1. IHL FUTURE DIRECTION 11th March, 2012

2. Agenda Rationale for Review of IHL Competition
Current Environment Backdrop
Key considerations if contemplating any changes
IHL Competition strengths
Potential drivers for change
Facts and Stats
Review Process
Three Options
Stay as we are with some minor changes
Variation of current format with pooled venues
Full IHL
Discussion and Feedback

3. Rationale for Review
Commitment made at the outset of the IHL Formation
IHA AGM 2007, first season was 08/09
Review after three years
Good practice
Any proposal for change (or not) as an output from this process will continue to be subject to regular formal review
Opportunity to formally take feedback /hold open discussion
IHL Forum every year: hasn’t had large attendance
IHL Questionnaire: has provided useful feedback each season
Informal routes useful too – blogs, suggestions, etc, but sometimes don’t get full range of views

4. Current Environment Backdrop
Section 1: Current Environment
Current Environment Backdrop
IHL Competition Strengths
Drivers for Change
Facts and Stats 4

5. Current Environment Backdrop
Cost constraints – a big consideration for clubs and for individuals
Always been a consideration and influenced the current structure
Increasing influence and reality over last 2 years
High Performance increased demands
Different each season, but trend is increasing demand for HP players
IHL is the premier competition and we need to schedule around availability
Too much competition?
No changes have been made to other IHA or Provincial competition structures to accommodate IHL, resulting in increased demands for Premier level players
Time commitment / Contention for some player segments
Road network improvements has seen travel times /overnights reduced, however:
reality is we have many people ‘working’ in the game, coaching and managing in schools, Club junior sections, development squads, etc, over the weekend
Increasing numbers of U18’s playing IHL but neither IHA or Provincial competitions aligned with schools

6. IHL Strengths
Consistent message over the 3 years that the IHL has been hugely positive for Irish hockey
Players want to play the best and be the best
EHL competition is huge goal
Men’s club ranking moved from 10 (Sep08) to 6 (Sep11) and two teams in EHL
Women moved from 12 (Sep09) to 9 (Apr11), 0.05 away from having a team in EHL
Support for the structure and recognition of the merits
12 teams and regional qualification
Linkage to EHL and EHL format and rule variations seen as important
Club led approach welcomed
Direct club to club engagement and IHL forums have seen the sharing of ideas and solutions
Scheduling Flexibility
Competition structure has sufficient flexibility to adapt to different seasons and programs

7. Drivers for Change Need to get the ‘buzz’ back
Desire to set IHL matches apart – special events, similar to first season
Some clubs are ‘going through the motions’, while others make special effort
Replication of EHL type events
Many are travelling to EHL events and want to see similar in IHL, even in earlier rounds, not just IHL Finals weekend
Fantastic program of matches and exciting games
Hockey community ‘gatherings’ and festival feeling
All IHL participants able to enjoy the wider event, mingle with other teams and players
But a caution…….
Any change must be in the context of managing all costs associated with IHL
Travel and accommodation
Hosting of teams
Need to remember to hold onto the strengths!

8. Facts & Stats Wildcards Club Ranking
Men: 4 wildcards have seen U5 & L5 qualify every season
Women: More variability with L5 & M3 qualifying 3 years, U5 twice.
Connacht 1 have yet to qualify through to IHL
Club Ranking
Points assigned as follows:
12 points to Winner, 10 points to Runner up, 8 points to semi-finalists
5 points to 3rd place in pools, 4 points to 4th, 3 pts to 5th and 2 pts to 6th
Ranking takes performance over last 3 seasons into account:
100% for last season, 75% for season -1 and 50% for season -2
Effectively mirrors EHL Ranking
Next page shows ranking tables for men and women

9. Ranking Tables

10. Calendar Facts Comp. Number Comment IHL & ISC 8 Provincial League 18
30 competitive weekends available between mid September and end April (excluding 3 weekends for Christmas & Easter)
Between us, we have competitions for Senior players and teams that fill these weekends BEFORE we accommodate any HP absence
Comp.
Number
Comment
IHL & ISC 8
EXCLUDING IHL Finals, Wildcards,
ISC semi & final
Provincial League 18
Excludes any Provincial Cups
Interpros 2
Senior & U21, excludes preparation time
Indoor 3
National league
Total 31

11. Player Impact
IHL Club Player
Non- IHL Club Player
 Club Comps
Typical
Successful
IHL 5 1
ISC 2 3
Branch League 18
Branch Cup
Total 28 6 23
Successful IHL team player has approx 34 weekends of competition, plus training/competition time with other teams (Indoor, Interpro).
For many players /teams there is too much competition
Does not fit with best guidelines for training, peak fitness, avoiding injuries and fatigue, etc.
Consider the number of injuries teams are carrying at any one time?
With bad weather, no space to re-arrange, resulting in high number of matches towards end of season
For other players /team there is a ‘stop/start’ aspect to the season and issues around mis-matched competition
Typically playing in a ‘league within a league’, battling to avoid relegation or fighting for the last IHL place
Struggling to build team/ develop players consistently as competition is not appropriate
Gaps in schedule due to other teams being unavailable, but still also have back matches towards end of season

