MEMBERSHIP
1)
Application for affiliation shall be made to the Honorary
Secretary of the Branch in writing {Articles 11
(3)} on or before 30th April each year.
2)
Those interested in promoting women’s hockey in
3)
Clubs must inform the Honorary Registration Secretary when a
new player has been accepted into a club from another branch or club. The player must have paid all outstanding fees
before she can be registered with the new club.
4)
No player can play for two clubs in any competition in any
one season.
5)
Players may not change club during the course of the
season. An exception can be made for
change to university or re-location. A
request must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
6)
Players wishing to change branch must consult the Honorary
Secretary for procedure. (The Branch
will complete any Irish requirements.)
7) Schoolgirls, aged 16 and over
may play for one club as well as their school.
LEAGUES STRUCTURE
1)
The Council may grade teams of all affiliated Clubs into
Divisions.
2)
In all cases three (3) points will be awarded for a win, and
one (1) for a draw. Positions, where
there are ties, shall be decided by the current FIH regulations with the
exception that there will be a play off instead of a penalty stroke
competition. For the current regulations
see current Fixture Book.
Promotion
and relegation of teams will be implemented as follows:
Division 1-13
Two teams will be promoted
and two demoted between each Division, with the following
proviso, only 1st X1's may
play in Division 1, so if neither of the teams at the top of Division 2 are 1st
X1's, then there will be no promotion/demotion. If there is only one 1st X1 in
the top 2 of Division 2 then only the bottom team in Division 1 will be
demoted.
In all Divisions the two teams that have
accrued the highest number of points shall be the teams to be promoted and the
two teams with the lowest number of points shall be demoted.
Registration.
e)
A registered player must have
played a minimum of 1 game for the team
to which
she is
registered within the time frame allowed to change registrations (i.e. within a
1 month period)
g)
No demotions are permitted after
the 1st (first) Thursday in February.
h)
All Clubs must register a
goalkeeper among their 1st XI players.
2. Provisos
for International/Ex-international/Interpro/Under
18/16 representative players
a)
No current member of any
International Senior training panel may play below Division 2 .
b)
No current Under twenty one (21)
International may play below Division 2.
Current Under sixteen (16) and Under eighteen (18) International players
may play at a level decided by the Council, requests to be sent to Hon.
Registration secretary by 1st (first) Thursday in a month to be presented at that months Council
meeting.
c)
Ex Senior Representative players
and Ex Senior International players shall not play below Division 5. Should a
Club have no teams in Division 5 then they must play in the next highest
division in which a team is registered.
d)
If two teams are registered in
this division they must play on the highest nominated team.
e)
Requests for any deviation from
this ByeLaw must be requested in writing to the Hon
Registration Secretary by the 1st (first) Thursday in a month for
consideration at that months Council Meeting.
a)
Each team must nominate one (1)
player within their registered teams as the starred
player for that team. A starred player
may play for the team immediately below the
one to which she is registered
b)
If there is no lower team than the
team being registered then no starred player has to
be registered. However on registration of
a lower team, the team above must then
nominate a starred player..
c)
A player can only be starred once
in a season, i.e. if a starred player is
demoted this
player may not become the starred player
for any team below the original team to
which she had been registered; if a
starred player is demoted and subsequently
promoted she can not become the starred
player a second time.
d)
Note: Teams can only switch their
starred played once in a season after which a team
can only change their starred player if
that starred player is no longer on that team
NOTE:
Starred players do not apply to the cup competitions.
4. Player changing Club/Province
a) Any
Player moving from one Club/Province to another (pre-season) must submit a
signed release form to the Secretary of their new Club . Criteria for movement
between clubs within season are found within the byelaws. The signed release
form must be available to the Council in the event of any dispute with regard
to players being released to a new club.
5
Overseas Player Registration
a)
Players not registered on a team
but wishing to play league/cup hockey must be registered as Floats.
7
Substitution
a)
Substitutes may only be taken from
lower teams or the Floats list.
8
Match
Cards
a)
Match cards for the Hon.
Registration Secretary must be received within three (3) days of the match.
