The Port Moody Lacrosse Association (PMLA) currently has teams playing in age group divisions of 6U Mini-Tyke, 8U Tyke, 10U Novice, 12U Peewee, 16U Bantam and 18U Midget. For any players in divisions where the PMLA puts forward more than one team, PMLA will hold player evaluations prior to the season and assignment to teams.
Ideally, the evaluators of the players will consist of the head coaches, outside evaluators and assistant coaches. There should never be less than four evaluators.
Player Evaluation
While observing drills and game play, evaluators will observe and grade the player’s in the following areas: Categories (compete level, pass/catch and shooting) and will assign each player an overall rating between 1 – 5, with 5 being the highest.
The Player grading scale is as follows:
1 – Developing, 3 – Competent, and 5 – Above Average
After the overall ratings are completed, the rating sheets will be handed to the Division Manager. The Division Manager will review the evaluation sheets and provide a number for each player by averaging the evaluators scores.
Player Assignment to Teams
1. When Balanced Teams are Required
The PMLA is required to put forward balanced teams in the Mini-Tyke and Tyke divisions. Additionally, when fielding two teams in a particular age category that both play in the same division (e.g. if the PMLA were to field two Novice B teams) the PMLA would be required to ensure the teams are balanced. In those situations, the players will be assigned as follows.
- Head Coaches will draw a playing card from 2-9 with the coach with the highest card picking first.
- The draft will be a snake draft (1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4 and so on).
- All players in one rank must be picked before moving to the next ranked player (all player’s with a 5 ranking must be taken before going to the players in 4).
- Once the player draft is completed, coaches will draw from cards representing one of each of the drafted teams. The coach doing the drafting is not guaranteed to be coaching that team.
- If a coach has a child in another group, that player is assigned to the coach’s team and traded with a player of equal ranking (i.e. if coach’s child is ranked 4, that player is assigned to the coach and an equal ranking 4 player is assigned to the other team).
- Coaches may have one assistant coach assigned and in attendance at the draft. The movement of the assistant coach’s child is the same as described above.
2. Tiered Team Selection
Division tiering is established by the British Columbia Lacrosse Association (BCLA) and requirements set out in the Lower Mainland Minor Lacrosse Association (LMMLC) operating policies. The intent of tiering is to create a game where like skilled players play within their talent levels. Where tiering is required, it is the goal of the PMLA to put its most competitive team in the highest division in which it will compete. The PMLA will not condone the stacking of lower ranked teams.
After player evaluations, and player ratings have been assigned, the coach of the division’s top team will put together a list of the players assigned to that team. This list will then be shared with the division manager who will cross reference it with the player ratings. It is the head coach’s role to select the team he or she feels will be the most competitive. If two players are ranked the same after evaluations, it is the head coach’s decision as to which of the players is selected. If the head coach has selected a player ranked lower than those not named on the team, the Division Manager, the head coach and a member of the executive will meet to discuss and finalize the team. The head coach may have valid reasons for selecting a player to the team who did not score well during evaluations, such as defensive ability, shooting hand, past playing history, commitment or other criteria that was not evident through the evaluation process. The head coach, Division Manager, and member of the executive will, after listening to reasons, vote on the issue, with the majority opinion being final. This will repeat until all teams have their players assigned.
Late Additions or Missed Evaluations – The PMLA would like players to make the evaluations a priority; however, it is recognized that some players will miss evaluations due to other commitments or circumstances. A player that misses evaluations, or is a late registrant, may be invited out to practice and added to any of the competitive rosters. The team playing in the highest division will have the first opportunity to add the player to their roster. Again, it is a goal of the PMLA to have the best players playing in the most competitive division. No player may be dropped from the team he or she was selected to after the first regular season game.
Player Attendance at Evaluations – it is strongly encouraged that PMLA players attend all the evaluations sessions. To be eligible to play for the division’s top teams players must attend at least 50% of the evaluation sessions. If a player is not able to meet this criteria, written notice is to be provided, in advance, to the Division Manager for the player’s age group. The first alternative will be to evaluate the player during Development sessions. If that is not possible the process for late additions and missed evaluations will be followed.
Notification of Team Assignments
A formal email will be sent indicting team placement on the same calendar day for all divisions.
