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Parts from the minutes full minutes are posted on their web site. First part is short report concerning WAHA second High school report from USA Hockey and follows the resolution and policy vote from the June meeting.

USA Hockey Directors

Director DeMeo also reported that he met with the Wisconsin Affiliate to discuss the player transfer issue. WAHA adopted the protocol at their last meeting. All WAHA teams will be registered as wither Tier 1 or Tier 2 and the unclassified teams will remain as unclassified until the youngest players have passed through the program. He complimented our Wisconsin guests for the effective and efficient meeting they conducted. Director Green provided a written report that is attached hereto and incorporated into these Minutes. Director Margenau provided a written report that is attached hereto and incorporated into these Minutes.

High School Representative
Representative Macho reported: Topic 1:
Much of the meeting revolved around the National High School Tournament that took place in Pittsburgh, PA. Minnesota did not have a representative at this Tournament. The Committee asked if MN would be interested in having a participant in this tournament - My response was "NO". The Committee then asked if MN would be willing to consider having a Junior Gold team participate in this National Tournament - again my response was "NO". Rationale: The reason for my response was because of our participation in our "National Tournament" that we ran here in MN in conjunction with our Select 16 and 17 Festivals. Also, the National High School Committee voted to move the date of the tournament to the 24th-26th of March.....one week prior to our Jr. Gold State Tournament. I didn't see the practicality of removing MN kids from school the following week, completing transportation and then asking the families to incur a few thousand $ cost to participate (lodging/transportation/food).

Topic 2: The other topic of discussion was the increased number in entrepreneurial groups across the country causing problems (especially at the High School level - Midgets, High School and Junior A Tier III)in the manner of financial costs to families, the promise of college opportunities if your child participates and the decimation of current High School programs because of the increased number of players leaving to participate in said entrepreneurial programs. Massachusetts and Illinois specifically expressed their concerns...other States also contributed. Although we do not have this problem at the High School level in MN, it has become a slowly increasing concern in our youth rankings (AAA, private rink ownerships, MN Made etc.). Time and time again, the topic came back to "policy" in that said entrepreneurial groups did not have the same vision of development as their respective State had...it was more - how much money can we make AND some groups seemed to think of themselves as "exempt" from following policies in place by USA hockey. Continued observation by MN Hockey of these groups in needed in order to maintain that "policy" is put in place BEFORE the Entrepreneurial ideas come forward. MN Hockey has ALWAYS shown the ability to maintain the integrity of hockey in this State.....I felt truly proud to be from MN knowing that we have quality people in charge of MN Hockey to help prevent situations like this from occurring.

Mn Hockey resolution and inter state transfer

Secretary-Treasurer DeMeo moved that the Resolution To Establish A Protocol For The Inter-Affiliate Transfer of Players be approved to wit: The Board of Directors of Minnesota Hockey, Inc., in accordance with its Bylaws, hereby adopts the following resolution:
Whereas Minnesota Hockey Inc, in the course of its governance of the sport of amateur hockey in Minnesota, has adopted a philosophy of community based hockey, and
Whereas the majority of its members are not disposed to avail themselves of the opportunity to participate in USA Hockey Tier I national tournaments, and
Whereas Minnesota Hockey has no desire to unduly constrain its members who may want to associate with teams interested in participating in USA Hockey national tournaments, and
Whereas certain neighboring USA Hockey affiliates may offer the opportunity for Minnesota players to participate with USA Hockey Tier I national tournament bound teams
Be it resolved, the Minnesota Hockey Board of Directors shall adopt a Protocol to manage, without bias, transfer requests from those Minnesota Hockey players who want to associate themselves with USA Hockey Tier I national tournament bound located in Neighboring USA Hockey Affiliates
. Be it further resolved, that Minnesota Hockey shall work in concert with its USA Hockey neighboring affiliates to ensure that all players requesting such transfer requests are dealt with in a timely and equitable manner. Second by Immediate Past President Green. Director Brennan expressed the District 2 concern that being close to the border of Wisconsin, this could adversely affect them – especially for goalies and girls.
Motion carried with a nay vote
Secretary/Treasurer DeMeo move to approve the Inter-Affiliate Player Transfer Protocol as submitted, to wit: Inter-Affiliate Player Transfer Protocol Minnesota Hockey, Inc., a duly registered affiliate of USA Hockey, requires that any player who resides in another state and wishes to play hockey with a team in the Minnesota Hockey program, without changing his/her residence to Minnesota, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from the player’s resident state.