Late match cards will incur a fine.
b)
The name recorded on the match
card must be exactly the name that was registered. Incorrect cards may incur a
fine.
c)
Clubs are reminded to return
results of all games to Match Results Manager (see handbook for details)
These match cards are the primary record with respect
to team registration and must be signed by Capts and
Umpires
9
Infringement
to registrations
a)
Queries on infringements will be
communicated via email to the club secretaries as
identified in the handbook. If clubs do not reply within 10 calendar days,
infringement
fines/point deduction will apply at the
discretion of the Council.
b)
If a team plays an ineligible player the
result for that match stands. However,
the club playing the ineligible player will be fined and 3 points deducted from
the team playing the ineligible player. Matches will not be replayed.
a). Irish
competitions please consult the Irish Office.
GENERAL MATCH ADMINISTRATION
1)
Players are not eligible to play in Club League and Cup
competitions until they attain their sixteenth (16th.)
birthday. An exception may be made if a
player is not attending a hockey playing school. A request must be made in writing to the
Honorary Registration Secretary.
2)
Each club shall have distinguishing colours.
3)
No club shall adopt the colours of a club already
affiliated.
4)
If two teams meet and their colours are close then the
visiting team shall make a change. The
home club can ask the visiting club to change.
If a disagreement arises the Honorary League/Cup Secretary shall decide.
5)
Players must wear the correct uniform during matches.
6)
Team members must look tidy i.e. shirts tucked in and socks
pulled up.
7)
Players may not wear shorts, tracksuits, baseball caps,
scarves, or hats.
8)
Bicycle shorts may only be worn if they are the same colour
as the player's skirt. If they are
a different colour they must not come
below the skirt.
9)
Long sleeved tops worn under uniform short sleeved shirts
must be the same colour as the uniform shirt.
10)
Each team must have a goalkeeper with a helmet.
11)
Goalkeepers must wear:
(a) A different coloured shirt to their own team and the opposition team
shirt, (b) A full helmet incorporating
full face protection, (c) The shirt over
their chest protector.
12)
If there is no goalkeeper, a nominated field player may
assume the privileges of the goalkeeper and must wear a helmet incorporating
full face protection and different coloured shirt to the other players.
13)
The team which does not have a helmeted player forfeits the
points.
14)
It is strongly recommended that all players wear a gum
shield and shin pads. Shin pads must be
worn inside the socks.
15)
Division 1-2 players , including substitutes, can wear shirts numbered one (1) to eighteen (18) but can
only have a maximum of sixteen (16) players in the squad. Other numbers cannot be used.
16)
Captains of all teams must wear armbands or coloured ribbon
on shirt (different colour to shirt).
17)
Players are advised to have footwear suitable for synthetic,
all weather and grass surfaces.
Division 1&2
matches must be played on a synthetic surface. All surfaces may be used at all other levels
for league and cup matches.
18) FIH Rules provide
that advertising is permitted on the front of the shirt and is limited to an
area of 350 sq.cms. If further advertising is used on shirt
sleeve, skirt and/or socks, this must be included in the total 350 sq.cms. Advertising
is not confined to one advertiser but all logos must be included in the maximum
of 350 sq.cms.
There restrictions do not apply to manufacturers' logos.
19) Match cards in all Division must be signed by both umpires. Each captain must sign the match card . Cards given by umpires to players are to be
noted on these cards. (b) Cards to be returned to the Honorary Registration Secretary
by the clubs within forty-eight (48) hours.
20) A team may
not change an umpire during a match unless through injury or sickness. Prior consent of both team captains and the
other umpire must be obtained.-
21) A person
may not coach and umpire at the same time.
22) Coaching
from the sidelines is permitted, but the coach must remain between the centre
and back lines of her/his end of the pitch.
23) The Branch
shall take any receipts at semi-final and final matches.
24) The winning club of a competition shall be responsible for the safe keeping of such Cup and shall undertake to forward it to the Honorary Secretary by 1st February. The Council will have the Cup engraved with the winning club's name.
25)
All matches shall be played in accordance with the rules of
the game.
26)
RESULTS shall be forwarded by both clubs within forty-eight
(48) hours as follows:
League results to the Results Manager and
Cup results to the Honorary Cup
Secretary.
TIMEKEEPING/PITCHES
1)
All competitions for Cups and Leagues shall be graded in
accordance with Leagues Structure 1) and matches shall be fixed for a specified
time.
2)
Division 1 & 2 matches cannot commence before 10.00 am
and if possible not later than 4.00 pm.
3)
Times of matches are arranged between clubs no later than
the Sunday night preceding the fixture. Once confirmed changes cannot be made.
