AGE CLASSIFICATIONS AND LEVELS OF PLAY

In the United States, USA Hockey designates the levels, ages and classifications for youth or minor hockey.

USA Hockey designates four skill levels:

• Tier 1: The highest level of competition, also called "AAA"
• Tier 2: also called "AA" or "A".
• Tier 3: may also be called Recreational/Developmental: Includes house league and select. May also be called "B", "C"

WHAT DO THE DESIGNATIONS B, A, AA, AND AAA MEAN?

At each youth hockey age group, there are three distinct classifications: B/BB, A/AA and AAA.

The single letter is the minor birth year

The double letter is the major birth year

For example, in the Squirt age group the "A" classification is 9 years old and the "AA" is for 10 year olds.  

Many large organizations and leagues, especially Tier 1,  tend to use the two-year window allowed for each age group. In these situations, teams composed entirely or primarily of players in their second year of eligibility are designated 'major' teams, while those with players in their 1st year of eligibility are designated "minor" teams. (For example, ten-year-olds would be "squirt majors" while nine-year-olds would be "squirt minors".) 

B or BB (House|Tier 3) is a recreational level with the following requirements.

• No tryouts
• Everyone plays
• Teams are formed by drafts
• Teams are limited to the number of second year players on a team according to the MAHA formula

A or AA (Tier 2) is a competitive level with the following requirements.

• Teams are formed by tryouts
• Limited to players within their districts with a maximum of 3 players from outside their district (Midget classification is allowed 6 players out of district)

AAA (Tier 1) is a competitive level with the following requirements.

• This is a top level of play
• Teams are formed by tryouts
• Players can come from anywhere, even out of state

AGE CLASSIFICATION

In addition to the level of play, there are divisions based on age

• Learn to Play - age 3 through 10 
• Mini Mite - age 5 & 6 
• Mite - age 7 & 8 
• Squirt - age 9 & 10| 
• PeeWee - age 11 & 12 
• Bantam - age 13 & 14
• Midget - age 15 through 18 

Girls hockey teams are typically a two birth year team and use alternate terms for their classifications:

• 10U - ages 10 and under
• 12U - age 11 & 12
• 14U - age 13 & 14
• 16U - age 15 & 16
• 19U  - Ages 17 - 19

NOTE:  At the 14U/Bantam AA classification, no team may roster any player 12 years of age or under.   A PeeWee(12U) AA player is not eligible to play on a Bantam (14U) AA team, since Bantam AA is the first national bound year.

For Girls, no player 12 years of age or younger (as defined in the age classification chart for the current season) is eligible to play on a team eligible to compete in the District or National Championships or playoffs leading thereto.

Girls can only participate in only one age classification higher than their actual birth year classification. Requests for a one year waiver shall be submitted to the State Playoff Committee.  There is no such rule in the boy's section of the MAHA Guide book.  Page 43

At the 14U/Bantam AA classification, no team may roster any player 12 years of age or under.   A PeeWee(12U) AA player is not eligible to play on a Bantam (14U) AA team, since Bantam AA is the first national bound year.

For Girls, no player 12 years of age or younger (as defined in the age classification chart for the current season) is eligible to play on a team eligible to compete in the District or National Championships or playoffs leading thereto.

Girls can only participate in only one age classification higher than their actual birth year classification. Requests for a one year waiver shall be submitted to the State Playoff Committee.  There is no such rule in the boy's section of the MAHA Guide book.  Page 43

Can players from outside the association who are rostered with another team skate on another team? While not really a written rule from USA Hockey or MAHA, KVHA does not allow unrostered players to participate in team practices, based upon the rule that having coaches and players participating in games who are not rostered is grounds for suspension.  There is no specific rule about non-rostered players during practices, but we based this on the fact that the USA Hockey rules definitely do not allow for the players to be rostered on more than one team during the regular season, and this is how they are covered under their USA Hockey liability policy.  Additionally, this could also be seen as tampering even if the parent says he has permission from their head coach.   There may be a way to gain an exception, but this is not granted at the association level, contact MAHA District 4 for assistance.    

