to tell the Captain first of their request. The Captain will then ask the Secretary to administer the ballot process (creation, tabulation, distribution).

h. Revision of Team Policies-these Team Policies will be re-visited at the end of each season and/or beginning of new season with changes being made as voted on by the team.

USA Hockey Code of Conduct
2007-09 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey 55
Rule 601 Abuses of Officials and Other Misconduct
(Note) In the enforcement of this rule the Referee has, in many instances, the option of imposing a “bench minor
penalty,” “minor penalty” or a “misconduct penalty.” In principle the Referee is directed to impose a “bench minor penalty” in respect to the violations that occur on or in the immediate vicinity of the players’ bench but off the playing surface, and in all cases affecting nonplaying personnel or players. A “minor penalty” or “misconduct penalty” should be imposed for violations that occur on the playing surface or in the penalty bench area and where the penalized player is readily identifiable. An infraction covered under Rules 601(a) through (c) that occurs after the game shall be initially penalized under Rule 601(d).
(a) Any player who challenges or disputes the rulings of any Official or endeavors to incite an opponent (including taunting) or create a disturbance during the game shall be assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the player persists in such challenge or dispute, he shall be assessed a misconduct penalty, and any further dispute by the same player will result in a game misconduct penalty being assessed.
(b) Any player who shoots the puck after the whistle has been blown shall be assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct if, in the opinion of the Referee, the player had sufficient time after the whistle to refrain from taking such shot.
(c) If any player is guilty of any one of the following, his team shall be assessed a bench minor penalty:
(1) In the vicinity of the players’ bench, using obscene, profane or abusive language to any person or using the
name of any Official coupled with any vociferous remarks.
(2) In the vicinity of the players’ bench or penalty bench, throwing anything into the playing area during the
progress of the game or during a stoppage of play.
(d) If any player is guilty of any one of the following, he shall be assessed a misconduct penalty:
PLAYING RULES
56 USA Hockey
(1) Using obscene, profane or abusive language to any person on the ice or anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game.
(2) During a stoppage, intentionally knocking, throwing or shooting the puck out of reach of an Official who is
retrieving it.
(3) Deliberately throwing the stick, or any other equipment, out of the playing area at any time.
(4) After being penalized, not proceeding directly and immediately to the penalty bench and taking his place on the penalty bench, or to the dressing room, when so ordered by the Referee (gloves, stick, etc., shall be delivered to him at the penalty bench or dressing room by a teammate).
(5) Entering or remaining in the Referee’s crease while the Referee is reporting to or consulting with any Game
Official including Linesmen, Timekeeper, Penalty Timekeeper, Official Scorer or Announcer except for the purpose of taking his place on the penalty bench.
(6) Interfering in any nonphysical manner with any Game Official including Referee, Linesman, Timekeepers or Goal Judges in the performance of their duties.
(e) If any player is guilty of any one of the following, he shall be assessed a misconduct or game misconduct penalty:
(1)Touching or holding the Referee, Linesman or any other Game Official with his hand or stick.
(2) Continuing or attempting to continue a fight or altercation after he has been ordered by the Referee to stop, or resisting the Linesman in the discharge of his duties.
(3) Intentionally banging the boards, protective glass, dasher boards or goal with a stick or any other instrument at any time. (If the offense is committed in protest of an official’s decision, a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct plus a misconduct or game misconduct shall be assessed the offending player.)
Abuse of Officials and Other Misconduct
2005-07 Official Rules and Casebook of Ice Hockey 57Playing Rules
(f) If any player is guilty of any one of the following, he shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty:
(1) Persisting in any course of conduct for which he has previously been assessed a misconduct penalty.
(2) Using obscene gestures or racial/ethnic slurs on the ice or anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game.
(g) If any player is guilty of any of the following, he shall be assessed a match penalty:
(1) Deliberately inflicting physical harm to a Game Official in any manner or attempting to do so.
(Note) Any game official assessing a match penalty under Rule 601(g)1 shall file with their USA Hockey District Referee-in-Chief a written game report within 48 hours of the incident.
(2) Deliberately injuring an opposing Team Official in any manner or attempting to do so.
(3) Behaving in any manner that is critically detrimental to the conducting of the game, including spitting at an opponent, spectator, game or team official, or verbally threatening a Game Official with physical harm.
(h) If any Team Official is guilty of any one of the following, his team shall be assessed a bench minor penalty:
(1) Banging the boards with a stick or other instrument at any time.
(2) Using obscene, profane or abusive language or abusive gestures (including taunting) to any person or using the name of any Official coupled with any vociferous remarks.
(3) Throwing anything into the playing area from the vicinity of the players’ bench during the game or during a stoppage of play.
(4) Using threatening or abusive language or gestures or similar actions designed to incite an opponent into incurring a penalty.
PLAYING RULES
(5) Interfering in any nonphysical manner with any Game Official including the Referee, Linesman, Timekeepers or Goal Judges in the performance of their duties.
(i) If any Team Official is guilty of any of the following, he shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty:
(1) Using obscene gestures or racial/ethnic slurs on the ice or anywhere in the rink before, during or after the game.
(2) Persisting in any course of conduct for which he has previously been assessed a bench minor penalty.
(3) Interfering in any physical manner with any Game Official, including the Referee, Linesman, Timekeepers or Goal Judges in the performance of their duties.
(j) If any Team Official is guilty of any one of the following, he shall be assessed a match penalty:
(1) Deliberately inflicting physical harm to a game official in any manner or attempting to do so.
(Note) Any game official assessing a match penalty under Rule 601(j)1 shall file with their USA Hockey District Referee-in-Chief a written game report within 48 hours of the incident.
(2) Deliberately injuring a player or Team Official in any manner or attempting to do so.
(3) Behaving in any manner that is critically detrimental to the conducting of the game, including spitting at an opponent, spectator, game or team official, or verbally threatening a Game Official, opposing Team Official or opposing player with physical harm.

I ______________________________________ have read, and agree to abide by the

2007-2008 Down Valley Divas Team Policies, and the USA Hockey Code of Conduct.

Date _______________

***Players are expected to ask for clarification of any Team Policies if they are confused.