Sweetheart Code of Conduct and Rules

SPRUCE GROVE SWEETHEART RINGETTE TOURNAMENT 

CODE OF CONDUCT 

All Sweetheart Tournament participants (athletes, coaches, managers, parents and fans) are expected to  abide by the following Code of Conduct. 

1. All Tournament participants will represent their home association, Ringette Alberta, their sport and  themselves with the utmost class and distinction. At minimum, all participants will… 
2. adhere to the Tournament Rules. 
3. adhere to the regulations of the host association and those established by Ringette Alberta  and Ringette Canada. 
4. not participate in any conduct that would disrupt or interfere with Tournament competition  or the preparation of any athlete, team, team staff member or official for Tournament  competition. 
5. not participate in unacceptable behavior (rowdiness, profanity or abusive in nature) in  discussions with other team members, other tournament participants, officials, or the host  community at large (which is inclusive of all volunteers, venue and hotel employees, and  members of the public). 
6. not participate in the consumption of illegal narcotics, alcoholic beverages at any time in any  of the Tournament venues (which is inclusive of rinks/dressing rooms). 
7. respect space at all Tournament venues and leave all public areas in a clean respectable  manner.  
8. not approach officials at any time on or off the ice unless invited to do so by officials of that  game.  
9. All Tournament participants will refrain from any type of bullying, whether in person or via email,  Facebook, messaging, internet, social media or otherwise. 
10. All Tournament participants understand, acknowledge and accept that violation of the Tournament  Rules or this Code of Conduct may result in removal from facility, suspension or expulsion from the  Spruce Grove Sweetheart Ringette Tournament.

February 14-17, 2025 Tournament Rules

Sanctioning by Ringette Alberta will be followed except as noted below: 

1. All teams, major and minor officials and fans will show good sportsmanship and fair play throughout the tournament and adhere to the SWEETHEART TOURNAMENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
2. The Official Rules of Ringette Canada will apply.
3. All teams must be available to start tournament play any time after 7:00 a.m. on Friday, February 14th, 2025 to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 17, 2025.
4. Teams in U10-Step 1, U10-Step 2, U10-Step 3, U12A, U12B, U12C, U14A, U14C, U16A, U16B, U19A and OPEN C  divisions will play three (3) games in round robin format. U14AA, U16AA, U19AA divisions will play (4) games in round robin format.  The top two (2) teams from U10-Step 2, U10-Step 3, U12A, U12B, U12C, U14AA, U14A, U14C, U16AA, U16A, U16B, U19AA, U19A, and Open C divisions will advance to the finals. There will be no finals for U10-Step 1; it is a friendship tournament with awards given to all participants.  The 3rd and 4th ranked team for U10-Step 2, U14AA, U16AA, U19AA will play a bronze medal round.  
5. U10-Step 2 will keep score on paper game sheets which can be obtained at the registration table.  The game sheet must be returned to the registration table after the game for tournament records.  
6.  All players must be from one team and must be registered with their applicable provincial or zone body. Teams must be registered in the same division (or higher) as indicated on their Provincial Registration Form. Prior to playing their first game, all coaches/team representative(s) will be required to verify their roster by providing a copy of their Provincial Registration Form and picking up their coach’s package at the registration table. Teams who do not provide their Provincial Registration Form will forfeit their game(s) until it is provided to the Tournament. 
7.  In case of conflict in uniform colours, the visiting team will be required to change uniforms. 
8. Teams must be ready to go on the ice ten (10) minutes before game time. Teams not iced within two (2) minutes of the referee’s whistle being blown to start the game will forfeit the game. However, the game will be played as an exhibition game. 
9. Electronic Game sheets are to be completed and signed by the coach 20 minutes prior to gametime. Goaltender(s), captains and alternate captains must be declared on the game sheet. Teams are required to remove from the active list the names of players who are not participating in a game  to ensure proper verification. 
10. Teams must declare affiliated players on electronic game sheets. It is the responsibility of the team to ensure Ringette Alberta affiliated player rules are followed. When using affiliates the name(s) of the player(s) and their jersey number must be entered. Game sheets will be checked for proper use of affiliated players.
11. Spectator Liaison, Score Keeper, Time Keeper, Shot Clock Operator and Coaches must enter their names into the RAMP electronic score sheet. 
12. The maximum number of players listed on a game sheet: No Affiliates - 18, Affiliated Skaters ONLY - 12, Affiliated Skaters AND Affiliate Goalie - 13, Affiliated Goalie ONLY - 18. 
13. No overage or affiliate players will be permitted unless the player’s registration has been accepted by their respective Provincial Governing Body and are registered with the team in which they are playing. If a team is using overage player(s) and an overage player is playing forward or center position, and is dominating the game, the referee, at their discretion, can have that player moved to the defense position. All referee decisions are final. 
14. UPDATED: Minor Official Requirements
    1. Home teams will be required to provide Time Keeper, Score Keeper, and one (1) penalty box worker for each game (Teams listed first in TeamSnap is the home team). 
    2. Visiting teams will be required to provide shot clock and one (1) penalty box worker for each game.
    3. This includes medal games.
15. Car keys must be left in exchange for the shot clock remote. It can be picked up at the registration table. 
16.  In medal games the higher ranked team in round robin play shall be declared the home team. 
17. Time-Outs: Each team is entitled to ONE (1) 30-second timeout per regulation game. Each team is entitled to ONE (1) additional 30-second timeout in overtime. 
18.  There will be a two (2) minute break between halves and a flood will be scheduled between all games. 
19.  Game scores will be displayed on the time clock, posted in arenas and recorded for tie breaking procedures with a maximum seven (7) goal difference. 
20. If only five (5) minutes remain in an assigned time slot, the clock will be reset to two (2) minutes at the first stoppage of play. 
21. A MATCH PENALTY will automatically result in suspension from all subsequent tournament games. 
22. Any team accumulating more than thirty (30) penalty minutes in any one game shall see the head coach or acting head coach for the game suspended for their next tournament game. No grievances will be accepted. 
23. No unacceptable behavior (profanity, temper-tantrums, or verbal abuse of officials etc.) will be tolerated. This behavior will result in (at minimum) an unsportsmanlike penalty. A second offence in the same game by the same player will result in (at minimum) a misconduct. (also see 2020 Sweetheart Tournament Code of Conduct)
24. NO U10 PLAYER IS TO BE CREDITED WITH MORE THAN THREE (3) GOALS IN ANY ONE TOURNAMENT GAME.  GOALS SCORED IN EXCESS OF THIS BY ANY PLAYER SHALL NOT BE RECORDED ON THE GAMESHEET, SHALL NOT BE POSTED ON THE SCORE CLOCK AND SHALL NOT BECOUNTED IN THE FINAL SCORE AT THE END OF THE GAME.
25. All referee decisions are final. There will be no appeals or discussions of appeals. 
26. Any team wishing to file a protest may do so by submitting their request in writing, along with $200, to the Tournament Committee: 

