**Fourth session is a "call back" session for select skaters
REGISTRATION FOR D1 EVALUATIONS IS CLOSED
The Peaks Youth Hockey Association (PYHA) will be holding evaluations for our Provo Predators 10U/12U/14U D1 teams in August. Please join us. Information on the evaluation process and links to sign up for evaluation sessions can be found below. We encourage all players—even those who think they would only make a D2 team—to join us and be evaluated for these teams.
Our evaluation process has been designed to achieve as objective of a player evaluation as possible. While no evaluation process is perfect, our evaluators put in a significant amount of time and personal commitment to ensure that the process is carried out in a consistent manner. We aim to make this an enjoyable, as well as fair evaluation process for both kids and parents.
EVALUATION PROCESS
The goal of these evaluations is to fairly evaluate players and place them on the team that best matches their skill level, giving them the best opportunity to develop. PYHA recognizes that there is no perfect process and that there may be players and parents who will disagree with placements. This will always exist in the case of a tiered system. We believe that our process is reasonable and fair, and provides players the opportunity to play on a team that is matched to that player's overall ability. Further, parents seldom recognize the virtues of their child playing at a level at which they can best compete. Youth hockey players need to be challenged, and they need a range of experiences, including playing on different teams where their ranking on the team varies. Too often, parents are concerned about their child not making a higher level team, when, in fact, that is not the best thing for their player's development.
The evaluation process for each division will consist of four sessions; the fourth session will be a "call back" evaluation for select skaters. Numbered pinneys will be used to identify and keep track of players during the tryouts; each player should use the same pinney during all tryout sessions.
During the on-ice tryout sessions, players will be asked to exhibit the following in a series of drills, small area games, and full ice scrimmages:
•Skating - Stride, Edges, Speed, Crossovers, Forwards & Backward Skating
•Puck Carrier - Puck Handling, Shooting, Passing, Control
•Game awareness - Playing Position, Getting Open, Play Making
•Effort – Small Battles, Fore-check, Back-check, tenacity
In addition, Goaltenders will also be evaluated based on goaltending-specific skills, including skating, technique (stance, angles, depth), athleticism, making saves and controlling rebounds, etc.
EVALUATORS
Evaluators include experienced coaches with a depth of youth hockey knowledge who devote many hours of service to the association. They are required to make very difficult decisions regarding players whose skill levels are often very comparable.
Five evaluators will evaluate each age division. All evaluators are qualified “outside evaluators”. An outside evaluator is defined as a person who is not the parent of a player in that particular age division. If at all possible, the evaluators are asked to score all sessions for an age division. The combined evaluation scores will be used to rank players and serve as the foundation for the evaluation team to arrive at a final ranking of all players in the tryouts. In consultation with PYHA staff, the evaluation panel will finalize these rankings and select the rosters for each team. The final judgment of the evaluation team is not subject to appeal.
PRIOR YEAR PLACEMENT
Placement on a prior year team does not guarantee placement at the same level for the next season.
PLAYING UP
"Playing up" an age group is discouraged. Players will not be allowed to play up in age unless the player is rated as one of the top five players on the older age group's top team. The same rule applies to siblings. Siblings will not automatically be put on the same team.
ABSENT OR INJURED PLAYER POLICY
Players are required to attend all evaluation sessions. We understand that there may be scheduling conflicts, injuries, and other issues that may arise during the evaluation period. We ask that parents send an email to the Youth Hockey Coordinator, Brenda Hickman bhickman@provo.org, detailing any conflict that your player may have. Each case will be assessed by the Youth Hockey Cordinator and Arena Manager for that specific division. We will use all information at our disposal to make a reasonable placement decision based on each situation. It is strongly encouraged that players attend all of their scheduled sessions. The Evaluators, Youth Hockey Coordinator, and Arena Manager will review each situation separately, and make as fair and equitable decision as possible.
PARENT ATTENDANCE POLICY
If a parent plans to stay at the rink during evaluations, please stay away from the bench area, and do not interrupt your player or try to speak to the evaluators during the evaluations. We strongly discourage any contact with any of the evaluators or coordinator by parents before, during, and after the evaluation process as it presents a clear conflict of interest. Furthermore, once teams are announced all placements are final. Contacting the Peaks Youth Hockey Coordinator or Peaks Arena Manager will not change your child’s placement.
Evaluation REGISTRATION FEE
The evaluation fee of $50.00 is NON-REFUNDABLE; the fee must be paid in full prior to the player attending evaluations.