Conversely, Minnesota Hockey requires that any Minnesota resident wishing to play hockey in another state, while remaining a resident of Minnesota, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from Minnesota Hockey, Inc. This protocol is consistent with the terms and conditions of the USA Hockey Affiliate Agreement that grants each affiliate the right of “exclusive jurisdiction” within the definition of its geographical boundaries. The Minnesota Hockey Board of Directors will designate one person who will act upon all interstate waiver requests from those who submit them, using the following criteria:
1. This protocol applies to Youth and Girls programs that are conducted during the Minnesota Hockey “regular season”, which extends from the date players are permitted to register for a given your through the end of the Minnesota Hockey Youth/Girls State Tournaments in March. Thos players in the Adult or Women classifications are excluded from this protocol.

2. Prior to submitting a request for transfer, all players must first register with their resident state. For players coming into Minnesota, an approved waiver from the player’s resident state must be obtained, then submitted to and approved by the Minnesota Hockey designee before the player may be placed on a Minnesota Hockey team roster.

3. Minnesota Hockey will accept approved players from another state who wish to play in Minnesota because the state in which they reside does not offer a program similar to those offered in Minnesota.

4. Minnesota hockey will approve an interstate waiver request from one of its resident players provided that the player will be participating in a program classified as Tier 1 by a USA Hockey Affiliate and Minnesota Hockey does not offer such a program.

5. Transfer of players who live in contiguous border communities, and desire an interstate residency waiver based upon geographical proximity of their residence, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Approval of such requests will not be unreasonably withheld.

. Second by Immediate Past President Green. Motion carried with a nay vote

affiliate
adopted protocol
hereto
rationale
increased # of entrepreneurial groups
"exempt"
inter state transfer
duly registered affiliate
executed waiver
interstate waiver requests
contiguous border communities

and best but not least "interstate residency waiver based upon geographical proximity".....

No wonder alternative hockey is becoming more popular...what does this have to do with getting the puck in the net?

So in not so many words, Wisconsin could allow a MN player to play for the Fire (grandfathered in), but MN would not sign off of the said player because the player is attempting to play for a unclassified (not tier 1) team. So again buyer beware...take the leap and play for the fire and you better like the experience because your kid going to sit out a year if he wants to come back to MN.

"All WAHA teams will be registered as wither Tier 1 or Tier 2 and the unclassified teams will remain as unclassified until the youngest players have passed through the program." ???? Youngest who? MN players? Any ideas?

In a nutshell, if you have been witnessed enjoying the dairyland prized cheese product from WI, you have become an affiliate that adopted protocol hereto understanding rationale that this caused the increased # of entrepreneurial groups that should "exempt" any inter state transfer from occuring or let any duly registered affiliate from recongizing the executed waiver from any bonding interstate waiver request from contiguous border communities.....unless you are within the geographical proximity.

[quote="Ugottobekiddingme"]In a nutshell, if you have been witnessed enjoying the dairyland prized cheese product from WI, you have become an affiliate that adopted protocol hereto understanding rationale that this caused the increased # of entrepreneurial groups that should "exempt" any inter state transfer from occuring or let any duly registered affiliate from recongizing the executed waiver from any bonding interstate waiver request from contiguous border communities.....unless you are within the geographical proximity.[/quote]


exactly ! "Whats on 2nd"

Obviously drafted by the same bunch who wrote the residency and participation rules. Ever wonder what your $10 to MN Hockey gets you?? Now you know...

I'm not a grizzled hockey veteran so i have some questions about about what was written. Also, I do believe in the association model but some nuggets from the minutes paint a picture of a condescending group ...

greybeard58 wrote:
High School Representative
Representative Macho reported: Topic 1:
Much of the meeting revolved around the National High School Tournament that took place in Pittsburgh, PA. Minnesota did not have a representative at this Tournament. The Committee asked if MN would be interested in having a participant in this tournament - My response was "NO". ...

Perhaps they have already done there homework but shouldn't they at least considered it and asked the state high school league and/or it members to see if there was interest ? if they already did then at least indicate that in the minutes so they don't come off as condescending ( maybe the capitalized no wasn't for affect ).

greybeard58 wrote: Topic 2: ... Time and time again, the topic came back to "policy" in that said entrepreneurial groups did not have the same vision of development as their respective State had...

Why cant entrepreneurial groups have a different vision and why can't that be a good vision ? if its not then the market will correct that and they will become obsolete very fast.

greybeard58 wrote:it was more - how much money can we make AND some groups seemed to think of themselves as "exempt" from following policies in place by USA hockey. Continued observation by MN Hockey of these groups in needed in order to maintain that "policy" is put in place BEFORE the Entrepreneurial ideas come forward.

