MIDDLESEX YANKEE CONFERENCE GIRL'S LEAGUE
RULES AND POLICIES
Section 1: Teams
1. All teams must be registered with Massachusetts Hockey and USA Hockey. An official USA Hockey roster for U10, U12, U14 and U16/U18 teams, signed and stamped by your District Registrar or online link, must be submitted to the Middlesex Yankee Conference Girls League by September 15 of the current season. Supplemental rosters or online links should be submitted immediately upon receipt from your District Registrar. Birth certificates of all players must be made available to the MYC League upon request.
2. A roster will consist of a maximum of 20 players including goaltenders. Exceptions to this must be requested in writing to the MYC League for approval.
3. A minimum of six (6) players is required to be dressed for a game.
4. Player eligibility dates for team rosters will be in accordance with USA Hockey. Player must be league age as of 12/31 of the current season. U16/18 - Eighteen years or younger; U14 - Fourteen years or younger; U12 - Twelve years or younger; U10 - Ten years or younger.
5. No player may be rostered on more than one girl's team within the MYC, regional teams included. Players cannot play for multiple towns.
6. The divisions will be U10, U12, U14 and U16/18. The MYC will permit substitute players to play on a team one age division older within their town program for a total of 6 games. For example, if a team needs to borrow players for their U12 team game, U10 players can be borrowed, but only if they are in a division lower than the U12 team with the divisions being Division1 as the highest skilled to Division 4 being less so. Division 1 players can only play for Division 1 teams. Division 1 players from younger levels cannot play for 2 or lower teams under any circumstances. Players in a higher-level division cannot play on lower division teams at the same age level. Substitutes can only be used for 6 games during a season and must return to their USA Hockey rostered team. If it becomes apparent that the borrowed player’s skill level is more in line with the higher team, should be on the team and the coach wants to move her, a USA Hockey roster supplemental form will be needed, and she will be legally rostered. The player will then be on the new team and will not be allowed to play down on her original team. Substitutes cannot be used during league playdowns or Championship games. Girls playing on youth teams cannot play for an MYC team unless they are on your USA Hockey roster. Failure to comply will result in an automatic forfeit for each game as well as a full game charge.
7. The MYCGL is a hockey league for female players, and those who declare or identify as females, who want to play in competition with their same gender for the entirety of the season. In light of that, male players and those who declare or identify as males, will not be allowed on teams in the MYCGL. Coaches are not allowed to use male players for substitutes when short players even if they identify as females for that game.
MYC will be adhering to the following from USA Hockey:
USA Hockey Transgender Athlete Eligibility Policy
Girls Recreational Hockey:
USA Hockey considers (i) all Girls hockey in the 12U age classification and below, (ii) all Girls hockey in the 14U to 19U age classification except for Girls 14U to 19U Tier I and Tier II teams, and (iii) all Girls High School and Prep School hockey, to be Recreational Hockey.
A transgender female (MTF athlete) shall be eligible to participate in all classifications of Girls Recreational Hockey by providing the following documents satisfactory to USA Hockey: (i) a letter from the athlete if an adult, or if a minor from the athlete’s parent/guardian (which may also include the athlete’s personal statement), confirming the athlete’s gender identity; and (ii) written confirmation of gender identity from a health care provider, counselor, or other qualified professional not related to the athlete.
Timing:
An athlete who has changed gender identity with respect to eligibility for hockey programs, shall not be eligible to change his/her gender identity again with respect to eligibility for hockey programs for three (3) years from the immediately preceding change.
A change in a player’s gender identity that has been approved by USA Hockey shall be reflected in USA Hockey’s records by changing the player’s gender in the player’s USA Hockey registration records maintained by USA Hockey’s Member Services Department.
8. USA Hockey/HECC approved helmets and complete uniforms are required to play in any MYC game. Duplicate numbers are not allowed.
9. Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must be USA Hockey patched in accordance with the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program and completed all age-appropriate modules and SafeSport. Patched coaches must record their certification number on all gamesheets along with their signature.
Section 2: Playing Rules
1. Unless otherwise specified in the Rules and Policies of the MYCGL, the playing rules will be guided by the current USA Hockey/Massachusetts Hockey rulebooks.
2. All teams should be ready to take the ice five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of their game and will take the ice immediately at the request of the game officials.
3. A three-minute warm-up shall be allowed at the start of the game. Teams that are not prepared to play after the conclusion of the warm-up period will be given a Delay of Game penalty.
4. MERCY RULE: Any game where the score differential is five (5) goals in the third period, running time will commence only after both coaches agree. If both coaches want stop time despite the score rather than running time, stop time will resume. If the score reverts to less than five (5) goals, stop time will resume.
5. Any game in which there is a combined penalty total of 14 or more will be played in running time for the remainder of the game.
