SRRA AA/A Team Declaration and Tryout Process 2023-2024 

February 10th, 2023 

The following document outlines important timelines that must be met in proceeding through the player declaration, team declaration, team tryouts and team selection process. This process should facilitate informed communication between Southern Region and its member Associations. It should help to identify potential conflicts so that they can be dealt with in a timely and mutually respectful manner, allowing the process to move along to completion.

If there is one thing parents want, it is to see their child enjoying themselves and getting better at playing Ringette. This is what makes Provincial Ringette a worthwhile investment. Let us be reminded of this value. This document is designed to assist parents and players better understand the tryout process.

Goal:

The primary goal of the Southern Region is to work cooperatively to create as many viable, competitive teams at each competition and age level within the Region as possible, and thereby ensuring that qualified players have a place to play.

Objectives: 

1. To improve communication among Southern Region member associations and representatives through documentation and preliminary meetings. SRRA also strives to improve communication to parents and athletes through helping associations with documentation or other resources.

2. To increase the transparency of the process by ensuring that everyone knows what the steps  are and how decisions are to be made.

3. To continue to enhance the player-tracking process in the Southern Region.

4. To form an Evaluation committee to monitor the process. The Committee will include a diverse representation of individuals from across our Region and would be empowered to permit teams to form or fold and enforce all steps and associated actions as identified in the process. 

5. To implement a timeline for the completion of AA and A tryout process and to work with other nearby regions to do our  best to align tryouts amongst similar levels and age groups.

6. To help facilitate the number of teams, the distribution of teams throughout the Region, as well as to help provide the most beneficial selection of teams to form with capable players within the Southern Region.  

Evaluation Committee:

• An Evaluation Committee will be formed to coordinate the AA/A process.
• The mandate for this committee will be to review and/or meet with each Association that is willing to host an AA/A team, review their submitted forms and ensure that the minimum criteria are met. The committee will then recommend for approval the number of AA/A teams at the respective levels covered by this process (U14, U16 and U19). The recommendations of this committee will be binding.
• The committee will act in accordance with the following Ringette Ontario rules and guidelines:

• Player Tryout / Release Policy:  https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/PLAYER-TRYOUT_RELEASE.pdf
• Club Player Evaluation Process Guidelines: https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ringette-Ontario-Club-Player-Evaluation-Process-Guidelines.pdf
• Team Formation Guidelines: https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ringette-Ontario-Team-Formation-Guidelines.pdf
• Player Recruitment Guidelines: https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PLAYER-RECRUITMENT-GUIDELINES.p        
• Playing Outside of Age Division https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PLAYING-OUTSIDE-OF-AGE-DIVISION.pdf

• The committee will include the SRRA Provincial Play Committee Chair, Vice-Chair, Southern Region Membership Services Representative, SRRA Chair along with 2 nominated SRRA Provincial Play Committee Representatives.
• The committee will have the authority to ensure that proper team formation procedures are being followed by associations and to recommend the levy of up to a possible $500 fine and loss of team for Associations not following the rules and processes in place.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

February 15th – Intent to try-out form goes live

March 20th – Intent to try-out form closes

March 25th – Willing-to-Host forms are due to the Evaluation Committee via Membership Services 

March 31st – Associations notified of team approvals

April 1st to 10th– Try-out schedules posted on each association’s websites

April 17th to May 7th– AA Try-outs

May 12th– AA-teams declared

May 13th to May 31st– A Try-outs

June 5th– A-teams declared

Player Intent-to-Tryout Forms 

In preparation for the upcoming 2023-2024 Ringette season, SRRA has updated the online Intent-to Tryout Form to register your player intentions for next season.  

The information the players provide helps facilitate the number of teams, the distribution of teams throughout the Region, as well as to help provide the most beneficial selection of teams to  qualified players within the Southern Region. It will assist all the associations with advanced, valid information to support their bid to host Provincial Teams. Players need to make sure they fill out the form by the deadline so the Region can make decisions accordingly.