Are private entrepreneurial groups bound to the policies put in place by USA hockey ? Are they insinuating that private entrepreneurial be OK'd by MN hockey ?

greybeard58 wrote: MN Hockey has ALWAYS shown the ability to maintain the integrity of hockey in this State.....I felt truly proud to be from MN knowing that we have quality people in charge of MN Hockey to help prevent situations like this from occurring.

"ALWAYS" ? pretty bold statement. Hope they can back it up ... I always say I try rather than ALWAYS. And nice chest thumping statement to close it out.

Quote from WAHA Rule book;
Rules and Regulations: Team Categories- C. Youth Classifications
1. Bantam Restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 14 years and youger
2. PeeWee Restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin...who are 12 years of age and younger
3. Squirt restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 10 years of age or younger
4. Mites restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 8 years of age or younger
The Midget age classifications for both 16 and 18 years old say the same thing. The parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin.
Lastly, quote "The general intent of Tier 1 hockey is to provide an opportunity for the best Wisconsin youth players. Tier 1 hockey is limited to those youth players who have the desire and ability to play at a higher level..."

Will the Wisconsin teams practicing in St. Louis Park and Edina change their names?

Additional quote from WAHA Rules Book; A Tier 1 team must have at least one PeeWee Youth Team and at least two additional Youth Teams from one of the following divisions: PeeWee, Bantam and Midget.

The Youth Classification rules I quoted earlier are general requirements for all Youth Teams. I can not find any exceptions for Teir 1, Teir 11 or Unclassified.

Wrister wrote:Quote from WAHA Rule book;
Rules and Regulations: Team Categories- C. Youth Classifications
1. Bantam Restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 14 years and youger
2. PeeWee Restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin...who are 12 years of age and younger
3. Squirt restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 10 years of age or younger
4. Mites restricted to any youth whose parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin... who are 8 years of age or younger
The Midget age classifications for both 16 and 18 years old say the same thing. The parents' residence is the State of Wisconsin.
Lastly, quote "The general intent of Tier 1 hockey is to provide an opportunity for the best Wisconsin youth players. Tier 1 hockey is limited to those youth players who have the desire and ability to play at a higher level..."

Somewhere in that same rule book though allows for a waiver for kids from out side the state as long as the team does not excede a certain percentage of it's players from out of state or something like that. And the waiver rule isn't there just for Tier 1, it's there because a few towns like Beloit, LaCrosse and Marinette etc.. have kids who live right on the border on oneside or the other so as to accomodate those kids etc....

Eligibility G. No player may play for any association other than the association certified by WAHA to serve the area in which the player resides on a permanent basis. Conversly, no association, whether or not its boundries are certified by WAHA (Minnesota?), may accept any player from any area served by another association whose boudries are certified by WAHA except; There are then four expetions, all of which discuss when there is no association where a player plays, he can get an exception. There is another where the association that the player lives does not allow a higher classification, in other words the players is a A player but the association only offers a B team. The other is when an assocaition just does not have enough players they can Co-op with another association.
H. Players may transfer from one association to another, regardless of classification, only with written consent of the releasing association.
J. Citizenship Exceptions Non-resident players may participate in High School and under classifications in the nearest Wisconsin association program, provided there is no sanctioned programs in the city or town of their residence. Written evidence must be submitted to the secretary of WAHA.
As for Tier 1 teams is states; "The general intent of Tier 1 hockey is to provide an opportunity for the best Wisconsin youth players"

Wrister wrote:Eligibility G. No player may play for any association other than the association certified by WAHA to serve the area in which the player resides on a permanent basis. Conversly, no association, whether or not its boundries are certified by WAHA (Minnesota?), may accept any player from any area served by another association whose boudries are certified by WAHA except; There are then four expetions, all of which discuss when there is no association where a player plays, he can get an exception. There is another where the association that the player lives does not allow a higher classification, in other words the players is a A player but the association only offers a B team. The other is when an assocaition just does not have enough players they can Co-op with another association.
H. Players may transfer from one association to another, regardless of classification, only with written consent of the releasing association.
J. Citizenship Exceptions Non-resident players may participate in High School and under classifications in the nearest Wisconsin association program, provided there is no sanctioned programs in the city or town of their residence. Written evidence must be submitted to the secretary of WAHA.
As for Tier 1 teams is states; "The general intent of Tier 1 hockey is to provide an opportunity for the best Wisconsin youth players"

Right, in association hockey places like South Beloit, IL have no hockey program but are basically the same ccity as Beloit, WI so the South Beloit kids play for the Beloit youth hockey organization.

As for Tier 1, I guess I imagined that kid from Wyoming that my neighbor billeted last year for the Madison Capitols, or the other one from Minnesota...... Note the use of the word "general" in that statement above. It's not an exclusive rigid statement. Again the example being the Caps, the majority of the Caps usually are home grown but they aren't exclusively from Wisconsin

Here is the wording for the Interstate player transfer from both the WAHA Guide book and Mn Hockey handbook.


