Tryouts for travel hockey are one of the most frustrating and mentally exhausting times for both parents and players.  Most "AAA" programs will start tryouts right after the Nationals in April.  They will be directly followed by "AA", "A", and "B" tryouts or these other tryouts may be held in the summer or early fall.  Whatever region you live in, all the organizations tend to schedule the tryouts at the same time during the same days of the week.  If your child goes to the wrong tryout and gets cut, the other teams may have picked their teams already.  In addition to this, if you get chosen for a team the organizations usually want you to put money down on the spot and decide so that they do not lose you to another team.  This just doesn't seem right for youth hockey children and their parents.  Every year, we at Hockey Techniques get dozens of phone calls and emails about what our advice would be.  The following is an overview of the tryout experience, and some of our thoughts on the process to help you make a better decision.

What Level should my child tryout at?

The thought process for skill development is that the higher the level you practice and play at, the more you will improve.  This holds true if there is capable coaching and adequate ice time for practices.  Ice time in games is obviously good too, however, it is possible to improve more by getting less ice time at a higher level than a lot of ice time at a slower and weaker level.  It comes down to skating at a particular speed and learning how to react to that level.  There are negatives though.  If you have a bad coach or little practice time, your child will not develop as much as if he/she had skated with a lower level team and was a star.  Emotionally and mentally it can be difficult for a child to be on a higher level team if it means sitting the bench and not feeling part of the team when they win at tournaments etc.  Confidence on the ice can also be hurt if your child is consistently benched or yelled at for making mistakes.  Whereas, getting a lot of ice time and being praised for being a good player can do wonders for the ego.

Where do I tryout and what should I look for?

Where do you tryout? This is a big question especially when all the tryouts are at the same time.  If you can investigate and find out the answers to these questions (in no particular order), you probably will be able to make a wise decision. 

1. Does the team skate out of one rink or multiple rinks?
2. What are the times of the practices that will be held for my child's age bracket?
3. Are the practices prescheduled on a particular night or are they random?
4. How many practices does my child get?
5. How much money will it cost me and how many tournaments are there ($$$$)?
6. Who is the coach and what is his/her background?
7. Who are the assistant coaches and their backgrounds?
8. Is there a supplemental program for skills (i.e. Todd will be Head Coach at The NJ Blizzard Travel next season at the Squirt "A" and Squirt "B" levels.  In addition to that, Hockey Techniques has also been contracted to work with the Montclair Blues, Team Blizzard, Essex Hunt Club, NJ, Jersey Wildcats Jr. teams, and more for next season.)?
9. How many returning players are coming back from last year?
10. Is the club loyal to past players or are they open to new children?
11. What is the practice to game ratio for the level you are playing at (The lower the age the more the practices to games ratio should be)?
12. Is the organizations philosophy: Fun, winning, or development?

What position should my child tryout for?

At the mite level none except skater versus goalie.  Even then some programs will let the kids play both.  Until they get to a very old age like midget or bantam, there is no need to specialize in one position.  A player that can play both offense and defense is much more versatile.  They have a better chance of making teams and getting more ice time because of their value.  For example, I played forward my whole career until I was a senior in College.  At that time I switched to defense and played professionally as a defenseman.  I know of many players that have switch positions or played both positions until they reach high school or college.

Are there Politics in youth hockey?

For the most part, coaches want to win.  The teams are not fully picked before you walk through the door.  The rule usually goes like this:  If your child is the same as the returning player in level or slightly better, you may not make the team. To beat out a returning player or politically placed child, your child must fully prove without a doubt that he/she is the better player.  With 60 - 70 kids on the ice it is not easy, but also not impossible. Yes! Coach's friends do make teams, board members kids will make teams, and kids from within the organization will make teams for loyalty purposes.  There are many other types of politics in youth hockey as well.  However, do not be afraid of these. 

…. Knowing all this, how does my child get noticed and make the team?

Try one or a few of the following.

1. Find out which children are definitely going to be on the team such as returning players that where starters. Then, have your child line up against them during the tryout (i.e. 1 on 1's etc.). 
2. Have your child tell one of the coaches on the ice that he/she is willing to play both positions forward and defense. 
3. If your child has played for another travel organization, have them where the full colors of that program.  It will attract the attention of the coaches.
4. Have your child wear something obnoxious like bright green socks to attract the coaches attention.
5. If you have a friend in the organization or on the team, have them bring up your child's name.  Use your own politics.

What ever happens, remember that these are kids we are talking about.  99.9999999% will never play professional hockey and never get a full or partial scholarship to college. Find a place where your child will be happy, have fun, improve, make some friends, have a good quality coach, good rink location and times to fit your schedule, and encourage your child to try their best.  Remind your child that not making a team is not the end of the world and does not mean he/she will never succeed.  I got cut from my high school team and still played college and pro hockey.

Todd Drevitch

Hockey Techniques

www.hockeytechniques.com

hocktech@hockeytechniques.com

(908) 453 - 2436

(908) 453 - 2436    hocktech@hockey-techniques.com

Hockey Techniques    PO Box 401    Oxford, NJ 07863