Anyone who has not completed the proper items is not allowed on the ice or the bench in any capacity.  Players rostered to another team are not allowed to participate on the ice.  The Head Coach will be suspended for violations

Un-rostered players and coaches are not allowed to participate on the ice for practice or be on the bench during a game.    A rostered member of the team has certain protections through USA Hockey's liability coverage that un-rostered individuals do not.  If a person is not rostered, and they are on the bench during a game and receive a penalty as a coach, or there is some other incident during a game, the head coach can be suspended for having an un-rostered coach on the bench.    Additionally, if an un-rostered coach is on the ice during practice, and someone is injured, the liability insurance for the entire team will be nullified due to having that un-rostered person on the ice.  The rule applies to player siblings, coaches of other children, friends, and even those rostered on other KVHA teams.  This is not optional, and coaches will be suspended immediately pending a hearing if it occurs.  This is not a KVHA rule, but a USA Hockey / MAHA rule and it will be strictly enforced. It seems like a lot for a kid's game but ultimately it is about safety and ensuring that we have properly screened and trained adults in a supervisory capacity.  Injuries to non-rostered siblings/players/coaches are at your own risk and not that of KVHA.

The short answer is No; unfortunately, the USA hockey/MAHA rules do not allow players who are already rostered to a travel /tier 2 team to double roster on another tier 2 team,  house/ tier 3 team, their high school team, or any other team during the regular season.  This is only possible in the Spring/Summer season.

From the MAHA By-Laws page 27 Section II (R.) Rostering Exceptions. A player may be rostered with only one (1) MAHA/USA Hockey team at a time during the regular (winter) season except as noted below. 

Within a single Association, in the 12U (Pee Wee), 14U (Bantam), 16U (Midget) B and 18U Midget BB classifications only, goalies are allowed to participate on more than one team in the same classification or one age classification higher under the following conditions:
    (a) at the draft, there are not enough goalies to draft one per team.
    (b) or there is a severe injury to the only goalie on a team.
    (c) or the only goalie on the team is lost to a high school team.
    (d) This only applies to players registering and playing in the B & BB classification. Using an A or AA goalie from a lower age classification is not allowed.
    (e) For District/State eligibility, individual goalie game counts can be waived by submitting an individual exception request to the State Playoff Committee.

10. A team may pick up a substitute goalie from within its own Association or District if it does not already have a spare goalie registered. The substitute goalie must be registered in the
current season on a team of equal or lower age classification and equal or lower team classification category/division.
(a) A substitute goalie, under such circumstances, may be used only in the case of an injury to the regular goalie. If a team elects this method for a substitute goalie, the team may have only nineteen (19) players registered at any time so as not to exceed the maximum number of players allowed.

11. Tier III Category and B & BB Division players are allowed to dual roster and participate on Tournament Teams for tournaments if they meet to following criteria:
     (a) Teams can be created, not to exceed 20 players (18 skaters and 2 goalies), all players must be currently on a regular season House/Rec. approved roster.
     (b) Tournament teams must provide a USA Hockey 1T roster and all necessary paperwork to an Associate Registrar for certification 72 hours before first scheduled game.
     (c) Team must turn in the completed MAHA Pilot Program Roster Form along with copies of the current rosters the players are on. Regular season coaches must give approval for participation on the form.
     (d) If players and Coaches are not on a current roster, they must meet all the requirements to be placed on the roster.
     (e) Tournament teams would be designated A or AA teams depending on the age level of the players. (Teams with the majority of the player’s ages being in the first year of that division would be allowed to participate in the A division if they choose. Teams with the majority
of the players ages being in the second year of that division would be designated AA).
     (f) These players will continue to participate as a member of their teams remembering a player cannot play more than two games in any single day. Regular season and Tournament Teams cannot participate in the same tournament.
     (g) Failure to follow the above rules will subject the tournament team head coach to MAHA disciplinary action.
     (h) Tournament teams are not eligible for MAHA District competition.

