Missing Tryouts

2112 · Post by **2112** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:09 pm

What are the policies for associations if a kid misses tryouts due to an injury?

Cut Above · Post by **Cut Above** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:17 pm

Go to the Dr so it's documented. Call the board up immediately so they can meet and decide where to place your kid. Usually they'll vote based on as much input as they can get. But go to the Dr like today. They will talk to past coaches and likely place your kid where they belong. But don't mess around or see ya' on the C team.

kopernicus · Post by **kopernicus** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:52 pm

we had a 2nd yr skater make the A squad despite suffering injury during fall sports. the skater is out until december at least. and with the type of injury, I'd be surprised if he was allowed game speed contact by the first of the year.

he wasnt even on the A pool list until cuts were made and rosters posted-

this skater is clearly better skilled than the last skater cut, but- how would you feel if you got cut for a kid who wasnt even able to show up?

my initial question here was "will the skater be able to contribute icetime wise (conditioning, skill, etc) once he shows up in december/january?" what could he contribute fairly?

or would it have been better to have the last skater cut make the team and participate and develop for a full season?

these are some petty questions, but I feel badly for the family on the outside. someone had to make a tough decision one way or another.

Shinbone_News · Post by **Shinbone_News** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:53 pm

Same here. See a doctor, then talk to your board of directors starting with the head of hockey who's likely the manager of tryouts, also the level coordinator. Our association has explicit instructions about this scenario that are the same as above. A committee of people who would be familiar with your player meet and discuss placement. If kid is an obvious A or B player, no problem. Otherwise, it could get gnarly and may require an individual evaluation when player is healed.

MnMade-4-Life · Post by **MnMade-4-Life** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 3:49 pm

It should be documented specifically in your associations bylaws that you should be able to find posted on their website.

Benito Juarez · Post by **Benito Juarez** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:29 pm

Take the coach to the hunting cabin, treat him to a steak fry and maybe have the Mrs. make him a quilt or two.

A-team no problem.

WB6162 · Post by **WB6162** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:44 pm

If you are politically connected you choose the team you want for your child. This makes it possible for people to avoid tryouts completely by just having their child injured for every tryout. I've seen it happen many times, better players being bumped down because of "injured" players being slipped onto a team.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:46 pm

make him a quilt or two

I'd not heard that euphemism before.

JSR · Post by **JSR** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:47 pm

What about missing 50% of tryouts due to whatever it is due to? (illness, funeral, in season sport conflict, whatever)

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:49 pm

WB6162 wrote:If you are politically connected you choose the team you want for your child. This makes it possible for people to avoid tryouts completely by just having their child injured for every tryout. I've seen it happen many times, better players being bumped down because of "injured" players being slipped onto a team.

Usually when I give an example of this type, I'm told. "Then be on the board and make an effective change." It's never nice to see this type of thing happening; in this case, misery definitely does NOT love company.

DMom · Post by **DMom** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:26 am

We used to have language in place that stated if a kid was a second year he was placed on the team he played on the year prior, if he was a first year he was placed one team below the team he played on the year prior. That language was removed and now it's decided on a case-by-case basis.

For kids who have other sport conflicts or who maybe get injured in tryouts, I believe the other scores are averaged and applied to the missed tryouts.

In most instances, it's easy to see that a kid is truly injured. At least the long-term injury doesn't bring in the issues that WB6162 wrote about. That kid didn't do anything to cause his injury and should not be punished for it.

muckandgrind · Post by **muckandgrind** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:13 am

Every situation is different. My opinion is that the "A" coach should have the final say, provided it's not his kid. In our association, the "A" coach gets the final selection or two, if he chooses to use that selection on a kid who missed tryouts for an excused reason, that should be up to him and the boy's coordinator.

NSEW,p · Post by **NSEW,p** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:38 am

muckandgrind wrote:Every situation is different. My opinion is that the "A" coach should have the final say, provided it's not his kid. In our association, he "A" coach gets the final selection or two, if he chooses to use that selection on a kid who missed tryouts for an excused reason, that should be up to himand the boy's coordinator.

