Dallas Stars Travel Hockey League - Chaparral Ice

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                                           Dallas  Stars  Travel  Hockey  League                                          

      Background  

Several  years  ago  the  Texas  Amateur  Hockey  Association  (TAHA)  recognized  that  Tier   I  hockey  had  become  more  of  a  money-­‐‑making  venture  for  some  organizations  than  a   true  player  development  and  advancement  vehicle.  The  number  of  organizations  and   teams  claiming  Tier  I  status  could  not  be  supported  by  the  pool  of  Tier  I  talent  in  Texas   and  Oklahoma.  The  result  was  an  excessive  number  of  imports  coming  to  Texas  to  play   Tier  I  hockey,  and  Tier  II  players  paying  Tier  I  fees  to  sit  on  the  end  of  a  bench.   TAHA  established  guidelines  on  Tier  I  hockey  and  began  limiting  the  number  of  Tier  I   organizations  and  teams  to  improve  the  competitiveness  of  local  teams,  reduce  the   number  of  imports  from  out  of  the  area,  and  get  local  players  competing  at  the   appropriate  levels.     Entering  the  third  year  of  the  established  Tier  I  selection  process,  the  pyramid  structure   is  clearly  working  as  three  of  the  four  Rocky  Mountain  District  champions  were  from   Texas.  The  fourth  Texas  Tier  I  team  narrowly  missed  also  advancing  to  the  National   Championship  tournament  with  a  loss  in  triple  overtime.   The  player  pyramid  simply  works,  and  it  has  become  evident  that  attention  now  needs   to  be  focused  on  Tier  II  hockey  and  below.     The  Stars,  along  with  several  local  hockey  organizations,  recognize  that  there  are  not   enough  upper  level  players  available  to  support  the  number  of  organizations  offering   “AA”  teams.  The  talent  pool  has  been  severely  diluted  locally  with  “A”  players  rostered   on  “AA”  teams  and  “B”  and  “house  level”  players  playing  on  “A”  teams.     The  end  result  has  been  watered  down  competition  at  ALL  levels  and  many  of  the   players  overpaying  for  their  hockey  experience.  The  game  has  become  entirely  too   expensive  for  new  players,  many  of  whom  have  to  bypass  the  much  needed  house   development  phase  to  jump  onto  more  expensive  travel  teams  to  fill  rosters.  These  

budget-­‐‑filling  players  are  sacrificing  learning  and  development  all  in  the  name  of  some   organizations  claiming  “AA”  status.   The  NTXHL  has  been  exceedingly  ineffective  at  stemming  the  unnecessary  expansion  of   hockey  associations  or  in  setting  and  “upholding”  rules  on  the  number  of  “AA”   programs  and  teams.    In  fact  many  of  their  decisions  created  even  more  talent  dilution   and  non-­‐‑competitive  playing  divisions.   The  Dallas  Stars  Travel  Hockey  League  (DSTHL)  was  formed  to  establish  some   restrictions  on  “AA”  hockey,  to  facilitate  players  competing  on  the  teams  they  are  more   suited  to  be  on,  to  reduce  the  overall  number  of  “travel”  teams,  and  to  hopefully  reduce   the  cost  of  our  sport  for  current  and  new  players.   The  DSTHL  has  no  desire  to  negatively  impact  any  rink  or  reduce  the  number  of  kids   playing  hockey.  We  believe  there  should  be  a  team  for  every  kid  who  wants  to  play  our   sport.  Not  every  player  is  a  travel  or  elite  level  player  (at  least  at  this  moment),  and  we   want  teams  to  be  affordable  and  participate  at  the  appropriate  level;  “AA”,  “A”,  “B”  or   House  to  allow  maximum  learning,  enjoyment,  and  development.     In  short  the  DSTHL  continues  the  player  development  pyramid  and  is  the  correct   approach  to  delivering  intelligent  and  financially  appropriate  hockey  teams.   The  launch  of  the  new  Dallas  Stars  Travel  Hockey  League  (DSTHL)  has  the  complete   support  and  backing  of  the  Dallas  Stars  of  the  NHL.  The  encouragement  and   endorsements  from  the  local  hockey  community  have  been  strong  with  very  few  but   predictable  exceptions.     To  be  sure,  we  will  not  be  able  to  answer  every  question  at  this  point,  and  some   information  may  not  be  available  for  some  time,  but  rest  assured  that  we  are  working  to   establish  the  structure  and  governance  that  will  provide  a  quality  environment  for   League  members  and  improve  the  overall  level  of  competition  in  all  our  playing   divisions.             2    

