GBAYHA Boundaries

Per an agreement between Green Bay Area Youth Hockey Association, De Pere Youth Hockey Association, and WAHA prior to the 2015-2016 Season, the following school district boundary rules took effect:

• The School District boundaries apply to a family’s place of residence.  The school that a player is attending is irrelevant in determining a player’s home association.
• The GBAYHA Player Registration system includes multiple questions that must be answered honestly.  The questions allow GBAYHA to determine the proper classification and requirements of each registration.  Families should reach out to the GBAYHA Registrar or President with questions during registration. Situations may be referred to the WAHA Region 3 Directors.
• Falsifying the address of residence for the player, or previous Association information will not be tolerated.

• Players residing in Pulaski School District, Luxemburg-Casco School District, Seymour School District, Freedom School District, Oconto School District, Door County, Kewaunee County, other school districts outside of Brown County can choose the nearest Association that meets their needs.
• Once an Open District player is claimed through USA Hockey by an Association, that association becomes the player’s permanent “home” Association.
• Questions regarding open district rules or moving to a new residence and the impact it has on a player’s home Association should be directed to the WAHA Region 3 Directors.
• A family that moves to a new residence within the open district area that is adjacent to the player’s previously established “home” Association, such that players from that area sometimes choose that same Association, is still considered as belonging to the same “home” Association.  In other words, moving does not automatically allow a family to re-choose an Association.
  • For example: A player that belongs to GBAYHA, living in the Freedom School District, who moves to the Seymour School District, or moves within the Freedom School District, or even moves to the Pulaski or Luxemburg-Casco School District still belongs to GBAYHA.
• A player living within the Appleton Area Youth Hockey Association boundary who moves to the Seymour School District still belongs to the Appleton Area Youth Hockey Association.
• Specific scenarios should be directed to Association Registrars or Presidents and WAHA Region 3 Directors.
• A family that moves into a defined boundary of an Association becomes a member of that Association.

*The Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) Annual Guide, Rules, and Decisions take precedence over the information in this document.

A GBAYHA family who would like to play a season for a different Association must be released by the GBAYHA Board of Directors and approved by WAHA to make the transfer.

• A written request including the desired destination Association must be submitted to the GBAYHA President, Registrar, or Executive Board member.
• The GBAYHA Board decides on the request at an upcoming Board Meeting, usually after hearing the family’s request in person at the Board Meeting, depending on the situation.
• If the GBAYHA Board grants the request, the WAHA Tier II Player Request form is filled out by GBAYHA executives and submitted to WAHA for approval and communication to the destination Association.
• All GBAYHA outstanding debt and fees must be addressed before a release can be granted. Part of the WAHA Tier II Player Request process is a “financial” release.  The releasing Association (GBAYHA) must provide the “Financial” release or WAHA will prohibit the player from being rostered for the destination association.
• The GBAYHA Participation Agreement for the current season, signed during the registration process, explains the financial obligation (refund policy) for families who registered with GBAYHA and then later request to leave GBAYHA.
• The destination Association is not obligated to take an Out-of-District (OOD) player.  If the destination Association rejects the player, that Association must grant a release and provide the WAHA Tier II Player Request form to send the player to a different Association or back to the home Association.

A family who belongs to a non-GBAYHA Association and wishes to play on a GBAYHA team for an upcoming season may be allowed to do so.  However, GBAYHA is not obligated to accept Out-of-District (OOD) players.

