Applying for an SXP

For the 2025-26 season clubs / teams wishing to request a selection exemption pass for a player shall do so by completing the online form here:

SXP Form

A sub-committee will review all submissions and either approve or reject on the basis of evidence supplied and GMS data.

The sub-committee has been set up on a quadrant basis, however will work together to generate consensus and cover for absences.

The SXP sub-committee will review all SXP requests submitted by 8pm Wednesday reviewed prior to Saturdays matches, for those received after this time, they will try to review as many as possible prior to the match day. For any submission after the deadline whereby confirmation hasn’t been received, the committee will consider receipt of the form as a request prior to the match, however playing the player(s) in question is at the Teams risk.

SXP Sub-Committee (with notional area)

Prem / Div 1 / NL Crossover - Ali Smyth
North East - Chris Perry
North West - Phill Barlow
South East - Rosemary Prince
South West - Phil Churchman

Principals of Team Selection

Selection of teams should be in accordance with the team selection rules included within section 8 of the regulations, we recommend all team captains, managers and club administrators to read this and Appendix 4 “Team Selection & Player Eligibility Guidance Notes” prior to raising any issues or queries.

As stated in regulation 8.2.4 “The ALMC can determine at any time whether or not a Club is in breach of the Aims of Team Selection.” .

For the 2025-26 Season the ALMC have determined that in order to allow a fair determination of team playing strength, and in accordance with 8.1.2 and 8.2.3 Clubs must select their teams in hierarchical order. In order to allow a quantitative assessment of playing strength, Clubs will not be allowed to concede “top” or “middle” ranked sides for the first 3 match weeks of the season. In any circumstance where a Club does not fulfill a fixture in the first three weeks of the season, the lower teams will be deemed unfair selections and the games shall be awarded as a 5-0 loss and 1 point deduction shall be applied.

The Standard Adult Regulations contain a set of examples where an SXP may be granted in appendix 4, which has been replicated below, please make sure you've read these before you submit your request:

The regulations can be found here:

Standard Adult League Regulations 2025 - 26

APPENDIX 4 – PLAYER SELECTION GUIDANCE

The guidelines outlined in this reference ensure a comprehensive framework for player selection while allowing for necessary exceptions under appropriate circumstances.

Clubs can maintain fairness, competition integrity and equal opportunities in player eligibility and team selection by complying with Team Selection.

SELECTION NOTES

Objective

The Team Selection framework aims to ensure fairness, competition integrity, and equal opportunities in player eligibility and team selection for all participating clubs.
The framework provides clubs with reasonable flexibility while maintaining guidelines to ensure fairness and prevent unfair advantages.

Player Selection Hierarchy

Clubs are expected to select teams on merit.
Players should not be selected at a lower level than their Regular Team for the purpose of strengthening a lower-ranked team.

Doubling Up Restrictions

Doubling up, defined as playing in multiple teams on the same matchday, is generally not permitted except in specific cases as described in Regulation 8.4.
Any exception to the doubling up restrictions requires a Selection Exemption Pass, which is granted on a case-by-case basis for situations not covered by the general guidelines.

SELECTION EXEMPTION NOTES

At the ALMC’s discretion a Selection Exemption Pass (SXP) can be granted for a specific time period to manage specific scenarios.
1. A club can request a retrospective exemption in the case of an emergency.
2. Clubs are encouraged to request SXPs in advance, though they may be considered retrospectively in cases where injuries occur close to the match start time, such as during warm-up.
The doubling up restrictions vary by Grade. Any doubling up may require an SXP.
1. Grade 1
  - No doubling up is permitted except in very specific circumstances that will always require an SXP:
    - If a Grade 1 GK plays outfield in a lower-ranked team to help with numbers an SXP is required.
    - If both the 1st team (1s) and 2nd team (2s) play in the NL, and a 1s player is injured immediately before the game a Selection Exemption Pass (SXP) is required for a 2s player to play for the 1s as cover. A 1s player cannot double up for 2s.
2. Grade 2
  - No doubling up is permitted except in exceptional circumstances for a goalkeeper with an SXP.
  - Grade 2 players may double up only in the following cases:
    - If a Regular Grade 2 GK needs to cover as GK at Grade 1 due to exceptional GK availability or injury issues, an SXP is required from England Hockey.
    - If a Regular Grade 2 GK needs to cover as GK at Grade 2 or 3 due to exceptional GK availability issues or injury issues, an SXP is required.

