Player Evaluation & Placement Specifics
Player evaluation and placement, like player development, is a process - effective management of the process will make a young players experience in hockey a more positive one.
Having a solid player evaluation process in place can help make the process much easier. Not only will it give the association a reference point in dealing with parents, it will also give you and your coaches a starting point to determine where your players are at skill wise, thus beginning the process of utilizing the various Hockey programs to educate parents, and coaches, on the importance of developing skills.
Objectives of a Player Evaluation
- To provide a fair and impartial assessment of a player's total hockey skills during the skating and scrimmage sessions
- To ensure that players have a reasonable opportunity of being selected to a team appropriate to their skill levels as determined during the on-ice evaluations of the current year.
- To provide coaches with the opportunity and flexibility to build a team based in part on their own coaching philosophy and knowledge of player skills and attitude.
- To provide uniformity and consistency in the evaluation process such that a player and parent expectations are consistent from year to year as players move through the various levels of the association's programs
- To form teams to maintain balanced and competitive play where the athletes can develop and participate equitably and have fun playing hockey during the season.
- To provide feedback in order to develop players
Questions and Answers
Q: Who will do the evaluations?
A: There are 3 key groups involved in the evaluations:
- On-ice coaches to take players through the session
- Off-ice evaluators who will be responsible to evaluate every player on the ice during the time allotted. There may be on-ice evaluators depending on the particular situation.
- Off-ice administrators who will be responsible for tracking evaluations, contacting parents and players and scheduling sessions.
Q: What should my son/daughter wear to the evaluation?
A: Full equipment is always mandatory. This includes:
- Protective cup
- Shin pads
- Hockey pants
- Shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Skates
- Hockey gloves
- Hockey stick
- CSA approved helmet and full shield
- Neck guard and mouth guard
Q: What happens after the evaluation sessions?
A: Upon the completion of evaluations the evaluation scores are collected and organized to match the pinney number of the participant to his/her name. The LHA Board of Directors holds a meeting to determine the number of teams that will compete in the following season. Once the number of teams is decided, the players are placed according to score on the appropriate team. After the teams have been finalized, the rosters are posted to each team on the LHA web site accordingly on or about May 1.
Q: Will the player be evaluated in a skill and game environment?
A: In order to give each and every player a fair opportunity to exhibit the range of skills that they possess they will be evaluated in a game and skill environment. At the younger age levels a greater emphasis will be placed on the evaluation of skills - as the players get older the game or scrimmage sessions will have a greater overall impact on the player’s placement within the program. Evaluation drill selection will reflect this philosophy.
To further explain the process, you can download our handbook:
LHA Evaluation & Player Selection Process Handbook
