EYHA Player Play-Up Request
The Easton Youth Hockey Association (EYHA) Board of Directors recognizes that in rare and specific cases it can be appropriate and even beneficial to a player’s development for him or her to play-up to the next age division to play hockey. A fine balance needs to be struck, however, to avoid placing the desire of a player above the legitimate opportunity for that participant to be successful in an older age division. There is increased risk of injury for players playing outside of their designated age division. However, USA hockey allows movement in certain situations if specific guidelines are followed.
You should carefully consider the increased risks involved and follow the guidelines below when making a request to move a player into an older age division.
2025-2026 Season
PLAY UP PROCEDURES EASTON YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION ADOPTED MARCH 2025
Play Up Guidelines
A player will not be permitted to move up more than one year in age. For example, a first year Squirt cannot be moved to the Peewee division. A second year Squirt may advance to Peewee. This will apply at Mite, Squirt, and Peewee divisions.
A player may not be moved up to the Bantam level.
Players must be registered in their proper age division and deposit paid ten days prior to the first tryout date.
Only requests submitted to the EYHA Board of Directors in writing by the player’s parents or legal guardians will be considered. This request must be submitted ten days prior to the first tryout date.
The EYHA Risk Acknowledgement and Liability Waiver for players requesting to play up is located on the EYHA website www.eyhamavericks.com within the League Policies section under the Resources tab.
Criteria for allowing play-up players will be based on the evaluation of the player’s skill and ability to contribute to the older team as well as the player’s maturity level compared to the older team’s players.
The move up player should be projected to be among the top three of all players in the division the player is trying to move up to . If the player is not projected to be one of the top players on the team, then it is highly questionable whether the move up is truly in the best interest of that player.
The EYHA Board of Directors will make the final decision on allowing a player to play-up based on the recommendation from the Travel Coordinator, Director of Hockey and coaches. The decision will be final.
The EYHA Board of Directors specifically reserves the right to reverse any decision allowing a player to play-up at any time. If a player that has moved up is experiencing difficulty, as determined by the Board of Directors and/or the player’s coach, the board may reverse the decision allowing the participant to play up. In this case every attempt will be made to place the player on a similar team within the player’s proper age classification. Parents and players should carefully consider this outcome prior to making a request to play-up.