Grade 3
- No doubling up is permitted except for a goalkeeper with an SXP.
- Grade 3 players cannot double up at Grades 1–3, except in the following situations:
  - If a Regular Grade 3 GK needs to play as GK at Grades 2–5 due to exceptional GK availability issues or injury issues, an SXP is required.
  - If a Regular Grade 3 GK doubles up playing outfield at Grade 4 or 5, no SXP is required.
- A Grade 3 outfield player cannot double up outfield for any Grade 4 or Grade 5 team.
Grades 4 & 5
- Doubling up is permitted subject to the conditions stated in Regulation 8.4.2 “Conditions For Doubling Up”.
- No specific SXP requirements apply to doubling up at Grade 4 and Grade 5.

Examples of Possible Exemptions

The following examples illustrate possible circumstances where exemptions may apply beyond the doubling up restrictions outlined in 3.2 above. These scenarios are not exhaustive but serve as guidelines for when a Selection Exemption might be considered by the ALMC.

Player returning from injury after a few weeks

A regular Grade 2 1st team player wants to return by playing in the Grade 3 3rd team.
A regular Grade 3 3rd team player wants to return by playing in the Grade 5 5th team.

Player has not played for a number of weeks or has not participated in a minimum of 50% of their team's League matches or the matches of a lower team

A player played early in the season but did not play again until the last four weeks, and it can be demonstrated that the current level is appropriate for the player.
A player regularly covered for injuries or unavailability in a higher team.
A player was "dropped" by a higher team, playing for the 1st team in 11 matches before Christmas and solely in the 2nd team for 5 matches after Christmas at the time of the relevant match.
A player not selected by a higher team, which has been their Regular Team, in line with club selection, but not for the purposes of strengthening a lower team.

Doubling up players from a team higher than a club's lowest or second-lowest ranked team. This may be required if both lowest-ranked teams are away, match times clash, or subsequent doubling up is not in ascending team order

A mid-ranked team has significant unavailability, and players doubling up genuinely come from lower-ranked teams.
A low-ranked team has significant unavailability and requires more than three players to double up to field a team.
A player doubling up is genuinely from a lower-ranked team with a difference of more than two, such as a regular 6th team player playing for the 3rd team.
Doubling up players from higher Grades, such as a club with one team at Grade 2 and another team at Grade 5 without any other teams, or if the club has three teams with the highest at Grades 2 or 3 and that team is at home with one of the others.

Team has a rearranged fixture on Sunday having already played on Saturday

This example covers the occasion when a team has a rearranged fixture on Sunday having already played on Saturday. This is typically due to postponement of a scheduled fixture due to bad weather.
NB: This explanation does NOT apply in the event that the team's fixture was moved from Saturday to Sunday on the same weekend, i.e., in the same Matchweek.

Teams playing on the Saturday must select teams that comply with the usual selection Regulations.

Player eligibility for the rearranged Sunday fixture

Who can play?
- Players for whom that team is their Regular Team.
- Players normally selected for lower teams in the club's hierarchy.
- The selection of any such players does not constitute doubling up in the same Matchweek.
Who cannot play?
- Players whose Regular Team is a higher team in the club's hierarchy, including those who played for that team on the Saturday, unless they have a Selection Exemption Pass granted in advance of the Sunday fixture.

Examples of emergency issues

A 1st team goalkeeper gets injured during warm-up, and the 4th team goalkeeper, who played earlier in the day, is available as a replacement.
A club has multiple injured or unavailable goalkeepers, and their regular 4th team goalkeeper is selected for the 1st team as cover but intends to return to the 4th team on the next match day.

SXP Process & Form