Fall 2023-2024 Tryouts
All tryouts are closed to families
All dates/Times subject to change
There are several factors that coaches consider when making team decisions other than talent. The talent aspect is obvious -talented players are what coaches look for on the ice when it comes to performance, but there are other aspects coaches use to make their final decisions. Here is a list of a few:
1. Skill The primary skill coaches look at is skating. If you can excel at starting and stopping, turning and crossovers well, the rest of the game comes easier. Good skaters will consistently win races to pucks, win battles in the corner and put themselves in the better positions. There isn’t a single hockey skill more important than skating. Puck control, passing and receiving, shooting as well as offensive and defensive tactics are the fundamentals of the game that all coaches will evaluate when selecting players for their team.
2. Coachability - can the player take direction, or does the player think he/she “knows it all?” This is arguably the most important quality of a player - even above talent.
3. Work Ethic/ Attitude - is the player inherently lazy, or do they give you full effort every time they're on the ice? Lazy players make coaching more difficult and decreases the efficiency of the coach - he/she will need to focus more on getting an honest effort, rather than teaching. Just Because you were successful in making a team last year doesn't guarantee your spot for the upcoming season. Nothing is secured and you need to prove yourself all over again. Simple going through the motions won't be enough. Show why you'll be a good teammate.
4. Accountability - does the player have a good track record to showing up to all the practices, games, and team functions...or is there always a reason they can't make it? When players miss practices, coaches are forced to revisit old topics instead of being able to build off them.
5. Club History - has the player been in the association for an extended period of time, or are they known for jumping from club to club every season? Coaches concerned about player development want players who will likely be with them for multiple years.
6. Team Fit – does the player's style of play fit in with what the team needs? Teams don't need 20 players who have amazing hands but will never go into a corner or finish a check. Good teams have players that fit different roles within the team. This is often where players with more talent can be passed by in favor of a player who possesses the skills needed to round out a team.
7. Other Coaches Recommendations - hockey is a small world. Coaches often look to previous coaches for advice. If a player was nothing but a pain for another coach, there's a good chance the next coach down the road will know about it as well.
8. Parents - believe it or not, this can factor in to decisions. Are the player's parents known for being a bit "crazy"? Did they openly bash the club, team, or coaching staff when things were not going well? Coaches are humans - like it or not, most coaches will take a player with a bit less talent, but a family who is supportive over a player with more talent, but has crazy parents.
All coaches look to their team leaders for the same 6 essential qualities that can mean the difference between a good season and a bad season. While it is believed that some people are born leaders, leadership can be developed through practice and conscious effort.
Parents spend countless hours and thousands of dollars developing the physical skill of their children to excel in their chosen sport. Coaches know that physical skill is only one essential quality in selecting key players. It's the intangible, sometimes immeasurable qualities that make a player invaluable to an organization. Parents, players and coaches who work to develop these 6 essential qualities will see their efforts pay off.
Summary: Many recruiters look more than what is visible on the ice. It's not surprising that they often want to know more about a player’s personality and leadership qualities than their skill. Physical skill speaks for itself. It shows up in the paper and in team stats. Leadership qualities are not as easily summarized but of equal importance to the success of an organization. To win the opportunity to prove yourself on the ice and perhaps more importantly, in life, develop the art of leadership.