   

 

 

 

Dallas  Stars  Travel  Hockey  League  

 

 

 

 

 

                             FAQs  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q-­‐‑1  How  will  the  new  DSTHL  be  governed?     A. League  direction  and  policy  will  be  set  by  an  Executive  Committee  that  will  be   comprised  of  representatives  from  the  Charter  Member  Organizations  (Alliance,   DJHA,  Stars  and  Wild).  The  NHL  Stars  will  sit  on  the  Executive  Committee,  and   Affiliate  Members  Organizations  will  each  select  one  non-­‐‑voting  representative  to  sit   on  the  Committee.         The  initial  Executive  Committee  will  consist  of:     • Dallas  Alliance  –  Paul  Freudigman   • DJHA  –  Bryan  Ford   • Dallas  Jr.  Stars  –  Keith  Andresen   • Houston  Wild  –  Karen  Young   • NHL  Stars  –  Ed  Reusch     The  DSTHL  will  select  a  Commissioner  to  oversee  the  day-­‐‑to-­‐‑day  operation  of  the   League  and  provide  liaison  support  with  all  League  Members.     Q-­‐‑2  How  were  participating  Organizations  selected?     A. The  decision  on  who  to  invite  to  participate  was  based  on  several  factors.  The   League  wanted  clubs  that  have  demonstrated  stability  over  time,  and  clubs  that   have  exhibited  a  history  of  class,  character,  and  responsibility,  with  a  willingness  to   work  effectively  with  others.  We  recognize  this  League  is  a  change  for  everyone,  but   it  won’t  be  successful  unless  the  participating  organizations  are  committed  to  work   together  to  seek  solutions.       On-­‐‑ice  success  was  a  consideration  but  not  a  driving  force  as  we  sought  to  invite   organizations  who  believe  that  changes  were  necessary  to  improve  hockey  in  our   region.  We  want  all  participating  organizations  to  find  success  in  this  new  DSTHL   but  we  all  have  to  be  willing  to  sacrifice  and  compromise  to  improve  the  sport.     3    

Geography  was  also  factor  in  Dallas  as  we  looked  to  add  programs  that  were   dispersed  across  the  Metroplex.  We  did  not  want  to  have  organizations  competing   for  the  same  players  in  a  small  territory  if  possible.  You  will  find  no  building  with   more  than  one  accepted  Member  Organization  except  the  centrally  located  Valley   Ranch  facility  which  houses  both  Tier  I  organizations.     Outside  of  Dallas  and  Houston  the  DSTHL  wanted  to  continue  to  provide  a  strong   and  sound  League  option  to  the  smaller  market  Clubs.  The  League  wants  to  do           what  it  can  to  further  the  development  of  players  and  teams  across  Texas,  Oklahoma   and  Louisiana.       Q-­‐‑3  Will  teams  out  of  Dallas  still  be  allowed  to  host  weekend  play?     A. It  is  the  League’s  intention  to  continue  the  policy  of  host  weekends  for  non-­‐‑Dallas       organizations  and  teams  in  the  “A”  and  “B”  divisions.  At  the  “AA”  level  we  are   considering  a  different  approach  that  would  more  closely  mirror  college  and  junior   game  weekends  where  the  visiting  team  would  travel  in  for  a  two-­‐‑game  series   against  the  home  team.    The  non-­‐‑Dallas  “AA”  Member  Organizations,  however,   will  not  be  limited  to  two  (2)  games  per  travel  weekend  and  may  participate  in  up   to  four  (4)  league  or  non-­‐‑league  games  upon  travelling  to  Dallas.         Q-­‐‑4  Will  costs  increase  with  the  new  DSTHL?     A. Costs  for  the  new  DSTHL  have  not  been  finalized  but  we  do  not  expect  costs  to  be   substantially  changed  from  the  prior  league.  There  may  be  some  adjustments  for   the  older  and  upper  level  teams  as  we  are  considering  some  modifications  to  game   format  (longer  periods,  three-­‐‑man  officiating  crew,  and  hosting  responsibilities).         Q-­‐‑5  How  many  teams  will  each  Member  Organization  be  allowed  to  offer?     A. Those  clubs  operating  “AA”  teams  in  the  DSTHL  will  be  allowed  one  (1)  team  at   “AA”  in  each  age  bracket  (18U,  16U,  14U,  12U,  and  10U).  “AA”  organizations  may   also  offer  UP  TO  five  (5)  A  or  B  teams  in  the  DSTHL.  Provided,  however,  that   during  the  2012/13  and  2013/14  seasons  we  recognize  some  of  the  organizations  will   have  budget  restrictions  that  necessitate  up  to  twelve  (12)  teams  in  the  League,  and   multiple  “A”  or  “B”  teams  in  an  age  division  will,  therefore,  be  acceptable.  Those   organizations,  however,  must  be  down  to  ten  (10)  League  teams  by  the  start  of  the   2014/15  season.     4    

