Travel Level Players Policy

Revised 2/22/05

Policy Regarding Travel Level Players Participating in the Salt Lake County Youth Hockey Recreational League Program

"Any player that is currently registered with and currently rostered on any travel level team is not permitted to play in the Salt Lake County Youth Hockey house league program."

"Travel teams" are defined under the following criteria:

Teams are registered with USA Hockey as either Tier 1 or Tier 2
Teams or organizations that hold open tryouts for team selections
Teams or organizations that recruit players based on ability
Players are or may be cut from the team or organization based on ability
Players are separated within the organization based on ability (i.e. placed on an "A" team or "B" team, based on ability)

The following is an explanation of the rationale behind this policy:

Discussion of Skill Levels
The skill level of the average travel team player is typically far beyond that of the average recreation level player. Not only do these travel players dominate game play, but they often intimidate the recreation level players by virtue of their superior skills. This has been observed on countless occasions over the years that travel team players have been permitted (in some years even required) to play in the recreation program.

Philosophy
There is also a considerable difference between the philosophies of travel and recreation level programs. Travel programs place more emphasis on competition and winning. Consequently, the better players typically receive more playing time. Our recreation program emphasizes fun, participation, sportsmanship, and equal ice time for all players. The mixing of those two philosophies and the mixing of travel and recreation level players has been the catalyst for many problems in the recreation program for years.

Differences in Skills
This is probably a greater issue in the older divisions than it is in the younger divisions. At the two oldest divisions of our program, Pee Wees (11-12 year olds) and Bantams (13-14 year olds), the difference in skill levels can be huge. In addition, checking is introduced at those levels. Consequently, a safety issue arises when stronger, more highly skilled and more competitive travel team players engage in physical contact with lesser skilled recreation level players. This also increases the potential for liability for the hockey program and Salt Lake County.

Participating at the Mite Level
In light of this it may be asked why we cannot allow travel team players to participate in the Salt Lake County program at the Mite (ages 6-8) level but not at the older levels. There is a problem with telling travel team players in one age divisions that they can participate, and players in other age divisions that they cannot. The policy needs to be enforced equally across the board.

Schedule Conflicts and Committment to Which Team
Typically, schedule conflicts arise at least half of the time between recreation team and travel team activities. When this occurs travel players will miss their recreation team's activity in favor of their travel team. As a result the typical travel team player participating in the recreation program will miss one half or more of his/her recreation team's games or practices. It is not fair for a recreation team to be without one of their players for that much of their season. It is also inappropriate for a player to sign up for and make a commitment to a recreation team, knowing up front they will miss that much of their team's activities.

County Ice Center Scheduling Limitations
In addition, with the introduction of the home based rink system in the County youth hockey program in fall 2003, the County Ice Center in Murray has emerged as the preferred facility amongst our program participants. This is based primarily on the centralized location of the facility. Unfortunately the program at the County Ice Center can only accommodate a limited number of participants. Consequently a number of players are turned away from that facility each season and must sign up at another facility that is not their first choice. It would be unfair and inappropriate for players to be turned away from their facility of choice in favor of travel team players who are absent one half or more of the time.

Recreation Level - A Positive Experience
It is important that the participants in the Salt Lake County Youth Hockey Program have a positive experience and want to return to the program season after season. It has been our experience that many recreation level players (and their parents) become discouraged and intimidated by having to play with and against travel team players that are considerably better than them. As a result they leave the program prematurely. In addition the parents of recreation level players have often expressed their concerns about their children participating with travel team players and their desire that the travel team players not be involved in the recreation program.

Where Problems Arise
The option of allowing travel level players to play up an age division to participate in the recreation program has been an issue in the Utah hockey community for years and has been addressed by Salt Lake County personnel in the past. If travel team Mites (6-8 year olds) are permitted to play up in the recreation program Squirt (9-10 year olds) division we then have to allow travel team Squirts to play with the recreation level Pee Wees (11-12 year olds) and the Pee Wees with the Bantams (13-14 year olds). This is where bigger problems can arise.

With any of these age division combinations there will be occasions where the younger travel team players are playing with players who are 4-5 years older. For example there could be travel team Mites as young as 6 playing with recreation level Squirts who have already turned 11. The size and strength difference between a 6 year old and an 11 year old can be huge. This again becomes a safety and liability issue in a physical game such as hockey even in age divisions where checking is not yet permitted. When the Squirt /Pee Wee combination is considered, where checking is not yet permitted in Squirts but is in Pee Wees, the risk increases significantly.

Restriction of Travel Team Players - Summary
One goal of the Salt Lake County Youth Hockey program is that it be truly recreational in nature. A program where the recreation level players have a chance to touch the puck, make plays, and be the stars of their teams. A program where recreation level players don't have to be dominated, discouraged, intimidated, and constantly overshadowed by travel team players that are substantially better than them. To this end the restriction of travel team players in the recreation program is seen as a necessary step.