KC SOUTH 2024 - 2025 Evaluations

EVALUATIONS ARE NOW COMPLETE!

We are working to finalize our team lists. If you have not received a TeamSnap Invite by end of Day Monday Sept 16, please reach out to your category director listed below.

Josh - u9director@kcsouthhockey.ca

Angela - u11director@kcsouthhockey.ca

Sean U13director@kcsouthhockey.ca

 

 

Evaluation Process Overview

The evaluation process is a key element of our program, designed to ensure consistent application of evaluation principles throughout. This document serves as a comprehensive guide for all participants, aiming to provide the best possible experience for players as they develop both as hockey players and individuals. While this process can be challenging for minor hockey coaches, parents, and players, our goal is to make it as positive and fulfilling as possible. By following the guidelines outlined here, we aim to establish a transparent and fair evaluation process.

Evaluation Objectives

KC South Minor Hockey Association is dedicated to upholding the following objectives during evaluations:

  • Impartial and Consistent Evaluations: Provide a fair and thorough assessment of each player’s hockey skills, offering them the best chance to develop.
  • Balanced Team Formation: Create teams that allow players to develop, participate, and enjoy playing hockey.
  • Transparency and Trust: Foster a transparent evaluation process that is trusted by players, parents, and coaches.
  • Coaching Flexibility: Give coaches the opportunity to build teams based on their philosophy and understanding of player skills and attitude.

Why Do We Evaluate Players?

Evaluations are a requirement by Hockey Alberta. Using the evaluation process we group players by similar abilities into appropriate hockey tiers. Learn more: Hockey Alberta Standardized Tiering

Evaluation Sessions

Players from U9 to U15 will participate in a minimum of 4 evaluation sessions.

Evaluation Teams and Process

  • Evaluators: Evaluations will be conducted by two main groups: Off-ice evaluators who assess players on the ice and broad members who manage the evaluation process, track results.
  • Skill and Game Environment: Players in U15 and below will be evaluated in both skill and game settings.

U9 Evaluation Process

The focus at this age is on evaluating skating ability, puck possession, and competitive spirit. We aim to create a positive experience where players can build friendships and develop their hockey skills through fun and fair play. Players are encouraged to attend all sessions to ensure proper evaluation.

  • Part 1: Timed Skill Evaluation: Players will participate in a timed skill skate to measure fundamental skills like speed, agility, and puck handling.
  • Part 2: Half-Ice Scrimmage: Players will take part in 4-on-4 half-ice games with no designated positions, ensuring equal gameplay opportunities.

U11 Evaluation Process

Like U9, the focus is on evaluating fundamental skills and fostering a positive, developmental experience. Players will participate in four evaluation sessions.

  • Part 1: Timed Skill Evaluation: A session dedicated to measuring skating speed, agility, edge control, and puck handling.
  • Part 2: Scrimmage: A 5-on-5 game with designated positions, providing balanced gameplay and fair evaluation opportunities.

U13 Evaluation Process

The U13 process mirrors the U9 and U11 approaches, emphasizing the evaluation of skating ability, puck skills, and competitive spirit. Players will participate in four evaluation sessions, with a mix of skill drills and scrimmage games.

U15 Evaluation Process

For U15 players, the focus is entirely on game performance, ensuring they are seen in various situations and given equal opportunities to demonstrate their skills.

Parent Responsibilities

  • Respect in Sport: Practice the principles you've learned in the Respect in Sport program.
  • Understand the Importance of Evaluations: Be informed about the process and schedules, and ensure your player attends all sessions.
  • Preparation: Arrive early, ensure all equipment is ready, and promote positivity and support throughout the process.
  • Respect the Process: Understand the evaluation process, respect the evaluators, and do not request player information from them.

 

 

 

Q&A's

Several questions arise each year about the evaluation process. For details about the process, please review the below questions and answers for quick reference.

  1. What are the evaluation criteria used to rank my player?  
  2. Depending upon the level of hockey being evaluated, and the position (Defense, Forward or Goaltender,) players will be evaluated serval different criteria. Each criteria has a weight assigned to it, with some criteria (skating ability, game understand/hockey IQ, for example) being assigned a heavier weighting than other criteria (such as shooting, passing and scoring).
  3. My player played with a particular player (or group of players) over several seasons but ended up on a lower tier team than those players – what gives?
  4. The best, and worst, part of the evaluation process is that players are given the opportunity to display their skillset on the ice, against a group of like-skilled players. While your child may have played with certain individuals in past seasons but not this season can be for a wide variety of factors:
  •   Some players develop strength, speed, or agility at different rates as they grow physically and return year-over-year with different strengths. The player that had no strength to battle in the corner suddenly dominates in puck battles and receives much higher scores than in previous years.
  •   Some players make the effort to improve their hockey skills or overall fitness over the off-season; some put in a tremendous amount of effort and improve their placings dramatically.
  •   There are times when evaluators pick up on the good, or the bad, parts of a player’s game and that helps or hinders the player’s overall evaluation. While every evaluator does their level best to see as much of a player’s games, certain shifts can make or break that game’s evaluation score for that player. This is one reason to encourage your player to make sure EVERY shift is their level best – if a players stays on the ice too long, evaluators may notice that and can negatively score the player on not knowing when to come off the ice, or may see that player give up on a crucial back-check because they are tired, again resulting in a negative score.

I hope this information helps with understanding the evaluations and why as a club we have this process in place. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out anytime. My email is president@kcsouthhockey.com

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Thank You, 

Amber Anderson

KC South President