Disciplinary Committee. The Disciplinary Committee, a committee of the PAMHA Board of Directors, and chaired by the Director of Member Safety, is charged with the overall responsibility and authority for hearing and resolving disciplinary issues involving participating players, coaches, team managers and parents/guardians of the PAMHA. This may include, but is not limited to, probation under defined terms, suspension from games or practices, exclusion from games, practices or other activities or dismissal or debarment from the PAMHA. Disciplinary action against a parent may be enforced by suspending or excluding the parent's child from games or practices if the parent fails to abide by the PAMHA’s action. Discipline shall be imposed fairly, consistently and in relationship to the wrongdoing but without regard to the player's importance to his/her team.
The Role of Coaches in Establishing and Maintaining Discipline. The PAMHA Board of Directors recognizes the importance, to the coach, the team and the individual players, of a coach’s role in establishing and enforcing disciplinary standards on his/her team. The Board of Directors further reaffirms the coach’s authority to establish standards of conduct and fair play and to take immediate and reasonable one-game or one-practice disciplinary action, including benching or suspension, in “on-ice” situations, such as games and practices, and in “off-ice” situations, such as those involving locker rooms and tournament, in which either the coach is responsible for the players’ conduct or such conduct could be detrimental to the team or the PAMHA. However, the PAMHA Board of Directors also recognizes the importance of fairness and consistency in the application of multiple game or practice disciplinary standards and has, therefore, established the mechanism outlined below.
Commencement of Disciplinary Action. A disciplinary action against a coach, player, parent/guardian or team manager is commenced by submitting the matter to the PAMHA Disciplinary Committee. Requests for action by the Disciplinary Committee must be in writing, dated, with a description of the conduct alleged and the date of the involved individual’s next game or practice if applicable. Matters may not be submitted anonymously. Upon receipt of such writing, the Disciplinary Committee, at its sole discretion, may decline to entertain any matter submitted in which case no action of any kind will be taken by the Disciplinary Committee and no further communication with any involved party will be made. As for those matters which the Disciplinary Committee agrees to entertain, it will convene by phone, in person, or by other reasonably means before the next regularly scheduled practice or game of the involved person. If that is not possible, any one-game or one- practice suspension shall continue for one additional game or practice. If two practices or games pass without decision by the Disciplinary Committee, the involved person shall be reinstated pending resolution of the matter by the Disciplinary Committee but if the safety, health, morals or welfare of any minor may be jeopardized, the suspension shall continue until resolution of the matter by the Disciplinary Committee
Time and Place of Meetings. The Disciplinary Committee shall meet as necessary during the year to decide matter before it. The exact date, time and location of such meetings shall be established by the Disciplinary Committee. The involved player(s), coach(es), parent(s)/guardian(s) or team manager(s), or other witnesses, may be requested to attend or provide input, as determined at the sole discretion of the Disciplinary Committee.
Membership and Quorum. Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter being covered, the Disciplinary Committee shall be composed of at least three (3) board members. Each member shall serve until the PAMHA’s next annual membership meeting. Members of the Disciplinary Committee may serve multiple terms. A majority of the appointed members shall constitute a quorum. Decisions of the Disciplinary Committee shall be determined by a simple majority of voting members, provided a quorum is present. Members of the Disciplinary Committee may vote on matters involving their own teams but are expected to exercise sound judgment in determining whether a particular situation may represent a conflict. Members of the Disciplinary Committee shall recues themselves from all matters involving him/herself or a family member.
Specific Authorities and Responsibilities. Specific authorities and responsibilities of the
Disciplinary Committee are:
a) To hear all complaints of misconduct involving coaches, players, parents/guardians and team managers;
b) To determine and assess disciplinary action against players, coaches, parents/guardians, and team managers, as considered appropriate in the circumstances, up to and including suspension and/or dismissal from the team and forfeiture of games;
d) To maintain a record of and report to the PAMHA Board of Directors all actions taken;
e) To report other matters of which the PAMHA Board of Directors should be aware that may come to its attention as a result of its activities;
f) To compel the appearance and testimony of a player, coach, or parent/guardian or team manager at a hearing and/or compel production of score sheets, video tapes, and other documentation in the possession of a coach, player, member, or representative of the PAMHA;
g) To solicit statements, testimony, evidence, or other documentation from interested parties other than players, coaches, and PAMHA members, as considered necessary in the sole judgment of the Disciplinary Committee; and
h) To establish such procedures as it considers necessary to conduct its activities.
Appeal. Decisions of the Disciplinary Committee may be appealed in writing to the PAMHA Board of Directors. The Board may decline to hear any appeal, at its sole discretion, in which case the action of the Disciplinary Committee shall stand. If any appeal will be heard, the Board shall convene a special meeting to hear the appeal within thirty (30) days of receipt of written notice of such appeal. Any actions taken by the Disciplinary Committee will continue in effect until the appeal is heard and ruled upon by the PAMHA Board of Directors.
