Minnesota Hockey leadership: What would you tell your child when their classmates are celebrating the teams they made—and your child is still waiting for adults to decide where they belong?

I’m Travis Dahlvang, a Minnesota father asking for meaningful reform of Minnesota Hockey’s residency, eligibility, waiver, and appeal system.

My sons, Henry and Frank, attend school in Andover. We sought permission for them to play hockey in the community where they attend school and have their friendships.

We registered July 24, 2026. Our Minnesota Hockey appeal was denied September 26. Our family spent weeks navigating requests for documents, eligibility questions, and waiver decisions as tryouts approached.

When these decisions drag on, children bear the consequences: missed opportunities, uncertainty, and separation from their friends.

Families deserve more than “refer to the handbook.” They deserve an explanation of the exact rule, how it applies to their circumstances, and what options remain.

We call on Minnesota Hockey’s Board of Directors and district leadership to adopt these reforms statewide:

CLEAR RULES AND WRITTEN EXPLANATIONS
Publish understandable eligibility requirements and document checklists. Every denial should identify the specific rule, the facts relied upon, and the available appeal process.
DECISIONS BEFORE OPPORTUNITIES DISAPPEAR
Establish firm deadlines for eligibility decisions and expedited appeals before tryouts. Create a provisional tryout process for timely applications still awaiting a decision, with clear conditions and no guarantee of final eligibility or placement.
A MEANINGFUL SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PATHWAY
Reform waiver rules so children have a clear, workable route to request participation with their school peers. Explain how residency, school attendance, separated households, and other family circumstances are considered.
CONSISTENT STANDARDS AND INDEPENDENT APPEALS
Apply published criteria across districts. Require disclosure of relevant conflicts of interest, recusal when appropriate, and appeal reviewers who were not involved in the original decision.
TRANSPARENCY THAT PROTECTS CHILDREN
Publish anonymized annual totals of waiver approvals, denials, reasons, and processing times by district. Families should be able to assess consistency without exposing children’s private information.
A PUBLIC RESPONSE AND REFORM TIMELINE
Meet with affected families, respond publicly to these requests, and publish a timetable for reviewing and changing the system.
Competitive balance and community hockey matter. So do fairness, accountability, and children’s sense of belonging.

Minnesota Hockey: Show families how your system puts children first.

Sign this petition to support fair, transparent, timely decisions for every Minnesota hockey family. Then share it with three people and ask them to add their voices.

Children only get one chance at each season. Make it count.