1. Notification of a protest must be received within thirty (30) minutes of the incident occurring to enable sufficient time to deal with the protest.
2. A grievance committee will meet to deal with any protests received. (If the protest is upheld the $200 will be refunded)
3. No game protests involving referee judgment will be accepted. THE REFEREE’S DECISION SHALL BE FINAL. 

 GAME FORMAT

U10-Step1/U10Step2                              2-25 minute running time periods  (2 minute buzzer, no        penalties, All play will be half ice 3 v 3, plus a goalie)                                    

U10 Step3/U12A,B,C/U14A,B,C             2 - 18 minute stop time periods

U14AA/U16A&B, U19A  OPEN C            2 - 23 minute stop time periods

U16AA/U19AA                                         4 - 11 minute stop time periods

Please Note: All games in U10 Divisions will be played using the small nets. 

ROUND ROBIN TEAM STANDING RULES 

Teams will be awarded points as follows: 

Win: Two (2) points 

Loss: Zero (0) points 

Tie: One (1) points 

Forfeit: Zero (0) Points 

At the completion of round robin play, teams will be ranked according to the total points in all games played. 

ROUND ROBIN TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE 

Please note: Regardless of game score, only a SEVEN goal difference will be credited in applying these rules. When two or more teams have an equal number of points after round robin play, the teams will be ranked according to the following rules: 

1. Head to Head: the winner of the game(s) between each other during the round robin will be declared the highest position. 
2. Goal Differential in round robin play: the total number of goals scored by a team in all games, minus the total number of goals scored by the teams opponent in all the games will be declared the highest position. The largest goal differential in a game is seven (7). 
3. Fewest Goals Against in round robin play: the team with the fewest goals allowed will be declared the highest position.
4. Penalty Minutes: The team with the fewest total number of penalty minutes in round robin will be declared the highest position.
5. If still tied, teams shall be ranked by coin toss (called by the visiting team from the head to head game). 

NOTE: Each step of the tie breaking rules shall apply to the teams involved in the tie. If there are more than two teams tied, revert back to #1 after one team’s ranking has been determined. 

TOURNAMENT GAME TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE 

1.  Round robin games shall end in a tie with points awarded as indicated. 
2.  If a game is tied at the end of the second half of a FINAL GAME, the teams will immediately play a five (5) minute stop time SUDDEN VICTORY period (the first team to score will be declared the winner). Possession of the ring will be determined by a coin toss (called by the visiting team) 
3.  If no goals are scored in the overtime period, there will be a 5 round shootout. 
4.  If time permits, sudden victory shootout will continue until a winner is declared (no player can shoot again until all rostered skaters have shot). 
5. If allotted ice time expires, teams shall be ranked by fewest penalty minutes in current game. 
6.  If still tied, teams shall be ranked by coin toss (called by the visiting team). 

Note: Penalties assessed in regulation shall carry over to the next period. Each team is entitled to one (1) thirty (30) second timeout per regulation game and one (1) additional thirty (30) second timeout in overtime.