Elementary School League

Our Elementary School Hockey League strives to achieve several important objectives. We aim to:

1. Support Scholastic Programs: By introducing and preparing kids to play alongside their future Middle School and High School teammates, we create a seamless transition for their hockey journey. Our league serves as a stepping stone towards higher-level competition and fosters a sense of continuity within the local hockey community.

2. Individual and Team Development: We prioritize the growth of players and teams, helping them reach their full potential on and off the ice. Through structured practices, games, and playoffs, participants will experience significant personal growth, build character, and develop valuable life skills such as teamwork and perseverance.

3. Promote School Pride and Rivalries: The league serves as a catalyst for cultivating school pride and fostering healthy rivalries among participating schools. By nurturing these competitive dynamics, we create an atmosphere that fuels enthusiasm, camaraderie, and lifelong connections within the local community.

1. Skillful Play: With a focus on skill development and teamwork, our league provides a nurturing environment for young players to enhance their hockey abilities. Through six dedicated practices and 12 thrilling games, participants will have ample opportunities to sharpen their skills and showcase their progress.

2. Game Format: Our games consist of three periods, each lasting 12 minutes, allowing for fast-paced action and ample playing time for all participants.

3. League Playoffs: As the season progresses, the excitement intensifies with league playoffs to be held in the spring. Teams will compete for the coveted trophies, fueling a competitive spirit while emphasizing the values of sportsmanship and fair play.

4. Team Placement: To encourage camaraderie and community engagement, all individuals will be placed on teams based on their respective school districts and townships. This not only builds a sense of unity within schools but also strengthens connections with their classmates.

ICE LINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAYING GUIDELINES

Playing Levels

League is divided into (3) divisions:

Division Description

AA Teams with a mixture of mostly club players (AAA, AA, A)

A Teams with a mixture of experienced or club players and novice level or non-club players

B Teams with predominantly novice level players and/or zero to few club players

• Preseason games do not count towards the league standings and are played within one of two groupings:  AA/A or A/B.  Teams are placed into the appropriate division based on the scores of the Preseason games.  The Regular Season consists of 8 games per team and determines the divisional standings.  All teams are eligible for the playoffs within their division.
• Depending on the results from the preseason, the divisions could be broken down to AA, A and B for the regular season.
• Team trophies and individual medals will be awarded to league champions and runners-up for each division.

Player Eligibility

• It is required that every player on a team attends one of the clubs approved feeder schools.
• All public elementary schools that feed the sponsor high schools are listed on the league website.
• Rosters will be due prior to the start of the regular season.
  • All clubs must list every players…
    • First Name
    • Last Name
    • Jersey Number
• The commissioner will then respond with what each family submitted for the players grade and elementary school they attend.
• The Club will then sign off approval if everything is correct.
• Unless they are an approved non-district player ANY player that plays in a regular season game…
  • And it is found out that they do not attend the elementary school the club submitted.

THE TEAM WILL BE DEEMED INELIABLE FOR LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

• Any player that attends the approved school in grades K through 5th.  5th graders must be approved by the league Commissioner.
  • If the 5th grader has never played a year of organized hockey, they would be eligible for the Elementary School League
  • If the 5th grader has played a year of organized hockey, they would not be eligible for the Elementary School League.
• 5th Grade players are ineligible until approved by the Commissioner in writing.

Public Feeder Schools eligibility is determined by the Commissioner as follows:

• Any public elementary school that feeds the sponsor high school. (listed on league website)
• Any student living within the public school district boundaries that attends a private/parochial school in that district - only if there is not an approved private/parochial school team in the League.  If there is an approved private/parochial school team in the league the Private/Parochial School has priority.
• Any Home-Schooled or Special Education child that lives within the sponsor high school’s school district.

Non-District Players

• Non-District players are classified as players that go to a public elementary school that does not feed a high school in the league.
• All Non-District Players will be placed into a player pool and will go through the placement procedure.

Non-District Player Placement Procedure

• Family registers though Ice Line website under non-district player
• Clubs will reach out to the commissioner that they are light in numbers and could use extra players to help increase their roster size.
• The commissioner will then place non-district players according to the clubs in need.
• Clubs are prohibited from recruiting Non-District Players to their club.