6. Any penalty called after the whistle is blown may carry a misconduct penalty.
7. Any penalty called during the post-game handshake will carry an automatic game misconduct.
8. Any player incurring four (4) penalties in one game will be immediately ejected from the game and receive a game misconduct which must be served at the next scheduled MYCGL game.
9. Fighting on or off the ice between players will carry an automatic misconduct penalty with a one-game suspension. See Rule 11.
10. Any team receiving a total of 12 penalties in one game shall forfeit the game, pay a double charge and the Head Coach will be suspended for the next MYCGL game.
11. Any game misconduct with ejection assessed to a player in the Middlesex Yankee Conference Girls League, or MYCGL must be served in the next MYCGL game.
To satisfy USA Hockey rules, the player must sit out the next game when assessed a game misconduct penalty with an ejection and noted on the scoresheet.
A coach or player who knowingly violates this rule will be subject to a one (1) year suspension from MYCGL for using an illegal player.
12. Any coach or team official who receives a game misconduct with ejection will be required to sit out the next two (2) MYCGL games and noted on the scoresheet. Any coach or team official who knowingly violates this rule and refuses to sit out will be suspended from the MYCGL for the remainder of the season.
13. Penalties:
Minor: 1.5 minutes (double minors are considered two penalties)
Minor: 1:00 minute for U10/U12 Only
Major: 5.0 minutes
Misconduct: 10.0 minutes
Game Misconduct: Ejection and one game suspension
14. All MYCGL games are played under a curfew, therefore, under USA Hockey rule 637e, there will be no timeouts permitted, except for the end of season Championship Playoff games where one (1) timeout per team is permitted.
15. The Head Coach is responsible for the behavior of players, parents and spectators. Any parent or spectator who, after being warned by a league or game Official, persists in conduct, which is detrimental to the play of the game, will be ejected from the rink. If the individual(s) refuses to leave the area, players will take their benches and running time will commence until offender leaves the premises.
16. If a player is injured, coaches are not allowed onto the ice until the Referee signals them.
17. Parents are not allowed on the ice or in the vicinity of the Referee’s locker room or scorekeeper's box.
18. To be eligible to play in the end of season playoffs, a player must appear on that team’s official USA Hockey roster with the proper stamps and signatures, on file with the MYCGL, and will have played at least fifteen (15) complete games with player’s name appearing on the gamesheets, excluding forfeits and cancellations.
19. Two (2) points are awarded for a win, one (1) point for a tie and zero (0) points for a loss in the league standings.
20. Roster questions (player eligibility, gender, etc.) will be directed to the MYCGL home office at 4 Leslie Rd., Waltham, MA 02451 accompanied by a check made out to the league for $100. At no time is a team official allowed to question referees about rosters. A bench minor will be assessed to the team if a coach questions the eligibility or gender of a player. If a coach persists after the bench minor is assessed, the penalty will escalate including ejection from the game.
Section 3: Schedules, Postponements, Cancellations and Make-ups
1. Every effort will be made by the MYCGL to issue schedules in a timely manner.
2. All requests for special scheduling must be made four weeks prior to the end of the current schedule. Any changes needed after that date are the responsibility of the team/program.
3. In case of inclement weather, unless instructed by the MYCGL that the game has been canceled, teams should call the rink. If the rink is open, the game should be played. If the two teams decide not to play, the make-up game is the responsibility of the teams/programs.
4. Teams/Programs needing to request a change in the schedule must do so three weeks prior to the scheduled game. Every effort will be made to accommodate a game switch, but if it is not possible because other teams are unavailable, the team requesting the change must either play or make up the game.
5. GAME CANCELATION POLICY
Canceling Team
Canceling Teams have 30 days after the scheduled game date to make up the game and are responsible for all costs incurred as well as scheduling two referees and a timekeeper.
Canceling Teams will offer two reasonable dates/times* to their canceled game opponent to make up the game. If both dates/times are refused, the game will be scored as a 0-0 tie and both teams will be charged as if the game was played.
Canceling teams that do not make up the canceled game will incur a double charge for the game and $100 additional charge billed to the Team.
The game will be recorded as a forfeit and will count towards the seasons total of games for the canceling team.
* Reasonable Request dates will be reviewed by the MYC to determine acceptable offered times reasonable for the age level.
6. Coaches/Team Reps will have 48 hours after the completed game in which electronic scoring was not available to email the scores to the league followed by mailing the white gamesheet. The white gamesheet is the responsibility of the winning coach/team rep. In the case of a tie, the home team's coach/team rep should mail the gamesheet.
Once both teams agree on a makeup date and time, email kathy@mycgl.com so it can be added to the Master Game Schedule.
Section 4: Amendments
The Rules and Policies of the MYCGL may be amended, repealed or revised at any time.
Revised July 2023
