PLEASE NOTE that all BYHA Account Balances must be current to attend tryouts. 

Contact the Treasurer to discuss any open balances you may have:  treasurer@byha.org
 

Welcome to a new hockey season!

Here is some information to help our hockey players and parents navigate through the tryout process.  We believe this is the greatest game on earth, and our desire is for all players to look back on their BYHA experience and remember all the friendships and great memories that they experienced.

TRYOUT PROCESS OVERVIEW:

As a Board, we consistently evaluate the quality of our programs that serve our membership; to ensure all our participants have a great experience.  

On the first day of your tryout, please arrive up to 30-45 minutes early to get checked-in and receive your jersey.  We may need a little extra time if a jersey change is needed due to sizing issues. 

All BYHA Fees must be current to attend tryouts.  Please contact the Treasurer to discuss and/or review balances: treasurer@byha.org

Tryouts are closed to all parents and the public.  The only individuals allowed in the rink during any session of tryouts include:  Evaluators, announced Head Coaches, Board Members, Coordinators, arena staff and critical volunteers working locker rooms or bench.

*If assistance is needed for tying skates, players and parents can meet in the lower level dressing area between rinks; parents must exit the arena immediately when finished.  We also have volunteers that can help.

Only BYHA-sanctioned socks & logos allowed.  All other hockey program branding and player names must be removed from equipment prior to tryouts.  This includes; names on helmets, all stickers other than BYHA, socks from “select” teams, etc.  All players must wear BYHA-colored socks (navy, light blue, white), if you do not have a pair, matching plain white or blue socks can be worn.  A limited number of socks will be available at check-in if you cannot provide your own.

Tryout jerseys with assigned numbers will be issued to players when checking in for the first session.  These jerseys are reversible and must be worn at each tryout session; they must be returned at the end of tryouts.  Be sure your player takes this jersey home after each session.  This jersey number is our only means to track and score your player throughout tryouts.

Attendance is mandatory. Players must arrive on time and be on the ice for all assigned tryout sessions, unless previously excused by the appropriate Traveling Director.  Any unexcused absences will impact a player’s overall evaluation and team placement. 

HOW DO TRYOUTS WORK?

Day 1: All players will be randomly assigned to a tryout session to ensure initial groups are balanced with forwards, defense, and goalie positions.

All other days – Based on scores from previous days, players will be assigned to the next session.  Each day players can be moved between groups.  There is not a defined number of players per session, the goal is to get like skilled players on the ice at the same time, allowing players to better showcase their skill, and for Evaluators to score more consistently. 

*Daily Session assignments will be posted to the BYHA website.  It is your responsibility to monitor the website or the SportsEngine mobile app and understand which session to attend.

HOW WILL MY PLAYER BE EVALUATED?  BY THEIR PLAY!

Tryouts will consist of skills, small area games, cross ice scrimmages and/or full ice scrimmages. 

During each tryout session, a panel of independent evaluators will score each player on a preset scale, following a common scoring structure.  Evaluators are chosen for their hockey knowledge and are trained to consistently assess the participants.  Evaluators do not have a player participating at the level of play being evaluated and will attend all sessions for that level.

Head Coaches will have zero impact on scores.  Their ability to view all sessions allows them more time to observe all players and assist in their own decision-making process while finalizing teams.  As has been done in the past, team selections are done by player scoring, with the Head Coach selecting a few final spots.

Players will be evaluated on a balance of strengths across the following areas:

• Skills – skating, passing, shooting, stickhandling
• Hockey sense, compete level, positioning, awareness
• Positive contribution to team play

Goalies will be evaluated on:

• Movement, quickness, positioning
• Compete level
• Awareness, puck tracking, rebound control, recovery after a save or a goal (mentally and physically)
• Stickhandling

NOTE: Players are also evaluated for negative contributions to play as well.  Inappropriate conduct or penalty situations will result in a deduction in score.  This includes, but is not limited to: multiple penalties, foul language, unsportsmanlike behavior and play intended to injure.

Scores will be assessed from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) from each evaluator on the above listed criteria.  Scores are recorded and used for subsequent session assignment and overall final team selection.  Each player has an opportunity to move up/down between groups based on each previous tryout session.

Make sure your player knows that every drill, every shift, and every session matters for final team placements.

TRYOUT INQUIRES:

The tryout process is designed to place players on teams where they will have success and be challenged each season.  Please understand that all team decisions are final, and no changes can be made once teams are posted. 

We recognize that there will be disappointments about the team a player is ultimately placed on.  Players who are on the bubble between 2 levels will likely be emotional so we ask that all parents seize the opportunity to explain the benefits of being a leader on a lower team.  Many great experiences and life lessons are learned with these situations.  Embrace them and fight through the victim thinking.

BYHA has a mandatory 24-hour waiting period for questions after teams are posted; please note and respect this timeframe before sending inquiries about your player, or comments/suggestions about the tryout process.  After 24 hours, you can email president@byha.org with your questions.  

Also, please understand that we cannot and will not ever consider any opinions about player skill or take any tryout related requests from any parents.  As you can imagine, that would quickly open us up to questions around fair and equal treatment for all players, and claims of special treatment, which we cannot allow.  

TIPS FOR A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR PLAYER:

1. Remind your player to have FUN!  Enjoy the experience and bring a positive attitude!
2. Encourage your player to do their best, every time they step on the ice.  Strong efforts will be noticed.
3. Be kind to others, as well as the volunteers that work hard to make this program fair and successful.

COVID-19

COVID-19 is here to stay and BYHA remains committed to the safety of all our families.  Currently MN Hockey and D10 Hockey are deferring all COVID policies and enforcement to the individual local arenas.  Policies in place today continue to recommend best practices but there are no mandates or special rules in place at this time.  Note that these policies/rules can change quickly so please be prepared to adapt as needed to keep our kids skating safely.

Brad Keogh - vicepresident@byha.org is the BYHA COVID Coordinator again this year (THANK YOUR BRAD!!).  If you have any questions/concerns, you can reach out to him throughout the season. 

We are all looking forward to a great season ahead!  Good luck to all during their tryouts!

GO BENGALS!