What Is The HUB League ?
The League is an inter-city competitive hockey league in Hamilton,
Ontario. Teams are registered with Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario on Member League rosters and most of our teams are very competitive at the "A" level.
The League consists of the following Age Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor PeeWee, PeeWee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget and Midget. Players must be residents of the "OLD" City of Hamilton.
The league's first season was 1988-89.
Administration
The league is administered by a dedicated group of volunteers who
spend countless hours trying to make it all happen. Please remember they are doing the best job they can with the time and talents available to them and they, like you, do have jobs and families. Supporting the development of our youth through Hockey is a genuine interest with these people but it is not their life. Please consider your own contribution and commitment prior to criticizing.
Any team or appointed volunteer can request to present a concern or recommendation at a Director's meeting. Parental concerns should come through their team officials or Division Convenor.
The League is Incorporated and its Constitution guarantees a democratic election of officers. Each team has 2 votes at the League Annual and General meetings and each appointed or elected member also has 1 vote at those meetings.
League Polices And Philosophies
Our policies and philosophy is circulated annually in our Team Manual - see your coach/manager for additional information.
Discrimination
We support the Ontario Human Rights Act. Any discrimination matters
will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities. We will request the
City of Hamilton ban anyone convicted of such an offence from Hamilton
owned arenas.
Ethics
No Director or appointed member will be allowed to participate in a
discussion about or in any decision made concerning an issue that could
even remotely involve one of their family members. The responsibility
to declare a possible conflict resides with the individual and
ultimately with the League President.
Player Movement
The Hamilton Minor Hockey Council Constitution recognizes that there
are different levels of player ability but that for whatever reason
players wish to participate at a certain level. No player can be forced
to move to another classification but players should be encouraged to
play at the highest level their capabilities permit. The HUB League will do everything possible within the rules of the Council and the Alliance to support players in their hockey ventures.
Zero Tolerance Policy
The City of Hamilton has a Zero Tolerance Policy that penalizes verbal and physical acts in their facilities. The HUB League will report any incidents to City Officials and support any decisions made by the Department of Culture and Recreation.
Playing Time
Our belief is that if a player is good enough to make a team he
deserves a fair share of playing time. In general we recommend that
coaches not shorten their benches in the 1st two periods except for
penalty killing and power plays.
No one can control playing time in competitive hockey but players
that follow the rules and work hard should be on the ice regularly. The
final decision always belongs to the coach but the philosophy is
published in our team manual entitled "Understandings Regarding Ice
Time".
Teams
The HUB League is made up of teams created "At Large" by the Board of Directors. Ideally, each Division should consist of six (6) teams.The Board reserves the right to accept teams form outside the "Old" City as necessary to provide a balanced League.
Coach Selection
Coaches are selected based on an application & interview process by the HUB League Technical Development Group.
Registration & Tryouts
All HUB players must be residents of the "OLD" City of Hamilton. Registration Fees are a flat non-refundable fee established annually by the HUB Board of Directors. This fee is to be paid at the time the Tryout Registration form is completed. Players begin their first tryout with the team of their choice. The player is only allowed ONE tryout in the first round of tryouts. Commencing with the SECOND round, players may attend as many tryouts as they wish at no additional cost. Tryout schedules will be published in late March each year for Spring Tryouts and late August for September Tryouts.
Responsibilities
The HUB League is responsible for:
Coach Selection
League Operating Budget
Team, Player & Volunteer Registration & Insurance Coverage
Playing Rules & Standard Operating Procedures
Discipline
Providing one (1) practice hour per team per week
Game Schedule - Season - Playoffs - Championships
Tournament & Exhibition Approvals - Travel Permits
Team Budgets & Team Rule Approvals
Team Sweaters
Sponsorship Limits
Technical Development & Underage approval in conjunctions with the Hamilton Minor Hockey Council's T.D.C.