From the MAHA Annual Guide pages 23-24

B. 14U - 19U Girls Tier II Category AA Division and 10U – 12U Travel Category AA Division Rostering Exception

a. Female players (ages 19 & under) may roster either with a youth team or with a girls’ team by following the rostering procedures for that classification. Additionally, under the
circumstances below a female player may petition to dual roster:

1) When the female player’s intent is to play for her youth team but would also like to participate with a rostered girls’ team for tournament play (limited to two tournaments per season up to 12/31 of the current season, excluding a State tournament). A female player who is on a youth Tier II primary (travel) roster cannot dual roster on a Tier III girls’ team for 2 tournaments. Female players who wish to dual roster under this condition must request permission to roster with the girl’s team by notifying the Vice-President of Girls/Women in writing and provide a letter of support from the coach of her youth team and the coach of the girl’s team prior to the request being considered by the MAHA Girls/Women Committee. The committee’s written approval must be presented to the District Associate Registrar(s) at the time of rostering on the girl’s team. All games played by the female player in the aforementioned circumstances will be included in the total game count as it applies to all Youth classifications.

2) A female player playing on a Youth Tier III team may dual roster on a girl’s Tier III team within the same Association. In the absence of a girls team in their Youth B team Association a female player may roster on a girls Tier III team that is offered in another local Association. Under these circumstances the female player is limited to 10 games (played prior to 12/31 of the current season) on the girls team. These games shall not include State playoffs.

3) A female player registered on a Girls Tier III team in an Association that has two or more such teams at an age level may also roster on a second Girls Recreational “Development” team from the same Association. The Development team must be comprised only of players from the Girls Tier III teams in the Association and the team shall not be formed by a tryout process. The Development team is limited to a maximum of 20 games and the games played will be included in the game count as it applies to all girls’ classifications.

b. Players who wishes to dual roster under the above conditions must notify the Girls’/Women’s Vice President in writing and provide a letter of support from both the youth team coach and the girls’ team coach prior to the request getting consideration by the MAHA Women’s Committee. Players must request dual rostering permission before rostering with their second team. The dual rostered player must present the District Associate Registrar(s) with the Committee’s written approval at the time of her registration.

10U - 19U Girls Tier III Rostering Exception

Female players (ages 19 & under) may roster either with a youth team or with a girls’ team by following the rostering procedures for that classification. Additionally, under the circumstances below a female player may petition to dual roster:

a. When the female player’s intent is to play for her youth team but would also like to participate with a rostered girls’ team for tournament play (limited to two tournaments per season prior to December 31). Female players who wish to dual roster under this condition must request permission to roster with the girl’s team by notifying the Vice President of Girls/Women in writing and provide a letter of support from the coach of her youth team and the coach of the girl’s team prior to the request being considered by the
MAHA Girls/Women Committee. The Committee’s written approval must be presented to the District Associate Registrar(s) at the time of rostering on the girl’s team. All games played by the female player in the aforementioned circumstances will be included in the total game count as it applies to all Youth classifications.

b. A female player playing on a Youth Tier III team may dual roster on a girl’s Tier III team within the same Association. In the absence of a girls team in their Youth Association a female player may roster on a girls Tier III team that is offered in another local Association.  Under these circumstances the female player is limited to 10 games on the girls team and the games played will be included in the game count as it applies for all Youth classifications. These games shall not include State playoffs.

c. A female player registered on a Girls Tier III team in an Association that has two or more such teams at an age level may also roster on a second Girls Recreational “Development” team from the same Association. The Development team must be comprised only of players from the Girls Tier III teams in the Association and the team shall not be formed by a tryout process. The Development team is limited to a maximum of 20 games and the games played will be included in the game count as it applies to all girls’ classifications.

d. Players who wish to dual roster under the above conditions must notify the Girls’/Women’s Vice President in writing and provide a letter of support from both the youth team coach and the girls’ team coach prior to the request getting consideration by the MAHA Women’s Committee. Players must request dual rostering permission before rostering with their second team. The dual rostered player must present the District Associate Registrar(s) with the Committee’s written approval at the time of her registration.

