Requirements and Guidelines of Atom Pathway

 

Atom Player Pathway – Requirements and Guidelines:

• Member must have a clearly identified seasonal structure breakdown as per the definitions below of an ideal hockey season.
• Ideal hockey season refers to an optimal seasonal structure – this is a guideline and is subject to a range of minor differences regarding suggested numbers based on member differences.
• The annual calendar is divided into five phases to enhance the player engagement process and ensure that each phase of development has a very specific focus. It is important to abide by these phases and not compromise the developmental process by accelerating the calendar and attempting to have players engaged in activities like competitive games and tournament play before the proposed schedule.

 

Phase One: Preparation/Tryout
This refers to the period of time prior to the season starting – typically when prep camps and/or tryouts are held.

• Preparation/Tryout Phase: Four weeks – i.e. minimum four practices/three tryout sessions

• No tryouts/evaluations prior to or during the first week of school.
  • No tryouts during Offseason Phase (previous season, including March through August).
  • No tryouts during the first week of school where school starts the week after Labour Day.
  • Where school starts prior to Labour Day, there must be four skates/practices starting the week following Labour Day before tryouts commence.
• Must have a minimum of four practices/skill sessions prior to formal evaluations starting.
• Must have a minimum of three formal tryout/evaluation sessions; recommended – one skills session, one small-area games session, one game.

 

Phase Two: Development 
This refers to the period of time following tryouts or evaluation prior to the regular season starting.

• Development Phase: Four weeks – i.e. minimum eight practices

• Must have a period of development time following team selection and prior to the start of the regular season

 

Phase Three: Development and Regular Season
This refers to the period of time from the first regular season game to the start of playoffs or provincial/member championships.

• Regular Season Phase: 20 weeks – i.e. minimum 40 practices

Phase Four: Playoffs
This refers to the period of time from the end of the regular season through to the end of playoffs.

• Playoff/Tournament Phase: Four weeks – i.e. minimum four practices

• Must be tournament-style playoffs versus elimination rounds.

 

Phase Five: Offseason
This refers to the period of time from the end of the playoff season to the start of the next Preparation/Tryout phase.

Atom Player Pathway - Rationale:

• Tryouts cannot be scheduled prior to the start of the school year.
  • Give minor hockey associations and parents back the summer – the season does not need to start this early only to be finished at the end of January or early in February (start later and end later).
  • The start of the school year can be very stressful for young players and they do not need to add hockey tryouts starting at the same time as the school year.
  • Give minor hockey associations a chance to get organized and begin planning.

 

• Must have minimum of four practices/skill sessions prior to formal evaluations starting.
  • A player’s first experience in the new hockey season should not be a formal tryout – this gives all players the opportunity to get back on the ice in a more ’player friendly’ scenario.
  • This will help level the playing field, as not all players have a chance to go to hockey schools or prep camps prior to the start of the season.
  • This provides minor hockey associations the opportunity to run their own ‘prep’ camp instead of members spending money outside the association.

 

• Tryouts must be minimum of three formal tryout or evaluation sessions. Recommendation is: one skills session, one small-area games session, one formal game at minimum.
  • Players need a fair chance to be evaluated – a standardized process will show transparency, fairness and consistency.
  • This will provide coaches with the foundation for a development plan based on a solid and quantifiable evaluation.

 

• Must have a period of development time following team selection and prior to the start of the regular season.
  • It is very important to provide coaches with the opportunity to develop and improve their players' skills prior to getting into organized games.
  • The progression should be skills before tactics and tactics before systems.
  • This will eliminate or reduce pressure and/or focus on winning.

 

• Playoffs must be tournament-style format versus elimination rounds.
  • Give all teams the chance to play to same end point in the season.
  • All players deserve the same chance to play to the end of the year.
  • More teams and more players playing longer into the season.
  • Allows more rest and recovery within the season and the regular season schedule can be spread out,
  • Greater opportunity for more players to participate in different activities.