U16U19 Team Formation Policy

U16AA & U19AA Team Formation Process for Seasons with only 2 teams being formed

The aim of this U16AA and U19AA team formation process is to form nationally competitive teams and ensure the best players are rostered.

PROCESS

Following evaluations, players (non-goalies) will be ranked.

Band A will be formed from the top ranked players trying out, in this scenario of 2 teams, Band A will be formed of the top 24 skaters.

Band B will consist of all other players in the top 75% of all players trying out.

Band C will consist of players ranked in the bottom 25% of all players trying out.

Eligible players are those in Band A or Band B (top 75% of all skaters trying out).

In the event of a tie at any of the points where a Band is being set, all players included in the tie will be moved up to above the line.  E.g. if there are 2 players tied for 24, Band A would be increased to 25 players.

The AA Committee’s intent with this team formation process is to ensure that coaches use the evaluation scores to form their teams and fairly consider players from ALL associations in their bid to form the strongest teams.

ROUND 1

Primary protection:  Each organization will choose to protect up to 12 own players from the eligible players + 1 own goalie.¹

Secondary protection: If the home association does not protect their player, or the player is from a non-hosted association, that player may then be protected by the last non-home association that they played for.^{1 & 3}

An organization may protect less than the maximum 12 players allowed to be more selective of players, despite having adequate numbers above the 75% line. E.g., release two of their association players near the 75% line in hopes of selecting stronger players from the pool during the draft.  To be clear, this will NOT allow them to participate in the Catch-up process (round 2), they will just end up with more selections at the end of the draft round.

Round 1 is complete when all teams have picked their primary and secondary protected players.

ROUND 2

If both organizations had at least 12 eligible players available to them based on evaluations, Round 2 can be skipped. 

Otherwise, Round 2 is meant to complete the Catch Up Process: If an organization does not have 12 ‘eligible players’ after the completion of Round 1 (enough Primary or Secondary protected players in Band A & B), they may choose from other associations’ eligible players after the other organizations have declared their protected players. In order to participate in the catch-up process, they must first take all their players above the 75% line.

e.g. eligible skaters (i.e. those ranking above the 75% line):

Team A          15 skaters + 2 goalies

Team B          10 skaters + 0 goalie

Team B may take the first selection from released players up to 12 skaters and 1 goalie.

In the event that both organizations do not have sufficient eligible players, they will choose alternately according to the draft pick rules.²

Round 2 is completed when all teams have picked their protected players and any Catchup selections by teams not having sufficient own eligible players have been made.

ROUND 3

Draft Pick.²

Each organization will alternate choosing 1 player from the non-hosted players in Band A.

The organization that used the player catch-up process must skip their spot in the draft order for the first round of player selection.

Round 3 is complete when ALL players from non-host associations in Band A have been placed on a team.

ROUND 4

Draft Pick.²

Each organization will alternate choosing 1 player from all those eligible.

Round 4 is complete when all teams have a full roster (minimum 15 players plus 1 goalie).

ROUND 5

Teams may protect a second own association goalie.

Remaining teams may then choose a second goalie from the remaining eligible goalies according to draft pick order.²

Round 5 is complete when all teams have 2 goalies.

ROUND 6

Draft Pick.²

Rosters to be amended based on the available pool of players.

The intent of this round is to allow the coaches the opportunity to form the strongest team possible from ALL available players, regardless of home association.  Logistically this means the coaches can look at any remaining players not yet drafted and decide if they want to make any changes.  They can release someone they had previously picked and take someone else instead.

Round 6 is complete when all coaches are satisfied with their final roster.

Process Notes:

1. Primary protected players must be declared by the head coaches no later than 72 hours prior to the Team Formation meeting. Failure to do so will result in that association forfeiting their initial turn in the first-round draft pick.

This list to then be distributed to all head coaches no later than 48 hours prior to the Team Formation meeting.

Secondary protected players³ must be declared no later than 24 hours prior to the Team Formation Meeting. Failure to do so will result in that association forfeiting their initial turn in the first-round draft pick.

The completed list of first round protected players to then be distributed to all head coaches more than 4 hours ahead of the Team Formation meeting.