4)
Any team refusing to begin a match at the scheduled time
shall be liable to forfeit the match.
Matches must start on time. As a
guideline teams should arrive thirty (30) minutes before the appointed time to
be ready to commence play on time.
5)
If due to late running of matches a visiting team finds that
the pitch will not become available until fortyfive
(45) minutes after the scheduled start time of their game, the match may be
postponed and the venue reversed for the re-fixture.
6)
If in the opinion of both umpires, the pitch is not marked
satisfactorily for the game, the match shall be postponed and the venue
reversed for the re-fixture.
7)
Goals must have nets, back boards and side boards and the
boards must be dark coloured. If there
are no nets the match must be postponed and the venue reversed for the
re-fixture.
8)
Any league or cup match that has been postponed or
abandoned, must be notified to the Honorary League/Cup Secretary on the same
day.
9)
Queries in all matters with regard to the above may be made
to the Honorary League Secretary in writing within five (5) days of any
incident.
11) League and
Cup matches can be played under lights as per FIH regulations of 500 Lux light within the playing area.
LEAGUES
1)
Leagues shall be graded in accordance with Leagues Structure
1) and each League may be divided into sections of similar or different
standards at the discretion of the Council.
2)
All Leagues shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the
Council.
3) Each club
must complete the annual application form confirming the number of teams being
entered for the following season by the 30th. May each year.
4) Each team shall abide by the rules and regulations set out for its appropriate division.
5) In all League matches three (3) points shall be awarded for a win, and one (1) point for a draw, and the team accruing most points shall be the winner for the current season.
6) Walkovers will not be tolerated. A team giving a walkover for the first time in the season will lose the points which will be awarded to the opposition. The team giving a walkover will be fined €125 (one hundred and twenty five). This must be paid within twenty-one (21) days or the team will be disqualified. If the same team gives a second walkover it will be disqualified.
7) If two or more teams in one section have an
equal number of points, positions shall be determined according to the current
FIH regulations with the exception that a play off will take place instead of a
penalty stroke competition. (See
current fixture book for same) In
the case of a play off not being played,
the match will be awarded at the discretion of the Council. Play off matches shall be on neutral ground
with neutral umpires.
8) The Fixtures Committee shall fix the dates
for all League matches.
9)
The venues of the Division 1-13 matches
may be arranged at a meeting of delegates of affiliated clubs held on a date
fixed by the Fixtures Committee. League
matches may not be postponed or re-arranged except in exceptional circumstances
and the consent of the Honorary League Secretary must be obtained. Clubs found to have postponed and rearranged
matches without prior consent may forfeit the points. If ground or weather conditions render play impossible
for the date fixed, the match shall be played within TWENTY-TWO (22) DAYS (unless
an extension is granted by the Hon. League Secretary). Within ten (10) days three (3) dates must be
offered and one shall be a Sunday. The Honorary League Secretary must be
informed of the new date immediately it is arranged.
10)For
Irish senior and junior cup dates, a) when an away fixture, the
following-on-team can get a postponement to the Sunday (day after) or it can be
played within eight (8) days if the opposition agrees, b) when a home fixture,
the following-on-team can get a postponement to the Sunday (day after). The Honorary League Secretary must be
advised.
11)Where
a postponement is granted in any other circumstances, the date of the
re-fixture will be at the discretion of the Fixtures Committee.
12)The
Results Manager must receive the result of each match within forty-eight (48) hours of the
date of play. Late reporting
will lead to forfeiture of points.
13)The
Council shall nominate a date at the end of each season by which the league
programme in each division must be completed
14)A
Cup, Badges and Pennant shall be awarded to the outright winners of each
league.
15)The
duration of all
Division 1-2 matches shall
be seventy (70) minutes,
Division 3-13 sixty (60) minutes,
16)A
club withdrawing a team from the leagues must eliminate their last team.
1)
All affiliated teams shall be eligible to compete in Cup
Competitions appropriate to their grades.
2)
The registered team shall be the only team eligible for the
competition for which it has been entered.
3) The Draws of all cup competitions will be published in the current Fixture Book.
4)
An entrance fee as determined at a General Meeting shall be
payable to the Honorary Treasurer by the 10th. November and
teams may be disqualified if entrance fees are not paid by that date.
5) Draws for the Cup competitions shall be made in the presence of at least three (3) Council members.
6) The Leinster Cup competition shall be an open draw in all rounds.
