John Zimmerman posted on January 30, 2012 20:58
Hello TYH members,
Hope your season is going well. We are already past the half way point of this season. From this point on the season seems to fly by. Weekend tournaments are in full swing, play-downs are right around the corner, then we start preparing for State Tournaments. Sometimes this time of year brings on a little anxiety with parents and players. I just wanted to remind you of our fair play time policy. Please see below. Fair play time is not equal play time. Coaches have the discretion of play time for tournaments and especially play-downs. In these critical games sometimes they make a few game play changes. And usually at this point coaches have used players in situations they normally wouldn't play in to see who can and can't handle certain situations. Remember that these games are just a fraction of the hockey season. However, with that being said every coach we have in our association loves the sport of hockey. They want all of the kids on their team to love the game. They will do what they can to try and make sure every skater is able to be part of the team and experience these exciting games.
Policy B-6: Fair Playing Time
Tornado Youth Hockey strives for equal playing time to the fullest extent possible; however, the dynamics of each game may impact a precise playing time distribution. While it is advantageous to change shifts (lines) in an evenly timed manner, game conditions such as field of play, play stoppage, penalty situations, player match-ups and opponent strategy can all impact a coach’s decision. Additionally, defensive players may see more playing time than forwards since there are typically fewer defensive lines and players to rotate. Coaches are expected to treat players fairly with respect to playing time, i.e., as equal as possible given game conditions. There may however, be other occasions where a player plays less time in one game, only to be balanced by playing more time in other games. Coaches are also given discretion to adjust playing time in other situations as follows:
- On power plays
- On penalty kills
- In state play-down and tournament situations
- When player discipline issues exist
- During the last two minutes of each period in a league game when the score is close.
At times parents tend to focus on their own skater’s playing time without regard to the conditions noted above. If after carefully considering all conditions a chronic playing time shortage is noted, the matter can be addressed constructively with the coach. However, always keep in mind the discretion that coaches are given as noted above. There is a 24 hour cooling down period.
Thank you for your time. Good luck for the rest of the season, especially in Hudson next weekend.