JDF Assessment Process

The JDF Minor Hockey assessment process is open to players wishing to try out for our competitive program. Players must pre-register for the assessments and pay the requisite fee. The process has a series of progressions leading to players being assigned to their appropriate level based on how they compare to their peers at this point in time of their development as young hockey players.
JDF strives to provide an equitable opportunity for players to compete for positions on our competitive teams through a graduated evaluation process. Evaluators are tasked with grading players based on a number of skill and game play criteria. These include such skills as skating, puck handling, passing, shooting, competitiveness, hockey sense and positional play. Each player is assigned a number grade for each the categories on the evaluation forms and this information, including the players name, is kept confidential and unknown to the evaluators. The data collected is correlated across the various stages of the assessments and provides a numerical ranking of the players in direct comparison to their peers. This process ultimately results in the sorting of players, based on their evaluation, into the competitive teams for the season. For the goaltenders, there is a specific skill evaluation session for them and they are evaluated throughout the entire assessment process by qualified goaltending personnel. The evaluations are carried out in sections and the following information will present the process in chronological order.

Section 1
The beginning of the evaluation process focuses on drills to assess the basic skills of hockey. These skill sessions for skaters are facilitated in a “hockey practice” format and focus on skating, puck handling, passing and shooting through various drills. The goaltenders have their own session with the goalie evaluators through drills that focus on the skill and technical movements specific to the position. Also in this time frame, all first year players at the U15 level are introduced to body checking, in advance of the scrimmage sessions. With the exception of the body checking component for the U15 players, evaluators will be present at all events to start the collection of data on each player.

Section 2
The second component of the evaluation process continues the assessment of various skills and how they relate to game situations. Each division is placed into groups and a series of scrimmages are used to determine attributes such as compete level, work rate, hockey sense and positional play. As with the skill sessions, each player is assigned a number grade to each category by the evaluators. This data is correlated with the players skill scores and further advances the standing within the group to determine placement for the next stage of the assessment process. Player rankings determine their placement for further evaluation, which is the next step toward the final phase of assessments. Depending on the number of players in a particular division, players may be released and assigned to the recreation division for eventual placement on their team for the season at this time.

Section 3
In the third and final phase of the assessment process, players will, based on their ranking to date, be assigned to play in further scrimmage scenarios to determine their final standing and potential team placements. The first scrimmage in this section will feature the top-ranked players from the first two steps of evaluations, based on the accumulated data. While there is no absolute and set number of players that will participate in this scrimmage, a general rule of thumb is 20 forwards,14 defense and 5 goalies are divided into two equal teams of skaters, with the goalies being rotated to provide equitable opportunity. The players are further evaluated from this scrimmage and a determination is made as to who will be advanced for further assessment with the coaching staff of our Tier 1 group in each division. Again, a certain degree of flexibility is allowed for the final number of players that advance, but the typical grouping will consist of 12 forwards, 8 defense and 3 goalies. The coaching staff will then determine, after practice and possible game play, which players will be released for further evaluation by the next group in category. While the coaches have their say in this final step of determining which players make the final roster, all choices must be reviewed to ensure there are no major discrepancies in the players evaluation data versus their ranking by the coaching staff.Players from the first scrimmage that do not advance for further evaluation with the Tier 1 group will perform in a second scrimmage. The players who advanced to section 3 of the process, but did not rank high enough to play in the first scrimmage will be mixed with the players that did not advance to the Tier 1 group, to form the list for the second scrimmage. As with the Tier 1 group, this scrimmage will be evaluated and rank the players to determine who will advance with the Tier 2 group (and possibly the Tier 3 group) for further evaluation by the coaching staff. The same process of final releases and setting of the roster that applies to the Tier 1 group is followed by the Tier 2 group (and potentially the Tier 3 group). For the Tier 2 group (and potential Tier 3 group) typically 9 forwards, 6 defense and 2 goalies are assigned for evaluation by the coaching staff. As players are released from the Tier 1 group, they will join the Tier 2 group for further evaluation. The same will apply for players released from the Tier 2 group to Tier 3, if there is a third team in category for the division. Any players released from the lastteam in category (Tier 2 or 3), or those not initially assigned to the Tier 2 or Tier 3 groups, will be released to the recreation division for eventual placement on their team for the upcoming season.
A determination of how many competitive teams will be formed in any given division will be made based on a series of factors including the total number of players available and the overall depth of skill and athletic ability within the division.

General Information
As stated earlier, the data accumulated via the assessment process is kept confidential and is used solely for the purpose of ranking players to determine their standing relative to their peers in trying to qualify to play within our competitive program. While we understand that it would be potentially helpful to have detailed information about your child regarding where they might improve, it is not the goal of these assessments, as noted in the previous sentence. That type of detailed report is difficult given the number of players involved in this process and relatively short period of time we have to complete the evaluations for the purpose of determining our rosters for the impending season.
On rare occasions, parents will determine that they need clarification of their childs assessment. With the structure of the assessment process and the checks and balances built in, it is rare that a child is misplaced. If someone is seeking clarification, the request must be in writing and addressed to the divisional manager only, and after the completion of the entire assessment process. The request will then be forwarded for review to the appropriate people and a reply provided.
Participation in one of the final two scrimmages does not guarantee placement on any particular roster. The assumption that because a player participated in the first scrimmage of the third section of the process, but are released to play in the second scrimmage, they are now guaranteed to automatically be part of the final roster of the Tier 2 group is false. Players performance can fluctuate between ice sessions and the difference in evaluation scoring can be very close, so assuming a player has “made it” is risky as players rise and fall in the rankings with their overall score factoring into final placements.
The assessment process in general can be a stressful time for players and their families. The divisional managers and the evaluation group do their best to create an organized, safe, equitable and low stress environment for the children. We ask that you do your best to be encouraging and reassuring as your player makes their way through this potentially difficult time.
Their final ranking should be seen for what it is, a way to determine the appropriate placement for them to have a successful and enjoyable experience playing a game they love. It should never be seen or presented as a failure, but rather an opportunity to shine in an environment that is best suited for their skill level at this time.