How to Organize a Successful Hockey Tryout: Complete Guide for Evaluators

Tryouts are the most high-stakes event in your hockey season. Get them right, and you set up balanced teams, happy families, and competitive games. Get them wrong, and you spend the season dealing with complaints, unfair matchups, and frustrated players.

This guide shares the tryout system I developed over 6 years running evaluations for 800+ players.

Key Takeaways

Use at least 3 independent evaluators who don't know the players

Evaluate skating, puck handling, and game sense separately

Make placement decisions as a group—never by a single person

Communicate the process clearly before tryouts begin

Pre-Tryout Planning

6 Weeks Before Tryouts

Recruit Evaluators

Ideal evaluators are:

Hockey-knowledgeable (former players, coaches)

Objective (no children in the program)

Available for all tryout sessions

Trained on your evaluation criteria

**Number needed**: Minimum 3 per ice sheet, ideally 5.

**Compensation**: $50-100 per session, or volunteer with proper training.

4 Weeks Before Tryouts

Reserve Ice Time

Plan for:

2-3 sessions per age group

60-90 minutes per session

Enough ice for scrimmage segments

Calculate Capacity

| Players | Ice Sheets | Sessions Needed |

|---------|------------|-----------------|

| 30-40 | 1 | 2-3 |

| 50-70 | 1-2 | 3-4 |

| 80+ | 2 | 4-6 |

Create Numbered Pinnies

Players wear numbered pinnies (not team jerseys) so evaluators focus on performance, not recognition.

2 Weeks Before Tryouts

Finalize Evaluation Forms

Evaluators need standardized scoring sheets:

| Skill | 1 (Below Avg) | 2 (Average) | 3 (Above Avg) | 4 (Excellent) |

|-------|---------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|

| Forward skating | Cannot keep up | Adequate speed | Good speed/agility | Elite speed |

| Backward skating | Struggles | Functional | Smooth transitions | Natural |

| Puck control | Frequently loses | Maintains possession | Creates space | Dominates |

| Passing | Inaccurate | Completes simple | Good decision-making | Vision + execution |

| Shooting | Weak/inaccurate | Functional | Accurate/hard | Threat from anywhere |

| Positioning | Lost | Basic understanding | Good reads | Anticipates play |

Communicate with Families

Send email 2 weeks before including:

Tryout dates and times

What to bring (full equipment, water)

Evaluation process explanation

How/when placement will be communicated

Appeals process (if any)

Tryout Day Structure

Sample 90-Minute Tryout Session

| Time | Activity | Purpose |

|------|----------|---------|

| 0-10 min | Warm-up skate | Observe natural skating |

| 10-20 min | Skating drills | Assess speed, agility, edges |

| 20-30 min | Puck handling drills | Individual skill |

| 30-40 min | Passing drills | Accuracy, decision-making |

| 40-50 min | Shooting drills | Power, accuracy, release |

| 50-80 min | Scrimmage | Game sense, compete level |

| 80-90 min | Cool down | Additional observation |

Skating Drills (10 minutes)

**Drill 1: Speed Laps** (2 minutes)

Full speed around the rink

Evaluate acceleration and top speed

**Drill 2: Figure-8** (3 minutes)

Crossovers in both directions

Evaluate edge work and transitions

**Drill 3: Stop and Start** (3 minutes)

Stop at each line, start toward next

Evaluate stops (hockey, snowplow) and acceleration

**Drill 4: Backward Skating** (2 minutes)

Backward laps or figure-8

Evaluate comfort and speed backward

Puck Handling Drills (10 minutes)

Drill 1: Cone Weave

Stickhandle through cones

Evaluate puck control at speed

Drill 2: Tight Turns with Puck

Full speed with puck, sharp turns at each circle

Evaluate maintaining possession under pressure

Passing Drills (10 minutes)

Drill 1: Partner Passing

Stationary passing, increasing distance

Evaluate accuracy and receiving

Drill 2: Moving Passes

Pass while skating

Evaluate pass weight and anticipation

Shooting Drills (10 minutes)

Drill 1: Wrist Shots from Slot

Feed from corner, shoot

Evaluate release and accuracy

Drill 2: One-Timer

Pass from boards, one-time shot

Evaluate timing and power

Scrimmage (30 minutes)

