New Rules, Protocols and Information for 2022 Hockey Season
NHA Policy updates are as follows:
COVID-19 Operation Plan
Operation plan for 2022 is as follows:
2022 Play information:
Competition start date –2022-Club Competition
- NHA run annually the official competition between all the Clubs affiliated to us in our Senior Grades (P1, P2, P3) and our Junior Grades (Division 4, 5 & 6).
2022 Season
- P1 Men and Women will play on Saturdays, with some mid-week games too.
- P2 Men and Women will play on Sundays, with some mid-week games too.
- P3 Men and Women (and Mixed) will play on Sundays, with some mid-week games too.
- Division 4 Boys and Girls will play on Friday nights.
- Division 5 & 6 Boys and Girls will play on Wednesday nights.
2022 Competition Key Dates:
- Senior Competitive season starts 2nd April 2022 (16 week Competition).
- Junior Competitive season starts:
- Div.4 starts 6th May 2022 (15 week Competition)
- Div 5 starts 25th May 2022 (12 week Competition-6 a Side+GK/ Half Field Format)
- Div 6 Winter Comp starts 25th May 2022 (6 week Competition-6 a Side+GK/ Half Field Format)
- Div 6 Spring Comp starts 3rd August 2022 (6 week Competition-6 a Side+GK/ Half Field Format)
- No Club competition during Easter holidays, School holidays and key TOTS Representative weekends (incl Maadi Cup/ Gladstone Cup/ Pope Shield Tournament).
- 2022 Competitive season will run for 16 Games for Seniors, 15 Games for Div 4, 12 Games for Div 5 and two blocks of 6 games for Div 6.
Competition end date –
- DIV.6 Winter Comp complete their season on June 29th.
- DIV.6 Spring Comp complete their season on September 14th.
- DIV.5.complete their season on August 24th.
- DIV.4 complete their season on September 2nd.
- P3 M&W (and Mixed) complete their season August 20th.
- P2 M&W complete their season August 20th.
- P1 M&W complete their season August 20th.
Please refer further below a draft “new rules proposed” document that HNZ-Colin French has developed in conjunction with key people from our community.
- NHA has been designated to host 2021 COACHES CUP & 2021JENNY MC DONALD CUP this season, (30/08-03/09)
HNZ and all 32 Associations around the country have been meeting weekly working collaboratively during this challenging time. HNZ leaderships, support and guidance have been outstanding.
Find attached FIH guidance on return to play from Covid-19. We believe we have most of this collectively covered with our approach.
It came to our attention that members were letting themselves into the grounds as the code for the lockbox was widely known. Due to this, if COVID-19 Alert levels change we may have to change the code and will then only give the code out as required. During this international pandemic it is critical that people are only entering the grounds when NHA can ensure all health and safety protocols in place are used correctly.
We have made the decision to divide the facility in three main areas as follow:
AREA 1=Turf 1.(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 2=Turf 2.(QR CODE + Manual System)
AREA 3=Pavilion.(QR CODE + Manual System)
We encourage every member to register just before enter each area.
QR Code is a recommended system implemented at our facility. We encourage every member to register just before enter our different areas at the facility-(Area 1=Turf 1 / Area 2=Turf 2 / Area 3=Pavilion). Also a manual system is provided at the main gate and pavilion entrance for those ones that don’t have access to an android phone.
New Rules and Protocols for 2022 Hockey Season (Draft)
Community hockey is being reintroduced in a cautious and methodical manner, based on the best available evidence to optimise participant and community safety. In order to be aligned to Hockey’s overarching “return to play” considerations; the following rule changes have been proposed to come into effect immediately:
Spitting and bushman nose blowing (blowing your nose without a handkerchief or tissue etc) is a practice that unfortunately occurs in our sport and must stop as it poses a significant risk to other participants.
New Rule:
- A 2 min suspension (green card) to be issued to any player or participant caught spitting or bushman nose blowing.
- Repeat offenders to be shown a yellow card (5 mins).
