Overview

Each September, OEHMA embarks on assigning house league players to teams. This process is based around the following objectives:

• Provide an environment in which all players have opportunity of being selected to a team appropriate to their skill level and development needs
• Maintain a process that provides consistent and comprehensive assessments and team assignments based on demonstrated skill
• Assign players to teams so as to maintain competitive balance between OEMHA teams at the same age group / level and to contribute to competitive play and parity in Bytown Minor Hockey League (BMHL).

The assessment / assignment process is something that is taken very seriously and requires significant levels
of effort and support.  If you are interested in assisting OEMHA in this process, please contact one of the
individuals listed at the end of this document.

Process

Phase One (On-Ice Skill Evaluation)

• This is preceded by at least one informal session (no assessment, for the purposes of conditioning)
• The on-ice skill evaluation is based on a series of drills with the purpose of placing players into initial groups for further evaluation.
• This is based on Hockey Canada’s National Standardized Skills Test (NSST) for age groups Novice to Bantam. For each drill, a grade is assigned based on the level of skill demonstrated.
• Initial groups in Midget are based on the levels of the player's previous season team.

Phase Two (Game Assessments)

• Players are assessed in game situations (primarily intrasquad, but may involve exhibition games against teams from other associations in the latter stages)
• This is a continuing process of placing players in the right situation to fully assess their skill level compared to their peers
• Depending on numbers and assessment requirements, it may be necessary for a player to sit some sessions

Phase Three (Team Assignment)

• The ‘A’ level teams are first assigned, followed by the ‘B’ and ‘C’ level teams.
• When there is more than one team at any of the levels (A/B/C), there is a process to balance the teams based on the results of the assessments to this point. It is possible that there may be scrimmages to assist in any balancing.

What To Expect

• Parents will be contacted with as much notice as possible regarding assessment schedule.
• Each player should arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled assessment time in order to check in and receive their pinnie prior to getting dressed. (pinnie is the only identification during assessments)

FAQ

Who does the assessments?
A team of assessors will be recruited and scheduled. They are responsible for tracking player performance
against pre-defined / standardized criteria. An assessor cannot be a parent or related to player involved in
what they are evaluating. OEMHA strives to have multiple such assessors at each session and to ensure all
assessments are as objective as possible, unbiased and free of any conflict of interest.

How will I receive information through the assessment process?
Scheduling for all ice sessions and other information will be e-mailed by the Convenor to all registered
participants. It is also suggested to check the OEMHA webpage for any information that is posted by the
Convenor – http://oemha.ca/divisions.php

What do I do if my child cannot attend a session?
Player assessment is based on players attending all sessions to ensure a complete evaluation. If a player is
unable to attend any given session, it can affect their final standing. In the event a player cannot attend a
session for a legitimate personal/family/medical reason, please contact the Convenor and OEMHA will make
efforts to gather the appropriate information to ensure proper placement that is in the best interest of the
player.

What do I do if my child is trying out for Sting?
Although not mandatory while tryouts are going on, those involved are permitted to attend any of scheduled
assessments. In these cases, it is suggested to maintain contact with your respective Convenor to ensure
your child is involved when there is no conflict with the Sting tryout process.

How are final (‘bubble’) decisions made?
There are typically very close decisions when making the final call on who stays in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ levels at all
age groups. The intent is for all players to be assigned to a level based on assessment ratings during Phase
Two. Moving through Phase Two, the final game assessment(s) may be used to make decisions and may be
differently assessed with a focus on particular players or positions.

How are team sizes determined?
The numbers of teams within each age group is determined in the lead up to assessments. The intent is for
the teams to be roughly the same size (all within +/- 2 players). Adjustments are sometimes required for such
things as the number of players who return from competitive tryouts. A team size of 11-14 can generally be
expected, typically with one goaltender.

How are the number of teams at each level (A/B/C) determined?
This can either be determined prior to or during the assessment process and is based on a Hockey Canada
formula, with additional considerations given to the distribution of skill within the age group and input /
direction from BMHL. When there is a final decision on this, it will be communicated by the Convenor.

Can I receive information on my child’s assessment?
In cases where a parent has questions about the process or the outcome, they are welcome to contact the
Convenor to arrange a meeting to review the assessment details and discuss the outcome.

Key Contacts

During the assessment and team assignment process, please reach out to your respective Convenor if you
have any questions relating to the process. Additional contacts are provided below, if required.

Convenors 2022

U7 Convenor: Daniel Loutfi u7_convenor@oemha.ca
U9 Convenor: Alex Patrick u9_convenor@oemha.ca
U11 Convenor: Nathan Estabrooks u11_convenor@oemha.ca
U13 Convenor: u13_convenor@oemha.ca
U15 Convenor: Stephanie Tanton u15_convenor@oemha.ca
U18 Convenor: Don MacDougall u18_convenor@oemha.ca

Other Contacts
VP Hockey Operations (OEMHA): Francois Belanger vp_hockeyops@oemha.ca
Assessments Coordinator: Scott Caldwell assessments@oemha.ca