Effective in the 2023-2024 season, USA Hockey has changed their rule and will no longer allow substitute goalies
to participate in States or Nationals.

For regular season and District playoffs, substitute goalies will be allowed for all Age, Division, and Classifications.

For the MAHA State Tournament, only non-national bound teams will be allowed a substitute goalie.

The current MAHA substitute goalie rule pertaining to the circumstances in which a substitute goalie
may be used shall be found on page 25 of MAHA’s annual guidebook. It states, “A substitute goalie,
under such circumstances, may be used only in the case of an injury to the regular goalie. If a team
elects this method for a substitute goalie, the team may have only nineteen (19) players registered at
any time so as not to exceed the maximum number of players allowed.”

For the intent of this rule, injury is defined as a player who is injured or medically unable to compete.
Players out due to illness, with a supporting doctor’s note, will be deemed as “injured” for the intent of
this rule. Thus, a substitute goalie shall be allowed.

Common situations where a substitute goalie shall not be permitted: goalie unavailable due to family
vacation, conflicts with school or sporting event, team has a rostered back-up goalie who is eligible to
participate, etc.

Finally, teams requesting a substitute goalie must fill out the proper substitute goalie form and obtain
their respective District Chair’s signature. Directors and councilmembers are not eligible to approve
the substitute goalie. The substitute goalie form can be found on the State Playoff page of the MAHA
website (https://www.maha.org/stateplayoffs)

MAHA Substitute Goalie Criteria

MAHA Substitute Goalie Form

Over the course of the season, players may ask to be ‘released’ from their team for a variety of reasons. When that occurs, the Association/Club administrators should seek to determine the underlying cause and if there is any likelihood that the reason can be mitigated. If not, then the
following is the process to be employed. A MAHA release document must be completed.

The release form needs to be completed in full. There is a section covering the player’s financial obligation to the team; a section on game count; and signatures for the player, his/her parent, and the releasing organization. Many times the most difficult portion of the document to complete is the financial obligation section and getting the releasing Association/Club and the player’s parent(s) to agree on the obligation if any. Some teams may have specific player contracts with players and others may not.

From the MAHA Annual Guide Page 26 ; Section II. Registration and Rostering: Participants and Teams:

1. Player releases, unless requested by the player, cannot be made later than November 30 of the current playing season to be eligible for District, State and National tournaments. No players can be added to a team’s roster after December 23rd of the current playing season to be eligible for District, State and National tournaments. Exceptions to this provision, for District and States, may be made in extraordinary circumstances by a two-thirds majority approval of the State Playoff Committee prior to December 31st.
2. A player signed to an approved team roster must secure a release in writing from that team before signing with another team. A player receiving a release must be signed to the new team roster, and approved by the USA Hockey Associate Registrar, at least 72 hours in advance of playing in a game. A player requesting a release must be granted that request if he/she is current on their fees as outlined in their Association / team player contract. In absence of the contract a prorated amount must be determined based on participation at the point of the player’s release. That prorated amount must be paid before the release will be granted. Any and all equipment belonging to the team must be returned prior to the release as well. The District Council has the authority to release a player who is refused a release by his/her team or Association

MAHA Player Release Form

LINK TO MAHA BY LAWS

MAHA Annual Guide: Rules and Regulations
II. REGISTRATION AND ROSTERING: PARTICIPANTS AND TEAMS
Q. A player signed to a certified team roster must secure a release in writing from that team before signing with another team. A player receiving a release must be signed to the new team roster, as certified by the USA Hockey Associate Registrar, at least 72 hours in advance of playing in a game. A player requesting a release must be granted that request if he/she is current on their fees as outlined in their association / team player contract. In absence of the contract a prorated amount must be determined based on participation at the point of the player’s release. That prorated amount must be paid before the release will be granted. Any and all equipment belonging to the team must be returned prior to the release as well. The District Council has the authority to release a player who is refused a release by his/her team or Association.
Each Association/Club signs an ‘Affiliate Agreement’ each year with the MAHA. Included in that Agreement is the following to which all Association/Clubs must adhere-

