This document to make sure that everybody understands the process for tryouts, selecting teams, and commitments. The purpose of tryouts is to evaluate a player’s skill level and place them on a team that will challenge them and help them grow as hockey players. As an organization we strive to find a place for all our players. Our goal is to instill a love for the game and have hockey become a lifelong activity.
 

Registration:

The cost of tryouts is $150 and Online registration and Payment are required before a player receives a tryout jersey.

Registration is open on the website but walk in registrations are accepted at an additional fee of $25.

COVID Protocol:

Please follow the current rule in place for TCR at the time of tryouts.

Check In:

When you arrive, please check-in in at the lobby of Terry Conners Rink. Your player will be given a numbered tryout jersey, either black or white (red for goalies). There is absolutely no significance to the numbers or whether your player receives a black or a white jersey. He/she should wear that jersey for the duration of tryouts. The player’s jersey number will be referenced for Call Back Games and Team Selection. The player may keep the jersey.

Evaluation Process:

PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND ONLY THE EVALUATION SESSIONS THEY ARE ASSIGNED. IF A PLAYER SHOWS TO THE WRONG SESSION THEY WILL BE TURNED AWAY.

An email will be sent informing each player on what sessions they must attend. All divisions will have two evaluation skates. All players must attend tryouts at their birth year level. Although rare, there may however be a situation where the program allows a player to attend a tryout for an older birth year after the first tryout session if that placement is determined to be beneficial to the player and the program. This will be at the evaluator panel's discretion and will be discussed with the player's family.

During these sessions, on-ice coaches will run the players through a series of skating, passing, and shooting drills, as well as small area games. On-ice drills may vary in relation to the age and experience of the player pool.

There will be 4 to 5 evaluators in the booth at the top of the blue section of the rink. The evaluators will consist of SYHA Coaches, Hockey Director, Head Coach for each age level, as well as outside evaluators if all possible. The effort is to mix evaluators that know the players and have coached that age level and others that do not know the players. Evaluators will use Team Genius Software for Evaluations. The same software used for mid- and end-of-season evaluations. Additional reference to a player’s hockey abilities will be guided by the mid- and end-of-season evaluations and the previous year’s head coach as needed. A non-partisan Board member may observe the evaluation process.

Parents are asked to view tryouts from the visiting side of the rink (blue section, west side of rink). If parents sit on the home side of the rink (red) they will be asked to move.

Callback Games:

While most organizations select their teams based on the evaluation skates, SYHA also likes to know how players respond in game situations. Players may shine while skating in drills but may not be able to do well in game situations. In other words, we are looking at “hockey IQ” and in-game effectiveness. Most of the evaluation for team selections will be weighted on the performance in the callback games.

Within 24 hours of the last evaluation for a given division, some players will be called back to play in the “A Callback Game.” Their tryout jersey numbers will be posted on the website, along with an email to report for the “A callback game”.

Commitment Letter:

The letter states that, if selected for the A team, the player will play for the A team, and the family will be responsible for the full season fee.

No player will be allowed on the ice until the commitment letter is signed.
 

If you drop off your player or he/she comes with another family, please sign the commitment letter prior to the beginning of the call-back game.

For the game, there will be coaches on the bench, and there will be evaluators (including the A team coach) in the top booth. The A team will be selected from this pool of players.

Player Selection Process:

If the player is not selected for the A team, the commitment letter will be discarded. The CHC is not letting organizations announce teams until early April. Teams will be announced at that time.

Players chosen for the "A" teams will be notified pending the allowed date by the CHC. You will have 24 hours from when the offer was made to accept and provide the signed commitment letter (if not given at the callback game) and $1,000 toward the 2022-2023 tuition, or your player’s position will be offered to an alternate player.

Players chosen for the non-A teams will be notified within 72 hours of the date allowed date by the CHC. You will have 24 hours from when the offer was made to accept and provide a signed commitment letter (if not given at the callback game) and $1,000 toward the 2022-2023 tuition, or your player’s position will be offered to an alternate player.

There are no exceptions to the $1,000 deposit unless a payment plan or Scholarship application is approved by the Treasurer prior to registering for the season.

Once a roster spot is secured with the deposit or payment plan, there are no refunds or exceptions

Thank you for your understanding during the tryout process and good luck to all the players!

Please call or email us should you have any questions! HOCKEY DIRECTOR