MAHA Bantam, Peewee, Squirt, 15U, 12U, & 10U Placement Information

MAHA has established a process summarized in this guideline for conducting team placements.  The key objective of the placement process is to ensure that each player is given a fair evaluation and that all players are placed at the appropriate level for their individual abilities.

GENERAL PLACEMENT INFORMATION

Any youth player who meets the eligibility requirements as determined by the Minnesota age guidelines and the MAHA board are invited to participate in MAHA placement. Placements are mandatory for all players whose objective is to play at an “A” or “B1” team level. 

A player may elect not to participate in placements, in which case they will be automatically assigned to a “C” team, or the lowest team level fielded at their appropriate level.      

ATTENDANCE

To ensure a balanced number of participants on the ice, each player is assigned a specific placement schedule. Players are required to attend their assigned placement sessions. Players who attempt to attend a placement session where they are not assigned a spot will be asked to attend their scheduled session.

SCHEDULE CONFLICTS

If a player is unable to attend one of their scheduled placements, they must notify the Hockey Director prior to the start of that placements. The Director will determine whether the player will be assigned to a make-up session if one is available.  

PLACEMENT INJURY / ABSENCE GUIDELINES (will miss entire placements)

Parent /guardian of an injured player must contact the MAHA Hockey Operations Director with an official doctor’s notice indicating that the player is unable to participate in placements.

An injured player’s past performance may be discussed between the player’s previous year’s coach, the Hockey Operations Director, and the Hockey Development Committee members, with consideration being given to the coach’s recommendations.  

PLAYERS INJURED OR ABSENT DURING PLACEMENTS

When a player misses a placement session for an excused absence, the Hockey Development Committee reserves the right to assign that player to a team on a case-by-case basis. The notification must state the specific reason for the absence and any remaining placement sessions they will be unable to attend.  The Hockey Operations Director will review the information with the Hockey Development Committee to determine which team the player will be assigned to. In considering which team a player will be assigned to, the Hockey Development Committee may review the following:

  • The total number of placement sessions missed and the player’s current ranking result in any completed tryout sessions.

  • The player’s prior year evaluation and the level they played.

  • Last year’s coach’s recommendation of "like" players for comparison and placement.

Decisions regarding assigning players due to missing placements are final and not subject to grievance committee appeals.

PLACEMENT LEVEL EVALUATORS

The Hockey Development Committee along with the Hockey Director selects evaluators at each level to assist in the placement process. The Hockey Development Committee along with the Hockey Operations director are responsible for the organization and execution of tryouts. The primary responsibility of the evaluators is to support MAHA to the best of their ability to ensure a safe, fair, and objective tryout process. There will be parent and non parents involved in the evaluation process at all levels. If an individual has a son or daughter at a specific level, they WILL NOT be involved in that level's evaluation process AT ALL. They are permitted to help with evaluations at levels in which they DO NOT have kids at.

PLACEMENT PROCESS

Placement schedules are posted online as soon as they become available. Depending on their level, players will be asked to attend from 1 (Squirt/10U) to four (12U,15U, Peewee, Bantam) evaluation sessions. Each placement session will be approximately 60 minutes in length and is designed to limit the number of players on the ice to a manageable number per session.

The initial placement groups will be a combination of alphabetical order and randomization so we have an equal number of skaters and goalies.  After the first sessions, players will be assigned to a specific placement group. 

Placement groups will be posted online at https://www.mankatohockey.com/page/show/3951-mankato-area-hockey-association website. Placement group assignments are designed to help the evaluators grade players of comparable skill levels. Participating in a specific group does not guarantee players will be assigned to teams drawn from that group.

GOALIE ONLY SESSION

The first placement session will be for goalies only goalies, the session will also include the goalie instructor, volunteer shooters, and the goalie evaluator allowed on the ice. All goalies must attend these sessions in addition to their assigned groups. The shooters will be volunteer players that are not trying out with the goalies. A goalie-specific evaluator will grade these tryout sessions.