• ANY player that plays in a regular season game…
  • And it is found out that they do not attend the elementary school that the club submitted and are a non-district player.

THE TEAM WILL BE DEEMED INELIABLE FOR LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

Rostering Requirements

• Rosters, including player jersey numbers, must be on an official Ice Line Elementary School League Roster form and are due by the team’s 1st regular season game.  Final rosters are due by December 31st and are frozen after this date.
• If a team adds a player to their roster prior to the December 31st deadline, it must be done in writing and must be approved, in writing, by the Commissioner before they play in any game.
• After the season has started a club may move a player from one team to another team, but they must notify the Commissioner of the roster change.
• Players must play in at least 4 regular season games to be eligible for the playoffs.
• Swing players must play in 4 regular season games for the club’s lower team to be eligible for playoffs.  Example: If a swing player plays in 2 A games for the club and 3 B games, they will be eligible for A playoffs but not B.  If a swing player plays in 3 A game for the club and 4 B games, they will be eligible for both A and B playoffs. 

A Division

• 1st through 5th graders (5th graders must petition to be eligible) permitted.
• This division is for 1st team older entries.
• Teams play 4 Preseason games within the A/B grouping and placed in either the A or B Division based on the scores of their Preseason games.  Preseason games do not count towards the League standings.  Teams play 8 Regular Season games within their division that count towards the League standings.  All teams are eligible to participate in the Playoffs.

B Division

• K through 4th graders permitted.
• This division is for younger or beginner teams or for 2nd or 3rd team entries or programs with newer teams.
• Teams play 4 Preseason games within the A/B grouping and placed in either the A or B Division based on the scores of their Preseason games.  Preseason games do not count towards the League standings.  Teams play 8 Regular Season games within their division that count towards the League standings.  All teams are eligible to participate in the Playoffs.

Division Movement

Up until the start of a team’s 5th regular season game, the commissioner reserves the right to move a team up or down in a division.  Once a team plays its 5th regular season game, they are locked into that division for the remainder of the regular season, as well as playoffs.

Playing Rules

• All games will consist of three 12-minute periods following a 4-minute warm-up.  No coaches are permitted to be on the ice during warm-up or at any time during the game except when attending to an injured player.
• No curfews: all games are played to completion.
• All teams must be prepared to play 10 minutes prior to scheduled game time. Ice Line rosters must be completed and given to the scorekeeper before the warm-up clock has started. Coach’s or Managers must cross off the players that will not be playing in that game.  Example: If a team has 15 rostered players on the scoresheet and 3 players cannot make the game, those 3 players need to be crossed out.  In this scenario 12 players should not be crossed off on the scoresheet and 12 players should be dressed for the game.
• If the scoresheet is not filled out properly and no players are crossed off when they should be, no players will receive credit for game played.
• For preseason games, rosters should be written in.  Only the players playing in the game should be written on the roster.  Players first and last names as well as jersey number are required to be written on the roster. 
• Automatic offsides for all divisions.
• Teams and individual players are discouraged from “running up the score”.  Any player that scores more than 3 goals in one game will receive a minor penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct for each goal scored above 3 per game. In addition to the penalty, the goal will not count towards the score. This INCLUDES OVERTIME.
• All games will be scheduled with two officials.  In the event only one official shows up, the game will still be considered official and must be played.
• Coaches’ copies of score sheets can be made at any time after the game.
• Please have coaches check the master hard copy of the score sheet at the end of a game for penalties, scoring, etc.  Once the score sheet is submitted it will be considered official, and no scoring or penalty changes will be accepted.
• If a coach wishes to protest a game, it must be stated on the score sheet along with a brief description as to why.  A follow up letter should then be submitted to the Commissioner.  No protest will be accepted on a referee’s call/no call (except for a Major or Match Penalty).  Protests will not be permitted if not noted on the score sheet before both coaches’ sign it.  Exception to this is if a team later finds out the other team used an illegal player against them.
• Penalties will be 1 minutes for minors, 3 minutes for majors and 6 minutes for misconducts.
• All games will be played by USA Hockey rules unless stated otherwise.
• All players should be registered through USA Hockey
• If a player/coach receives a major penalty for a different USA Hockey team he/she plays on, it does not carry over into the Ice Line Elementary School League.
• Match penalties do carry over to the ILESL as well as all USA Hockey teams that player is rostered with.
• Point system will follow as 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.

