Therefore we are currently looking at two different options for each age group.
OPTION #1 – 1 Provincial Team & 1 Regional Team
To ensure continued development opportunities for all players, the NDRA Board has approved a proposal to hold tryouts to gauge interest, support and skill level for Provincial level of play for both U12 and U14. This means that there could be an “A” team (Provincial) and a “B” team (Regional) in both of these age groups.
Note that NDRA will only move forward with a Provincial team if the following criteria is met:
1. There is a qualified head coach in place for the team.
2. There are enough players to form a team.
3. Players forming the team are of a high enough skill level to compete at the Provincial level.
OPTION #2 – 2 Regional Teams
If we do not proceed with a Provincial team because we have not met the criteria listed above, we will then host 2 Regional teams at that age level. All registered players will be required to go through a sort-out process in September. At that time, players would be ranked based on skill level and sorted into two equal strength teams.
Tryout Process for Provincial Team
There will be separate tryouts for U12 and for U14. There will be a one-time tryout fee of $40 per player – this covers the entire tryout process. Players will be asked to register and pay in advance.
Each tryout will consist of three sessions: two (2) tryout skates including skill drills and one (1) scrimmage game. Players will be assessed for “provincial readiness” by an independent Evaluation Committee. The evaluators will be free of conflict from the team, players and coaches.
Players should arrive 30 minutes early to each session. All players need to be dressed and ready to go on the ice, 10 minutes prior to the scheduled session start.
The Evaluation Committee will submit their recommendations to NDRA and the Head Coach immediately after the final tryout session. The evaluation will include a ranking of all participants (players and goalies) according to skill rating (1 to 5). The top 8 ranked players will be locked into team spots. The coach can then make a decision who to offer the remaining team spots to from the pool of the next 7 or 8 ranked players. The coach will have to explain why they made the decision to choose the remaining players and as per NDRA’s policy final roosters must be approved by the Board before positions are offered.
A team can run with as few as 10 skaters up to a maximum of 16 players including 1 to 2 goalies.
Within 4 days of the completion of the tryout sessions, final decisions will be made and communicated to the parents and players.
The table in the next section outlines the timeline for the tryout process.
Provincial Team Tryout Timeline
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U12PP
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U14 A
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Activity / Event
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March 27
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Initial Intent Communication to allU12& U14 Eligible Players
(This Email)
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|
|
|
|
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April 5 @ 7:15 pm
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April 5 @ 7:15 pm
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Information Session, Q&A Magna Center
|
|
April 10
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April 10
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Registration Opens for Tryouts
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May 28
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May 28
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Registration for Tryouts Closes
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May 24@6:15
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May 28@7:15
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Tryout Session #1@ Magna Centre (Honda)
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May 28@6:15
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May 31@6:15
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Tryout Session #2@ Magna Centre (Honda)
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|
June [email protected]:00
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June [email protected]:00
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Tryout Session #3@ Magna Centre (Hyundai)
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|
Night of the 3rd tryout
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Night of the 3rd tryout
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Evaluators Recommendation Due
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Within 2 days after 3rd tryout
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Within 2 days after 3rd tryout
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Communication of Outcome of Tryouts to NDRA Board
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Within 4 days after 3rd tryout
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Within 4 days after 3rd tryout
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Communication to Parents
If Going Ahead with Provincial Team – Contact Selected Players to Make Offers & Get Acceptances, then Notify All Tryout Participants
If Not Going Ahead with Provincial Team – Notify All Tryout Participants
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Next Steps:
We will be hosting an Information Session / Q&A on April 5 @ 7:15 pm at Magna Centre.
NDRA has provided a list of frequently asked questions that can be found on the NDRA website http://newmarketringette.ca/
If you have any questions prior to the Information Session, please contact Murdock Brooks at [email protected].
To register for the Tryout please visit our online registration or email registrar@newmarketringette.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between Regional and Provincial?