P. Payment policies for all fees, costs and expenses related to participation shall be clearly outlined in an Affiliate’s Bylaws or Operating Rules. Policies for all fees, payments, late payment fees, equipment costs and injury credits shall be clearly identified in writing. An Affiliate may not collect
fees from a Registered Participant Member or his or her legal guardian in excess of the chart below:
After contract is signed but never participated in any activities with the affiliate $300
After September 1st 25% of total yearly fee stated in player contract.
After October 1st 50% of total yearly fee stated in player contract.
After November 1st 75% of total yearly fee stated in player contract.
After December 1st 100% of total yearly fee stated in player contract.

Your District 4 Representative can also guide you in adjudicating disputes between the Association/Club and the player’s parents. When a contract is not available, often times a team budget or other Association/Club/team documents used to define the financial obligations to the team can suffice.
In the case where the Association/Club and the player’s parents agree on the financial obligation, the MAHA release can be completed upon payment of the parent. In the case where the parent claims a refund is due, The District 4 Representative can provide leadership, if needed, on the amount of the refund that is due to the parent and direct the Association/Club to provide that refund. The MAHA release should not be held up while the amount of the refund is being determined.
In the case where the Association/Club claims monies owed, and the parent(s) disagrees, the amount outstanding claimed by the Association/Club should be recorded on the MAHA release. The release should not be signed until there is an agreement on the outstanding monies owed. The
MAHA release should not be held up for non payment.
Where a parent has chosen not to pay the amount owed as determined by the Association/Club, the Association/Club can take the parent to small claims court for recovery. The Association/Club can also seek to block the player from rostering on another team by invoking the member in good standing’ clause in both the MAHA and USA Hockey Annual Guides. An Association/Club seeking to block a player from rostering on another team, should follow the “Financial dispute Policy” in the MAHA Annual guide.

MAHA Annual Guide; ByLaw 4: MEMBERSHIP, Section B3
B. All members as defined in Bylaw 4, A. must be members in good standing with USA Hockey and the MAHA. Members not in good standing are ineligible to participate in MAHA. A member in good standing is defined as a member that (1) has not been convicted of a felony within the past 10 years, (2) is not currently serving a suspension or on probation under the authority of USA Hockey / the MAHA or any local hockey association, or (3) has no financial obligations to USA Hockey, the MAHA or any local hockey association.

USA Hockey Annual Guide; Rules and Regulations; Section III: TEAM MEMBERSHIP AND REGISTRATION
A. Membership
Except for Juniors, all teams of USA Hockey member programs must register with USA Hockey in a manner prescribed by the appropriate district registrar. All national championship bound teams shall be required to use the official USA Hockey roster registration form (1-T). Affiliates
and leagues may also require the USA Hockey roster registration form (1-T) for specified teams. In some instances, a simple listing of players and coaches may comprise an approved roster. All applicants for team membership must be members in good standing of an affiliate.

Throughout the process, the Association/Club can depend on their District 4 Representative for guidance. Copies of the release are filed with the Association/Club, the parent, and the MAHA Associate Registrar. The Association/Club should use the MAHA Release to have the player in
question removed from the current team roster.

II.REGISTRATION AND ROSTERING: PARTICIPANTS AND TEAMS
A player signed to a certified team roster must secure a release in writing from that team before signing with another team.

A player receiving a release must be signed to the new team roster, as certified by the USA Hockey Associate Registrar, at least 72 hours in advance of playing in a game. A player requesting a release must be granted that request ……..

When a team releases/drops a player from the team’s roster he/she is no longer on that team. If the team or player then decides to rejoin the same team, or another team, he/she is resigning/signing with that team and a new team roster is created. Once that new roster is certified that player cannot play in a game for 72 hours. This also applies to players added to the team after the initial roster is certified, even if they were not previously with another team.