I'm glad as a coach in my association myself and my coaching partner get to choose our entire team with no help from a committee..

WB6162 · Post by **WB6162** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:15 am

My youngest son got bumped down to the B2 team when he was a 1st year Bantam because of a kid who had some fake injury because everyone knew who the better player was. Yes, dont' miss youth hockey politics.

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:50 am

I believe that at the local association if the skater makes two practices they will average the two and postulate a third. If the skater only makes one or none, they wing it.

ThePuckStopsHere · Post by **ThePuckStopsHere** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:18 am

WB6162 wrote:My youngest son got bumped down to the B2 team when he was a 1st year Bantam because of a kid who had some fake injury because everyone knew who the better player was. Yes, dont' miss youth hockey politics.

So what you are saying is the entire Bantam tryout process came down to your kid and then injured kid - dookay

I'm sure youth hockey politics don't miss you either

Shinbone_News · Post by **Shinbone_News** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:23 am

WB6162 wrote:My youngest son got bumped down to the B2 team when he was a 1st year Bantam because of a kid who had some fake injury because everyone knew who the better player was. Yes, dont' miss youth hockey politics.

No kid should get bumped down after tryouts are done no matter what the circumstances. Shabby treatment, IMO.

It's hardly ever a hardship to simply add that one absent skater to a team (unless the association made the mistake of rostering 20 kids or something). In my view, associations should have this spelled out, chapter and verse.

MnMade-4-Life · Post by **MnMade-4-Life** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:15 am

WB6162 wrote:My youngest son got bumped down to the B2 team when he was a 1st year Bantam because of a kid who had some fake injury because everyone knew who the better player was. Yes, dont' miss youth hockey politics.

Most (I would assume all) associations (should) require a doctor's note and signatures from tryout directors to legitimize the process.

Was this not the case?

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:39 am

Board members' kids seem to be more susceptible to injuries of the growth plate which do not require a cast.

silentbutdeadly3139 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:18 pm

MnMade-4-Life wrote:Most (I would assume all) associations (should) require a doctor's note and signatures from tryout directors to legitimize the process.

Was this not the case?

Who verifies the note, oh thats right board member(s).

InigoMontoya wrote:Board members' kids seem to be more susceptible to injuries of the growth plate which do not require a cast.

Also soft tissue injuries like the dreaded groin injury.

Yes it happens. I've seen it and heard it but can't say or do much otherwise your risking retribution against your child.

hockeydad7601 · Post by **hockeydad7601** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:48 pm

Boy am I glad that we are not in any of your associations. Our association talks to the previous year's coach as well as other coaches who know the skater and places the kid in the appropriate pool. If the kid is a bubble player, the coach can pick that player with one of his choices. If the coach doesn't choose that player, they are an automatic on the lower level team.

sinbin · Post by **sinbin** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:12 pm

The Mrs. "make him a quilt or two"? Is that a code word for something?a

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:34 pm

This year more than any other, I have heard about kids requesting to be excused from association tryouts to attend a AAA summer team tryout. In one case the player (obvious A team player) was told he couldn't miss or he wouldn't make the A team. The dad made the choice to attend the AAA tryout. The kid still made the A team.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:51 am

If a player (parents) start the waiver process, but along the way the waiver process is derailed - for this example, let's say the DD won't sign it - can the original associate refuse to accept the kid back?

DMom · Post by **DMom** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:10 am

InigoMontoya wrote:If a player (parents) start the waiver process, but along the way the waiver process is derailed - for this example, let's say the DD won't sign it - can the original associate refuse to accept the kid back?

I am sure they cannot refuse the kid because he/she never actually waivered out, but if tryouts are over than it's unfortunate, because he/she lost the opportunity to tryout for an A or B team. Though if it was delayed by the adults in the process and the family did not receive a reply until after the home association's tryouts were over, than someone should make it right for the kid.