No Slide Title · March 14 – March 16, 2016 Pre-Assessment Clinics March 19 – March 24, 2016 2016-17 Travel Team Assessments Squirt, Pee We and Bantam will be guaranteed three

Town Hall

December 28, 2015

MISSION

To develop children’s hockey and life

skills such as; self-confidence,

motivation and determination while

providing a welcoming environment for

families

1

Bailey

AGENDA

Mid Season Review (Bailey/Frommer)

Financial Update (Fransen)

Player Development Initiatives (Russo)

2016/17 Season Preview (Wry/Fleming)

Strategy (Wry/Bailey)

Membership Q&A

2

Bailey

ECHO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Trevor Bailey Co-President

Brian Wry Co-President

Kim Fleming VP Operations

Ken Camello Past President

Chris Fransen Treasurer

Mike Russo Co-Dir Coaching & Player Dev

Shane McCann Co-Dir Coaching & Player Dev

Jim Soboleski Dir Marketing

Christine Sarner VP Administration

Nicole Dukett Registrar

Andy Bushnell CHC Rep

Mike McDermott Equipment Manager

Meghan Frommer Secretary

Mark McGrath Grow the Game

3

Bailey

MID SEASON REVIEW

4

Travel Teams (136 players)

Level Number of Teams No Players

Tier 4 Tier 3 Tier 2/AAA

Mite 2 24

Squirt 2 1 35

Pee Wee 2 1 1 60

Bantam 1 17

Instructional Programs (95) Learn to Play Hockey (38)

House (14)

Mite Limited Travel (Mini-Mites) (43)

Hockey opportunities for the youth of Eastern Connecticut 231 players (ages 4-14)

>240 home games

777 hrs of ice @ BIP

Bailey

MID SEASON REVIEW

5

ECHO Brand (new jersey for 2105/16) 141 Custom jerseys sized and ordered successfully

ECHO ordered 20 extra jerseys & sets of socks

Overall response has been positive

single socks & jersey durability?

Next year

BOD discussing need for new “away” jerseys

Additional sized or replacement jerseys will also

be available for order over the summer

Frommer

MID SEASON REVIEW

PINK THE RINK

1 Weekend - 11 Teams in Pink - 100 Dozen

Cookies!

$1,200 raised for CCMC Oncology &

Hematology

55 - pounds of crayons collected and

peeled for crayons for cancer

4 Large boxes of toys collected for

patients at CCMC

#Hockeyfightscancer #ProudtobeECHO

Frommer

6

MID SEASON REVIEW

HOUSE/MITE LIMITED TRAVEL/LEARN TO PLAY HOCKEY

Session Two:

57 Registrants in LMT/House

38 Registrants in LTPH

LMT has 4/5 teams of 9 players

Playing small area games against

each other w travel (S. Windsor &

Ice Dogs)

Events:

Try Hockey for Free

Thanksgiving Mite Festival

All programs progressing under

Coach McGrath & his High School,

College & Adult Assistants.

3 Players have moved from LTPH

to LMT – Growing the Game!

Bailey

7

MID SEASON REVIEW Bailey

8

MID SEASON REVIEW

9

We Tip Our Hats to

Our Coaches, Team Managers & Team Parents

Together they have already:

Organized and carried out three major ECHO-wide Events Picnic at the Pond

Pink the Rink

Holiday Pop Up Shop

1-2 tournament plans per team (Columbus Day, Thanksgiving & Newport)

264 total practices, complete with practice plans

218 games - with countless miles of drive time, phone calls and emails

Given their time, effort, knowledge & hearts to help our kids learn the

game they all love!

Bailey

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

10

Why are we doing Dryland (off-ice training)? Focused on young athlete development: agility, balance and

coordination.

Structured in the form of games. Enabling the players to have fun in

a competitive atmosphere, the players will be developing several

core competencies, agility, balance and coordination, often without

knowing it.

Games and skills are essential for the long term development of

young athletes.

Fundamental movement skills and traits are the building blocks for

competitive success and a lifetime of athletic enjoyment.

Where is Dryland? Tolland Rec Center twice a month on Friday nights

(Mites and Squirts 6-7pm & PeeWee’s and Bantams 7-8pm)

Hired a Trainer who specializes in Elementary Education and

Personal Training to coordinate these sessions

LONG TERM ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT!