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Regional Team
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Provincial
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Level of Play
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Intermediate
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Advanced
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NDRA Registration
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As Usual
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+ $100
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|
Tournament Costs
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$650 to $700 average
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$750 to $850
|
|
Number of Practices / Week
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1
|
1
Additional practices may be added at the discretion of the coach
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|
# Games / Week
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1 (average)
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1 (on average)
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|
Travel
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Depends on the Loop Selected for Play, Either Central or Southern
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Depends on the numbers of teams in CORL*
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*Link to CORL: http://centralontarioringette.ca/Groups/1031/Standings/
2. How are decisions made on a Provincial team?
Decisions are made by the Coach and Bench Staff in consultation with the parents. A budget is set up and shared with the team.
3. Last year someone said that Provincial Ringette was like playing AAA Hockey. Is this true?
Provincial Ringette does have different levels of play, up to the equivalent of AAA Hockey. However, I think it safe to say that we are not at the level of play. We are looking at forming teams at the A-level equivalent.
4. Should I be worried about our team’s ability to compete at the Provincial level?
We believe that we do have sufficient talent to compete at the Provincial level. We will be running the tryouts with an independent assessment committee to validate our assumptions and confirm interest levels among our players.
5. What if we go Provincial and the teams lose a lot of games?
Losing is a part of playing the game. It happens in all sports, on all teams, and at all levels of play – Regional and Provincial. Sometimes teams have a long stretch of winning and sometimes a long stretch of losing. This is normal. As always, as an Association we look to provide our players with an opportunity to play, to be challenged and to develop skills–not just ringette skills but also life skills about doing your best, accepting the results, and coming back stronger the next time. We work hard to build relationships on the team and ensure that everyone has fun –separate from winning or losing. This will not change by going Provincial. As parents, we need to challenge ourselves about who is more bothered by losing … our players or ourselves.
6. How often will the players be on the ice each week?
As Provincial play is intended to be a little more advanced, you should expect that the players will be on the ice more often. It would be reasonable to expect a second practice every second or third week but that will need to be a decision made by the Coach.
7. Will the practices still be ½ ice?
Yes. Each team is allotted a one hour per week half-ice practice time. Any additional ice will have to be purchased as part of a team budget and development plan.
8. If a Provincial team wants an extra practice, will they need to purchase this ice time themselves?
Yes. The team Coach or Manager will have to work with the NDRA scheduler to do so.
9. If there is a Provincial team, what jerseys will be used? Can the team purchase their own? With their names on them? Can they get their own sponsors? How will this work?
If there is a decision to proceed with a Provincial team in both or either age groups, the board will work through these details and provide direction to the coach or coaches based on NDRA’s Jersey Policy.
10. If there is a Provincial team, will there be other apparel that team members need to purchase? Game day outfits, etc.?
This is a discussion and decision for the team and the Coaches as there is no mandatory requirements for apparel wear from NDRA.
11. If there is a Provincial team, will they be able to fundraise to cover any additional costs? be other apparel that team members need to purchase? Game day outfits, etc.?
Yes, a team can fundraise as long as they follow the NDRA fundraising policy.
12. Who will coach the teams?
Final decisions have not been made. We have posted for coaching applications for all teams for next year. When those decisions have been made, we will communicate them to you.
13. Are the coaching certification requirements different at the Provincial level?
Yes. Advanced coaching certification is required at the Provincial level. NDRA is looking at hosting the coaching clinics locally next year for anyone interested in acquiring this certification should they be chosen to coach a team that they require further certification.
14. Who should try out?
Anyone who is interested in playing on a Provincial team should try out. If your player is undecided, then we encourage them to come out to the tryouts.
15. There was a previous email about extra sessions that mentioned an A & B team. Were those sessions tryouts?
Those sessions were for extra development for next years U12 players. Although the email mentioned an A & B team, the sessions had nothing to do with tryouts.