Unsportsmanlike Behavior by Coaches with Respect to Game Score

During the course of a season, there may be games where one team is ahead by a significant score.  In these situations, it is the responsibility of the coach of the winning team to ensure that the score does not get to the point where the trailing team is ‘being embarrassed.’  All teams are working their hardest and doing their best.  There is no reason for a team to run the score up on someone.

To discourage this, the ESL is instituting a new policy beginning with the 2020 - 2021 season.  Any game which ends with a goal differential above 9 will be reviewed for potential action based upon unsportsmanlike behavior on the part of the coach.  Punishment would likely be a one game suspension for the head coach for a first offense.

Examples Scores of Unsportsmanlike Behavior

• 10-0
• 11-1
• 12-2
• 13-3
• ETC.

Jersey Colors

• If there is a conflict in jersey colors, the designated home team has 1st priority.  If one team has two sets of jerseys, they are required to switch to a contrasting color.  If neither team has a 2nd color jersey, the designated visiting team will be required to wear pinnies (available at the Ice Line Hockey Office).

Playoff Tie Breaker

• In the event that two teams are tied for a playoff position the following tie breakers will be used.
• 1. Series Winner between two tied teams
• 2. Total wins in the Division
• 3. Least Goals Against in the Division
• 4. Points against common opponents
• 5. Total Wins against common opponents
• 6. Least Goals vs common opponents
• 7. Least Goals against in a series between teams
• 8. Coin-Flip by Commissioner

Boyertown

• Boyertown Elementary School
• Colebrookdale Elementary School
• Earl Elementary School
• Gilbertsville Elementary School
• New Hanover-Upper Frederick Elementary School
• Washington Elementary School

Conestoga

• Beaumont Elementary School (BES, Easttown Township, Berwyn address)
• Devon Elementary School (DES, Easttown Township, Devon address)
• Hillside Elementary School (HES, Tredyffrin Township, Berwyn address)
• New Eagle Elementary School (NEES, Tredyffrin Township, Wayne address)
• Valley Forge Elementary School (VFES, Tredyffrin Township, Wayne address)

Downingtown

• Beaver Creek Elementary - Downingtown
• Bradford Heights Elementary School - West Bradford Twp.
• Brandywine Wallace Elementary School - East Brandywine Twp.
• East Ward Elementary School - Downingtown
• Lionville Elementary School - Uwchlan Twp.
• Pickering Valley Elementary School - Upper Uwchlan Twp.
• Shamona Creek Elementary School - Uwchlan Twp.
• Springton Manor Elementary School - Wallace Twp.
• Uwchlan Hills Elementary School - Uwchlan Twp.
• West Bradford Elementary School - West Bradford Twp.

Great Valley

• Charlestown Elementary School
• General Wayne Elementary School
• Kathryn D. Markley Elementary School
• Sugartown Elementary School

Henderson

• East Bradford Elementary
• Greystone Elementary
• Hillsdale Elementary
• Mary C Howse Elementary

Methacton

• Arrowhead Elementary School
• Eagleville Elementary School
• Woodland Elementary School
• Worcester Elementary School

Owen J Roberts

• East Coventry
• East Vincent Elementary Principal
• French Creek Elementary
• North Coventry Elementary
• West Vincent Elementary

Perkiomen Valley

• Evergreen Elementary School
• Skippack Elementary School
• South Elementary School
• Schwenksville Elementary School

Radnor

• Ithan Elementary School
• Wayne Elementary School
• Radnor Elementary School

Rustin

• Penn Wood Elementary
• Sarah Starkweather Elementary
• Westtown Thornbury Elementary

Spring-Ford

• Brooke Elementary School
• Evans Elementary School
• Limerick Elementary School
• Oaks Elementary School
• Royersford Elementary School
• Spring City Elementary Hybrid Learning School
• Upper Providence Elementary

WC East

• East Goshen Elementary
• Exton Elementary
• Fern Hill Elementary
• Glen Acres Elementary