Trying to add and release players in order to create a taxi squad of players who would otherwise not be eligible, or cause a team to be ineligible, is a violation of this rule. It is MAHA’s intention that every player should be active on his/her team for 100% of the team activities. If that is not possible with their current team, the player should be released so they can go to a team that can provide the appropriate opportunity for that player. Coaches and teams violating this rule are subject to discipline.

From the MAHA Annual Guide Pages 24-27

II. Registration and Rostering: Participants and Teams

A. For all participants (players and coaches), managers, locker room monitors and volunteers, USA Hockey registration shall be completed prior to participation in a USA Hockey/MAHA sanctioned event. Sanctioned events include all practices, games, scrimmages, invitational tournaments, clinics, conditioning activities, and tryouts leading toward team selection.

B. A player may be registered in only one (1) national ice hockey federation. All USA Hockey Participants (players and coaches) must complete the USA Hockey registration process using the USA Hockey website at usahockey.com. Each Participant (player and coach) will pay the USA Hockey individual membership fee and any applicable affiliate individual membership fee at the time of online registration. A Participant registered as a Player shall not be required to pay an additional fee as a Coach and a Participant registered as a Coach shall not be required to pay an additional fee as a Player. Participant registration is complete when the individual member registration information and all appropriate fees are received, and the Participant is claimed by a USA Hockey Member Program. A USA Hockey Member Program is a local association/club approved by and affiliated with MAHA.

C. Before playing any games, a team must have a USA Hockey approved roster (1-T) from the appropriate USA Hockey Associate Registrar. In the Adult Men’s and Women’s Rec. divisions, the (1-T) form is required before participating in the District/State playoffs. All rosters and required paperwork must be submitted to the appropriate USA Hockey Associate registrar for review and approval 72 hours before your first scheduled game. Any roster that is presented to the District Associate Registrar that needs additional verification of any players, coaches or manager’s eligibility will not be added to the roster until verification has been completed.

D. Any coach of any team not properly rostered with the USA Hockey and the MAHA who allows his/her team to participate in any games(s) is subject to discipline.
1. A coach or manager who upon the findings of the District Council knowingly allowed the participation of an ineligible player or coach in any game shall be subject to a recommended suspension up to one year.
2. A player or coach upon the findings of the District Council, who knowingly participated in a game as an ineligible player or coach, shall be suspended for not less than thirty (30) days.

E. The Regular season shall be September 1 to April 30. Spring/Summer season shall be April 1 through August 31. Pre/Post season includes all Split Season, Pilot Program and Pre-Season High school teams. That season shall run from August 1 to November 15. Rosters may be submitted up to 14 days prior to the beginning of the appropriate season. However, the roster, once approved by the appropriate USA Hockey Registrar, shall not take effect until the first day of any season and it receives certification from the appropriate USA Hockey Registrar. Players, who are rostered on a team still active in the current season, may not sign another team’s roster for an upcoming regular season or spring/summer season team until the team they are on has completed their season. Pre/Post split season type teams that have qualified for the State Championships will have the team roster suspended from the completion of the split season playoffs until the MHSAA championships have completed. Rosters of these teams will then be reactivated for the State and National Championships. All split season teams that do not qualify for the State Championships are considered as having a completed season and the players are released. No release paperwork is required for these players.

F. All teams are required to be District and State eligible for the classification, division and category
in which they are rostered.