Russo


11

GOALIE DEVLOPMENT On ice instruction at practices twice a month

Monthly Goalie Clinic: ration of 3 goalies to 1 coach

Continued Development at Rising Star Summer Camp

Discount available at CT Crease Camp

On Ice Skill Sessions (ADM practices) Beginning Mid-January- (Exploring weekly or bi-weekly)

Practice schedule change to add 20 minutes to each team

Station based practices

Power skating instruction

Russo


12

Rising Star Summer Camp Summer 2015:

95 skaters from Mini Mite to Bantam / 25 Volunteer coaches

No rainouts and one night of no Ice

2 Hour practices consisting of Dryland and age specific on ice skill

development

Summer 2016: Adding our Dryland Trainer, power skating instruction and Goalie

Training with CT Crease

Increase enrollment to 150; need your help to spread the word.

Develop 4 age specific groups

Clinic $150 per skater; Goalies committed to ECHO Travel team free

FUN! SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND TEAMMATES

Russo

2016/17 OVERVIEW

13

Travel Teams

Level Number of Teams (anticipated)

Tier 4 Tier 3 Tier 2/AAA

Mite 2 – 4 *

Squirt 3 1 **

Pee Wee 3 1 **

Bantam 2 1

Instructional Programs Learn to Play Hockey

House

Mite Limited Travel (formerly Mini-Mites) – 4 to 6 teams

15 TRAVEL TEAMS

* Variable based upon USA Hockey/CHC cross ice decision

** T2 status to be determined based upon assessment results

Wry

2016/17 TEAMS

14

Mite / Squirt / Pee Wee / Bantam

Goal: Provide an opportunity for all ECHO players to develop

within the CHC competition levels.

Program Overview

2 half ice practices per week (Mite/Squirt/PW)*

1 half ice, 1 full ice practice per week (Bantam)

Home / Away game slots per week

Member of CHC league (35-40 games)

Participate in 1-2 competitive tournaments

Personalized jersey

Experienced coaching staff

1Approximate cost - skater fees will be finalized once 2016/17 ice contract in place w rink management

* Any designated T2 team will have 2 full ice practices. Skater fees will be increased based upon the same.

Wry

TRAVEL TEAM EVALUATIONS

15

SCHEDULE

March 14 – March 16, 2016 Pre-Assessment Clinics

March 19 – March 24, 2016 2016-17 Travel Team Assessments

Squirt, Pee We and Bantam will be guaranteed three

assessment sessions. There is the potential for skaters to be

called back to additional assessment sessions based upon their

results from earlier assessment results.

Mites will only have two assessment sessions with no call back

sessions.

Any player assessing as a goalie or a goalie/skater will need to

attend the separate goalie assessment session.

Wry


16

2016-17 POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Selection Committee A selection committee (coordinator + evaluators) for each age group will perform evaluations

(i.e., Bantam, Pee Wee, Squirt and Mite).

The committee will determine the structure and duration of the evaluation sessions.

Please respect the time of the members of the selection committee and the on-ice facilitators

by refraining from any contact with them during the evaluation process beyond simple

greetings.

Travel team evaluations for the 2015-16 season shall be

conducted after the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.

Evaluation times and dates, as well as registration forms and

information, can be found on the ECHO website.

• Each season, the ECHO Board of Directors and

other volunteers who assist in the evaluation process give careful

consideration to the placement of players on the most

appropriate level team. We ask players and parents to

understand that the evaluation of players is a challenging

process and that the assessments will be based on both

quantitative and qualitative factors. Please be assured that all

volunteers work diligently to make the process unbiased and as

accurate as possible.

• There will be a selection committee (committee) for

each age group (i.e., Midget, Bantam, Pee Wee, Squirt and Mite)

that will perform evaluations and select teams for the 2015-16

season. A committee will be comprised of a coordinator and

impartial player evaluators who do not have a child trying out for

placement in the relevant age group. The coordinator and one or

more evaluators may or may not be affiliated with ECHO.

• The committee, along with the on-ice facilitator or

facilitators assigned to assist the committee, will determine the

structure and duration of the evaluation sessions. We ask that all

parents respect the time of the members of the selection

committee and the on-ice facilitators by refraining from any

contact with them during the evaluation process beyond simple

greetings. On-ice facilitators do not have a vote in the selection

process. In addition, other volunteers may be secured (e.g., to

open and close the bench doors for the players) to assist in the

process but will have no input into the selection process.

• Player placement in a specific evaluation session

will be determined jointly, and at the discretion of the evaluation

coordinator and ECHO VP of Travel following the following:

For the first evaluation session at each age level where multiple

groups are required, the group assignments will be based on the

player’s last name, although there may be exceptions (e.g., walk-

ins).

For each subsequent evaluation session, players will be

assigned to a session based on the combined player evaluation

results from the previous evaluation sessions.

• Players are evaluated on the basis of a number of

factors including, but not limited to, skating skills, shooting and

passing skills, stick-handling and puck control, overall hockey

sense, motivation, and performance during the scrimmages held

during evaluations.

