Player Safety and Disciplinary Committee (PSDC)

The home page of the ARL website begins with the following:

Welcome to the home of the ARL – Adult Recreational League.
We are a social Co-Ed beginner and rookie hockey league serving Burlington, Hamilton, Milton, Oakville, and the surrounding area.
Perfect for first time players or long time veterans looking for a fun, non-competitive environment.

This past season witnessed aggressive playing, fights, player ejections, abuse of officials, feuding penalty boxes and games shortened due to escalating hostilities. In response to this, a new Disciplinary Committee has been established, purposed with cleaning up this league. This committee will not have a ‘face’, and no single individual will be responsible for communications or for meting out discipline. There will be an ARL league official on the committee. All instances of improper behaviour will be dealt with based on Official’s notes, game sheet notes and video evidence when possible. The attending officials will be consulted. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee will be final.

The following will no longer be tolerated in the ARL and will result in immediate removal from the game and suspension:

• Aggressive, hostile or violent behaviour.
  • This will include overly aggressive stick work, extreme physical contact, violent aggression, improper use of offensive language, heckling from the benches and abuse of officials.
• Any attempt by a skilled player to dominate or embarrass a player of lesser ability will result in a penalty being issued.
  • This league was and is intended for ‘beginner’ players, new to hockey and new to skating. Experienced players are permitted in the league to help facilitate and develop the new players. This league was never intended for skilled players to collect their 2 goals and dominate play.
• Slamming bench doors, hitting the boards with sticks out of frustration, inappropriate language aimed at opponents or officials, crosschecking, slew-footing or throwing punches will all result in player ejections.
  • Hostility and frustration are not in keeping with the ARL spirit.
• Officials’ calls are final.
  • A player may ask for clarification, but once received, the issue is terminated. Any arguing, inappropriate language or hostility aimed at an official will result in ejection from the game. There will be no limit to how many players can be removed from the game. If necessary, games will be terminated.

Suspensions will be handed out after the Disciplinary Committee reviews the incident and comes to a conclusion regarding punishment. Communication will be from the Disciplinary Committee and not from an individual. Records will be kept of infractions, ejections and suspensions which will lead to expulsions if inappropriate behaviour continues.

The Board of Operations and the Officials are aware that hockey is a fast game and that incidental contact of bodies, sticks and skates will happen. This possibility is increased with the presence of players with less ability and control. It will be up to the officials to determine incidental contact from deliberate contact. The Board is also aware that some players have difficulty altering a lifetime of playing behaviour and fitting into an ARL-style of game. In the past, players have been asked to leave the league when it became apparent that their attitudes and behaviours did not fit the ARL culture. This policy will continue.

There will be no favourites, long time personalities, popular players or ARL Board members exempt from this policy.

We now have a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate behaviour. The Board is aware that this course of action may lead to many players, and possibly teams determining that they no longer wish to be a part of the ARL. If league contraction is necessary to return the ARL to what it was intended to be, so be it.

In the end, we are asking players to come out, enjoy the game and each other in a safe environment. If that is not your brand of hockey, there are plenty of leagues out there for you to join.

Previously referred to as the simply the Disciplinary Committee (DC) in it’s founding season (S2022), the name was expanded to clearly define the purpose the purpose of the committee (Play Safety & Disciplinary Committee, or PSDC) (W2022-23).