ACTBA follows the IFBA Rule Book – however, certain local by-laws apply in ACTBA competitions:

1. Duration of the game and periods*

• Games are played in 45-minute timeslots
• 2 x 20 minute periods (‘run time’)
• 4-minute warm-up
• 1-minute half-time
• No time-outs during regular season games
• In finals games, the last 5 minutes of the second period is played as ‘stop time’ and teams are allowed 1 time-out each (60 seconds)

  * As a trial for the 2019-20 season, the following will apply:

• 2 x 18 minute periods (‘run time’ – except for penalties and the last 5 minutes of the second period, which will be played as ‘stop time’)
• 4-minute warm-up
• 1-minute half-time
• No time-outs during regular season games
• In finals games, teams are allowed 1 time-out each (60 seconds)

2. Game Day Proceedings

• Teams are to remain on their selected benches for the duration of the match
• Teams should line up on the opposite side of the ice to their bench for the initial face off

3. Overtime procedures (finals only)

• The overtime period will be of the same duration and format as the second period as described above
• In the event of a penalty shoot-out, the team that finished higher in the season standings has the choice of going first or second

4. Rosters

• Teams must have a minimum of 4 players to start a game
• In the mixed league, a minimum of 2 males and 2 females must be on the ice at all times
  • If there are not enough players of one sex to achieve the minimum number, the team must play shorthanded (i.e. if a team only has 1 female, they must play with a maximum of 5 players on the ice including the goaltender, if they have no females, they must play with a maximum of 4 players on the ice including the goaltender)
• No team shall be permitted to borrow players from other teams, EXCEPT in the circumstance where they would have to otherwise forfeit (i.e. 3 players or less including the goaltender)
  • In this situation, a team may borrow the required number of players to prevent their team from forfeiting (i.e. if the team has 3 players they may borrow 1, if they have 2 players they may borrow 2, etc.)

5. Minimum age

• The minimum age to participate in the ACTBA mixed competition is 13 years
  • Players who will be turning 13 during a season are eligible to play from the beginning of that season

6. Duty

• Duty teams are to provide 2 referees who are to uphold the IFBA rules and these by-laws, keeping the safety of all players in mind
• Duty teams are also to provide scorer’s bench personnel
  • Bench personnel are responsible for keeping accurate records and timekeeping during play and for fetching/supplying match balls when they have been hit out of the playing area
  • Bench personnel need to ensure the correct information for goals, assists, and penalties is recorded on the official game sheet
  • Total game score, MVP points, and all signatures need to be finalised prior to being collected by the ACTBA representative

7. Finals qualification

• ‘Automatic’ qualification is met when a player has played at least 1/3rd of the regular season games
• If a player has not automatically qualified, a clearance can be requested from the ACTBA Committee.
  • The request must be placed before the Committee by the team captain or representative before the end of the final game of the regular season games
    i. The intention of the Committee vote is to allow players to qualify who could not meet the required minimum games for reasons such as, but not limited to, illness/pregnancy/injury/new player
    ii. Committee members participating in the finals series are not eligible to vote
    iii. In the circumstance where all Committee members are participating in the finals series, then all Committee members shall be eligible vote (except where it is their own team’s clearance request)

8. Official draw

• The official draw will be determined before the start of the season (the ACTBA Committee will be involved in the approval process to make sure no obvious mistakes are made)
• This draw will not be changed unless there are issues with ice availability