Category Division Classification
Tier I AAA 14U, 15 Only, 16 Only
&18U Youth
Tier I AAA 14U – 19U Girls
Travel AAA 10U - 12U Youth & Girls
Tier II AA 14U - 18U Youth
Tier II AA 14U – 19U Girls
Travel AA 10U - 12U Youth & Girls
Travel A 9U, 11U & 13U Youth
Tier III B, BB 10U - 18U Youth
Tier III B 10U – 19U Girls
Cross-Ice N/A 6U & 8U

G. Procedure for rostering a team: Each team is required to roster online through the USA Hockey Registry Program. This is completed through their Association/organization Register creating the USA 1-T roster. All players, coaches, managers, and volunteers that appear on the roster must also register online at USA Hockey. Before a coach can be added to the roster, he/she is required to complete the online coaching education component for the classification they will be participating in. Coaches, managers, and volunteers must also complete Safe Sport training and an approved MAHA background screening to be added to the roster. Acceptable proof of age shall consist of a readable copy of a player’s government issued birth certificate, or, if a birth certificate is not available, a copy of a Passport ID page. A U.S. Military record of birth will be acceptable in lieu of a birth certificate for players born of parent(s) in the U.S. Military. An affidavit sworn to before a Notary Public duly authorized to act in the State of Michigan may be used only in those circumstances where a birth certificate or U.S. Military record of birth is not legally available. Non-U.S. citizens must provide proof of legal residency and proof of release and transfer from the home country ice hockey federation.

H. All teams rostered with the MAHA and USA Hockey must have a head coach and team manager in good standing with the MAHA and USA Hockey. Coach and team managers must be rostered at the same time as the players. Teams may roster additional team officials at any time. Coaches and team managers can only be rostered on one team in an age/division classification at a time;
ex. Registration with a Bantam A and Bantam B is acceptable since these are different classifications. The team manager shall be the custodian of all documents necessary for credential review prior to participation in Tournaments, Districts, State and National playoffs. All 10U and above teams will also need to have team jersey numbers both home and away and player positions entered into the roster.

I. Once a roster is approved, Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and Managers may only be deleted from the roster by letter of resignation, removal by the rostering Association for cause, or suspension by the respective District Council not withstanding appeal reversal. Changes cannot be made from Assistant Coach or Manager to Head Coach or visa-versa, from an approved roster without review by the respective District Council. The District Council Chairperson will notify the Associate Registrar and the State Playoff Committee Chairperson, in writing, of a District Council's approved change in a coaching staff.

J. A player is a resident of the District in which he/she resides. In cases of divorced parents, the player may be recognized to play as an “In District” player in either of the Districts in which the parents reside. Once the player chooses, the player will remain as an “In District” player, for that District only, for the balance of the regular season.

K. Michigan resident players of any age classification are permitted to play for an Association/Club that has the rink closet to their residence, based on the shortest distance by roads calculated by Google Maps, and will not be counted as an out of District player if it is beyond District boundaries. Player residence documentation must be provided at the time of team registration with MAHA/USA Hockey and approval received from both the respective districts.

L. 8 & under Cross Ice Programs are to roster using the classification 6 & under or 8 & under and the category is Cross Ice, the division will be N/A. The number of players on these rosters is a maximum of 50. All coaches and volunteer coaches participating with the cross-ice program must be on the roster.

M. Substitute Goalkeepers.
A team may pick up a substitute goalie from within its own Association or District if it does not already have a spare goalie registered. For a non-National bound category, the substitute goalie must be registered in the current season on a team of equal or lower age classification and equal or lower team classification. For the National bound category, the substitute goalie must be registered in the current season on a lower classification team.
A substitute goalie, under such circumstances, may be used only in the case of an injury to the regular goalie. If a team elects this method for a substitute goalie, the team may have only nineteen (19) players registered at any time so as not to exceed the maximum number of players allowed.

N. Each Youth Classification, Split Season, Invitational Tournament, Pre/Post and Regular season type, team may roster twenty (20) players, including goaltenders. The maximum number of players, excluding goalkeepers, shall not exceed eighteen (18).
Non-Varsity High School Division teams may roster up to 25 players between September 1 and November 14 each season. After November 15, those teams with 20 or more players on their roster would not be able to add any additional players. Any team that falls below 20 could add additional players to bring their team up to 20 players.
High School Varsity Division teams may roster 30 players, but can only dress 20 players, including goaltenders for any game.
Spring/Summer type teams formed to play between the end of the last USA Hockey Youth/Girls National Championship and August 31, have a limit of twenty-five (25) players on a roster and may dress twenty (20) players per game.
Adult US/Adult No-Check classification teams may roster twenty-five (25) players during any season. A team may only dress 20 players for any game, of which only 18 may be skaters, per USA Hockey rules.