Representation on the Hockey Council & communication with the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario
Ensuring HUB Policies are not in conflict with those of the Hamilton Minor Hockey Council
Team Head Coaches are responsible for
Player tryout registration
Player selection
Team Budget preparation for League approval
Team Rule preparation for League approval
Team fund raising
Team Philosophy
Police Checks
All volunteers connected with the HUB League from team manager to
the President must annually receive a police check through the
Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Police.
Certification of Volunteers and Game Officials
All Coaches
Must be DS1 Certified and Speak Out certified
All Trainers
Must have a valid trainer's card and Speak Out certified
Officials
Must be Level 2 minimum
Game Officials - Body Checking - Contact
The league uses a 2 man system in the Novice, Minor Atom, Atom and Minor PeeWee Divisions. Body checking starts at the Minor PeeWee level.
Major PeeWee, Bantam and Midget divisions utilize a 3 man system with
development of Officials done mainly at the Major PeeWee Level.
We do permit a 2 man system for Exhibition games and will use a 2
man system for games should an official not show for some reason.
Each month the Referee Development Group attempts to introduce
promising House League Officials to HUB play. They also attempt to move promising HUB Officials into REP Tier Games.
Being in the middle gives us a large pool of officials to draw from
and we get to see many different officials and styles over a season.
Officials are monitored by approved Supervisors under the auspices of
the Referee Development Group and must attend annual re-certification
clinics.
Game Schedules
Regular Season
Teams play a regular season as determined by the Alliance Structure Committee.
Novice - maximum 1 hour
Minor Atom, Atom,Minor PeeWee, PeeWee - maximum 1 hour, 15 minutes
Minor Bantam, Bantam - maximum 1 hour, 30 minutes
Minor Midget, Midget Teams - maximum range of 1 hour, 45 minutes to 2 hours (depending on centres ice availability).
Playoffs
Playoff structure has been determined by the Alliance Structure Committee. At the end of the regular season, teams will be put into Tier 1 or 2 (Novice has Tier 3) according to end of regular season results. Playoffs are in round robin format within each Tier.
Playdowns
Consist of Semi Final and Tiered Championship Series. In Semi Finals the top 4 teams in each Tier will play a best 2 of 3 series. The top team from each Tier play for the Championship in a best 2 of 3 series. Teams to attend the Alliance Championship are determined at the end of the semi final series.
Normal Season
Tryouts for Novice to Minor Midget divisions follow the REP tryouts in
late April. Teams must select a minimum of 11 players. The balance of
the roster is selected during tryout/practice hours in September.
Midget teams are selected in September.
Our regular season game schedule commences the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The regular season finishes
just prior to the March Break Week and playoffs commence following the March Break. Playoffs last approximately 3 weeks .
Affiliated Players/High School
HUB players can be affiliated with the AA and AAA teams but the
choice is theirs.
Those that wish to be considered AP players are submitted on a
listing to the REP Coaches for their consideration.
HUB teams can register "AP's" from their own Association's House
League, if registered with the Alliance, or from a lower classification
HUB Team.
HUB players are permitted by the Hamilton Public and Separate School
Boards to play high school hockey.
League Structure
The HUB League is affiliated with the Hamilton Minor Hockey Council
and with the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. It is administered by a
Board of Directors and appointed volunteers.
Each Division has an appointed Division Convenor.
Directors are elected at the Annual Meeting based on our
Constitution.
The following people have voice and vote at all Annual or General
Meetings
Division Convenor (1 per Division)
Each Team has 2 votes
Each appointed volunteer has 1 vote
Each Director has 1 vote
A total of 110 to 120 votes could be available at any meeting<
Any registered team official is invited to attend Annual or General
Meetings..
Information Availability
The Constitution is copied to all Directors, Recreational Associations, Association Contacts and the Hamilton Minor Hockey Council Executive Committee. It is available from this Website. All other documentation is issued annually (September) in our Operations Manual . It contains such information as:
Standard Operating Procedures
Playing Rules and Tie Breaking Formulas
Playoff Formats
Due dates for information filing
League Forms
League Policies
Draft Schedules
Contact Listing - phone and fax numbers
Season Calendar
It is our intention to provide as much information to our members as
possible on this Website.
Should you need additional information please contact a Director.
