ALL players that live outside School District 194 and open enroll into the school district need a waiver to play for LHA. Contact your home association to start the waiver process.

If you live in School District 194 and are waiving out of LHA, contact Scott Foley at president@lakevillehockey.org to start the waiver process.

  A.  PARTICIPATION POLICY - MH is a community-based amateur hockey program. Members in good standing are to participate on teams from their local association (local affiliate) based on the residence of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). The boundaries of the geographical area served by each local association are determined by MH and recorded in the Affiliate Agreements. In some circumstances, players may participate in another association by requesting a formal waiver from this policy.

B.  PARTICIPATION RULE

1. Players must register and participate with the association whose boundaries incorporate the player’s residence. To participate on any other association's team, the player must obtain a waiver.

a. All waiver requests must be submitted on a current Waiver Form provided by MH.  It is a four part carbon copy so cannot be obtained electronically.

b. The Waiver Form must indicate the reason for the waiver request.  (school attendance, opportunity to play on travel team, co-op team, etc.).

c. The releasing and receiving associations may add conditions or restrictions to the waiver.  Conditions must be indicated on the Waiver Form and initialed by all parties executing the waiver.

d. Waiver Forms must be signed by the releasing and receiving association presidents before being submitted to the District Director for approval.  If the releasing and receiving associations are in two districts, the waiver form must be submitted to both District Directors for approval.

e. Non-Minnesota residents desiring to play for MH must follow the Inter‑Affiliate Transfer Protocol.

2. Definitions

Residence – the community in which the parent(s) or legal guardian(s)/custodian(s) as confirmed by a court,  having primary custody live(s) the majority of time when tryouts begin.  A pending move is not considered unless the parent or legal guardian has closed on the sale of a new residence.  Players moving after tryouts begin can be assigned to teams on a space-available basis.

Association of Residence – the association whose boundaries include the player's residence.

Association of School Attendance – the association whose boundaries include the location of the school the player attends.

Home Association – either the Association of Residence, or the Association of School Attendance to which a player has been properly waived and continues to attend school.

School – the primary educational provider of the student to achieve progress towards a high school diploma, the equivalent of a high school diploma, or any post high school degree. If the provider does not instruct the student at a physical facility, the location of the school shall be the student’s primary residence. High school students taking post high school classes shall not be deemed to be attending school at the post high school provider’s location.

Mandatory Waiver – neither the releasing nor the accepting association can decline to approve a school attendance waiver that meets the requirements as described below.

Discretionary Waiver – an agreement between associations to transfer a player for reasons as agreed to by the affected associations and District Director(s).  Any of the approving parties have the authority to reject such a waiver.

3. A Mandatory Waiver shall be granted to any player in good standing, without conditions except as described below, who wishes to participate in the MH association whose boundaries incorporate the school in which the player is enrolled and is attending, as follows:

a. For schools with multiple campuses, the "main" campus shall prevail unless agreed otherwise by the affected District Director(s).

b. If a player attends their normally-assigned public school, and that school normally includes students from more than one youth hockey association, the player shall be assigned to their Association of Residence and is not eligible for a school-attendance waiver.

c. Players waived based on school choice shall be deemed to be members of their Association of School Attendance and shall have full rights and privileges accorded to all members of that association, including voting rights. (Exception – see "Changing Schools" below.)

d. Players receiving a waiver based on school attendance shall register with their Association of School Attendance for as long as they are qualified students of that school (including the first year). If they stop attending school in that association's area, they revert back to their Association of Residence for participation or waiver.

4. Players waived for non-school attendance reasons are subject to the receiving association's policies in accordance with MH governing documents (may not be eligible for "A" team, may be assigned to lowest available team, etc.). They shall remain members of their Home Association, not the association they were waived to, with full rights and privileges accorded to all association members including voting rights.

5. Changing Schools

a.Players who change schools without a related change of residence shall elect one of he following:

1. Have full eligibility to compete at any division in their Association of Residence; or

2. Be eligible at all except the highest division in their new Association of School Attendance for one (1) year beginning with the first day of attendance in the new school.

b. Players who have participated in their Association of School Attendance and desire to return to their Association of Residence without a related change of school shall elect one of the following:

1. Have full eligibility to compete at any division with their Association of School Attendance for one (1) year beginning with the first day that they notify in writing both involved associations of their intent to return to their Association of Residence; or

2. Be eligible at all except the highest division in their Association of Residence for one (1) year beginning with the first day that they notify in writing both involved associations of their intent to return to their Association of Residence.

c. For purposes of this rule, a team that is eligible to participate in "AA" level playoffs at the end of the season will be considered a higher division than a team within the same association that is eligible to participate in "A" level playoffs.

d. Submit unusual circumstances to the District Director for a decision, which is final.

6. A waiver must be obtained before a player can participate outside of their Home Association. During a season, a player that registers or participates with one association cannot participate with any other association without a waiver. Trying out in an association is considered participation. A player that participates without a necessary waiver is considered an ineligible player. Refer to the Section entitled Eligibility Provisions.

7. Players denied a waiver or given a waiver with conditions by their Home Association may appeal in writing to the Home Association's District Director. The Director's decision is final.

8. Players having dual citizenship, one being the United States, must conform to this participation rule.

The waiver form is a four part carbon form provided by Minnesota Hockey and cannot be obtained electronically.

This is the procedure that needs to be followed to get ALL required signatures before your player goes on the ice for tryouts.  After each signature, you will take the waiver with you.