Time frames can be amended if agreed to by all coaches and the tryout coordinator.

2. Draft Pick: In all cases, the order of pick is determined by reverse ranking from the previous season’s provincials.
3. lowest ranked goes 1^st

If an association did not host a team the previous season, they will automatically be considered the lowest ranked in provincials.

3. Tiered Player Protection Process

Effective at all age groups.

Round 1: If the home association does not protect their player, or that player is unhosted, that player may then be protected by the last non-home association that they played for.

Rationale: to introduce a degree of team stability for the player and minimize the financial burden for families associated with moving between associations.

EXAMPLE 1 - BVRA Player

Year 1 - player X played for Magic

Year 2 - Player X played for Angels

Year 3 - player X is not protected by Angels, Magic may protect.

In this scenario, Angels primary protection rights and Magic secondary protection rights.

EXAMPLE 2 - BVRA Player 

Year 1 - Player X played for Angels 

Year 2 - player X played for Magic

Year 3 - player X is not protected by Angels, Magic may protect. 

In this scenario, Angels primary protection rights and Magic secondary protection rights.

EXAMPLE 3 - BVRA Player

Year 1 - Player X played for Magic

Year 2 - Player X played for Flames

Year 3 - Player X is not protected by Angels, Flames may protect.

In this scenario, Angels primary protection rights and Flames secondary protection rights

U16AA & U19AA Team Selection Logistics for Seasons with only 2 teams being formed

• It is the responsibility of each Association to set their policies regarding their own Band A players. However, any such policy must recognise that Band A Players from a non-hosted association are unequivocally guaranteed a spot on one of the formed teams.
• The organizations involved in the team formation process are those associations that currently host an AA team at any age group.
• Evaluation scores will be tabulated and distributed to each Head Coach, Local Association AA convenor and the AA age convenor.

These rankings are confidential. They may not be copied or shared with any parties not directly involved in the team formation process.

• Team selection meeting date will be announced within 10 days of the completion of all age group tryouts.
• Associations must declare their initial protected players no later than 72 hours prior to the Team Formation meeting. Failure to do so will result in that association forfeiting their first round in the draft pick.
• AA chair, age group convenor and tryout coordinator to review the list of released players and distribute this to head coaches no later than 4 hours prior to the team formation meeting.
• Band C: If a coach would like to choose a player from below the 75% line, the request must be submitted to the committee using Form 1.

For this request to be considered, form 1 must be fully completed including justification and the signatures of the team Head Coach, local association AA convenor and the host association president.

The purpose of this form is to ensure that players are chosen according to skill and not from bias.

Once all players are chosen from above the 75% line, a coach may choose players from below the 75% line without using form 1.

• Injured Players / those unable to skate in tryouts (partly/wholly).

Form 1 may be used. Previous season scores / ranking / coach feedback to be available to assist coaches in their selection. Rationale - players should not be penalised for not being able to participate in tryouts for valid reasons. Injured players will be compared to other ranked players for the sole purpose of allowing coaches to get a relative ranking to other athletes.  Coaches’ discretion on whether injured athletes are selected to a team will be used.

• Grandfather Rule: Any player that is subject to the grandfather rule (3 consecutive years playing for an organization which is not their home association) will be flagged and notified of their option to choose; either stay in their home association or play for their grandfathered team. The player must make this decision no later than the last day of the current tryouts. If the player chooses to remain in their home catchment area for possible selection to that team, the grandfathered rule becomes null and void.
• Team Announcement: Teams will be announced via email by the AA chair / AA tryout coordinator the day after the team selection meeting. This will allow the AA chair, tryout coordinator and age convenor to confirm that all players are accounted for in both team selection and releases. There will be NO discussion of teams outside the meeting, from any party, until the official team announcement is made from the AA chair.

Attendees at Team Selection Meeting

AA Committee;

          Tryout Coordinator

AA Age group Convenor

Local Association AA Convenor or representative

Each host association team;

          Head Coach

          Maximum of 2 additional coaches

Optional;

Ringette Manitoba Executive Director

Ringette Manitoba President