7) The names of the teams
entered for a competition shall be drawn in couples and the first team drawn in
each tie in the first round shall have choice of ground.
8) Should a ground be
unsuitable, the Council shall decide the venue.
9) The duration of each cup
match shall be
Divisions 1-13 seventy (70) minutes.
.
10)
All finals, shall be played on neutral ground with appointed
umpires.
11) There shall be no replays
in any rounds of any of the cup competitions. Drawn matches shall go to extra time provided
the umpires decide the conditions permit.
Twenty (20) minutes extra time shall be played and if necessary a
penalty stroke competition will be implemented.
12) The dates for all rounds
shall be fixed by the Fixtures Committee.
13) No cup match shall be
postponed by any team without the consent of the Honorary Cup Secretary unless
the ground is unplayable or weather is so bad as to render play dangerous.
14) Unplayed matches at all levels
shall be played within eight (8) days except if closed dates intervene, when
the match shall take place on the nearest available date. In the event of a dispute the Council shall
decide the date.
15) Match cards shall be sent
to the Hon Cup Secretary within forty-eight (48) hours. Cup match Results shall
be phoned to the Hon. Cup Secretary. Any
breach of these regulations will result in disqualification.
16) Each member of any
competing team shall be a bona fide member of the club and shall have played in
at least part of one league match before the first round and at least part of
two league matches before subsequent rounds in the current
season.
17) If registered as a float,
the player shall have played part of one league match before the first round
and at least part of two full
league matches before subsequent rounds in the current season.
18) A player may substitute
only twice in a cup competition, otherwise she becomes cup tied. This
applies from the second round onwards.
19) A player who has been
demoted will only be eligible to play in the cup competition for the team to
which she has been demoted if either:-
At the time of her demotion the team from which she was demoted was
still in the cup. or
Since
her demotion she has played one league match for the team to which she has
been demoted.
20)
Any breach of these regulations could result in
disqualification.
21)
Any fines imposed for breach of any regulations for a
particular team must be paid before the next round of the cup or the team will
be disqualified.
22) A Cup, a Pennant and an
individual Trophy shall be awarded to the outright winners or each winning cup
team. An individual Trophy may be
awarded to the runners up.
23) Each year the number of
Division 1/Division 2 teams decided by the I.H.A. shall play in the All Ireland
Senior/Junior Cup Competitions.
DISCIPLINE & APPEALS.
1.
Matters of discipline, including red cards, shall be dealt with by The
Disciplinary Committee. All umpires issuing red cards must furnish a written
report to the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee within forty eight
hours (48) with a copy of the report to the Hon. Branch Secretary.
2.
Protests and appeals shall be lodged in writing with the Honorary Secretary
within seventy-two hours (72) of the occurrence of the matter disputed
accompanied by a fee of €65 (sixty-five) which may be refunded at the sole
discretion of the committee.
3.
The Appeals Committee will comprise of three members of the Disciplinary
Committee drawn in strict rotation and subject only to: a/ availability b/non
conflict of interest.
MEDICAL
All clubs should procure
a complete first aid kit for each team.
We abide
by the Irish Hockey Association Constitution in these matters.
BLOOD SPILLAGE
1)
A player should leave the pitch until the flow of blood has
been stopped.
2)
If blood is spilled on a non-absorbent or synthetic surface,
special chemicals are needed to clean it.
FINANCE
1) All monies
shall be lodged in the Bank in the name of the Leinster
Ladies Hockey Union Ltd. as soon as possible after receipt; ordinary receipts
in a No.1 Account and school's receipts in the No 2 Account. Cheques drawn on the No 1 Account shall be
signed by any two of three Officers, preferably the Honorary Secretary
and the Honorary Treasurer. Cheques
drawn on the No 2 Account shall. be signed by any two from the following three,
namely the Chairperson of the Schools' Committee the Schools' Hon Secretary and
the Schools' Hon Treasurer. Funds
surplus to immediate requirements may be held in a deposit account; withdrawals
on this account shall be signed by any two Officers, preferably the Hon.
Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer.
2) On or
before 10th. November in each year,
each club must pay a registration fee, as determined at a General Meeting, for
each registered player.
3) Each club
or school not playing in competition shall pay an affiliation fee as determined
at a General Meeting
4) Each team
playing in competition shall pay an affiliation fee as determined at a General
Meeting.