O. A player rostered with a Youth or Girls Division classification team is ineligible to simultaneously roster or participate with a team in any Adult Division, College Division, Junior Division High or Prep School Division. Upon participating in any of these divisions, the player is automatically dropped from the Youth or Girls Division roster. A player rostered with a Youth Division classification team may attend tryouts and participate in practices with an Interscholastic High School program as long as they do not participate in any interschool scrimmages or any games. Once they participate in an interschool scrimmage or game, they are automatically released from the Youth or Girls Division roster. Following any of the above occurrences, the team manager of the Youth or Girls Division team must immediately notify the District Registrar of the removal of the player from the roster via a player release form.

P. No player who is properly rostered in any Youth Classification by December 31st of the current playing season, may be rostered after December 31st with any Junior team. With the exception of affiliated players, if the player plays in a Junior game after December 31, he/she loses all eligibility on his/her youth team for the remainder of the season, regardless of how many games are played at the Junior level.

Q. A rostered team in any of the Youth classifications may not play in more than one (1) classification
during the regular season.

R. Rostering Exceptions.
A player may be rostered with only one (1) MAHA/USA Hockey team at a time during the regular (winter) season except as noted below.

1. Adult Division (Men’s/Women’s) Classifications: are allowed to play for more than one team in different leagues.
     a. All Adult Men’s MAHA rules shall be applicable to Women’s rostered teams. Women’s players are allowed to play for more than one team in different leagues including playing in Adult Men’s leagues.

2. Men or Women are allowed to be rostered on more than one team within the same league if they are participating with the additional team(s) for the purposes of tournament play only. Players must designate to the league which team they will participate with for regular season play.

3. Girls rostered on youth teams are allowed to dual roster and participate on Girls Tier II for tournaments under certain guidelines. See the appropriate Age & division Classification for specific guidelines

4. Youth and Girls Tier III players are allowed to dual roster and participate on Tournament Teams for tournaments under certain guidelines. See the appropriate Age & division Classification for specific guidelines.

S. Player releases, unless requested by the player, cannot be made later than November 30 of the current playing season to be eligible for District, State and National tournaments. No players can be added to a team’s roster after December 23rdof the current playing season to be eligible for District, State and National tournaments. Exceptions to this provision, for District and States, may be made in extraordinary circumstances by a two-thirds majority approval of the State Playoff Committee prior to December 31st. Junior players returning to youth teams will have a deadline of December 31st
.
T. A player signed to an approved team roster must secure a release in writing from that team before signing with another team. A player receiving a release must be signed to the new team roster, and approved by the USA Hockey Associate Registrar, at least 72 hours in advance of playing in a game. A player requesting a release must be granted that request if he/she is current on their fees as outlined in their Association / team player contract. In absence of the contract a
prorated amount must be determined based on participation at the point of the player’s release. That prorated amount must be paid before the release will be granted. Any and all equipment belonging to the team must be returned prior to the release as well. The District Council has the authority to release a player who is refused a release by his/her team or Association.

NOTE:

NOTE:  At the 14U/Bantam AA classification, no team may roster any player 12 years of age or under.   A PeeWee(12U) AA player is not eligible to play on a Bantam (14U) AA team, since Bantam AA is the first national bound year.

For Girls, no player 12 years of age or younger (as defined in the age classification chart for the current season) is eligible to play on a team eligible to compete in the District or National Championships or playoffs leading thereto.

Girls can only participate in only one age classification higher than their actual birth year classification. Requests for a one year waiver shall be submitted to the State Playoff Committee.  There is no such rule in the boy's section of the MAHA Guide book.  Page 43