Affiliate  Member  Organizations  may  be  allowed  UP  TO  eight  (8)  teams  in  the  DSTHL.   There  should  be  at  least  one  team  in  each  age  division,  and  multiple  “A”  or  “B”  teams   in  an  age  division  will  be  acceptable.  The  new  DSTHL  will  feature  four  “Charter   Member  Organizations”  competing  at  the  “AA”  level.  Three  organizations  will  be   Dallas  based  (DJHA,  Alliance,  and  the  Dallas  Jr.  Stars)  and  one  organization  in  Houston   (Wild).       Additionally,  where  competitive,  “AA”  teams  will  be  accepted  from  Austin  (Texas  Jr.   Stars)  and  Oklahoma  (OKC).  In  Dallas,  the  League  will  accept  one  additional  “AA”   organization  at  Midget  Major  and  Midget  Minor  reflecting  the  number  of  potential   players  currently  in  the  Dallas  market  at  the  midget  age  groups.  The  Allen  Americans   have  been  accepted  to  fill  the  fourth  Midget  “AA”  slot  (minor  and  major).         Organizations  participating  in  the  “AA”  divisions  will  be  allowed  ONE  (1)  “AA”  team   in  each  age  bracket  (18U,  16U,  14U,  12U,  and  10U).  The  clear  goal  is  to  reduce  the   number  of  teams  claiming  “AA”  status  and  elevate  the  level  of  competition.     “Affiliate  Member  Organizations”  will  compete  at  the  “A”  and  “B”  levels  as  determined   by  leveling  play  and  evaluations.  The  DSTHL  will  accept  UP  TO  eight  (8)  teams  from   each  Affiliate  Member  skating  in  the  “A”  and  “B”  divisions.     Q-­‐‑6  How  will  leveling  be  handled  in  the  DSTHL?     A. For  the  2012/13  season  the  DSTHL  will  continue  to  use  the  Labor  Day  tournament   as  the  primary  tool  for  leveling.  All  teams,  including  “AA”  teams,  will  be  required   to  participate  in  the  expected/desired  bracket.  There  will  be  just  one  weekend  of   leveling  instead  of  the  two  previously  considered  by  the  former  league.    No   additional  AA  teams  will  be  added  through  leveling  except  at  the  squirt  level  (see   Q-­‐‑8).         Rosters  for  teams  leveling  during  the  Labor  Day  tournament  may  not  include  guest   players,  temporary,  or  part-­‐‑time  players.  The  roster  you  level  with  should  be  the   roster  you  play  with  during  the  season.  All  players  competing  in  the  Labor  Day   tournament  must  be  contracted  to  the  team  and  organization  he/she  is  playing  on.     Prior  to  your  team’s  first  game  of  the  tournament,  each  team  manager  must  present   a  credentialing  book  that  includes  DSTHL-­‐‑approved  proof  of  contract  for  each   player  on  the  roster.    Players  who  do  not  have  a  signed  contract  prior  to  the  Labor   Day  tournament  will  not  be  eligible  to  participate  in  the  tournament.       5    