• GBAYHA must follow all WAHA rules in effect.
• WAHA currently prohibits a GBAYHA team from having more than 2 Out-of-District players.
• A family who desires to play on a GBAYHA team for an upcoming season is encouraged to communicate to the GBAYHA President or Registrar during the off season, as early as possible (May or June), as team planning and budgeting are underway well before the registration window opens.
• The following scenarios attempt to describe a family’s options.
  • Girls’ Teams
    • A player from a nearby Association that does not have a Girls’ team option may request to play for a GBAYHA Girls’ team without requiring a full release from their home Association.  In other words, the home association can’t deny the transfer.  Only a financial release will be required prior to being rostered on a GBAYHA team if GBAYHA accepts the player.
    • The player is not considered an Out-Of-District player for the purpose of the WAHA limits on OOD players per team in this situation, for the season that these conditions are met.
    • A player from a nearby Association that has a Girls’ team option may request to play for a GBAYHA Girls’ team.  The player must be granted a Release (Waiver) from their home Association that is approved by WAHA and sent to GBAYHA.  GBAYHA may then accept the player on a Girls’ team. 
    • The GBAYHA Girls’ Liaison in conjunction with Girls’ team coaches and the Coaching Committee make recommendations to the GBAYHA Board regarding team sizes and decisions to accept OOD players.  The GBAYHA Board makes the final decisions on the recommendations and OOD player acceptance.
  • Youth (Co-ed) “A” Teams
    • In accordance with current WAHA rules, a player from a nearby Association that is not a Division 1 Association could be selected for a GBAYHA “A” team without requiring a pre-release from their home Association.  In other words, if GBAYHA accepts the OOD player on an “A” team, the player is allowed to “play up” to the GBAYHA Division 1 Association and the home association can’t deny the transfer.  Only a financial release will be required prior to being rostered on a GBAYHA team if GBAYHA accepts the player to a team.
    • A player from a nearby Division 1 Association must be granted a Release from their home Association that is approved by WAHA and sent to GBAYHA prior to the start of tryouts for their age-level.  Then GBAYHA may accept the OOD player on a team.
• Generally, GBAYHA plans to allow OOD players to be selected on “A” teams within the rules set forth by WAHA.
• GBAYHA will determine if the addition of OOD players at a given age-level will force larger team sizes that are not within the optimal range for the age-level.  OOD players may be denied or limited if it is detrimental to the team sizes.

• Youth Co-ed “B” or “C” Teams
• Generally, GBAYHA does not plan to select OOD players on “B” and “C” teams.  Exceptions can apply and are determined on a case-by-case, non-precedent-setting basis by the GBAYHA Board or the “GBAYHA Process for Determining Team Size and OOD Limits.”
• A player from a nearby Association who wishes to be eligible to be accepted on a “B” or “C” GBAYHA team must be granted a pre-release from their home Association that is approved by WAHA and sent to GBAYHA prior to the start of tryouts for their age-level to be considered.
• Releases should be acquired and provided much earlier than the start of tryouts.
• Releases must be re-acquired each season from the home association.  WAHA does not support a multi-season release.
• An Out-of-District family that desires to be considered for a “B” or “C” Team should petition the GBAYHA Board by written request to the GBAYHA Registrar, President, or an Executive Board member prior to the August Board Meeting.  A decision may be delayed by the board or deferred to the “GBAYHA Process for Determining Team Size and OOD Limits” if the Board chooses, as the decision may depend on projected team sizes that are determined once registration numbers are collected.

• The GBAYHA Coaching Committee, GBAYHA Board, and Registrar maintain regular communication during the months leading up to tryouts to determine the estimated number of teams and team sizes, and potential situations and recommendations for the upcoming season.
• Due to the late registrations and late cancellations that GBAYHA has seen for many seasons, the final decision regarding the number of skaters, goalies, or team size range and the maximum number of OOD players a coach and the evaluation team must adhere to for the team selection at a tryout could occur as late as the beginning of the tryouts.
• If the GBAYHA Board does not rule prior to the tryout for a given team or age-level, the final decision regarding the number of skaters, goalies, or team size range and the maximum number of OOD players a coach and the evaluation team must adhere to for the team selection at a tryout is made by reaching an agreement by at least 2 of 3 committee members composed of:
  • President (or Registrar or another executive committee member designated if unavailable or conflict of interest
  • Coaching Committee Chairperson (or other coaching committee member designated (if chairperson is unavailable or is head coach of team being decided on or has conflict of interest)
  • Coaching Committee Age-Level Liaison (or other coaching committee member designated if liaison is unavailable or has conflict of interest)

• Any player who transfers to GBAYHA who played for any non-GBAYHA Association the previous season (includes Tier I Associations) must request a Financial Release (WAHA Tier II Player Request form) from their previous Association and have it sent to the WAHA Region 3 Registrar and approved prior to being rostered on a GBAYHA team.
• Players who had a full release already submitted do not require a separate Financial Release as the financial portion was included in the full release.
• Obtaining a Financial Release may occur after GBAYHA teams are selected but must occur prior to the USA Hockey official roster deadline (mid-November).  GBAYHA assumes returning players and OOD players who do not have a financial release prior to tryouts will obtain one successfully as soon as possible after being selected to a GBAYHA team.