‘A’ Coaches & Teams Formation Policy

This policy is intended for the benefit of all Players, Parents, Coaches, Convenors, and Board to provide:

• An open process that is consistent across all age divisions.

• An understanding of the process that will be followed in team formation.

• A consistent format for on-ice evaluations and team formation at all age divisions.

• To ensure fair and balanced teams.

FFMHA Board of Directors and league conveners (if available) will select all team Head Coaches and preside over the team formation process.  

All coaches must meet or obtain the HNO Hockey Operations – Team Official Qualifications Requirements.  All qualifications listed in appendix A – Regulations are the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.

The Head coach (or alternate) for each league team must be present for the team draft (Only one coach per team may be present for the draft).

Player Rating

Team A	Team B	Team C	Team D
Goalie 4	Goalie 3	Goalie 2	Goalie 1
Player 1  (highest skilled)	Player 2	Player 3	Player 4
Player 8	Player 7	Player 6	Player 5
Player 9	Player 10	Player 11	Player12
Player 16	Player 15	Player 14	Player 13

Players are evaluated and ranked into 5 skill levels (1 being the most skilled to 5 being the least skilled). All players are placed on a board or spreadsheet in their respective column (1-5).

Goalies are ranked least skilled to greatest (e.g. 4-1). Teams are drafted as per the format below.

(*great care should be taken to ensure that the players in the first 3-4 rounds are in descending order of skill level to strive for balanced teams)

​Once all of the players have been drafted, the teams go in a hat and the coaches draw out their team. If a coach has a son or daughter that has not ended up on the parent’s team, they are traded to the team for the player who was drafted in the same round. 

This system puts high priority on the quality of the evaluations that are completed and no responsibility on the coach to select the team.

Requests

1.    Any player requests shall be submitted to the division Director/Convenor in writing.  Generally, requests will only be considered in special circumstances, and will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  Balanced team formation will take precedent over requests.  Examples of possible requests that will be considered,

a.    First year IP registrant

b.    Siblings/twins (not cousins)

c.    Transportation (single parent household) 

Special Circumstances                    ​             If a situation arises such as where the top two players available in the draft are the
coach’s kids from the same team then the director with the consensus of all coaches
involved must put in place a procedure that is fair and equitable to all teams
involved in that division.