Any  team  found  to  be  using  a  guest  player  during  the  leveling  tournament  or   determined  to  have  used  a  guest  player  during  the  tournament  will  be  removed   from  the  League  and  subject  to  sanctions  and  fines.     If  after  the  Labor  Day  tournament  any  team  experiences  more  than  a  30%  change  in   roster  not  attributed  to  certified  injury  (ies),  that  team  may  be  ineligible  for  playoffs.       In  future  years  the  DSTHL  will  consider  alternatives  to  the  Labor  Day  tournament.     Q-­‐‑7  Will  the  DSTHL  have  team  and  roster  size  requirements?     A. Accepted  Member  Organizations  will  not  have  to  meet  minimum  number  of  team   requirements  to  play  in  the  League.       The  DSTHL  does  want  to  ensure  the  viability  of  each  team  playing  in  the  League  so   the  MINIMUM  roster  requirements  are  as  follows:     • Squirt  teams  must  have  minimum  of  10  skaters  and  1  goalie   • PW  teams  must  have  minimum  of  12  skaters  and  1  goalie   • Bantam  teams  must  have  a  minimum  of  15  skaters  and  1  goalie   • Midget  Minor  /  Midget  Major  A  teams  must  have  a  minimum  of  15   skaters  and  2  goalies   • Midget  Minor  /  Midget  Major  “AA”  teams  must  have  a  minimum  of  16   skaters  and  2  goalies     Any  team  that  has  not  met  the  roster  requirement  by  August  1st  will  be  required  to   release  contracted  players  to  allow  them  to  find  other  teams  to  play  on  for  the   coming  season.  There  can  be  no  penalty  assessed  against  players  whose  teams  did   not  meet  the  roster  requirements.  The  League  will  attempt  to  devote  a  portion  of   the  DSTHL  web  site  to  teams  seeking  players  in  hopes  of  assisting  players  in   securing  spots.     Q-­‐‑8  Will  the  Elite  teams  be  playing  in  the  League?     A. No,  with  the  following  exception.  The  lone  team  from  the  Elite  that  will  be  playing   in  the  DSTHL  will  be  the  first  year,  2003,  Squirt  team.  Given  that  both  Tier  I   organizations  will  have  Squirts  coming  from  the  Mite  ADM  program,  both  Alliance   and  Elite  will  be  allowed  to  put  their  minor  Squirt  teams  in  the  League  at  whatever   division  (AA/A/B)  they  level  at  during  the  Labor  Day  tournament.   6    

Additionally,  DSTHL  Member  Organizations  support  the  official  TAHA  Tier  I   organizations,  the  Dallas  Stars  Elite  and  the  Alliance,  and  will  be  required  to   schedule  non-­‐‑league  scrimmage  games  against  specific  teams  at  the  scheduling   meeting.       Q-­‐‑9  If  my  Organization  is  currently  only  playing  at  A/B,  can  we  ever  get  to  AA?       A. The  DSTHL  Executive  Committee  each  year,  prior  to  tryouts,  will  evaluate  the   number  of  players  in  our  cities,  the  levels  they  play,  and  each  organization’s  results   during  the  prior  seasons.  We  want  the  most  competitive  divisions  possible  so  an   organization  that  is  consistently  demonstrating  strong  on-­‐‑ice  performance  and   models  the  attributes  of  class  and  character  may  be  considered  to  move  to  the   higher  playing  bracket.       Q-­‐‑10  What  communication  can  Member  Organizations  expect  from  the  DSTHL?     A. The  League  is  currently  developing  a  website  that  will  deliver  the  majority  of   information  to  Organizations,  coaches,  players,  and  parents.       Additionally,  the  League  will  hold  one  annual  meeting  each  year  for  Member   Organizations’  representatives  and  one  or  two  conference  calls  throughout  the  year   with  team  representatives.       Q-­‐‑11  Will  eligibility  and  playing  rules  be  the  same  in  the  DSTHL  as  the  old  league?     A. Eligibility  will  follow  USA  Hockey  guidelines.  Players  can  be  on  only  one  League   roster  at  a  time;  players  may  not  be  on  multiple  Tier  rosters  at  any  given  point;  and   junior  players  will  be  eligible  until  they  reach  six  games  at  the  junior  level.  After  six   junior  games  they  are  no  longer  eligible  for  play  in  the  DSTHL.     Playing  rules  will  mirror  USA  Hockey  rules;  although,  we  are  exploring  applying   for  pilot  league  status  on  several  potential  rule  changes  that  may  be  introduced  in   the  coming  year.     Q-­‐‑12  Will  girls’  teams  be  allowed  to  play  in  the  DSTHL?     A. Yes  provided  they  play  at  an  age  group  that  does  not  include  checking.  The  DSTHL   wants  to  promote  and  support  girls’  hockey  in  any  way  possible.  However,  asking   the  boys  teams  to  alter  the  rules  for  league  games  does  not  seem  appropriate.       7    