• All Southern Region players intending to try out for any A or AA Provincial level team are required  to complete the online Intent-to-Tryout Form no later than March 20th, 2023.
• Players will not be allowed to participate in any tryout session without having completed the online form. Any player intents submitted after March 20th, 2023 will only be accepted via an  email to Fernanda Serroul [SRRAtryouts@gmail.com] from the respective home Association President or Provincial Representative Convener.
• Players from outside of the Southern Region who move into our region due to relocation for post- secondary education or other legitimate reasons should register their intent as soon as they make  the commitment to move, rather than waiting to physically arrive in the Region. For instance, a player moving into the Region to attend university (i.e. Brock, York or McMaster) should indicate their intent to play at the A or AA level as soon as they accept their offer of admission, allowing our member associations to include these players in their planning process.
• Any player who is not registered with an association during the 2022-2023 Ringette season must  register with their home association before attending tryouts. This is to ensure that the athlete has insurance coverage when on the ice.
• On the intent form, players will indicate which type of division they would be willing to play for: Female only, Mixed or Male only.  Players may choose all three options, two options or one option.  Please refer to the RO team formation guidelines for some information on the different options. This information will be shared with association representatives only and not made public.

Associations Willing-to-Host AA/A Teams 

The summary player tracking spreadsheet with the players’ responses will be shared with every Association’s President and the Evaluation Committee, and will be updated as the intents come in.

The Willing-to-Host Form will provide the Region and Evaluation Committee with advanced, valid information regarding an Association’s bid to host one or more Provincial teams. It will also assist Associations with communicating their intentions clearly. These forms are due no later than March 25th, 2023. Submit via email to Fernanda Serroul [SRRAtryouts@gmail.com].

• It is important for all Associations to understand that the criteria in the Team Composition Chart will  be used by the Evaluation Committee to determine the strength of an Association’s bid for a Provincial level team (See page 5).
• The Evaluation committee has the latitude to qualify a Willing-to-Host bid where the criteria are not met but the athlete availability/capability warrants the formation of a team in that area of the Region or the number of interested/capable players support the need for another team or teams.
• The Evaluation Committee may host a meeting right after the Willing-to-Host Forms are submitted and may schedule individual meetings with every Association intending to  host AA/A teams to review their forms.

TRYOUT TIMELINES 

AA Team Formation: Key Steps and Dates - U14AA / U16AA / U19AA 

● Once the Evaluation Committee has approved the various AA teams across the Region, the  associations should post AA Tryout schedules on their websites between April 1st and 10th, 2023 and with the statement included that “all teams are subject to SRRA Provincial Play Evaluation Committee approval”. A schedule must be emailed to Fernanda Serroul [SRRAtryouts@gmail.com] to update  the tryout intents and tracking file.

● Each Association hosting AA teams must start tryouts on or after Monday, April 17th, 2023.

● As each tryout session is completed, the online form identifying the players who attended  the tryout must be reported within 24 hours. The Association must also provide the Evaluation committee with an update regarding the status of the team.

● As each tryout is completed and players are released from the list of potential team members, the representative from each Association must submit the information through the Player Tryout Tracking Google spreadsheet shared with her/him with the list of players released. This must be done  within 24 hours of the player being released.

● All AA tryouts should be completed by Sunday, May 7th, 2023.  

● The Offer to Play Letter and Roster Spot Not Offered Letter shall be used by all Associations within the Region; however, they can be used in combination with a phone call or email  communication. These two letters have deadlines for players to respond to.

● When a coach hands out an Offer to Play Letter, and the player is from an outside  association, they will also include the release form.  

● U14AA, U16AA & U19AA team rosters must be declared by Friday, May 12th, 2023. 

● Should any association encounter difficulties in meeting the deadlines, please notify SRRA and seek guidance.

A - Team Formation: Key Steps and Dates - U14A / U16A / U19A 

● Once the Evaluation Committee has made recommendations and approved the various A teams across the Region, the associations should post A-Tryout schedules on their websites between April 1st and 10th, 2023  A schedule must be emailed to Fernanda Serroul  [SRRAtryouts@gmail.com] to update the tryout intents and tracking file.

● Each Association hosting A-teams must start tryouts on or after Saturday, May 13th, 2023 

● As each tryout session is completed, the online form identifying the players who attended  the tryout must be reported within 24 hours.

● As each tryout is completed and players are released from the list of potential team members, the representative from  each Association must submit the information through the Player Tryout Tracking Google spreadsheet shared with her/him with the list of players released. This must be done  within 24 hours of the player being released.

● All A-tryouts should be completed by Wednesday, May 31st, 2023.  

