Policy #2 - Player Advancement - Effective 2022-09-09

PURPOSE

This policy is in place to allow for a member to participate in a division higher than the division where the member is registered.

PROCEDURE

1. Applicant

   1. Download and complete the Player Advancement Request Form ; or complete the form on the TRA website at http://www.timminsringette.com/form/5391

   2. Email the completed form to payer-dev@timminsringette.com

2. Timmins Ringette Association

   1. Evaluate the request

   2. Formalize a decision

   3. Communicate the decision

IMPLEMENTATION

General

1. Notwithstanding any other stipulations herein, no member shall be permitted to attend a tryout for a higher age division if:

   1. the player has not participated in the try outs for the member’s own age division; and

   2. The player has not received express permission from the Director of Player Development to attend a higher age division try out or play.

House League Player Advancement Requests

1. A Player Advancement Request form must be submitted for a request to advance divisions at the House League level.
   
   
2. The applicant member will be Evaluated by the Player Evaluation Committee against their peers.

3. It may be determined that there is a need for a member (s) to participate at an older age division in order for a team to be formed at the older age division or to relieve excess numbers at a lower age division. In this situation then only following will apply:

• The Player Evaluation Committee will evaluate players to determine the members that would have a reasonable chance of succeeding at a higher level

• The players identified would be invited to participate at the higher level for the upcoming season

4. If the applicant member is deemed to be of superior calibre in their age division they shall be considered for an advancement to the next house league level.

5. The Board will make the final decision to grant or deny the player advancement request.

Competitive Team Player Advancement Requests

1. If no competitive team is available at member’s level of play (ie: where a U10 Member wishes to try out for the U12 competitive team), the following guidelines apply:

1. A Player Advancement Request form must be submitted by August 31 of the current playing season in order to allow the Player Development Director to form an Evaluation Committee prior to the spring tryouts

2. For U10 aged Members, only Members in their final year of U10 will be permitted to try out at the U12 competitive level

3. It must be the judgment of the Player Evaluation Committee that based on previous years of play, and overall development, this member stands a reasonable chance of success in trying out at the higher level

4. No underage member may displace an age appropriate player on a competitive level team if the age appropriate player is within the calibre expected of a player at that level

5. The Player Evaluation Committee will make recommendations to the Board and the Board will have the final decision

2. The following guidelines apply to all payer advancement requests:

1. The applicant member is in their final year of the lower age division;

2. A Player Advancement Request form must be submitted by March 1 of the current playing season in order to allow the Player Development Director to form an Evaluation Committee prior to the spring tryouts;

3. Player Development Director assembles a “Player Evaluation Committee” to evaluate the applicant member during the current playing season. If the applicant member demonstrates appropriate superior competitive calibre as determined by the Player Evaluation Committee; the said member will be granted permission to attend the fall tryout at the next competitive level (ex: U12 will try out for U14);

4. The applicant member shall be successful at the discretion of the competitive head coach as long as no age appropriate member is displaced if they are within the calibre expected;

5. If an age-appropriate member is displaced the member making the age advancement should finish the tryouts ranking in the top 75%. (ex: if the coach decides to keep 12 members, the underage member must be ranked at least 6th overall);

6. The Player Evaluation Committee will make recommendations to the Board and the Board will have the final decision.

Player Evaluation Committee

1. The Player Development Director shall select and recruit at least 3 members to form the Player Evaluation Committee (Player Development Director can elect to participate in this committee).

2. In forming this Player Evaluation Committee, members must be free of real or perceived conflict of interest, specifically, the members should NOT have an interest in the teams affected by their evaluation (e.g. team staff or child involved on either of the affected teams

Final Decision Made By The Board

1. Upon hearing the report of the Player Evaluation Committee and input from the Player Development Director, the Board will have the final decision on all Player Advancement Requests.

2. The Decision of the Board shall be communicated to the applicant member / parent by the Player Development Director. This decision shall be final and binding on all parties and NOT subject to an appeal to the Executive Committee.

3. While consideration of the request should be undertaken in a timely fashion, care should be taken to enable all of the following factors to be considered:

   1. Prior to the older age division try out the applicant member must have participated in the try outs for her own age division

   2. The applicant member shall have received express permission from the Player Development Director to attend the older division tryouts

   3. No underage applicant member may displace an age appropriate member on a House League or Competitive level team if the age appropriate member is within the calibre expected

   4. Determination that the applicant member’s skill level is clearly superior to that of peers in the lower age division

   5. Determination if the applicant member’s development would benefit more in the next age division

   6. The number of members of similar skill level in both the higher age division and same age

   7. Determination if there would be an impact on either age level teams and divisions

   8. The maturity of the underage member including physical, mental and emotional readiness

   9. Timing of the proposed move to higher age team

   10. Potential for future realignment for both age division teams

   11. Impact on the Association as a whole, present and near future

   12. Written request deadline dates respected

   13. Is there an adequate number of members of appropriate competitive calibre in the age division the member wishes to leave or join

   14. The member participating in the tryouts for the older age division, as a demonstration of their appropriate competitive calibre, should finish the tryouts ranking in the top 50% UNLESS the underage member is not displacing anyone of appropriate age and calibre

   15. Social factors such as age spread, maturity and social issues between the youngest and oldest member on the team

   16. Is there is a possibility that members wish to only move up at the provincial level and remain at the current house league level (likely for social reasons)

   17. Any other factors that should be considered by the Board in the course of it’s final decision.

DOCUMENTS

• Player Advancement Request Form