HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

If the topic is associations allowing coaches on the ice during THEIR OWN pre-tryout clinics then I think the answer goes without saying.

It wasn't the OMG clinic that caused this divorce.

You're right... there's much more to the OMG story, but it's a novel.

hockeyover40 wrote:If the A coach is on the ice evaluating players, why are you calling it a clinic or camp? Call it what it is, try outs. And maybe more kids will show up. Our assoc. does it's best to make sure the clinics are not perceived as tryouts. It's a get ready for try out clinic. If your evaluating kids and calling them clinics, your lying to your assoc. members. And that's what parents have a problem with. Board members not being open and honest with them. Under the table agreements, and doing things behind their backs. Either way you do it, call it it what it is, and don't be deceptive.

I don't there is anything deceptive about it. Since it's not mandatory, you can't call it a tryout. There is no official evaluation going on, and if you think that this is the only time during the offseason where coaches are unofficially "evaluating" players, then you are either new to this game or lying to yourself. Many coaches are involved in summer hockey in some fashion and watch a lot of games during the offseason and planning their rosters for the upcoming year. Like I said, if OMG is like virtually EVERY other Bantam "A" team in this state, the majority of the team is known to the coaches, evaluators and yes, even the parents, before the first drill in the first tryout...Let's say the top player in an association has a bad tryout, or maybe gets sick during a tryout....do you think he still won't end up on that team? Of course he will. Tryouts are for the bubble "A" players and to form the B and C teams at the Bantam level. So what does it matter if that coach is on the ice during the clinic?

Question: This is Bantam "A" correct? If you're are parent of a kid who is hoping to make that "A" team .....why aren't you sending him to the warm-ups anyways? Do you think you can just not skate in those couple of weeks leading up to the tryouts and show up ready to go? Most AAA and offseason programs are completed by the end of Aug, you still need to skate in that month leading up to tryouts.

If OMG could dictate whom could be on the ice or not, it must have been an association event rather than a privately run camp. If you're going to have kids on the ice before the season starts, and you're going to spew rhetoric about being fair, then you need to make it part of the fees and call it a practice.

It is all a tryout. The kid's performance last year was part of the tryout for this season. The clinic/practice/pre-tryout, is part of the tryout. If a kid walks through the lobby and tosses his empty Gatorade bottle on the floor, it's part of the tryout. It's called a clinic/practice/pre-tryout so there aren't 80 pairs of noses pressed against the glass for the entire month of September.

In associations that have cosed tryouts - these clinics do have noses pressed to the glass all of September, and it does become clear to the parents, and coaches, either on the ice, or in the stands who has been skating since July, and grown 4 inches. It also, makes it obvious which kids haven't skated since March. Like InigoMon. said it's all a tryout. Summer teams, clinics whatever - parents know, coaches know, whose done what for the most part, because a lot of these kids have been doing it together. I don't think it makes that much difference. The coach will see you now or he will see you later -

GreekChurch wrote:In associations that have cosed tryouts - these clinics do have noses pressed to the glass all of September, and it does become clear to the parents, and coaches, either on the ice, or in the stands who has been skating since July, and grown 4 inches. It also, makes it obvious which kids haven't skated since March. Like InigoMon. said it's all a tryout. Summer teams, clinics whatever - parents know, coaches know, whose done what for the most part, because a lot of these kids have been doing it together. I don't think it makes that much difference. The coach will see you now or he will see you later -

Amen Father Greek

GreekChurch wrote:In associations that have cosed tryouts - these clinics do have noses pressed to the glass all of September, and it does become clear to the parents, and coaches, either on the ice, or in the stands who has been skating since July, and grown 4 inches. It also, makes it obvious which kids haven't skated since March. Like InigoMon. said it's all a tryout. Summer teams, clinics whatever - parents know, coaches know, whose done what for the most part, because a lot of these kids have been doing it together. I don't think it makes that much difference. The coach will see you now or he will see you later -

Greek: Which associations have closed tryouts?

Life is a tryout. There's always someone watching. Figure it out or play at the B level forever.

Wasilla, over here in Pioneer country, I know No. St. Paul has had closed tryouts for a few years now. It would interesting to see how many there are out there.

EP does-they were forced into it a few years ago due to rink construction, and they have stuck with it ever since. I believe they will keep doing it unless there is a palace revolt.