K. Interstate Player Transfer Protocol: The Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Assn., Inc. (WAHA), a duly registered affiliate of USA Hockey, requires that any player who resides in another state and wishes to play hockey with a team in the WAHA program, without changing his/her residence to Wisconsin, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from the player’s resident state.

Conversely, WAHA requires that any Wisconsin resident wishing to play hockey in another state, while remaining a resident of Wisconsin, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from WAHA.

This protocol is consistent with the terms and conditions of the USA Hockey Affiliate Agreement that grants each affiliate the right of “exclusive jurisdiction” within the definition of its geographical boundaries.

The WAHA Board of Directors will designate one person who will act upon all interstate waiver requests from those who submit them, using the following criteria:
1. This protocol applies to Youth and Girls programs that are conducted during the WAHA “regular season”, which extends from September 1 of a given year through the end of the WAHA Youth/Girls State Tournaments in March. Those players in the Adult or Women classifications are excluded from this protocol.

2. Players must first register with their resident state. An approved waiver from the player’s resident state must be obtained and approved by the WAHA designee before the player may be placed on a WAHA team roster.

3. WAHA will accept approved players from another state who wish to play in Wisconsin because the state in which they reside does not offer a program similar to those offered in Wisconsin.

4. WAHA will approve an interstate waiver request from one of its resident players provided that the player will be participating in a program classified as Tier 1 by a USA Hockey Affiliate and such a program is not offered by Wisconsin Hockey. Transfer of players who desire an interstate residency waiver based upon other reasons will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and approval of those requests will not be unreasonably withheld.

5. Transfer of players who desire an interstate residency waiver based upon geographical proximity of their residence will be considered on a case-by case basis. Approval of such requests will not be unreasonably withheld.
MN Hockey version
Inter-Affiliate Player Transfer Protocol (Approved June, 2010)
Minnesota Hockey, Inc., a duly registered affiliate of USA Hockey, requires that any player who resides in another state and wishes to play hockey with a team in the Minnesota Hockey program, without changing his/her residence to Minnesota, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from the player’s resident state. Conversely, Minnesota Hockey requires that any Minnesota resident wishing to play hockey in another state, while remaining a resident of Minnesota, must first obtain a properly executed waiver from Minnesota Hockey, Inc. This protocol is consistent with the terms and conditions of the USA Hockey Affiliate Agreement that grants each affiliate the right of “exclusive jurisdiction” within its geographical boundaries. The Minnesota Hockey Board of Directors will designate one person who will act upon all interstate waiver requests from those who submit them, using the following criteria:
1. This protocol applies to Youth and Girls programs that are conducted during the Minnesota Hockey “regular season”, which extends from the date players are permitted to register for a given your through the end of the Minnesota Hockey Youth/Girls State Tournaments in March. Thos players in the Adult or Women classifications are excluded from this protocol.
2. Prior to submitting a request for transfer, all players must first register with their resident state. For players coming into Minnesota, an approved waiver from the player’s resident state must be obtained, then submitted to and approved by the Minnesota Hockey designee before the player may be placed on a Minnesota Hockey team roster.
3. Minnesota Hockey will accept approved players from another state who wish to play in Minnesota because the state in which they reside does not offer a program similar to those offered in Minnesota.
4. Minnesota hockey will approve an interstate waiver request from one of its resident players provided that the player will be participating in a program classified as Tier 1 by a USA Hockey Affiliate and Minnesota Hockey does not offer such a program.
5. Transfer of players who live in contiguous border communities, and desire an interstate residency waiver based upon geographical proximity of their residence, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Approval of such requests will not be unreasonably withheld.

Thanks greybeard58 for the clarification. I was following the guidebook rules that are on the WAHA website which are probably not current. So how do these rules stand for all of the Minnesota players this year on the WI Fire. I read in an earlier blog about grandfathering. I can only find one excerpt in the WAHA guide book about grandfathering and it doesn't appear that any of the Minnesota players kids would fall into that catagory.

Actually both were taken from the web WAHA is current and Mn Hockey also has the new one posted. As to current Mn residents that were on the Fire I would check with the District Director where you live for that answer. I have heard a couple of different versions but would rather not give out the wrong information here.

greybeard58 wrote:Actually both were taken from the web WAHA is current and Mn Hockey also has the new one posted. As to current Mn residents that were on the Fire I would check with the District Director where you live for that answer. I have heard a couple of different versions but would rather not give out the wrong information here.

Thanks for the research greybeard. I knew it could be done jsut didn't know the mechanics of how