Discipline and Appeals – Issue Resolution Process
The Issue Resolution Process
Any member of KMHA may raise an issue when they feel the KMHA Code of Conduct has been violated.
If the issue is in regards to a player, parent, coach or other team volunteer then follow this process:
Step 1 – Observe the 24 hour Rule. The 24 Hour Rule is simply explained as when problems arise it is a benefit for all concerned to wait for a day before you report a issue so as to not let the emotion of a situation to get in the way of the facts. The only time this rule may be bypassed is due to behavior that posses’ safety risk.
Step 2 – Try to deal with the issue at the level where it occurred. Speak to your team coach or manager regarding the issue to see if it can be resolved at that level. If the issue cannot be resolved the coach/manager or the parent can escalate the issue.
Step 3 – . Issue escalates to either the House League Director or the Competitive Director depending on the program where the issue was raised. The Director will attempt to bring resolution to the issue. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome then the issue will be escalated to KMHA Discipline and Appeals (D&A)
Step 4 - The complaint must be made in writing using the Issue Resolution form. Completed forms should be sent to the Chairman D&A. The D&A Chairman will then contact the complainant for any necessary clarification and will determine if this issue should be dealt with by D&A or should be sent to the Risk Management and Safety Coordinator for investigation. If he determines it should be dealt with by D&A he will then proceed to gather more information to determine if a formal hearing is warranted. If he determines that an official hearing is necessary then a date and time for the hearing will be set, a committee consisting at least 3 members including the D&A Chair will be struck. Parties will be informed of the details of any decision.
If the issue is in regards to any executive member including convenors then start the process at Step 4, except in the case that the issue involves the KMHA D&A Chairman in which case it needs to be reported directly to the President.
If the D&A Chairman is concerned with the on-ice behaviour of a player or on-bench behaviour of a coach then the fact finding form will not be completed but the player or coach along with the players parents and other relevant parties will be called in to speak with the D&A Committee.
What happens at a hearing?
If the hearing is based on a member complaint both the complainant and the person(s) against whom the complaint has been made will get the opportunity to share their version of events along with others who have pertinent information regarding the event. The committee may ask questions regarding the incident. The committee will then render a decision based on the information they have been presented. Both parties to the complaint will be informed of the decision of the committee.
This process is essentially the same regardless of the level of hearing being attended.
District D&A
Any disciplinary action handed down by the KMHA D&A Committee may be appealed to the District 11 D&A Chairman. The cost for this appeal is $100. An appeal to this level must be made in writing within 72 hours of the decision being rendered by the KMHA D&A Chairman.
ODMHA Discipline and Appeals
KMHA members may become involved with ODMHA D&A in two ways:
- Appeal of a decision from District 11 D&A – The cost for this is $250 and must be requested in writing within 72 hours of the decision being rendered by District 11 D&A.
- Via a penalty assessed to the player/team official that requires a hearing with the ODMHA D&A committee before the player/official may return to playing/coaching. When a call has been made that requires a hearing the person against whom the call was made will be informed either by the KMHA D&A Chairman or the KMHA President that they are suspended pending a hearing with the ODMHA, they will then be contacted again with the hearing details. In the case of a player suspension, the parents will be contacted.
ODHA and Hockey Canada D&A
Appeals may also be made to these levels only after lower level appeals have been heard.
Some discipline does not start at the team level but instead to moves directly to KMHA D&A or Risk Management and Safety due to the severity of the behaviour. In other cases issues may be escalated here because the issue is on-going and previous disciplinary measures have failed to correct the negative behaviour. Members may also make a complaint directly to the D&A Chairman via the issue resolution process.
D&A will primarily deal with issues related to the ODMHA Code of Discipline and will be the escalation point for any issues initially dealt with by Risk Management & Safety.
The D&A Chairman is responsible for investigation of all issues escalated to him. Not every issue that is investigated will end with a disciplinary action, some cases will be found to be without merit, others may be resolved via mediation. The D&A Chairman does not have to wait for a complaint to be made to call a player, parent, coach or volunteer in to speak to them. Part of the role of the D&A Chair is to look for patterns of behaviour and try to resolve issues prior to them getting to D&A via a complaint.
In terms of discipline, Risk Management & Safety is responsible to investigate all issues related to Abuse and Harassment along with issues of off ice conduct of KMHA members. Behaviour on the ice of team officials and players is covered by the ODMHA Code of Discipline and therefore falls to D&A. Conduct of KMHA members off the ice, is the responsibility of Risk Management and Safety.
The Risk Management and Safety Coordinator is responsible to investigate all issues brought to him. Not every issue that is investigated will end with a disciplinary action, some cases will be found to be without merit, others may be resolved via mediation. The Risk Management and Safety Coordinator does not have to wait for a complaint to be made to call a player, parent, coach or volunteer in to speak to them.
