Mission Statement: College Hockey South (CHS) is a conference of and for University and Collegiate ice hockey teams. The purpose of CHS is to provide a common set of rules and competitive structure under which teams can participate, to provide a safe, fair, and organized environment for inter-collegiate hockey, and to provide a collective medium to promote collegiate hockey in the south.

COLLEGE HOCKEY SOUTH was originally the Southern Collegiate Hockey Association from 1981-1999.

1. 1. Legislative Branch - The Legislative branch will consist of an official representative from each member team, plus the League Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will consist of the following members: Commissioner, North and South Division Administrators, League Statistician, and Chief Referee. The following legislation must be approved by the legislative branch

1. Game Scheduling
2. Player Eligibility Requirements
3. Admittance of new members
4. Amendments or Revisions of the Constitution and By Laws.

The Legislative branch will create and approve all rule changes.

A majority vote of the standing league membership and the Board of Directors must approve all Legislation.

2. Administrative Branch - The Administrative Branch will consist of the League Board of Directors and appointed staff members. The league Board of Directors shall consist of the following positions: Commissioner, North Division Administrator, South Division Administrator, League Statistician, & Chief Referee. A team player can not be a member of the Board of Directors. No team in the league can have a controlling number of members on the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors can approve or veto rule changes by the legislative branch. The Legislative branch can over ride the Board of Directors with a two-third-majority vote. The duties of the administrative branch are the following:

1. Commissioner:

1. Receives one vote on the legislative branch.
2. Reviews Eligibility qualifications for each player.
3. Coordinates, evaluates and directs all departments of Administrative branch.
4. Serves as comptroller for the league.
5. Helps to develop league schedule.
6. Make final decisions concerning unusual and unforeseen league problems, including disciplinary actions and appellate decisions.
7. Levy fines that are applicable.
8. Issues suspensions and disciplinary actions
9. Serves executive branch role by enforcing all league rules and by-laws.
10. Reserves the right to veto any legislation or rule approved by the Legislative Branch or decision issued by the Board of Directors. A 2/3 vote in the Legislative Branch or a 3/5 vote by the Board of Directors will overturn any veto by the Commissioner.

B.     Division Administrators:

1. Each Administrator receives one vote on the legislative branch.
2. Assists league Commissioner in league business that pertains to their respective divisions. Collect all moneys from the divisional teams. Collect rosters and eligibility forms from their teams. Review all eligibility forms. Confirm insurance and/or other appropriate registration by league member teams.
3. Serves as Secretary at league meetings.

C.    Chief Referee:

1. Coordinates all on ice officials.
2. Educates and evaluates all on ice officials.
3. Evaluates and reads all referee cards.
4. Receives one vote on the legislative branch, in case of a tie decision.

D.   League Statistician:

1. Compiles all league statistics.
2. Sends weekly league statistics to the ACHA.
3. Maintains the league website.
4. Receives one vote on the legislative branch.

E. Administrative Salaries:

1. The Chief Referee will be paid a salary that will be voted on by the league membership. $500.00
2. The League Statistician will be paid a salary that will be determined by the membership. $500.00
3. All administrative costs will be paid by league membership.

F. The Board of Directors will have the deciding vote concerning conflicts that

arise among league membership.

G. Decisions issued by the League Commissioner may be overturned by a 3/5 vote by the Board of Directors.

H. Decisions issued by the Board of Directors may be overturned by a 2/3 vote by the Legislative Branch.

II. GAME AND LEAGUE RULES:

All CHS games will be played under NCAA Ice Hockey and ACHA rules, guidelines, and interpretations with the exception of the following CHS League Rules:

1. A team must have a minimum of 9 players (eight skaters and one goaltender) at the start of any game. Should a game be delayed more than 30 minutes due to late arrival of a team, forfeit is declared. Forfeit fine will be imposed unless the game is played. The team that is not the forfeiting team makes the decision if the game will be played
2. No penalty will be assessed to a team that dresses only one goaltender.
3. Games will consist of three 17-minute periods. All periods will be stop time. Should the allotted time reserved for the game expire prior to the conclusion of the game and should the rink management stop the game, the game will be considered official if two periods have been played.
4. There shall be a five (5) minute sudden-death overtime following any regular season league game that ends in a tie after regulation (This is NCAA rule, not an exception. Placed in CHS by-laws for emphasis). If neither team scores a goal during this overtime period, then the game shall end as a tie.
5. Main clock will run and stop as directed by NCAA Ice Hockey rules and Interpretations.
6. All players must have current student ID cards and drivers’ license at the game prior to game time. It is the responsibility of each team to be prepared to provide proper player identification if requested. If a team or any individual from a team refuses or fail to provide proper identification of a player or players upon request from a league official or representative from an opposing team, then such players shall be ineligible to participate in that game. League officials shall include any member of the Board of Directors, or their designee. Team representatives shall include head coaches, team presidents, or their appropriate team designee. Team representative or designee shall not include players on any team, with the exception of the team president. Designee must be a member of that team’s organization or club (i.e. team manager, assistant coach, official team scorekeeper, etc.)
7. Teams must have one complete matching uniform that will consist of a matching jersey, socks, pants and helmet. No player will be allowed to participate if the uniform does not match. New Teams must submit color combinations to league for approval.
8. All home teams are encouraged to film their home games.
9. Protests: A team may protest a league game only under dispute based on the following criteria:

