Guelph Minor Hockey Association
2024-25 Tryout FAQs
Common Tryout Questions for the 2024-2025 Season
Q – Which age groups try out in the Spring (April/May) and which are in the Fall (September)?
For the 2024-2025 season, Guelph Minor Hockey Association (GMHA) Representative Team Tryouts are split between Spring and Fall as follows:
U10, U11, U12, and U13 - Spring 2024 (Starting April 20th)
U14, U15, and U16 - Spring 2024 (Starting April 22nd)
U18 - Fall 2024 (August)
U8 ADP, U9 ADP – Fall 2024 (September)
AHL Tryouts for all ages - Fall 2024 (September / October)
Q – How do Rep tryouts work and what are the costs?
Representative Team tryouts follow a sequential release process by which teams are selected by level, starting at AAA and continuing through AA, A and B/BB.
There are 2 different tryout passes available:
AAA Tryout Pass – Players enter tryouts at the AAA level.
AA Tryout Pass – Players enter tryouts at the AA level.
Tryout registration for U10 – U16 is set to open on Monday, March 25th.
After April 2nd there will be an additional late fee of $40 to register.
The final registration deadline for U10 - U16 tryouts is April 9th.
Notes on Tryout Registration
- Purchasing Tryout Passes in advance is less expensive and also allows coaches to understand, in advance, who is trying out for their teams.
- All returning GMHA players are strongly encouraged to purchase Tryout Passes early.
- Credit, Debit, & E-transfers are the only methods of payment accepted. There will be NO CASH OR DEBIT/CREDIT TRANSACTIONS AT THE DOOR.
- Guelph Zone players are encouraged to purchase a Tryout Pass as they are able to try out for both AAA and AA (depending on your home centre and with the proper paperwork).
Q – What are "Prep Skates" and how do they work for the U8 & U9 age groups?
Preparation Skates are required to be provided to players to allow them to get back on the ice and be ready for the official start of tryouts. Each age group is provided 4 prep skates for the players to get back on the ice and be prepared for the start of the evaluation tryout skates.
These skates are mandatory for the association to offer. They are not mandatory to attend, but the cost for tryouts includes these skates.
AHL tryouts for any age group do not have prep skate sessions prior to tryouts.
Q - Who may attend Rep tryouts?
There are several categories of players who are able to attend Rep Team Tryouts.
Zone Players: The Guelph AAA Zone includes Woolwich, Centre Wellington and Arthur. Players must present a Permission to Skate form signed by the proper authority within their home centre. No player will be allowed to skate or try out without this consent form.
For the U10 through U11 age groups, Zone Players are only permitted to try out at the AAA level. Starting at U12, Zone Players may remain to try out at the AA level, and in such cases are referred to as NRPs (Non-Resident Players).
NRP Players (Non-Resident Players): At the U12 age group and above, Guelph is able to accept up to 3 Zone Players to each AA team. Players must live in the designated boundaries established by the OMHA in order to qualify (see above under Zone Players). NRP Players must be pre-registered with their home centre for the upcoming season and present the NRP passport in advance of attending tryouts.
F1 Waivered Players: Players who live outside the Guelph AAA Zone must obtain an F1 Waiver from their home AAA zone to attend tryouts. These players are only allowed to try out at the AAA level, and if released must go back to their home centre. Depending on the player’s home AAA zone, F1 Waivers may be required from more than just their home AAA zone. Original documentation, including the necessary number of waivers required must be provided to GMHA representatives before the player's first tryout. Players must also provide a copy of their birth certificate.
Residents of Guelph (Guelph Centre): All returning players from the previous season that were registered with GMHA, Rep or House League programs or new Guelph Centre residents can attend tryouts provided they have purchased a Rep Tryout Pass.
Q - How do I obtain an F1 Waiver, NRP pass or any other Request for Player Movement out of Guelph?
All player movement requests must be submitted through the GMHA website. The form is located at:
www.guelphminorhockey.com
Ø Our Programs
Ø Representative
Ø Rep Forms
No requests will be taken over the phone, by email or in person. Requests will be reviewed by GMHA staff in consultation with team coaches as appropriate. In most cases the decision/approval will be completed within 24 hours.
Q – How many evaluation sessions for Rep tryouts will there be and when do the players show up?
Every parent and player should be aware prior to evaluations of the number of opportunities that the player will have to be assessed. The full tryout schedule will be posted on the GMHA website when finalized but is always subject to modifications. Within that schedule, the Head Coach has the flexibility to determine when different players will attend their tryout, and specific details will be confirmed by the Head Coach ahead of time to all players who have purchased a Tryout Pass.
NOTE - Parents should assume that they are to attend the first tryout session unless they are instructed otherwise by the Head Coach.
Q – What is being evaluated?
Player selection criteria are specific to age and level and shall be evaluated using drills that aim to allow players to demonstrate specific skills, tactics, behaviours and overall hockey knowledge and intellect.
Q - Who will perform the player evaluations and how are they used in the selection process?
