High school player playing down?

betterupnorth · Post by **betterupnorth** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 3:42 pm

After Hermantown's Bantam A team ended their season with a loss to North Shore, some of the Hermantown parents realized that North Shore had a girl playing for them who hadn't played in either of the two teams regular-season games and just started playing in districts. They figured out she had been playing for the Two Harbors girls' varsity, and called mn hockey to see if North Shore would have to forfeit for using an ineligible player. What they heard from the tournament director of the north region was that even though she had played varsity hockey, since she was rostered before the deadline she was still eligible to play bantams since there was no rule against it. In my personal opinion, once someone starts playing for their high school they shouldn't be allowed to just join a youth team once their high school season ends. Does anyone have any thoughts or willing to explain why there isn't a rule against it?

oldschoolpuckster · Post by **oldschoolpuckster** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:02 pm

First it was losing to STA....now losing to a girl....Stop complaining Hermantown!!

greybeard58 · Post by **greybeard58** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:44 pm

There is a rule in place and whether a player was on the roster before 12/31 is a moot point. Here is the section page 25 MN hockey handbook read B. Playing season would include playoffs.

V. ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS
A. Any team found to have an ineligible player that participates in any MH sanctioned on-ice activity will be suspended from MH District, Region and State Tournament play for the current season. This suspension may be reviewed by the cognizant District Director to determine if the severity of the suspension is appropriate and a less severe penalty may be imposed if the facts so dictate.

B. Any high school hockey player who participates with their high school hockey team beyond December 31st shall not be eligible for MH sanctioned teams during the balance of the playing season. Refer to the Minnesota State High School League rules for future High School eligibility.

C. In the Junior Gold and 16 & Under classification a player must have played 5 games before January 25th in order to be eligible for participation in District, Regional and State playoffs.

Old school a legitimate complaint

Nevertoomuchhockey · Post by **Nevertoomuchhockey** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:03 pm

greybeard58 wrote:There is a rule in place and whether a player was on the roster before 12/31 is a moot point. Here is the section page 25 MN hockey handbook read B. Playing season would include playoffs.

V. ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS
A. Any team found to have an ineligible player that participates in any MH sanctioned on-ice activity will be suspended from MH District, Region and State Tournament play for the current season. This suspension may be reviewed by the cognizant District Director to determine if the severity of the suspension is appropriate and a less severe penalty may be imposed if the facts so dictate.

B. Any high school hockey player who participates with their high school hockey team beyond December 31st shall not be eligible for MH sanctioned teams during the balance of the playing season. Refer to the Minnesota State High School League rules for future High School eligibility.

C. In the Junior Gold and 16 & Under classification a player must have played 5 games before January 25th in order to be eligible for participation in District, Regional and State playoffs.

Old school a legitimate complaint

I would agree. But considering how terrible that Two Harbors team was this year, did the player who moved over really affect the game that positively that she was the difference in win vs loss? Or is Hermantown just looking for a way to get to state?
Not saying that anyone on any team should be subject to any bending of the rules. But unless the game would have been dramatically different without her there, personally id leave it alone.
And it's not playing down. Most high school freshman still have bantam or 14u eligibility.

greybeard58 · Post by **greybeard58** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:33 pm

the player is ineligible period strength of the team is a moot point. Also if the player was on 2 rosters then the High school league has rules against that and either the team could face sanction or the player could.

Section 8 guy · Post by **Section 8 guy** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:53 pm

Nevertoomuchhockey wrote:
I would agree. But considering how terrible that Two Harbors team was this year, did the player who moved over really affect the game that positively that she was the difference in win vs loss? Or is Hermantown just looking for a way to get to state?
Not saying that anyone on any team should be subject to any bending of the rules. But unless the game would have been dramatically different without her there, personally id leave it alone.
And it's not playing down. Most high school freshman still have bantam or 14u eligibility.

There is no way to reasonably determine what impact she had on the game if she played in it. If they violated the in eligible players rule they violated the rule. Period.

Nevertoomuchhockey · Post by **Nevertoomuchhockey** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:55 pm

I completely agree.
Only speculating.

greybeard58 · Post by **greybeard58** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:03 pm

As Paul Harvey would say; and now for the rest of the story. According to a good friend up north familiar with the situation some facts were left out. The girl did quit the Two Harbors varsity team and then was rostered on the Bantam team, all of this happened in December before the 12/31 cutoff. She also participated in league and tournaments after she was added to the Bantam roster. By all accounts all the eligibility rules were followed.

E

MWS coach · Post by **MWS coach** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:06 am

oldschoolpuckster wrote:First it was losing to STA....now losing to a girl....Stop complaining Hermantown!!

But did she have the right zip code?

Froggy Richards · Post by **Froggy Richards** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:59 am

greybeard58 wrote:As Paul Harvey would say; and now for the rest of the story. According to a good friend up north familiar with the situation some facts were left out. The girl did quit the Two Harbors varsity team and then was rostered on the Bantam team, all of this happened in December before the 12/31 cutoff. She also participated in league and tournaments after she was added to the Bantam roster. By all accounts all the eligibility rules were followed.

E

So, there ya have it. It would be almost unfathomable to think a team would take a High School player who was ineligible and let them play on their Bantam A Team in the playoffs. There is no way that somebody wouldn't notice this and would make no sense to even try it. On a side note, pretty impressive for a girl to make a Bantam A team.