Dear Parents and Players
Welcome to the 2014/2015 Panthers Bantam A/BB selection camp. My name is Troy Carlson and I will be this year’s Head Coach. I have coached hockey for the last 24 years at many levels in both the boys and girls hockey systems. As a player I have been involved in hockey for the last 35 years. Please find below information on how the evaluation camp is going to run, how the players are evaluated, team composition and selection.
Evaluation Sessions
Team selection will consist of three ice sessions and two exhibition games, after which the team selection will be made. Each session has specific goals and evaluation criteria. During the evaluation sessions minimal individual instruction will be given as we are evaluating rather that teaching. Instruction will be given if a player is having a hard time understanding the drill. For the most part drills will be simple and fast paced. Total Package Hockey will be running the three ice sessions which will allow the coaches and evaluators to observe the players.
The following is a list of the main categories being evaluated;
Individual Skills
- Skating & agility, speed, passing, pass receiving, shooting, checking and puck control.
Team Skills
- Offensive tactics and Defensive tactics, ability to play with others, unselfish.
Mental Qualities
- Hockey intelligence, reading and reacting, concentration, drive, desire and one of the most important qualities of coach-ability.
Physical Qualities
- Strength, endurance, balance, agility, coordination, power
For Goaltenders the criteria differs somewhat;
Individual Skills
- Skating, agility, reflexes, angles, puck control/handling.
Team Skills
- Puck playing ability, communication, ability to get along with others.
Mental skills
- Concentration, anticipation, coach-ability, desire, mental toughness.
Physical Qualities
- Strength, endurance, balance, agility, coordination, power
Coach- ability, which is the players listening skills, behaviour and ability to complete an assigned task is being evaluated throughout all of the sessions.
Team Selection
Team selection is perhaps the most difficult task for a coaching staff and is often seen and taken as a very negative experience by those parents and the players that have to be released. I encourage you as a parent to try and make the evaluation and team selection process a positive one, regardless of whether or not your athlete makes the team. Remember, try-outs are a vehicle to place players on teams where they will benefit most. When selecting a team many factors must be taken into consideration, the first being the size of the team. In youth travel hockey one of the most important things to consider is how many players can effectively be used during a game to ensure each player receives sufficient opportunity to play. Very little benefit will be gained by marginal players seeing limited ice time. It is therefore the coaches’ responsibility to play and develop the players that are chosen. After all sessions are completed evaluations will be examined and a team selection will be made and the roster posted to the Bantam A/BB webpage.
If you have any question about the evaluation process don’t hesitate contact me. I can be reached via email at [email protected].
Once again thank-you for coming out and good luck!