The most important evaluation segment. Observe:

Positioning and hockey sense

Compete level

Decision-making under pressure

Team play vs individual play

Response to adversity

**Rotate lines every 90 seconds** to see everyone.

Evaluation Best Practices

Calibration Session

Before the first player hits the ice, evaluators should:

Review scoring criteria together

Agree on what constitutes each score level

Discuss potential biases

Assign observation zones (if using multiple evaluators)

During Tryouts

**Avoid**:

Talking to coaches or parents

Discussing players aloud

Showing reactions to plays

Rating players they know personally

**Do**:

Score immediately after each segment

Take brief notes on standout observations

Maintain neutral body language

Stay focused (no phone)

Goaltender Evaluation

Goalies need separate evaluation:

Skating and movement

Positioning and angles

Rebound control

Compete level

Communication

Consider a dedicated goaltender evaluator with goalie-specific criteria.

Post-Tryout Placement

Compiling Scores

Collect all evaluation forms

Enter scores into spreadsheet

Calculate average score per player

Rank by average score

Placement Meeting

Bring together:

All evaluators

League/program director

Division coordinators (if applicable)

**Process**:

Review ranked list

Discuss borderline players

Consider position balance per team

Make final placement decisions

Document rationale for borderline cases

Handling Borderline Players

When scores are close (within 0.5 points), consider:

Position needs for each team

Player development trajectory

Practice commitment ability

Historical placement (playing up vs down)

The Bubble Conversation

For players right on the line between divisions:

Option A: Place up with explanation of expectations

Option B: Place down with path to move up mid-season

Option C: Parent conversation about best fit

Communication and Appeals

Announcing Placement

**Do**:

Email all families simultaneously

Include team assignment and first practice

Thank families for participation

Provide contact for questions

**Don't**:

Call families individually (creates rumor mill)

Share other players' scores

Apologize for placement

Promise future movement

Handling Appeals

Have a documented process:

Written appeal required within 48 hours

Review by committee (not original evaluators)

Re-evaluation skate if warranted

Final decision within 1 week

Decision is final

**Reality**: Most appeals are emotional, not evidence-based. Stick to your process.

Common Tryout Mistakes

Mistake 1: Not enough evaluators

Using 1-2 evaluators makes scores unreliable and creates bias perception.

Mistake 2: Coaches evaluating their own returning players

Creates obvious conflict of interest. Use independent evaluators.

Mistake 3: Too much weight on drills, not enough on scrimmage

Drills show isolated skills; games show hockey sense. Balance both.

Mistake 4: Rushing placement decisions

Take time to discuss borderline cases. Hasty decisions cause season-long problems.

Mistake 5: Poor communication

Families should understand the process before tryouts and trust the outcome after.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should returning players have to try out?

A: Yes. Annual evaluation ensures proper placement and sends the message that spots are earned.

Q: What if we don't have enough players to cut anyone?

A: Tryouts still serve to place players on appropriate teams/lines within the division.

Q: How do we handle players who can't attend tryouts?

A: Require pre-notification. Offer makeup evaluation or place based on prior season with caveat.

Q: Should parents watch tryouts?

A: Opinions vary. If allowed, require silence and separation from the ice. Many programs prohibit parent viewing.

Q: How many teams should we form per division?

A: 12-16 players per team is ideal. If you have 40 players, make 3 teams of 13-14, not 2 teams of 20.

Evaluation Form Template

Download our complete evaluation form template (link coming soon) or create your own with these categories:

Skating (25%)

Forward stride

Backward skating

Crossovers

Stops and starts

Speed

Puck Skills (25%)

Stickhandling

Passing (giving)

Receiving

Shooting

Game Sense (25%)

Positioning

Decision-making

Anticipation

Compete level

Intangibles (25%)

Coachability

Work ethic

Team play

Leadership

Conclusion

Fair tryouts require preparation, consistency, and communication. The investment in a proper evaluation process pays dividends all season: balanced teams, fewer complaints, and players in the right environment to develop.

For more youth hockey guidance, check out our [youth hockey management guide](/youth-hockey-league-software) or [registration best practices](/blog/youth-hockey-registration-best-practices).