1. NAME
The League shall be called the Cambridgeshire Womens Hockey League and hereinafter will be referred to as the League (CWHL). It shall be open to all clubs affiliated to the Cambridgeshire Hockey Association and other clubs affiliated to neighbouring counties at the discretion of the League Committee. The inclusion of any clubs affiliated to neighbouring counties must be ratified at an 'all club' meeting by majority vote. As a Feeder League for the East Womens League (EWL), all clubs playing within CWHL must affiliate to the East Region Hockey Association.
2. MANAGEMENT/LIAISON
The League shall be managed by a League Committee comprising a League Secretary, Treasurer, & Division representatives. Additional committee members can be elected to support this committee.
Nominees for these positions will be approved at the League Annual General Meeting.
If all available positions are not filed at the Annual General Meeting all clubs competing in the CWHL must be entered into a raffle and a draw made for vacant positions. Those clubs elected to the League Committee must advise the departing League Secretary within 14 days of the AGM of an individual who will represent them on the League Committee. Clubs will be excluded from the raffle if they were represented on the League Committee during the previous season.
At the beginning of each season, clubs will be requested to provide a readily available contact name and telephone number. The League Secretary shall represent the League at any Management Committee meeting or nominate another representative should the League Secretary be unable to attend.
At least three meetings shall be held per year and a quorum shall be three members.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Clubs will be eligible to take part in the League providing it is affiliated to either the Cambridgeshire Hockey Association or approved East affiliated neighbouring county association and has paid its affiliation fees by 1st October of the relevant year.
4. FEES
All teams participating in CWHL shall pay an entry fee determined by the league committee. Payment shall be made before the first league Saturday in October. Any team which has not remitted its fee within two weeks of the due date shall be required to pay double the prescribed fee for that season.
5. SPONSORSHIP
A sponsor of the CWHL may be sought by the League Committee and approved at the AGM.
6. PLAYERS
Each player must be a FULLY PAID UP member of an ERHA affiliated club. A player wishing to change clubs within the CWHL must give 7 days notice Confirmation in writing from the two clubs involved must be sent to the League Secretary and the relevant Division representative and must be received and acknowledged before the player's first game for the new club. The CWHL has provided a transfer form for this purpose. A player may not play CWHL hockey for more than two clubs in one season. Any change of clubs between seasons is not counted. The penalty for breaking the rule on transfers will be the award of the match to the opposition.
A Club having two or more teams in the CWHL, or, one or more teams in the EWL or Five Counties League, must select their team on playing strength so that the strongest available side is put out at each level commencing with the highest team. If a team has a lack of available regular players, it shall use players from lower teams to make up the deficiency, and so on down the Club.
Clubs must not strengthen lower sides to gain an unfair advantage at any time or to affect promotion or relegation issues. This will be closely monitored by the League Committee. If any of a Club's teams are not involved in a match, the Club shall select its CWHL teams as if all teams were in fact playing, and shall not endeavour to unfairly strengthen lower sides by including the members of the team without a match.
A substitute not playing a significant part (half a match or more) in a match in a higher team may play for a lower team on the same day. A team with an unexpected shortage of players may double up players as follows: (a) goalkeepers may play morethan once in a day and goalkeepers can double up even if the second team they play for has field player substitutes; (B) a team with a shortage of field players may include one field player from another team; (c) the bottom team of a club may include up to three field players from other team(S). These arrangements are only intended to enable lower sides to fulfil fixtures when a team would otherwise have less than 11 players and doubling up of field players in a team with substitutes is not allowed. In all circumstances the Captain of the team using a player from another team must advise the opposing Captain of this before the match.
7. SCORING SYSTEM
Points will be awarded thus:
3 points for a win
1 point for a draw
0 points for a loss
In the case of equality of points at the end of the season, places shall be determined by consideration of each in the following order:
1 Goal difference
2 Highest number of goals 'for'
3 Result of the game between teams concerned (2 matches, home and away, on goal difference and the goals scored if necessary)
The winner of each division will gain automatic promotion. Other promotions and relegations will be dependent upon relegations from EWL and new entrants into the league. Final Cambs Women's League structure in the following season will be dependent on these promotions and relegations and will be decided by the League Committee.
8. UMPIRES
Teams must provide their own qualified Level One umpire in the Premier Division. Failure to do so will result in the offending team forfeiting the game by a score of 0-3. Any umpire who starts the game must umpire the whole game except in exceptional circumstances (e.g. illness or injury). It is not permissible for two players to umpire half a game each in the Premier Division.
Level One umpires should, wherever possible, be used to officiate Division One and Two games.
Umpires are reminded that they must not coach the team in any way.
Under no circumstances should umpires be asked to or volunteer to adjudicate on league rules.
9. CONDUCT
The EHA Disciplinary Code will be operated for the League.
Teams are expected to study and comply with the "Guidance Notes for Pitch side Conduct" appended to these rules.
Team officials and spectators must not interfere with the progress of the game or intimidate others by action or word. Such conduct may result in disciplinary action being taken by CWHL committee and the transgressing team may forfeit the game 3-0.
10. UNIFORM
Each player must wear an individual number on the back of their shirt which must be clearly visible. This means that each player on the same side must wear a different number. It is the responsibility of each team captain to ensure that every member of the team is wearing her correct number. Any team found to be fielding a player without a number may be fined £15 on each occasion this happens.
Captains are to be distinguished by wearing a captain's armband.
In the event of a colour clash of shirt/socks, the away team should change.
Goalkeepers should wear a colour contrasting with those worn by both teams.
