OPEN HOCKEY RULES

Open Hockey Rules

Purpose: Open Hockey aims to provide GSC hockey players with unstructured ice time to practice skills, play games, enjoy themselves, and have fun with friends. The Open Hockey schedule is available on the GSC website “Schedule” tab.

The purpose of these rules is to establish clear expectations and ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

When can players attend?

·      Players should participate in their age-specific groups.

·      Players may play one level above their age group but are not permitted to play at lower age levels (e.g., a U12 cannot participate in U10 Open Hockey).

·      To avoid overcrowding, the priority is given to the age group for which the ice is scheduled. If 20 players from the designated age group are on the ice, younger players should not participate.

Girls & boys play together.

Attendees can play games and/or work on their skills.

Behavior expectations:

·      Players are expected to consistently demonstrate our ERA values of Effort, Respect, and Attitude toward one another and the staff.

·      Players are expected to collaborate, respect other players' desires to do what they choose on the ice, and create a positive and inclusive environment for everyone.

·      No checking or excessively rough play is allowed.

·      Players are expected to watch where they shoot to avoid hitting other players and prevent injuries. 

Who’s eligible to play?

·      Allowed: All GSC travel hockey players; Stateline GSC members; all Travel Development League (TDL) players

·      Not allowed: Guests; non-GSC Stateline; hockey players from non-GSC teams; parents

·      For ice time allocated to the group “High School & Older”, eligibility: GSC members, vacation members, GSC staff and coaches, and their children who are currently in high school or older. Not eligible: everyone else (eg: friends of members are not eligible).

If you have any questions or need clarification about eligibility, please contact the GSC hockey representative on-call. 

Equipment required. Full equipment is recommended for safety reasons. However, the minimum required equipment includes skates, helmets, gloves, shin pads, and elbow pads. Players missing the required equipment will not be allowed on the ice. 

Rink team responsibilities The rink team is responsible only for enforcing the minimum equipment rule. They do not decide who can or cannot participate (refer to the eligibility section above).

Assumption of Risk: Open Hockey is an unsupervised activity (i.e., no adult or GSC hockey staff will be on the ice). By participating, you acknowledge the risks associated with playing hockey and agree that GSC shall not be held responsible for any injuries that may occur to participants during Open Hockey.