Player Play-Up Policy

This policy governs requests for a player to compete in an older age classification than the one they would otherwise be assigned to. Standard policy is to follow the Minnesota Hockey age and participation level classifications, where players in an age group running from June 1 through May 31 of the following year play together. The St. Louis Park Hockey Association (SLPHA) recognizes that in some instances it can be appropriate to a player’s development for him or her to Play-Up to the next hockey age division. Moving down to a younger age range is not allowed.

As such, the SLPHA allows for player movement within the following distinct tracks:

• Grade-Level Exception (Minnesota Hockey Mandated)
• Skill-Based Play-Up (SLPHA Association Policy)

Minnesota Hockey designed the age classifications specifically so that players with summer birthdates can have the option to play with their school grade peers. Minnesota Hockey rules require affiliated associations to make this accommodation available; SLPHA maintains discretion over how it is managed. This is not a competitive evaluation - a player who meets the eligibility criteria is not scored or ranked against the older group to qualify. If approved, the player tries out and plays entirely within the older classification for that season.

ELIGIBILTY

• Player's birthdate falls in June, July, or August, immediately following the classification cutoff, and...
• Player is enrolled in the school grade that corresponds to the next older age classification (e.g., a summer-birthday player in 6th grade may request to play Peewee/12U instead of Squirt/10U).

PROCESS

• Player/family notifies the Level Coordinator(s) at both the age-appropriate level and the grade-level classification, prior to August 15.
• Level Coordinators confirm the election with the Registrar.
• Registrar or Level Coordinator may follow up directly with the family if a question arises.

DURATION

• Once approved, a player will play with the older (grade-level) classification going forward. This is a standing decision at the point of election, not an annual reconfirmation.
• If a family wants a player to spend a 3rd season at a given level rather than advancing with their grade group, a separate request can be submitted to the Level Coordinator(s) directly, and would result in permanently rejoining the player age classification grouping.
• The SLPHA Hockey Development Committee (HDC) specifically reserves the right to reverse a decision allowing a player to Play-Up at any time. If a player that has moved up is experiencing difficulty as determined by the HDC and/or the player’s coach (be it through safety concerns, skill deficiency, behavioral deficiency, maturity level, etc.), the Board may reverse the Play-Up privilege for subsequent season(s).

The SLPHA also allows for rare cases where Play-Up based on Skill, rather than birthdate, is permitted. This will be considered both by request from the Player/family, and by request from the SLPHA. A fine balance must be struck between desire for a player to move up and the player's chance of succeeding at the older level.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

• Approval to Play-Up is an annual decision; the player must meet the criteria for each year requested.
• There is an increased risk of injury for players competing outside their designated age classification; this must be weighed carefully, especially at higher levels where checking is involved.
• It is important to remember that a player who seems to have the skill to be superior at his current level, often will not have mastered the skills to stay competitive at a higher level.
• The impact on both age classifications' roster numbers and competitiveness should be considered.
• SLPHA will not accept or consider requests for exceptions to this policy.
• Mites/8U players are eligible to petition for a skill-based play-up to Squirt/10U; see the Mites-specific roster condition below.

PETITION PROCESS

• Skill-based Play-up requests must be submitted in writing prior to August 15 to the HDC via the Level Coordinators of both the player's own age-appropriate classification and the older classification being requested.
• The HDC will review the request and notify the family of its decision before Preseason Development Camp begins (September 1).
• Criteria for approval are based on the player's skill and ability to contribute at the older level, and their emotional and physical maturity compared to the older group.
• Approvals at this stage are conditional on the outcome of the tryout process, and may be reversed at a later time.

CONDITIONS FOLLOWING APPROVAL

• If participating in the Preseason Development Camp, the player will join the older level. The added pace is intended to prepare the player either way — for the older level, or for their age group. Players can opt out of the process if they feel the older group is not the right fit.
• The player will participate in the tryout at the older level, and potentially also with their age-group peers if necessary.
• The player is placed on the older-level team only if their final roster position ranks in the top 5% of their own age group and in the top 50% of the team at the equivalent designation to the highest level offered at the player's own age group. For example: if the highest team offered at Squirt is B1, the player must rank in the top 50% of the final Peewee B1 roster. If the highest level offered at Squirt is A, the same top-50% threshold applies to the final Peewee A roster.
• For goalies, this threshold is calculated among goaltenders on the team, not the full roster — on a typical 2-goalie roster, this means ranking as the top goaltender.
• Mites/8U → Squirt/10U exception: since Mites does not have A/B/C designations, a Mites/8U petitioner is measured against the highest Squirt team offered. The player must make the top team and rank in the top 50% of that team's final roster.
• A player who does not meet the applicable threshold is asked to return to their age-appropriate classification.

Separate from a family-initiated petition, the HDC may move a player up at its discretion, e.g., to fill a roster where an age classification's numbers do not otherwise support a viable team. This is not a common occurrence, though allows for flexibility within the SLPHA to continue operating independently.

Any Administrative Play-Up player will be treated the same as any other player trying out at that level. They will tryout with that group and be placed on the team their tryout results warrant, provided they rank in the top 50% of that team's final roster. If they fall short of the top 50%, they move down to the next-lower team at the older classification.

An administrative move-up guarantees a spot at the older classification, not a specific team. This process does not bypass HDC review. Moves are considered only when roster numbers at both levels support it and it serves the best interest of both classifications, including reasonable competitive balance at the receiving level.

An approved skill-based play-up is valid for one season only. A family that wants a player to continue playing up in a subsequent season must submit a new written notice of intent through the same process, by the same August 15 deadline, each season. Renewal is not automatic, and prior approval does not guarantee approval in a future season.

The HDC retains sole discretion over all player movement under this track. The criteria and mechanism described above are guidelines to inform that judgment, not automatic determinants. Approvals are granted only when they serve the best interest of the entire association.