Discipline Policy

The Discipline Committee will consist of the Hockey Director, Disciplinary Chair and at least two of the following: President, Vice President, Past President, Treasurer, Secretary or Board member. No committee member involved in the complaint or with a child on a team from which the complaint originated shall serve on the committee.

Identifying and addressing a problem or concern is not always easy. Therefore, we have established this procedure in order to resolve conflicts/issues as well as to appeal disciplinary decisions.

1. SPYHA encourages parents to take the initiative in resolving conflicts that they or their player may have with other team members, parents, and/or coaches, via respectful communication directly with those involved. Any conflicts or violations of the code of conduct may also be reported to the Disciplinary Chair.
2. If the issue cannot be resolved in step 1, the team manager is the first line of official communication for all parents and players. The complaint must be presented to the team manager who should notify the Head Coach, Hockey Director & Disciplinary Chair for information purposes only. At this point, the Head Coach is responsible for resolving the issue within the team. 
3. If the problem is such that the Head Coach is unable to resolve the conflict, it should be escalated to the Disciplinary Chair for resolution. The Disciplinary Chair may seek advice from appropriate Head Coach, Hockey Director and/or SPYHA officers for assistance with coming to a proposed resolution.
4. The matter may be brought to a formal Discipline Committee only under the following circumstances:
5. As a last resort in resolving an issue, the Disciplinary Chair may formally bring the matter to the Discipline Committee.
6. The individual(s) against whom the complaint has been filed may appeal the decision to a formal Discipline Committee. The appeal complaint must be submitted to the President and Vice President in writing.
7. When SPYHA receives a letter from WAHA requesting a response to a zero-tolerance violation by a coach, player, parent, or fan.
8. The Discipline Committee will review the matter in a reasonable time frame (usually within 48-96 hours after notification) and provide next steps for the parties involved.
9. If requested, the individual(s) against whom the complaint has been filed shall appear before the Discipline Committee and be asked to respond to the matter.
10. The Discipline Committee, acting in the best interest of SPYHA, will further investigate the complaint as deemed appropriate and are authorized to enforce disciplinary actions as appropriate. These actions may include written warnings and/or temporary and/or permanent suspension from the program.
11. All actions taken by the Discipline Committee will be communicated only to the individuals involved during a closed session or by an official letter or email.