16. Why is there a fee for tryouts?
The fees are to cover the additional costs for ice time.
17. If we don’t end up forming a Provincial team, will my tryout fees be refunded?
No as the fee is to cover the ice time required for the tryouts.
18. If we don’t end up forming a Provincial team, won’t this time / money have been a waste?
No. Ice time is never a waste. It provides more practice and development time for our players.
19. Why are (3) three tryout sessions required?
We have scheduled multiple sessions to allow the Evaluation Committee to see players multiple times.
20. What happens if my player can’t attend all three (3) sessions?
Participants are expected to attend all three tryout sessions to ensure a fair and equitable evaluation process. However, if your player can't make it to all the sessions then the evaluation committee will either have to judge based on what they saw during the tryouts the player attended or the player is ranked as a coach’s discretion player.
21. How is the Evaluation Committee formed? Who is on it? What credentials / experience are required to be on the Evaluation Committee?
We form a group of 3 to 5 evaluators not related to the team or players. These evaluators are people who are able to judge a players skating, ring handling and ringette skills. They are either former coaches, adult players or adult referees.
22. Will the Team Coaches be on the Evaluation Committee?
The coach is asked to complete his or her own evaluation of each player. They may have input on some of the drills performed but otherwise they are not part of the evaluation committee.
23. If we don’t meet the criteria for a Provincial team, what will the teams look like for next year?
It is our intent to have two U12 teams and two U14 teams. If we do not proceed with a Provincial team at one or both of these age groups, then we will have two equalized Regional teams.
24. Is it possible that we have one level (i.e. U14) that ends up with 1 Provincial team and 1 Regional team and the other level (i.e. U12) end up with 2 Regional teams?
Yes, it is possible. The outcomes will be determined independently for each level based on the outcome of their tryouts and meeting the 3 criteria previously listed
25. If we have two Regional teams, how will those teams be formed?
Those teams will be formed through a sort out process creating two equal teams. To evaluate the players, we will have a sort-out session in September to help divide up the teams similar to the tryouts where players will be evaluated and ranked based on their skill level.
26. Why have two equalized teams? Wouldn’t it make sense to group them on similar skill levels for focused development and have them play in different loops so they don’t compete with each other?
As per sport Canada and ORA, NDRA follows the rule of equalized teams to allow both teams a fair chance at being successful with the season.
27. Can I make a “friend request”?
Friend request will be considered but not guaranteed at the Regional level. No friend requests will be considered at the Provincial level.
28. How does provincial play work for tournaments vs regional play?
At the U12 level ALL PROVINCIAL TEAMS make it the provincial championships. U14 and up must earn their way to the championships and this is achieved by tournament play.
Regular season standings don't have an impact on championship weekend. You earn points in tournaments and the top 14 teams in Ontario make it.
Provincial tournaments are a 4-game guarantee which is why the price is higher as opposed to 3 game guarantee for Regional play. There is a selection process on which provincial teams may apply for tournaments where most regional teams can apply to any tournament anywhere.
29. What if my daughter wants to try out for other associations for provincial or regional play, is she allowed? What does she need to attend and what happens if she is offered a spot?
A player may attend other association tryouts for Provincial play provided she has done 2 things: She has obtained a tryout release form from her association (this is different from a release to play) the first half must be completed and signed off by the President and she has also attended her own association try outs.
If her home association does not offer her a spot on a provincial team or they are not hosting a provincial team that player may accept an offer from another association but that player may NOT accept a position from another association if she has been offered a spot from her home association even if she has declined the position with her home association.
Regional level players may not play for other associations if their home association offers the same level of play ie: if NDRA hosts a U14B Regional team a NDRA player may not leave to play for another association.
If a player is offered a spot to play for another association and she has followed the rules for both provincial and regional play she must then have the second half of her try out release form completed and signed by her home association president and the association she will be playing for. This form can be found on the NDRA or the ORA website.
Michelle Linton
NDRA Registrar