• A player’s evaluation ranking will be based on the

majority consensus of the committee during the evaluation

process. The player’s evaluation ranking will be based on 1)

“tryout” evaluations and 2) “Player” evaluation forms. “Tryout”

evaluations are based on Player and Goalie on-ice performance

assessments that evaluators will be filling out during the

evaluation sessions. “Player” evaluation forms were submitted to

the ECHO VP of Travel by head coaches at the end of the prior

season for the purpose of assessing a player (or goalie) in

comparison to the rest of his or her teammates on the basis of

that player’s (or goalie’s) performance over the course of the

entire 2014-15 season. The committee coordinator will facilitate

a discussion with the evaluators to rank Players and Goalies

based on a combination of information included in the “tryout”

evaluations and “Player” evaluation forms. The “tryout”

evaluations will be the main input used to place most Players

and Goalies on teams. The primary use of the “Player”

evaluation forms will be to help identify and resolve any

discrepancies on Player or Goalie skill or team play

assessments.

• To ensure the most competitive environment

possible, and for the benefit of all participants in the evaluation

process, an “A” player returning for a second year is not

guaranteed a spot as a second year “A” player. Likewise, a “B”

player returning for a second year is not guaranteed a spot as a

second year “B” player. Preference may be given to a returning

ECHO player (a player who had been rostered at ECHO for the

2014-15 season) when that player would be placed on a waiting

list rather than the lowest level team for that player’s age group–

in other words, between a returning ECHO player who has been

rated the same as or similar to a non-returning ECHO player in

the evaluation process, the returning ECHO player would be

placed on the lowest level team, if space permits, and the non-

returning player would be placed on a waiting list. Note, however,

that there is no guarantee that a returning ECHO player will be

placed on an ECHO travel team.

• Selection of players generally is limited to those

who participate in the evaluation process; players who do not

participate in the evaluation process are generally limited to the

lowest available travel team as roster space permits. An

exception to this is a player who is unable to participate in the

evaluation sessions due to an extenuating circumstance (e.g.,

injury, illness). It is within the discretion of the Board of Directors

to determine whether an extenuating circumstance exists. In

such cases, placement shall be determined by the coordinator,

with the assistance of the other members of the committee. In

making that determination, the coordinator may use the

information in the 2014-15 player evaluation forms and may

consult with that player’s former head and assistant coaches.

Absences from one or more evaluation sessions must be

communicated in advance to and approved by Brian Wry, ECHO

VP of Travel.

• Potential coaches with a child trying out in a

particular age group will not be assigned to coach a team until

after travel team selections have been made. Potential coaches

who do not have a child trying out in a particular age group may

be assigned to coach a team before the commencement of the

evaluation process but will not be able to participate in the

evaluation process for that age group.

• The number of participants who commit to ECHO

will determine the number of travel teams that ECHO will field in

the 2015-16 season.

• Parents of players are urged to check the ECHO

website daily during the evaluation process for any pertinent

updates related to dates, times and assignment of players for the

evaluation sessions. A player will be provided the opportunity to

participate in multiple evaluation sessions.

Tier 2 Squirt and Pee Wee:

All Squirt players will attend evaluation sessions 1 and 2. Select

Squirt players will participate in the call back evaluation sessions

3 and 4.

All Pee Wee players will attend evaluation sessions 1 and 2.

Select Pee Wee players will participate in the call back

evaluation sessions 3 and 4.

Girls U12:

All Girls U12 players will attend both evaluation sessions 1 and

2.

Tier 3, 4 Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget:

All Mite players will attend both evaluation sessions 1 and 2.

All Squirt players will attend evaluation sessions 1, 2 and 3.

Select Squirt players will participate in the call back evaluation

sessions 4, 5, etc.

All Pee Wee players will attend evaluation sessions 1, 2 and 3.


evaluation sessions 4, 5, etc.

All Bantam players will attend evaluation sessions 1 and 2.

Select Bantam will participate in the call back evaluation session

3.

All Midget players will attend both evaluation sessions 1 and 2.

However, there is no guarantee that any particular player will

receive any minimum amount of ice time during the evaluation

sessions, and, in some instances, a player may be asked not to

attend one or more of the call back evaluation sessions for his or

her age group.

• Travel team rosters for a particular age group will

be posted to the ECHO website as soon as possible following

the conclusion of evaluations for that particular age group.

• If there are more players trying out than there are

roster slots available, a waiting list will be published.

Fleming


17


Player Session Placement Player placement in a specific evaluation session will be determined by evaluation coordinator

and ECHO VP of Operations:

1st evaluation session - group assignments will be based on last name

Follow-on sessions - players will be assigned to a session based on the combined player

evaluation results from previous sessions

A player will be provided the opportunity to participate in multiple evaluation sessions1.

Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam

All Mite players will attend sessions 1 and 2.

All Squirt players will attend sessions 1, 2 and 3. Select Squirt call backs for sessions 4

and 5.

All Pee Wee players will attend sessions 1, 2 and 3. Select Pee Wee call backs for

sessions 4 and 5.

All Bantam players will attend sessions 1, 2 and 3. Select Bantam call backs for session 4

and 5.

1There is no guarantee that any particular player will receive any minimum amount of ice time during the evaluation sessions,

and, in some instances, a player may be asked not to attend one or more of the call back evaluation sessions.





































ins).








during evaluations.




















assessments.
































VP of Travel.










the 2015-16 season.









3 and 4.




Girls U12:


2.





sessions 4, 5, etc.






3.






her age group.






Fleming


18


Player Evaluation Evaluation criteria: skating skills, shooting and passing skills, stick-handling and puck

control, overall hockey sense, motivation, and performance during scrimmages.

A player’s evaluation ranking will be based on the majority consensus of the committee

during the evaluation process. The player’s evaluation ranking will be based on 1) “tryout”

evaluations and 2) “Player” evaluation forms.

“Tryout” evaluations are based on Player and Goalie on-ice performance

assessments during evaluation sessions

“Player” evaluation forms were submitted to the ECHO VP of Operations by head

coaches at the end of the prior season for the purpose of assessing a player (or

goalie) in comparison to the rest of his or her teammates on the basis of that player’s

(or goalie’s) performance over the course of the entire 2015-16 season.

The committee coordinator will facilitate a discussion with the evaluators to rank Players

and Goalies based on a combination of information included in the “tryout” evaluations and

“Player” evaluation forms.

“Tryout” evaluations will be the main input used to place most Players and Goalies on

teams.

“Player” evaluation forms will be used to help identify and resolve any discrepancies

on Player or Goalie skill or team play assessments.





































ins).








during evaluations.




















assessments.
































VP of Travel.










the 2015-16 season.









3 and 4.




Girls U12:


2.





sessions 4, 5, etc.






3.






her age group.






Fleming


19


Player Selection Player placement on a specific team will be based on the results of the 2016-17 evaluation

process. Player placement is not based on a players 2015-16 team placement.

Player selection is limited to those who participate in the evaluation process; players who

do not participate in the evaluation process are generally limited to the lowest available

travel.

Exception - player is unable to participate in the evaluation sessions due to an

extenuating circumstance (e.g., injury, illness). Team placement will be based on

2015-16 player evaluations.

Absences from one or more evaluation sessions must be communicated in advance

to and approved by Kim Fleming, ECHO VP of Operations.

Number of 2016-17 ECHO team will depend on player commitments.

Travel team rosters posted on the ECHO website by March 28, 2016.

If more players trying out than roster slots available, a waiting list will be published.





































ins).








during evaluations.




















assessments.
































VP of Travel.










the 2015-16 season.









3 and 4.




Girls U12:


2.





sessions 4, 5, etc.






3.






her age group.






Fleming

TRAVEL TEAM COMMITMENT

20

In order to accept a position on an ECHO travel team will require

Signed letter of commitment (will be available on the ECHO website)

$500 non-refundable payment to ECHO.

Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam – 2016-17 Commitment Day

On Wednesday March 30, 2016 ECHO will be hosting a Commitment

Day at Bolton Ice Palace at 6:30 PM.

Signed commitment letters and $500 Non-refundable commitment

payments from all players must be received by the close of the

commitment day meeting on Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

Wry

STRATEGY

21

Challenges Player retention

2015/16 Travel Program (10 teams, -1 from 2104/15 season)

Proliferation of for-profit teams

Opportunities 2016/17 Travel Program Growth (14-15 teams)

Player Development

ECHO ‘Rising Star’ Summer Camp

In-season player skills clinics

Goaltender focused clinics

Organization Growth

Try Hockey For Free Program – November 8, 2015 and February 20, 2016

Marketing – School Flier distribution, Social Media and Word of Mouth





































ins).








during evaluations.




















assessments.
































VP of Travel.










the 2015-16 season.









3 and 4.




Girls U12:


2.





sessions 4, 5, etc.






3.






her age group.






Fund Raising Golf Tournament

Sponsored Trips

Dinners/5K Runs

Wry

Q&A

22

Thank-you!

Documents

No Slide Title · March 14 – March 16, 2016 Pre-Assessment Clinics March 19 – March 24, 2016 2016-17 Travel Team Assessments Squirt, Pee We and Bantam will be guaranteed three