1. Ineligible player(s), or 2. Misinterpretation of NCAA, ACHA or CHS League rules, guidelines, or by-laws which have a direct and discernible effect on the outcome of the game. Any team filing a protest shall be assessed a $50 protest fee. If the protesting team wins the protest, the $50 protest fee shall be refunded. If the protesting team loses the protest, then the protest fee will not be refunded. All protests must be notified to the league Commissioner within 24 hours after the completion of the game to be protested, followed by a written protest within 72 hours after the completion of the game under protest. *Exception – A team may protest a game based on eligibility rule after the 24 and 72 hour windows if there is a preponderance of evidence brought to the league Commissioner or Board of Directors that would warrant further investigation.

2. League and Administrative Rules:

10. Use of Ineligible Player(s): The use of an ineligible player will result in a game forfeit. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which that player participated. The team that uses an illegal player will automatically be put on probation and disqualified from the league playoffs.
11. Forfeits: Any team that forfeits a game is automatically placed on probation and disqualified from league playoffs. It is the discretion of the Board of Directors to determine if there was a valid reason for the forfeiture of a game (i.e. "acts of god" such as extreme weather events). Any forfeit can be appealed to the league Board of Directors. Fines for a forfeit shall be paid from escrow in accordance to rule
12. Scheduling: All scheduled league game dates and times must be approved by teams involved and the league office prior to the start of the season.
13. Cancellation/Reschedule Request: Notice of request for cancellation for any game must be given seven days prior to game day and must be approved by the Board of Directors. The canceling team must appeal in writing to the League Commissioner reasons for the cancellation, as well as supplying the league with new dates for rescheduling the game.
14. All League protests must be made within 24 hours after the game was played to the Division Administrator, Commissioner and Chief Referee, with a written report to follow within 72 hours.
15. Chief Referee is responsible for at least two on ice officials and the home team is responsible for at least a score keeper and a timekeeper as off ice officials.
16. Home team will be responsible for providing score sheets. League Score sheets can be obtained through the League.
17. Score sheets and Referee evaluations should be sent in to the appropriate places immediately after each game. The winning team is responsible for sending the white original copy of the scoresheet to the league statistician. The scoresheet must be delivered or postmarked no more than two weeks following each game. Failure to submit scoresheet within two weeks will result in game forfeiture.
18. League Fees and Escrow Account will be voted upon by the league membership. Fees and any due escrow moneys must be submitted by October 1 each year. No team will be allowed to participate in league play without first paying league fees, and/or shall forfeit all scheduled games until league fees are paid.

1. Escrow account moneys for each team will remain in the league escrow account at the end of each season, and carry over for the following season.

19. Decisions concerning on ice officials dismissal will be left to the discretion of the Board of Directors after evaluation and review with the Chief Referee.
20. Regular season will consist of a minimum of 15 league games. Each team must play each other team a minimum of twice during the season.
21. Regular season standings shall be determined by the following:

1. Total number of points (two points for a win, one point for a tie, and no points for a loss).
2. In case of a tie in the number of points in the above standings, the tie will be settled by the following:

1. Won/loss record of teams tied in games between the teams(head-to-head).
2. Won/loss record (win %)of teams tied.
3. Total number of goal differential between the teams that are tied in a regular season series.
4. Won/loss record among division teams.
5. Total number of goal differential for all games.
6. Coin toss.

1. The playoff format will be decided by League membership at fall meeting. During playoff weekend, a League All-Star game will be played among its members.

1. CHS shall send a representative to the ACHA national tournament based on ACHA tournament entry rules. CHS strongly urges the ACHA to accept the CHS regular playoff champion followed by the CHS regular season champion as automatic bids to the ACHA national tournament.