● The Offer to Play Letter and Roster Spot Not Offered Letter shall be used by all Associations within the Region; however, they can be used in combination with a phone call or email  communication. These two letters have deadlines for players to respond to.

● When a coach hands out an Offer to Play Letter, and the player is from an outside  association, they will also include the release form.  

● U14A, U16A & U19A team rosters must be declared by Monday, June 5th, 2023. 

● Should any association encounter difficulties in meeting the deadlines, please notify SRRA  and seek guidance.

Team Composition Requirements: 

In order to qualify to host a Provincial level team, an association must meet the minimum number  of Provincial-calibre Home Association or Current Association players listed in the chart below.

The final team roster must meet or exceed the number of home and current players identified in the charts below.

A Provincial Team must have a minimum roster of 12 skaters plus 1 goalie. A ‘full’ roster meets the  requirements of RO for the number of players needed to play in Sanctioned Events. Clearly roster size within those constraints is the decision of the Coach/Association. This roster should include a full complement of players for the team, including at least one goalie.

An association cannot release more than 4 players to the same team/level and no more than 6 players to the same Association in the same age division. In other words, any Provincial Team can only offer spots to a maximum of four players from the same outside association. Any association is allowed to offer up to six spots in one division (U14, U16 and U19) to outside of association players released from the same association. If an association requires more than 6 players from the same outside association, then an agreement should come in place to have combined teams or each host one team.

• For example: Hamilton releases 4 players to Burlington’s U19AA, then Burlington’s U19A can only offer a spot to 2 Hamilton players maximum. If Burlington requires more than 6 players from Hamilton for the U19 division, then either U19AA or U19A should be a combined team between Burlington & Hamilton.

Team Composition Chart - AA Teams 

Team Composition Chart - A Teams 

*Minimum number, unless approved by the Evaluation Committee.

**When associations form combined teams, each association will be considered home.

***U19 Provincial teams can leave space to add a player or two after the deadline where post secondary player movement occurs.

New: Combined Teams 

• Neighbouring Associations that wish to form combined teams may do so in the application process.   Teams may combine as long as ONE association is identified as the closest association in the matrix.  

• For example: Barrie and Newmarket could form a combined team because Newmarket is the closest association to Barrie even though Newmarket’s closest association is Markham-Stouffville.

• The Combined Team must clearly identify one centre as the HOST Association in the Willing to Host form for the current playing year and have signed acknowledgement from the respective Presidents of these Associations. The host association is the centre where home games will be scheduled.
• When two teams combine and they are each other’s closest association, either team can be named the host team. In the Southern Region this includes St. Catharines/Niagara Falls, Richmond Hill/Markham-Stouffville, Hamilton/Burlington, Paris/Cambridge and Mississauga/Etobicoke.  This decision will be up to the associations to work out.
• When two teams combine and only ONE association is closest, the host team must be the team that is NOT closest in the matrix.

• For Example:  Barrie’s closest association is Newmarket; Newmarket’s closest association is Markham-Stouffville - If Barrie and Newmarket form a combined team, the host must be Newmarket because Newmarket is closest to Markham-Stouffville and this will prevent athletes from essentially “skipping” their obligation to follow the matrix to Markham-Stouffville.

• For the purposes of the tryout process and athlete movement, each combined association will be considered the home association.

• For example: If Mississauga and Etobicoke decide to host U16A as a combined team, any Etobicoke player who played in Burlington for one or two years, must try-out for the combined team as their home association is now hosting an A level team.

• The host team will also become the current association for any athletes from outside of the combined associations.

• For example: If an athlete from Caledonia is selected to be on the combined team of Paris and Cambridge and Paris is the host, the Caledonia athlete becomes current to Paris.

Tryouts:

• A player may attend as many tryouts as they wish. Through this process it is the  responsibility of the player to make sure that their Home Association knows where she/he is trying out and it is the responsibility of the association running tryouts to report the players’ attendance.
• Tryouts are conducted by each Association in keeping with their established Operating Procedures. However, the timelines contained in this document should be incorporated into these various procedures.
• Athletes MUST go to tryouts at their home or current association if they offer the age and level the athlete intends to try out for.  A bona fide effort must be given by the athlete and release obtained before an offer can be given by another association.
• NO roster spot can be offered to an athlete that does not follow the rules of movement.  
• The SRRA Executive Committee will have the authority to ensure that proper tryout procedures are being followed by associations and to recommend the levy of up to a $500  fine and loss of team for Associations not following the rules and processes in place.