Q-­‐‑13  How  will  the  League  conduct  playoffs?     A. Although  we  have  not  finalized  the  format  of  playoffs  and  we  are  considering   several  options,  we  want  the  regular  season  to  have  meaning  and  those  teams  that   excel  during  the  season  to  be  rewarded.       The  League  wants  strong  competition  and  wishes  to  foster  an  environment  where   players  learn  and  grow  from  both  winning  and  losing  on  the  ice.  Learning  how  to   win  and  learning  how  to  deal  with  losing  are  both  teaching  opportunities  for  our   coaches  and  League.       Q-­‐‑14  Will  tryouts  change  with  the  new  DSTHL?     A. The  DSTHL  will  follow  the  tryout  schedule  released  earlier  by  TAHA.     The  June  23  tryout  start  date  for  non-­‐‑DFW  Member  Organizations,  as  previously   established  by  TAHA,  will  not  change.     Q-­‐‑15  Who  is  playing  in  the  DSTHL?     A.    The  current  list  of  clubs  who  have  accepted  positions  in  the  DSTHL  (as  at  May  18,   2012)  are:   Allen  Americans     Alliance  Youth  Hockey  Association   BAHHA  (Houston)   DJHA   Dallas  Jr.  Stars   Houston  Wild   OKC  Oil  Kings   Lone  Star  Wolves   San  Antonio   Texas  Aces   Texas  Brahmas   Texas  Jr.  Stars  (Austin)     Additional  Members  will  be  announced  soon.     Q-­‐‑16  What  if  my  child  does  not  make  a  travel  team?     A. In  the  DFW  area,  plans  for  a  cooperative  effort  between  DSTHL  Member  rinks   for  a  city-­‐‑wide  house  league  with  an  added  level  of  play  between  traditional   8    

house  and  “B”  travel  are  underway.  It  has  taken  incredible  effort  and   compromise  between  rinks  and  clubs  to  get  the  new  DSTHL  off  the  ground.    We   feel  that  the  time  is  right  to  extend  this  cooperation  between  rinks  to  the  bases  of   the  pyramid.     Q-­‐‑17  How  many  regular  season  games  will  be  played  during  the  2012/13  season?     A. The  target  number  of  regular  season  games  is  20  but  may  vary  slightly  by   division  based  on  the  number  of  teams  in  that  division.     Q-­‐‑18  May  any  team  of  a  participating  DSTHL  Charter  or  Affiliate  Member   Organization  participate  in  another  league  or  play  an  independent  schedule?     A. With  the  exception  of  the  Alliance  Tier  I  and  12U  AAA  teams,  all  Charter  and   Affiliate  member  teams  must  play  in  the  DSTHL.    Teams  may  not  participate  in   any  other  league  or  regularly  scheduled  series  or  showcase.    Teams  are  free  to   participate  in  weekend/annual  holiday  tournaments  and  schedule  scrimmage   games  against  opponents  of  their  choice,  IN  ADDITION  to  league  play.                

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