5) Clubs may
be penalised by the Council if fees are not paid on time. The Articles of Association state ‘If the
subscription of any affiliated Club or School shall remain unpaid on the 1st.
day of January of any year that Club shall be struck off the list of affiliated
Clubs and shall not be eligible for membership until all monies due have been
paid.’
6)
A club shall report to the Honorary Secretary any member
whose subscription is in arrears and the member thus reported shall be
ineligible to play for any other club or to take part in the management of the
game until arrears have been paid.
7)
Fines may be imposed for non-compliance with any rule or bye
law.
8)
It is advisable for all clubs to have Public Liability
Insurance.
GENERAL MEETINGS
1) Business
to be conducted at the Annual General Meeting shall be as follows
a) Annual
report of the Honorary Secretary.
b)
Annual report of the Honorary Treasurer,
c)
Reports of the Honorary Umpires Secretary, Honorary Coaches
Secretary, Honorary Indoor Secretary and
Schools Chairperson.
d)
Election of Officers, Council members and Selection
committees by ballot for the next season.
e)
To consider proposals (if any) regarding rules and bye laws.
f)
To consider changes (if any) to the rules of the game
g)
To transact general business.
2) Fourteen (14) days notice of the business to
be brought before the Annual General Meeting shall be given to each club, to
the Honorary Officers, to Council Members, to the Umpires Honorary Secretary,
Coaching Honorary Secretary, Indoor Honorary Secretary, the Schools Chairperson
and Chairperson of each standing committee other than selection.
3) The Honorary Secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting at
any time on receiving a requisition signed by the Honorary Secretaries of at
least four clubs, accompanied by a deposit of €65 (sixty-five) per club (which may be forfeit) and a statement of
the reasons for which such a meeting is desired. Fourteen (14) days notice of the business to
be transacted at a Special Meetings shall be given to each club, to the
Honorary Officers, to Council Members, to the Indoor Honorary Secretary, to the
Umpires Honorary Secretary, Coaching Honorary Secretary, the Schools Honorary
Secretary and Chairperson of each standing committee other than selection.
4) Those entitled to vote at General Meetings shall be the Honorary
Officers, two delegates from the Schools Committee, one delegate each from
Indoor Committee, the Umpires Association, Coaching Association and one
delegate for every twenty (20) registered players (or portion of twenty [20])
per club.
5) Every question at a General meeting except those dealing with a
change of rules shall be determined by a majority of those present, entitled to
vote and voting thereon. No amendments
to rules shall be made except by a resolution supported by not less than 75% of
those present, entitled to vote and voting thereon.
COUNCIL
1)
Candidates for the Council, for the Selection
Committees and Schools Committee shall
be nominated by an affiliated Club or School as the case may be. No club or school shall nominate more than
one candidate for any one committee and not more than one candidate from any
club or school shall stand for election for any one committee.
2)
Any bona fide member of an affiliated club shall be eligible
for election as an Honorary Officer provided she is proposed and seconded by a
bona fide member of an affiliated club.
3)
Officers standing for re-election need not be nominated.
SELECTORS
1)
A Senior Selection Committee and such other Selection
Committees as may be required to select appropriate representative teams shall
be elected at the Annual General Meeting each season.
2)
Each Committee shall comprise the coach, who shall be
appointed annually by the Council, and four elected members. No two of the four selectors at any one level
shall be members of the same club.
3) The
If the Irish coach at any level is from the Branch
then that Branch coach/selector shall not be an Irish selector.
4)
Selectors shall be qualified as approved by Council.
5)
Each member of any Selection Committee shall be resident in
6)
Each Selector shall attend trial matches and other such
matches as are prescribed by the Council for the full duration of play.
7)
She shall not be eligible for a place on any representative
team for which she acts as Selector.
8)
She shall not vote on the Selection of a team unless she has
seen at least six different teams playing in three full matches except with
special permission from the Council. If
a member of such a committee is unable to attend the whole of a prescribed
match she shall not take part in the Selection of the teams chosen immediately
after such a match, and the Council may appoint a substitute to act in her
place.
9) Each Selection Committee shall
remain in office until a new one is appointed.
10) Selectors may not remain in Office, at any level, for more than five (5) consecutive years.
CODE OF ETHICS
The
Leinster Ladies Hockey Union adopts and abides by the
provisions contained in “The Code Ethics and Good Practice for children’s sport
in