Player Release Form and Closest Association Matrix:

• It is critical that all parties understand and treat the Player Release Form like a contract. Once signed, the parties are bound by the agreement. The team is committed to the athlete and the athlete is committed to the team.
• If an athlete receives an offer from an outside association, the acceptance must be in accordance with the Closest Association Rule in the following priority order: 

1. from your home association, or then
2. from your then current association, or then
3. from the closest association within their region, then the next closest and so on according to the Southern Distance Matrix (At the end of this document).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jidbSmH_N0qUZM3qwCllEWDCYbE6Pip6/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100287768383383226536&rtpof=true&sd=true

• When an association representative emails out a roster spot offered letter, and the athlete is from an outside association, they will also include the release form.  https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RO-Player-Release-Form-Update.pdf
• If a player plays Out of Region on a release, then in the subsequent year, they must restart the release process within their region before they return to the Out of Region Current Association.

Recruitment & Solicitation of Players 

● Any recruitment or solicitation of players by associations, Coaches/Bench Staff is completely  prohibited and the consequence of this action may result in a fine and loss of team. 

https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PLAYER-RECRUITMENT-GUIDELINES.pdf 

● No Offers to Play may be made until the Home and/or Current Associations have made  “Roster Spot Not Offered” releases or no team is being hosted by the Home or Current  Associations. This process must follow the Closest Association Matrix.

Recruitment & Solicitation of Players From Outside of Southern Region

• No solicitation or recruitment of players of ANY KIND is allowed.
• Association representatives must have release forms in hand before any roster spot can be offered to any player no matter what region they are coming from (Central or Western).
• The consequences will follow the same process as above.

Decline or Refusing a Roster Spot: 

A player who declines a roster spot on an AA or A team, must return to their home association and play on their lower level team. This means if a player tries out for AA at home or another centre; is offered a spot and declines the offer, then the only option is to play at the A, B or C level offered at home. The player doesn’t have the opportunity to try out for an A team at any other centre.

• For example: if a player from Paris is offered a roster spot for a AA team in  Cambridge and they refuse the spot, they must return to Paris. If the next level of  play in Paris is regional B, that player must play regional B. They cannot try-out in Hamilton for the A team.

It is considered a decline on a roster spot when the player cannot commit to the  expectations outlined in the ‘Offer to Play’ letter. It is left at the discretion of the  association to take the player on their team without committing in full to the expectations.  Associations can question the players prior to tryouts to make sure they will be able to fully  commit to the expectations of AA or A level of play and recommend not to try out if they  cannot fully commit.

• For example: a AA ringette team is expected to be the priority sport for the player;  however, it isn’t and the player will miss ringette when there is a conflict with his/her other sport activity. This is considered a decline of the roster spot and the  player must return to their home association and play on the lower level team. 

Accepting a Roster Spot

• Athletes who accept a roster spot must treat it as a contract.  If the athlete chooses to leave the team, they originally accepted to play on; they cannot play on a provincial team in any other association in Southern region or in any other region.  Leaving a team will be treated as declining a roster spot.

• Example: If a Richmond Hill player accepts a spot on the Richmond Hill A team and has signed the roster spot offered agreement, they cannot leave that team to accept a roster spot on a AA team in Ajax.  The only option would be to play at the next level down at the home association.

• Southern Region will do their best to work with neighbouring regions to coordinate tryout dates, but this is not a guarantee.  If an athlete is pursuing a higher-level team in another region, the athlete may ask for an extension on the roster spot offered agreement.  The coach or association member is not required to give the extension.
• If an athlete has accepted to play on a AA or A team, but is then offered a spot on a NRL team, they may only play as an AP player, otherwise they will be subject to fines and forfeit registration fees.

Tribunal Process

• If at any time a player, coach or association has a grievance with the tryout process, they may opt for a tribunal.
• SRRA will follow the process outlined by Ringette Ontario, but within the region.
• Tribunals require a fee to be paid by the complainant.
• https://ringetteontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RO-Appeal-Policy-Jan-2020.pdf

Links to Forms and Documents:(Coming Soon) 

Player Tryout/Release Form 

SRRA Willing-To-Host Form 

SRRA Offer to Play Letter 

SRRA Roster Spot not Offered Letter

Southern Region Distance Matrix for Player Movement