Waivers

Newbie Dad · Post by **Newbie Dad** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:32 pm

What is the process for getting a waiver? I can't find the form anywhere online, so I suspect you need to get it from your current association. In my case, my son attends a school within the boundaries of a different association and I think I'd like for him to play there this year. From my understanding of the rule, our current associaiton [u]has [/u]to grant the waiver, but it seems like they still have some power in the sense that I have to go to them and request it. They could drag their feet or just generally be difficult to work with.

Is there any more to it than that?

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:31 pm

Good question also for the kid that would like to play A hockey for another association when his association only offers a B team at his age level. Is that waiver process just a formality, or is there a way for somebody to throw a wrench into it?

SECoach · Post by **SECoach** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:48 pm

You didn't mention where your son wants to play

You need to obtain the waiver from either the accepting or releasing association president. It's a formality so you can probably go to the District Director, who will ultimately approve it if someone drags their feet.

Inigo's example is not a formality. The releasing and receiving associations must both approve it, and neither is required to. Most will.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:16 am

In the conversations regarding Tier I v. association hockey, I've read the argument many times that if your association has a bunch of knuckleheads running the show that have not been interested in teaching the neighborhood children how to skate, pass, and score, and therefore are incapable of fielding an A team, you can waive to one that does. Is that not the case?

SECoach · Post by **SECoach** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:17 am

InigoMontoya wrote:In the conversations regarding Tier I v. association hockey, I've read the argument many times that if your association has a bunch of knuckleheads running the show that have not been interested in teaching the neighborhood children how to skate, pass, and score, and therefore are incapable of fielding an A team, you can waive to one that does. Is that not the case?

It requires the approval of both association presidents. Either can hold back the approval. Ultimately the District Director makes the final decision and can over rule either association president.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:47 am

So...the superstar from a poorly run association can NOT freely move to his level of hockey? The poorly run association can make another in a long line of bad decisions by not granting the waiver? That doesn't seem to fit what the association advocates have been spewing. So those arguing for Tier I based on good kids from bad associations taking it in the shorts have a pretty good argument.

the_juiceman · Post by **the_juiceman** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:59 pm

InigoMontoya wrote:So...the superstar from a poorly run association can NOT freely move to his level of hockey? The poorly run association can make another in a long line of bad decisions by not granting the waiver? That doesn't seem to fit what the association advocates have been spewing. So those arguing for Tier I based on good kids from bad associations taking it in the shorts have a pretty good argument.

Districts might have different policies. My district has a policy that states the Assc. must allow this type of waiver. The kid is allowed to try-out.I believe it must be a neighboring Assc. If he doesn't make the "A" team, he goes back to the original assc.

SECoach · Post by **SECoach** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:40 pm

the_juiceman wrote:
InigoMontoya wrote:So...the superstar from a poorly run association can NOT freely move to his level of hockey? The poorly run association can make another in a long line of bad decisions by not granting the waiver? That doesn't seem to fit what the association advocates have been spewing. So those arguing for Tier I based on good kids from bad associations taking it in the shorts have a pretty good argument.
Districts might have different policies. My district has a policy that states the Assc. must allow this type of waiver. The kid is allowed to try-out.I believe it must be a neighboring Assc. If he doesn't make the "A" team, he goes back to the original assc.

You are right, this can vary from district to district. I do believe though, that the question was regarding one association not offering a given level of hockey, rather than the question of whether it's well run or not. I'd speculate that no district has a policy that states a player can automatically waiver if the parent believes their association is poorly run.

the_juiceman · Post by **the_juiceman** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:01 pm

SECoach wrote:
the_juiceman wrote:
InigoMontoya wrote:So...the superstar from a poorly run association can NOT freely move to his level of hockey? The poorly run association can make another in a long line of bad decisions by not granting the waiver? That doesn't seem to fit what the association advocates have been spewing. So those arguing for Tier I based on good kids from bad associations taking it in the shorts have a pretty good argument.
Districts might have different policies. My district has a policy that states the Assc. must allow this type of waiver. The kid is allowed to try-out.I believe it must be a neighboring Assc. If he doesn't make the "A" team, he goes back to the original assc.
You are right, this can vary from district to district. I do believe though, that the question was regarding one association not offering a given level of hockey, rather than the question of whether it's well run or not. I'd speculate that no district has a policy that states a player can automatically waiver if the parent believes their association is poorly run.

My bad--I was speaking about the lack of a "A" team, and being able to move to an assc. with an "A" team.

SECoach · Post by **SECoach** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:40 pm

the_juiceman wrote:
SECoach wrote:
the_juiceman wrote: Districts might have different policies. My district has a policy that states the Assc. must allow this type of waiver. The kid is allowed to try-out.I believe it must be a neighboring Assc. If he doesn't make the "A" team, he goes back to the original assc.
You are right, this can vary from district to district. I do believe though, that the question was regarding one association not offering a given level of hockey, rather than the question of whether it's well run or not. I'd speculate that no district has a policy that states a player can automatically waiver if the parent believes their association is poorly run.
My bad--I was speaking about the lack of a "A" team, and being able to move to an assc. with an "A" team.

No problem....I was referring to the prior post.

Newbie Dad · Post by **Newbie Dad** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:27 pm

If you waive out of an association because there is no A team offered, do you have to actually make the A team in your receiving association? if you don't make that new A team and then have to go back to your original association, how do you get placed on a team? are you back to the bottom of the barrel?

the_juiceman · Post by **the_juiceman** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 11:20 pm

Newbie Dad wrote:If you waive out of an association because there is no A team offered, do you have to actually make the A team in your receiving association? if you don't make that new A team and then have to go back to your original association, how do you get placed on a team? are you back to the bottom of the barrel?

Yes--You would have to make the "A" team in the new assc. if not you would return and play on the "B" team in the original assc. They would not grant a possible wavier to someone that was'nt "A" quality, so more than likely he would be placed on the top "B" team in the orignal assc. with out a try-out.

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:28 pm

Newbe- I think if you go to school in one assc, you can play there w/out a waiver, because that's where he/or she goes to school!!!!!

Shinbone_News · Post by **Shinbone_News** » Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:25 pm

old goalie85 wrote:Newbe- I think if you go to school in one assc, you can play there w/out a waiver, because that's where he/or she goes to school!!!!!

I think OG is right. MN Hockey says you are eligible to play in either place: Where you live OR where you go to school. There should be no waiver required from either association to play in the other in that case.

I can see plenty of associations refusing to waive a strong B player to another association's A team. I can think of one happening right now in my own association. As for kicking it up to the district level, I have my doubts about whether a district president is going to stick his or her nose into this and end up effectively picking a side between 2 associations in his/her district. That said, I'm sure this sitch is covered in MN hockey bylaws.

goaliewithfoggedglasses · Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:02 am

Shinbone_News wrote:
old goalie85 wrote:Newbe- I think if you go to school in one assc, you can play there w/out a waiver, because that's where he/or she goes to school!!!!!
I think OG is right. MN Hockey says you are eligible to play in either place: Where you live OR where you go to school. There should be no waiver required from either association to play in the other in that case.

No, you have to have a waiver to play where you attend school if it is not in the association boundaries of your place of residence. However, they specifically say that waivers will be granted for school purposes in the rules. See page 26 MN Hockey Handbook.