What's New in 2024?
Changes to IHAAZ rules, divisions, etc for the 2024 season
Each new season, new rules and procedures are examined and debated to bring a better experience for all the participants. Below are changes to the series for the 2024 season.
- State Finals is now the Zona Cup!
- As more teams from outside of Arizona look to participate in the series and the finals, making it more of a regional event than a statewide one, there will be a rebranding of the season ending event from "State Finals" to the "Zona Cup"
- Zona Cup (Finals) Qualification Rules
- Teams may qualify to participate in the IHAAZ Zona Cup event (formally State Finals) by participating in any 1 of the 4 qualifier dates.
- Only players on the roster who played in at least 50% of the games at a qualifier event will be eligible to play with their team for the Zona Cup event. No exceptions.
- Teams needing to add more players to their Zona Cup roster, may participate in multiple qualifiers to add new players to their roster.
- In some extreme cases, an exception may be made for goalies to play Zona Cup without having qualified. These instances will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Teams should not plan on being able to make a goalie substitution for Zona Cup unless cleared ahead of time.
- Teams may qualify to participate in the IHAAZ Zona Cup event (formally State Finals) by participating in any 1 of the 4 qualifier dates.
- Individual Roster Moves
- Each Zona Cup qualifier is viewed as a stand alone event. As such, any player can participate with any team for any qualifier event, however a player may only play with one team at Zona Cup Finals.
- A player who has played with teams on multiple teams during the qualifier season will be locked onto the roster of the first team they participated with, for the Zona Cup event. If that team chooses to release said player, they are then locked onto the next team they played with. If that team choose to release the player, they are then locked onto the next team they participated with. Note: releases are the teams choice, not the player or their family. The series will not force any team to release a player.
- Do not move teams, with the intent of playing Zona Cup with a new team, without securing a release from your previous team.
- A player who has played with teams on multiple teams during the qualifier season will be locked onto the roster of the first team they participated with, for the Zona Cup event. If that team chooses to release said player, they are then locked onto the next team they played with. If that team choose to release the player, they are then locked onto the next team they participated with. Note: releases are the teams choice, not the player or their family. The series will not force any team to release a player.
- Each Zona Cup qualifier is viewed as a stand alone event. As such, any player can participate with any team for any qualifier event, however a player may only play with one team at Zona Cup Finals.
- 8U division designated for development-
- The 8u division is officially designated as a developmental age group and as such, will have the following new rules enforced to ensure all 8U players have a good first experience.
- No 8U player may score more than 3 goals per game. If a player scores after their 3 goal cap, the goal will not be counted on the score board or stats. The face off will move to the scoring teams defensive zone low dot, and the game will continue.
- Coaches are encouraged to focus more on learning and development, and less on winning. Playing time should be as equal as possible in this age group.
- Dominant players may be asked to move up to the next age group. For teams with highly skilled or developed 8U aged players, it is recommended those players participate in the 10U division from the start.
- The 8u division is officially designated as a developmental age group and as such, will have the following new rules enforced to ensure all 8U players have a good first experience.
- Parity is the priority
- The goal for all IHAAZ games is to have the best competition possible based on the teams participating. Teams that "stack up" to a level that is far beyond the competition level of the age group they have entered, may be told they must play up and age division.
- Players may only play on one team per age division, so if a team is asked to move up and players on that team are already on a roster in the next division, they will need to pick which team they will participate with.
- Any team that may be asked to move up, will be notified during the registration period giving that team the freedom to make roster changes to a more appropriate level or to allow those players already playing on a team in the next age division the notice that they will have to choose which team they are playing with.
- The goal for all IHAAZ games is to have the best competition possible based on the teams participating. Teams that "stack up" to a level that is far beyond the competition level of the age group they have entered, may be told they must play up and age division.
- Female players may now only play up 1 age group, instead of 2
- To better align with the rest of the sport, Female players are now only allowed to stay in an age division for 1 additional year instead of 2 years as previously done.
- Changes to the 18U age group, and the addition of the 16U age group
- The existing 18U Gold/Silver divisions will now become 16U and 18U
- 16U is being targeted as a "Silver/A" level age group to give the players coming out of 14U Silver a path to continue to develop their skills and participate in the series. 16U teams that are of a high caliber will be entered into the 18U division (based on strength of roster).
- The 18U division no longer mandates players must still be enrolled or participating in high school. Instead the 18U division just states the players be of the appropriate age to play (meaning be born in 2005 or later).
- In the 18U division if there is enough teams entered, and a clear split of Gold and Silver skill levels between those teams, one or both divisions may be offered. If there are not enough teams to split up for round robin play, a split may be done after round robin, into Gold and Silver.
- Changes to the registration process and entry fees
- Teams MUST submit their final event rosters at the time of registration. Any player adds to that roster must be approved for said player to be eligible, no exceptions!
- Teams who use our preferred uniform vendor, True Threds will receive a $150 off coupon code for all events.
- Entry fees for the 2024 season:
- Qualifier entry - $650 (after $150 coupon code from True Threds)
- Zona Cup entry - $800 (after $150 coupon code from True Threds)
- The registration deadline will be strictly enforced. Teams who have not completed all of their registration responsibilities (payment, roster submission, individual waiver submissions, and RHA member verification) will not be able to add their True Threds coupon code to offset their entry fee costs.