- Consistent repeat offenders will be subject to a Judicial process
- Standard suspension rules to apply
Umpiring Guidance/tips:
Apply this rule consistently to all participants (i.e. no exceptions). Safety is always the key consideration. Ensure players and team management are aware of new rule changes before starting a match.
New Rule:
It is probable that in some cases technical benches, suspension seating (or similar) may not be in use. Accordingly, in these situations suspended players will be allowed to serve their suspension in their respective team dug outs where required at certain turf venues. All other existing suspension rules are to apply.
Other Important considerations/protocol’s:
Application of Rules
When umpiring hockey, our 2 key pillars are to keep the game fair and keep the game safe. As well as the technical appreciation of a rule, it is just as important to understand the intent of the rule to ensure the best practical implementation. Apply common sense, context, and a consistent application of the rules at all times.
Under the current Covid-19 environment, wherever practical the safety aspect now needs to be extended to include new procedures to reduce contact by players and participants to an absolute minimum. All participants have a personal responsibility to identify and adhere to best health and safety protocol’s pre, during, and post a hockey match. Accordingly, the following measures are mandatory:
All protective equipment, including face masks, gloves, (and any other defensive PC equipment to be used) are not to be shared under any circumstances. Accordingly, defenders at penalty corners will need to be nominated and will need to have their own identified equipment to be allocated and worn solely by themselves.
All Penalty Corner equipment shall be cleaned and sanitised prior to and post each match.
No goalkeeping gear is to be shared during a match under any circumstances. In the event of a goalkeeper (injury or otherwise) needing to be replaced during a match, if no additional goalkeeper or goalkeeping gear is available, teams will need to revert to playing with a full complement of field players (e.g. 6 aside, 11 aside, etc.). All goalkeeping gear shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to and post every match.
No individual players gear (sticks, shin pads, gloves) is to be shared under any circumstances. Mouthguards obviously should not also be shared, and players are strongly recommended to keep mouthguards in their mouth during the entirety of the match. Removal of mouthguards on the turf needs to be reduced to an absolute bare minimum. Mouthguards should be cleaned at home/away from the turf venue prior to and post every match.
Individual players are strongly recommended to clean all their equipment (water bottles, mouthguards, face masks, gloves, etc.) at home/away from their respective hockey venue wherever practical (both prior to and after each match). Where required, Associations will have designated areas for cleaning of players equipment.
We all know that these are no longer socially acceptable. However, the acknowledgment of teammates and opponents is an important part of our sport. As such all participants should be strongly encouraged to promote the “hockey handshake” as per the following link. We know many do this already but let’s get it out there.
The following measures are strongly recommended:
No rule changes proposed; however, to minimize contact the following protocols are strongly recommended:
- Where practical any injured players should be treated by their own team members/management or medical professional
- Team Managers (or equivalent) should prepare and preplan what actions they need to undertake for injury situations
We also recommend that umpires and team management review and understand rules that apply to injuries and blood protocols, and also to check in with your Associations and turf venue to ensure that local procedures are in place and to have an awareness of what these protocols and guidelines are.
To minimize the number of touches/contacts to hockey balls, we recommend:
- Match ball to be cleaned prior to and at the end of every match
- The non-offending team reclaim the ball and return it to where the penalty is to be taken without handling the ball
Where a coin toss is required (e.g. starting a game, starting shootouts etc.), then the coin should be tossed by one umpire with a team captain/representative to call accordingly.
The use, format, and completion of match cards will differ within Associations. Consider arrangements that will again limit touches/contacts by individuals such as:
- Team names and numbers are pre-printed
- Umpires fill out cards only from details provided by team managers
- Use of electronic match recording where practical
NOTES:
Match cards, coin, hockey balls, hockey sticks, goals, face masks, boxes, shin pads, mouth guards, gloves, goal keeping gear, water bottles, injuries, blood, suspensions, dugouts.
- Promotion and relegation rules that may be unfair due to changed competition format
- By-laws and judicial process may need to be reviewed