Travel Midget Request to Play on EAHC Midget Team Policy

The Empire Conference is pleased to announce that it will continue to offer the opportunity for Midget Travel Players to petition the EAHC/Empire Conference for permission to play on a Empire Midget Team. This opportunity is intended for those Midget players who have no High School Varsity or JV/Club team to play for after the split season Midget season is over on November 30. 

Midget players who are cut from a High School team or their school district/school does not offer a High School team, and their Midget Travel season is completed may petition the EAHC Board for permission to play on a EAHC 18U team by emailing the President of EAHC and identifying the players name, age, travel team and org they would like to play for. In order to be eligible to play for a EAHC Midget Team, your Midget Travel Season must be completed (i.e. all league, scrimmage & tournament games finished) & you MUST be home schooled, attend a high school that has no Varsity team, be cut (or be ineligible) from all high school associated teams and not be on a JV/Club team. This Petition Process is ONLY for players with no team (HS Varsity, JV or Club League) to play for after the Midget Travel season completes in November.

Once the petition is filled out (use the button below to fill out a Petition for your Midget Travel player), reviewed by EAHC Board (at the November & December EAHC Meetings or by email if needed), and Midget team openings determined, you will be notified of the EAHC Midget team you have been assigned to. We try to assign players to their 1st choice team but players should realize that EAHC will steer players to teams that have less than 17 players first rather than trying to fill 1 or 2 spots on your preferred team provided the assignment makes geographical sense and does not upset the Midget division balance. Note that you will be required to obtain a Release if you are changing organizations and be removed from all rosters in the previous organization per West Section rules as players may not play for teams in two orgs (except in limited circumstances for Girls). The player must pay the fees set by the organization of the team you are assigned to in order to play.

Each EAHC Midget Team is limited to a MAXIMUM of 2 Petitioned Midget Travel Players. Each Midget Team is limited to a maximum of 18 skaters & 2 Goalies by USA Hockey rules and may not have room to add petitioned Midget Travel players. Also, Head Coaches and the organizatiion may choose whether to accept new players. Some orgs may not.

EAHC makes every effort to review PETITIONs and approve/deny within 10 days after submittal & HS tryouts have completed. Players should plan on 10 days to complete paperwork and registration steps after they are approved by the Empire Board before they can play. Also, before a player may play, he MUST show proof he was removed from the Midget Travel Roster by submitting the link to the Midget Travel Roster (contact your Midget Travel org's Registrar to get the link).

If you have any questions, please contact the Empire Representative for the organization you are currently playing for. The Contacts page under the ABOUT tab will have contact info for the Reps for every organization.

Rule Change Adopted on 12-11-2023: We will accept new petitions until 12/1 for those who have nowhere to play. If space is available, we will take petitions for players on a JV team to play on a 18U Empire team after 12/1. All JV petitions will be reviewed at the December EAHC meeting and then JV petitions will be closed.

This Form will open on 10/5/2024 and close on 12/31/2024.