EASTERN REGION RINGETTE ASSOCIATION
ERRA AAA TEAM POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Administration
By August 1st of every even numbered year (ie. 2014, 2016, 2018 etc.), ERRA will form an High Performance Committee who will oversee the selection of the AAA team Head Coach, organize the try-out sessions and assist with the selection of the team players.
The High Performance Committee will normally be composed of the ERRA High Performance Coordinator, the ERRA Vice-Chair responsible for the High Performance program and two other members, chosen by the ERRA executive.
Finances
The High Performance Coordinator will develop a budget to ensure that registration fees are sufficient to pay for all expenses associated with the team selection process. The costs of the selection sessions (ice rental, tryout jerseys, referees, etc.) are paid for by the registration fees. Any remaining proceeds (after all costs are paid) will be donated to the AAA team to offset their costs.
Team fees are set and administered by the team itself based on the number and location of Challenge Cups for the season as well as other associated team costs. The team is responsible for paying the entry fee associated with all Challenge Cups.
ERRA assumes the cost for participants' fees associated with the Ontario Winter Games. If the ERRA elects to change this precedent it must be done by a majority vote by the ERRA executive and ratified at the ERRA AGM preceding the next Ontario Winter Games.
The team must submit a budget for the season to the ERRA High Performance Coordinator no later than two weeks prior to the first tryout session. No later than two weeks after the Ontario Winter Games, the team must submit to the ERRA High Performance Coordinator a comparison of actual results to budgeted results.
Funding may be available through the ORA (Quest For Gold) or other similar agencies.
Coach/Staff Selection
By September 15th of every even numbered year, all member associations will be solicited to have potential head coaches submit an e-mail application to the ERRA High Performance Coordinator expressing their interest. The deadline for submissions will be December 1.
The High Performance Committee will assess the applications and their merits and will determine which applicants are granted an interview. Upon completion of the interviews, one head coach will be selected and all applicants will be notified of the Committee's decision. The name of the head coach will be announced by December 31.
After their appointment, the head coach, in consultation with the High Performance Committee, will select the remainder of the bench staff - 2 assistant coaches, 1 trainer and 1 team manager.
The number of bench staff selected for the team directly impacts the funding for the Ontario Winter Games and will be decided in consultation with the ORA High Performance Chair.
Team Selection
The AAA try-out notification will be posted on the ERRA web site and distributed to all member associations by November 15th of each even-numbered year. Member associations are responsible for contacting all age eligible players (currently registered in second-year U14 and older) within their respective associations and notifying them of the AAA try-outs. Interested players will be required to complete a registration form, which will be available on line, and mail it to the High Performance Coordinator. Players will also be required to mail payment to the ERRA Treasurer. Players will not be considered registered until their payment has cleared. Player applications will be due by February 15'th of each odd-numbered year.
The registration fee will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary each Ontario Winter Games year based on the cost of ice rentals and the projected number of participants.
ERRA will book a minimum of four ice sessions, totaling seventeen hours of ice time, to be used to select the team. The number of ice sessions and total hours of ice time may be reviewed and adjusted as necessary to accommodate greater than anticipated registrations.
Try-out jerseys will be purchased and distributed to the registrants at the start of the first session. Try-out jerseys will be purchased in equal numbers of four different colours in order to facilitate inter-squad scrimmages. Each registrant may keep their try-out jersey.
A minimum of three qualified assessors will be selected by the head coach in consultation with the High Performance Committee to select the AAA team. These evaluators must have no conflict of interest with any of the players trying out for the team and must be a minimum of 18 years of age. The players will be selected based on the evaluations of the assessment team in consultation with the head coach and bench staff. The ERRA Regional High Performance Coordinator and Regional VP responsible for this program (or their designates) will attend all discussions regarding final player selection. This is for the purpose of understanding the rationale used in forming the team, to promote transparency and to provide these individuals with sufficient knowledge of what transpired to be able to respond to any questions that may arise.
No player decisions will be made prior to the completion of the second ice session. All player decisions, including the final selection, are to be made either by sealed envelope at the conclusion of the ice session or by email, at the coach’s discretion. All registrants must participate in all ice sessions in order to be considered for the team. In the case of injury or other extenuating circumstances, the registrant must advise the High Performance Coordinator in writing of their inability to participate in all of the sessions and the reasons why. The High Performance Committee, in consultation with the head coach, will make a determination as to whether the registrant should be considered for the team. Full registration fee must be paid before any player may be selected for the AAA team.
The number of players selected for the team directly impacts the funding for the Ontario Winter Games and will be decided in consultation with the ORA High Performance Chair.
Uniforms
ERRA AAA complete uniforms (jerseys and pants, twenty of each) will be purchased new by ERRA every six years, starting in 2011.
At the conclusion of an Ontario Winter Games year, Eastern Region AAA team members will have the option to order a jersey to keep at their own expense. The team set will not be split for individual sales as replacement jerseys could be of a different dye lot. At the conclusion of an Ontario Winter Games year when the entire set of jerseys is to be replaced, the ERRA executive may consider selling the home jerseys to the players on the team. The price would be established based on the replacement cost.
Off-ice wear
Once the team is formed, the team may purchase off-ice uniforms. The uniform design must be approved by the ERRA through the ERRA High Performance Coordinator before purchasing.
Last Amended June 29, 2014