U9
Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
U9 League Guidelines
2025-2026 Season
Overview of League Operation
The primary focus of this league is player development, through an environment that balances fun, fairness, and competitiveness. Creation of two divisions supports the development of players at different levels and gives more players opportunities to succeed. The league will be overseen by Lethbridge Minor Hockey.
The league boundaries are within a 50 km radius of Lethbridge, with Warner being the only exception. Individual team and organizational concerns will be managed by the local organization. The Lethbridge U9 Governor should be informed of any issues that impact other teams or the league.
In more severe situations or disputes, a review committee will be formed, consisting of one representative each from two neutral communities, the Lethbridge U9 Governor, and a board member from Lethbridge. This group will be overseen by the General Manager of Lethbridge Minor Hockey, ensuring all decisions align with the guidelines of Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada. This four-member committee will address concerns while strictly following Hockey Albertas regulations, escalating matters to Hockey Alberta if necessary.
Game scores will be kept informally, for the sole purpose of ensuring appropriate competitive balance within the divisions. Scores will not be made widely available, and standings will not be kept. As such, there will be no league playoffs or championship; instead a year-end wrap up will take place with details to come at a later date.
Associations Participating for the 2025/26 Season
Coaldale Minor Hockey Association
Fort Macleod Minor Hockey Association
Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association
Magrath Minor Hockey Association
Picture Butte Minor Hockey Association
Raymond Minor Hockey Association
Warner and District Minor Hockey Association
Taber Minor Hockey Association
Expectations of Participating Associations
A preseason meeting will be held in early September or late August with representatives from all participating communities to go over details and finalize projections for the season.
Sanctions
All players and teams must be sanctioned by Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada.
Players and teams cannot participate in both private hockey and sanctioned hockey simultaneously. Teams must ensure that any tournaments they attend, or exhibition games they schedule, are also sanctioned through Hockey Alberta. This is to protect the league and the teams association. If a violation occurs, the entire coaching staff will be suspended from the league until the issue is resolved. Further disciplinary action, including extended suspensions, may be enforced in accordance with Hockey Alberta regulations. If violations are not corrected, the community or team could be removed from the league.
Facilities
All associations will submit ice times for their home games to the Lethbridge U9 Governor. League games in each community will feature a team from that community.
The home team shall be responsible for ensuring an appropriate length of ice surface for games. For shortened ice surfaces, it is preferred that rink boards are used when available, or bumpers if they are not. Games will be scheduled Friday through Sunday each week, with the goal of most teams playing two games per weekend, depending on ice availability.
Projected Timeline
October 24 - November 2 Seeding Round will take place
November 7 Beginning of Regular Season
December 22 - January 1 No games scheduled
February 13 - 16 No games scheduled
March 13-15 League Wrap Up Weekend
Code of Conduct
The emphasis of this league is growth and development, for players, coaches, and officials alike. Respect and sportsmanship for all those involved in each game is expected. Any behavior in violation of Hockey Canada rules will be dealt with according to Hockey Canada guidelines.
We recognize that new officials are being developed, and there will be zero tolerance for official abuse. Any player, goaltender or team official who engages in verbal taunts, insults, or intimidation based on discriminatory grounds, shall be assessed a Gross Misconduct penalty.
Further discipline may be enacted as per Hockey Canada guidelines.
Scheduling
Game scheduling will be a collaborative effort, coordinated by Lethbridge and Coaldale, with input from all participating associations. All participating communities will submit ice times for their home games to the Lethbridge U9 Governor.
Games may take place on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays. Teams will generally be scheduled for two games per weekend. No games will be scheduled over the weekend of December 26-28, or February 13-15.
Each team may submit blackout dates for two out-of-town tournaments, plus their association home tournament. It is assumed that associations will not provide game ice to the league on their teams blackout dates. Requests for additional tournament participation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Scheduling Procedure
Following the seeding exhibition games, the schedule for the first half of the season will be released once divisions are finalized. A representative from each association will have the opportunity to review draft schedules prior to their release. A home-and-away series of matchups will be the goal when scheduling games, to ensure each team plays against a variety of opponents. Each team is projected to play approximately 24-26 total games within the season.
Team placement in divisions will be reviewed in early December, and the schedule for the remainder of the season will be released the week of December 15 - 19, 2025 at the latest. Digital copies of schedules will be sent directly to all associations, and will also be posted on the Lethbridge Minor Hockey website.
Game Day
Home associations are responsible for booking and paying referees for each game. Home teams are also responsible for providing volunteers for the game sheet and game clock, and a penalty box monitor. Visiting teams may provide their own penalty box monitor, at the discretion of the teams. The home team is also responsible for submitting the completed game sheet within 48 hours of the end of each game.
Rules of Play
General Rules for all Games
* Games will consist of two 24-minute run-time periods, with a 5 minute warm-up and 2 minutes between periods.
**Only in situations where the game score is within two goals, the game clock will stop for whistles in the last two minutes of play.
* Blatant penalties will be called to ensure fair play and player safety. A 3-minute run-time penalty shall be served by the offending player.
* Game scores may be posted on the score clock at the discretion of the two teams. If a game score is visible, the posted score should not exceed a 5-goal lead at any time.
* Guidelines for ice surfaces, line changes, offside and icing are division-specific, and are outlined during the spring and fall meetings.
Seeding Round
A series of exhibition games will be scheduled during the first 2-3 weeks of the hockey season. These games will help to ensure teams are placed competitively within the divisions. The rules for these games will be as follows:
* Transitional (3/4) ice surfaces are to be used.
* Offside and icing violations will not be called.
* Faceoffs will take place to start each period, and after goals and penalties.
* A two minute buzzer will be used to signal line changes
Regular Season
* Details of rules of play will be reviewed at the spring and fall meetings
* As the season progresses and all teams and players reach the necessary level of development, an extended ice surface may be introduced to facilitate transitional hockey. The specifics will be reviewed in both the spring and fall meetings.