12. Section 2: Review Process12

13. Review Process Next Steps Started over 2 years ago
IHL Questionnaire end of season 08/09 provided structural feedback
Polarised views on future of IHL – some demands to move to full IHL
IHL Working Group initiatives and findings:
Conceptualised what a ‘full IHL’ would look like to help understanding
Recognition that this season would be unique with OQT’s and scheduling issues and therefore decision to use IHL Forum to start the debate only
IHL Forum – May 11
General feedback confirmed lack of support for ‘full IHL’ due to cost pressures and other challenges and impacts
IHL WG decision to present options to a wider audience to get best possible discussion and feedback – this meeting!
Next Steps
IHL WG to pull together the findings and feedback from this meeting
Develop a recommendations paper for IHA Management Board
Board Decision on future structure of IHL
Communication of outcome
Implementation (if any change recommended/agreed) – season for implementation would depend on impact

14. Section 3: Three Options
Current Format with minor changes
Current Format, but pooled venues
Full IHL
Within the options, there are clearly variants that can be applied.
The Options are being used to conceptualise the structures to help
understanding – these could be adjusted in any final proposal. 14

15. Current Format, minor changes
Change the Wildcard Entry Process
Rationale for change: reduce costs while maintaining regional representation and fairness
Two Options being considered – slightly different for men / women as follows:
Men:
Option 1: Eliminate wildcards, 2 spots go to U5 & L5
Option 2: Rotate one automatic spot between U5 & L5 with one off match between M3 and either U5 or L5 in venue with no accommodation required
Women:
Option 1: Remain as is – Round robin over 3 days
Option 2: Two matches with winner of each gaining WC entry. Set formula –
L5 v U5 and M3 v C1
Change Process for Home /Away Allocation
Currently 3 home games to winners and runners up of each provincial league
Proposal is to continue to allocate teams to Pools under same formula, but 3 home games given to top 3 teams in the group based on highest IHL ranking points
Teams earn more home matches based on their own merit
Evens out any distortion on relative standard of the provincial leagues

16. Current Format (contd)
Change Points Allocation in Rounds 1 - 5
Rationale for change: recognise win more strongly, given small size of pools
A team with two wins and no loss should be ahead of team with a win and a draw – not always the case
Improve Scheduling of Round 1 - 5
Not really a change but seek to cluster Rounds to allow teams to peak towards end of season (happening by default this season)
Current
Proposed
Win
3 points
4 points
Win Bonus (> 2 goals)
1 points
remove
Draw
2 points
Loss (by 1 goal)
1 point
Loss (> 1 goal)
0 points

17. Pooled Venues (Option 2)
Current Structure with pooled venues
Same competition structure, qualification process and assignment of teams to pools
Includes consideration of potential changes to Wildcards, points allocation and scheduling of Rounds 1 – 5 as outlined on previous 2 slides
Objective
Each participating club host only once, but multiple matches held on that day in their venue
Improve attractiveness of attending IHL event with program of matches
There is a Worked Example for Men on next page. Note:
Reflects the men’s Pools for this season
2 to 3 matches in each venue on same day – all teams get to host
Last weekend has all 3 matches in the one Pool starting at the same time
Saturday or Sunday date would be assigned to meet local needs, travelling teams and the balance of the entire IHL program over the whole weekend
Proposed that M1 (C of I) will have 3 home matches. Note that M1 & M2 are assigned to pools via a draw

18. Pooled Venues (Cont’d)
Worked example - Men

19. Pooled Venues (Cont’d)
Summary of ‘trade-offs’ and benefits
Team only play at home once, but equally their club only required to mobilise their volunteers to perform hosting duties once
Most teams have less travel overall with more matches in home province – good for team and supporter costs
Creates exciting programs of matches with should attract hockey community
Participants able to stay around to enjoy event and/or study other teams
Assumptions
IHL WG will schedule the match program and also the day - Sat or Sun.
Provincial leagues WILL be required to align to IHL to free up the pitch time and the host club volunteers as well as allow the hockey community attend top matches when in their area. What this means is:
No scheduling of matches for remaining team sides from a host club if hosting IHL on a Saturday, OR
All other host team club sides to be allow to re-schedule to mid-week (home or away)
For the 2, max 3, Saturdays that the IHL program is running, seek to reduce the overall provincial league program to allow hockey community attend

20. Full IHL (Option 3) Objective IHL Composition IHL Schedule
Create a true National League, with top teams removed from competing in parallel in the provincial league
Reduce competition congestion and over-playing demands
IHL Composition
10 teams, playing home and away
Year 1 setup:
Men: 4/4/2 from Ulster /Leinster /Munster with no wildcards taking place
Women: 3/3/2 from Ulster /Leinster /Munster with 2 wildcard places from U4/L4/M3/C1
Proposal for ‘Safety Net’ to ensure regional representation not lost
Example: 3 (tbc) years where guaranteed minimum 1 team from each province (U/L/M)
IHL Schedule
18 IHL games
Participate in Irish Senior Cup
Can participate in provincial cup but NOT in provincial league

21. Full IHL (Cont’d) Winners Promotion / Relegation
IHL league winner takes Ireland no. 1 spot in Euro competition
Ireland no. 2 spot taken by winner of Presidents Trophy. Example:
IHL 2, 3, 4 + ISC losing finalist knock out competition. Two winners go forward to further knock out with IHL & ISC winners
If IHL winner also wins Presidents Trophy , then runner up takes Ireland no. 2 spot
Promotion / Relegation
10th place automatically demoted to their home provincial league for the following season
9th place enters wildcard play-offs, joining provincial league winners (3 others in men, 4 others in women)
Top 2 from wildcards play IHL following season.
Note: Provincial leagues need to adjust when gain or lose more teams than previous season

22. Discussion and Feedback22