2. A two-thirds affirmative vote by member teams is required for the admission of a new team.
3. A two-thirds affirmative vote by member teams is required for the expulsion of a league member. However, if a team is already on probation and does not adhere to league policy, that team is automatically expelled for one season. After sitting out one full season, the team then can ask for readmission into the league. At that time the same rules apply as in Rule W.
4. All members must attend scheduled league meetings. There shall be two regularly scheduled annual league meetings: 1. Pre-Season Meeting shall be held the last full weekend of August at a location to be determined by the league Board of Directors; 2. End-of-Season meeting shall be held the Saturday of league playoff weekend in the host city for league playoffs. The Commissioner or Board of Directors may schedule additional meetings as necessary.
5. League Commissioner and Board of Directors will be elected at each Annual Fall Pre-Season Meeting.
6. End of season disqualification penalties shall be carried over to the next season. Should a player receive a disqualification penalty at the end of the season and the players team is participating in the playoffs, the player is suspended from the next game in the playoffs. If the player is not returning to the team the following season, the team must sit out the team’s leading scorer during the team’s first game of the following season.
7. Player’s first DQ = 1 game, players second DQ =2 games, players third DQ = one year suspension.
8. All games played among league members will carry DQ penalties, even exhibition games. If there is a reoccurring pattern in exhibition suspensions league officials may issue appropriate additional disciplinary sanctions.

1. All players will be an undergraduate or graduate student in good standing with their college or university. The Board of Directors will decide any concerns dealing with eligibility of faculty or staff members on a case by case basis.
2. All new undergraduate players must take 9 credited hours and all graduate students must be full time in order to participate in league play. Paid enrollment must be at the institute of participation. Eligibility will be determined by the number of credit hours enrolled and paid for at the member institute.

1. All players will have 6 years of eligibility (12 semesters of playing hockey). This will include playing time at any and all played at collegiate institutions. If a player played for a Division I Program, every year he has played at Division One qualifies as two years of eligibility at club level. (See ACHA Div.III Rule)

3. Goaltenders: Any team that does not have a goaltender may draft from another non-hockey collegiate institute. The goaltender must meet all other eligibility requirements.

1. It is understood that teams using a goaltender from another institute under this rule will not be eligible for ACHA competition.

4. The Admissions Office or the governing entity of the team at their representative school will submit the team’s roster. Rosters will be on School letterhead, with the statement, "the following students are eligible to participate in the activities of _______________Ice Hockey Club." All rosters must have the school seal attached to its roster form of eligibility. Student I.D. numbers will be included on the rosters. Rosters will be submitted before the start of the season and at the start of the second half of the season. All players must submit a photo of themselves as well as a school I.D. card and a driver’s license to the league office. All players must have current school I.D. cards.
5. All players’ qualifications must be submitted to the Division Administrator or designee for approval one week prior to the official league season. Any team playing without roster and proof of eligibility for all players on file with the league office will forfeit all games until paperwork is received. The team will also be put on probation.
6. Any player who has played professional hockey under a signed contract for any minor or major league hockey team is ineligible to play in the league.
7. Any senior that graduates in December will be qualified to play for the rest of the season.
8. The league will supply all league membership with team rosters.

1. The Game roster may consist of 18 skaters and 3 goaltenders.

1. All rosters will be submitted one week prior to the leagues’ opening game to the league Administrator. Club sports organizations are allowed an unlimited number of players on their team roster.
2. Copies of a Drivers License and College I.D. are required to be submitted to the league one week prior to opening game.
3. Rosters will be frozen on October 31 and January 31.

1. All teams will submit a $600.00 escrow account to the league prior to its first home game. The escrow money will remain in the league account unless necessary to pay fines or fees from forfeitures
2. Fines – All league fines shall be paid from team escrow account unless otherwise indicated.

1. Teams must reimburse fined amount to escrow within one week of fine or forfeited game, or within one week provide to the league a promissory letter from that team’s university indicating that a check will be issued for charged amount, and is in process to be paid from the university.

2. If fines exceed the teams escrow account, then excess amount must be paid ‘ within the terms indicated in rule for reimbursement of escrow. Unpaid fines ‘ under the specified terms will result in team suspension until fine is paid.

1. Any team forfeiting a game shall be fined the ice bill and referee bill. However if the game is played, the home team is still responsible.
2. A $300.00 fine will be imposed on any team for any bench-clearing incident.
3. A $200.00 fine will be imposed on any team missing an official league meeting.