11. MATCHES
All league matches shall be played in accordance with the current rules of the game of hockey as published by the Hockey Rules Board. A team shall be entitled to nominate up to 16 players in its squad for each match.
a) All league matches shall be played on Saturdays. If postponed fixtures cannot be played on the earliest possible slip date, they may be played on other days if mutually agreeable.
b) Matches will be 35 minutes each way.
c) It is the responsibility of the home team to confirm the fixture - at least 14 days notice must be given of the start time and the type of playing surface. Matches in the Premier and Division One must be played on an artificial surface. Unless mutually agreed by the two clubs concerned, alteration of a confirmed start time can only be made with the approval of the League Secretary.
d) Matches must start at the agreed time confirmed by the homes team, or within 15 minutes of the agreed time in exceptional circumstances. In the event of a dispute, the outcome will be decided by the League committee.
e) The suitability of the pitch and lighting is the responsibility of the home team.
f) Home teams must provide the match ball.
g) Matches should not be played before 9.30am nor should commence after 4.00pm, however due consideration should be given to the distance the away side has to travel when setting start times for matches. Only in exceptional circumstances, where it is agreed between the two teams, can matches be played outside these times.
12. POSTPONEMENT
No game shall be postponed excepting:
a) When the ground is not available owing to circumstances beyond the control of the home team.
b) In the opinion of the team official, groundsman, or umpires for the match, the state or condition of the pitch or weather condition would make it impossible or unsafe.
c) If the home pitch is known to be unfit by Friday 6pm preceding the game either: the home team will provide another venue for the match to be played on the original date at a time mutually agreeable to both clubs, O r if the away team is unable to provide a venue, the match should be rearranged for the earliest available slip date.
d) In normal circumstances the away team must be notified as soon as possible on the morning of the match of any cancellation. In the event of both teams being on the field and conditions making play impossible, the umpires shall decide whether play should commence or continue. In these circumstances no points will be awarded unless a game has been in progress a minimum of 15 minutes of the second half.
e) If a game is cancelled due to a club being unable to raise a team, the team cancelling will forfeit the game 0-3 and must inform the Division Reps in the usual way. If a club has a lack of available players, it shall use players from lower teams to make up the deficiency, and so on down the club, so that any necessary cancellation or forfeit of a league match applies to the bottom CWHL team. If a club cancels a league or cup match for lack of players but still fields lower teams, the minimum penalty will be the award of the match to the opposition, either 3-0 or the actual score to nil, whichever is the greater.
f) It should be noted that a financial penalty may be incurred if the astro pitch has to be cancelled. If in the judgement of the League Secretary any allowed postponements cause unavoidable costs to the opposition club the club seeking the postponement must pay these.
g) If a game has to be abandoned part way through a match, then the following guidelines should be used. However, the umpires' decision will be used as the guiding factor and this decision should be written on the team sheet. In the event of a dispute, the decision on the team sheet will stand and if this is not clear then the league committee will have the binding decision.
Abandonment for anything other than injury – if the umpires agree that the match cannot continue then, if less than 50 minutes has been played, the match should be replayed. If more than 50 minutes has been played then the current score stands.
Abandonment due to injury – if the injured player can be moved safely off the pitch then the game should continue. If it is not possible to move the player and the time available for the match runs out, the match outcome should be as follows: if less than 50 minutes has been played, the match should be replayed. If more than 50 minutes has been played then the current score stands.
h) Postponed or abandoned games must be rearranged utilising the first available slip date. Within 14 days of the original game both teams should agree a new date for the rearranged game. The home team must notify the League Secretary of the rearranged date within 14 days of the original date. Failure to follow these procedures will result in a fine of £10.
13. MATCH REPORT/NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
A match report/result sheet for each match should be provided by the home team. Each captain is responsible for completing the team sheet relating to any match played by her team. The match sheet should be given to the umpires for the duration of the game. Both captains and umpires must sign the sheet at the end of the match.
It is the responsibility of the captain of the home team to return the match sheet to the League Press and Publicity Officer within three days of the fixture. Failure to comply will result in a £15 fine being incurred.
Results of matches or postponements/abandonment's must be entered on the league website. Detailed guidance (including passwords and deadlines) will be provided to clubs in advance of the first fixture. Failure to enter the result within the required time by the first named club on the result sheet shall incur a fine of £10.
14. DISPUTES
In the event of any dispute which may arise in connection with the rules or other matters relating to the League, the League Secretary should be notified of the details of the dispute within 14 days of the incident taking place. The League Secretary, in consultation with the League Committee, shall determine the action to be taken.
15. EMERGENCY DECISIONS
When issues arise during the season that require prompt resolution, such as issues affecting an imminent match, the club must contact the League Secretary. If the League Secretary is unavailable, the Division Reps may be contacted.
16. LEAGUE MEETINGS
Each club in the CWHL shall send a representative, preferable their liaison officer, to any "all clubs" meeting call by the 'Cambs League' League Committee. Failure by a club to send a representative to an 'all clubs' meeting including the Annual General Meeting will result in a £50 fine.
All divisional winners are required to send a representative to the end of season AGM to collect their trophy.
17. CHANGE OF RULES
No amendment either to these rules or to the structure of the Cambs League may be made after 1st September of the season in which either the rules or the structure apply.
GENERAL PENALTIES
If a Rule does not specify penalties, failures to comply will result in warnings, fines or point deductions at the discretion of the league committee. The League Management Committee also reserves the right to take whatever action is deemed appropriate against any club, team, or player having a poor disciplinary record, persistently breaking the Rules of the CWHL, disregarding ERHA or EHA regulations, bringing the CWHL or hockey into disrepute, treating umpires with disrespect, or behaving in any way contrary to the interests of the CWHL, or hockey generally. Penalties applied in the circumstances might include the deduction of points, the reversal of results, the suspension of players from CWHL hockey, fines, the relegation of one or more teams, or the expulsion of teams or clubs from the CWHL.