Off-ice evaluators will be responsible for evaluating every player on the ice during the time allotted. Evaluators include:
· Rep Team Head Coach
· 1 or more Evaluators of the Head Coach’s choosing who have attested to not having a conflict of interest in the age group and have been approved by GMHA’s Player Development Committee.
· Independent Evaluators assigned by GMHA.
Q – What should my son/daughter wear to the evaluation?
Full equipment is always mandatory. Players will be assigned and provided a numbered jersey. To help fairness and transparency, evaluators will only be provided with the players’ jersey numbers and will not be provided with players’ names or other identifiers.
Q – Will players be evaluated in both skill evaluation and game environment?
For those players advancing through all stages of the tryout process there will be an opportunity to exhibit the range of skills that they possess in both skill evaluation and game settings. The breakdown of skill and game situation evaluations will be determined by the Head Coach.
Q – How will players be notified of their standing within the tryout process?
Players will be informed of their status by accessing the teams’ website via a coach provided password. The results will be posted within several hours of the conclusion of the tryout session, with specific timing and instructions provided by the Coach.
Questions regarding the selection results may be submitted via email to the Head Coach. The Head Coach will answer this email within one week’s time frame.
Q – What happens after the final evaluation session?
Upon the completion of the final evaluation session, each remaining candidate will either be offered a roster spot on the team or asked to begin the tryout at the next level. Due to unneeded stress for the player, parents and coaches, the coach may decide to simply finalize the roster online and set up a team meeting or do a face-to-face meeting with the remaining candidates and their parent or guardian.
Any player refusing a Rep position offered by the coach will be reviewed by the GMHA and may be prevented from attending any further tryouts. Players/parents that have signed and agreed to play with a team agree to register and pay in full the base fee to GMHA. Failure to do so will result in an automatic suspension to the player.
Q – What happens with a player that is not selected for a team?
Players who are not selected for a specific team will be instructed to check the tryout schedule for the next level. To continue in the tryout process, players must then attend the first session for the next level to be considered for that team.
Players who are not selected for an BB team or the lowest level rep team will automatically be placed on a House League team for the next season and will be notified via email of team placement in the Fall prior to the start of the season. These players will also be invited to tryout for the AHL team and can register for Select tryouts after BB releases have taken place. AHL Tryouts will take place in the Fall.
Questions regarding an individual’s evaluation may be submitted to the Head Coach via email following a tryout. The Head Coach should respond within one week after the conclusion of tryouts for that team.
Q – What level is a player required to try out for to play on a given team?
Guelph is a AAA Zone and a AA Centre. Players can therefore enter the tryout process at 2 different points:
AAA – A player can start at AAA tryouts by purchasing a AAA Tryout Pass. If the player is not selected for the AAA team, he/she can continue through AA, A and BB levels provided they are eligible (see “Who may attend tryouts?” above).
AA – A player not wanting to enter tryouts at the AAA level must purchase a AA Tryout Pass and enter tryouts at the AA level.
All players are encouraged to tryout at their highest possible level for their skill set.
Q - Is a player required to try out for Rep to be placed on a House League Team?
No, players who do not wish to participate in the Rep program may register directly for House League and are guaranteed placement on a team in the fall. GMHA does reserve the right to choose to offer a AHL team at the various levels or not.
Q – What happens if a player is sick or injured during tryouts?
Players unable to try out must present to the Head Coach and the Director of Rep Hockey a doctor’s note specifying that the player is physically unable to participate during the tryouts. The note must include a suggested date for the player to be able to return to competitive play.
In this scenario, a player may be evaluated for selection to a team based on what may already be known about that player’s abilities. These situations are always unique and will be addressed individually by the Head Coach and the GMHA Director of Rep Hockey to ensure that each player is provided an opportunity for selection whenever possible.
Q – What happens if a player is away during tryouts?
Players must attend tryouts to be eligible to be carded to a GMHA team. Exemptions from participating in a tryout must be requested and granted in advance by the Head Coach and the Director of Rep Hockey. The Head Coach and Director of Rep Hockey are not obligated to grant any exemption request. Should a player miss a tryout without an approved exemption, GMHA reserves the right to allow or disallow that player to be rostered for Rep hockey for the next season.
Q – Are players permitted to play a year above their eligibility?
Any player wishing to try out for a team above his/her proper age group is eligible to try out for the highest level of team being offered at that age group only. If he/she fails to make that team, they must return to their proper age group.
Where a player is trying out at a division higher than their age group, the player must be evaluated to be in the top 3 players for the highest-level team in that higher age group based on skill and ability (not on player game statistics).
Players wishing to play in a division above their age category must email the Director of Rep Hockey indicating their intentions no later than April 15th. If the movement is at a coach’s request, the coach must first notify the Director of Rep Hockey prior to the 1st tryout.
Q - How many players will each team carry?
All Rep teams carry a minimum of seventeen (17) players (15 skaters and 2 goalies) unless otherwise approved by the GMHA Board.