Whitemud West Appeal Process:

The VP Evaluations, along with the Whitemud West Board of Directors have worked very hard to develop an evaluation process that is fair, consistent, and comprehensive that will result in players participating at a level that is based upon their skill level when comparing them to athletes of the same age and category. This evaluation process is detailed on the Whitemud West website under the evaluations tab.

Upon receiving notice of their final team placement and participating in 1-2 practices, if a player/parent believes that there was either an error made in the evaluation score calculation for their player or they believe that the process was not followed for their player, they are entitled to appeal the player placement. Advancing an appeal places the burden on the player/parent making the appeal to explain the reasons for the appeal.

 

PLAYER PLACEMENT APPEAL GUIDELINES

The following outlines the appeal process:

1. Players/parents are to attend 1-2 practices prior to making the decision to initiate a formal appeal. During this time, we encourage the player/parent to review the website and discuss their concerns with the VP Evaluations. It is our experience that this dialogue resolves nearly all placement concerns. At this time, Whitemud West will provide the player/parent with a scoring report card based on the evaluations from our third-party evaluators to assist in the decision making of an appeal.
2. If the player/parent wishes to advance the appeal, an appeal form must be submitted to the VP Evaluations within 7 days of the player being notified of their team placement. The Appeal form can be found below.
3. The Appeal form must be accompanied by a $100 deposit. This deposit will only be returned to the appealing player/parent in the event that the appeal is successful.
4. The review process consists of VP Evaluations and Category Director watching the player at a practice to see the player with their team and assess their placement. We then use this on-ice assessment in addition to their evaluation scores, previous coach feedback, and any other data points to form a decision on whether the player should be moved or not.
5. The VP Evaluations will notify the appealing player/parent of their decision as soon as possible after receiving notice of the appeal, deposit and assessing player with current team.
6. The decision of the VP Evaluations and Category Director will be final and binding.

Factors Considered by the Appeal Committee:

1. Is there room for player movement; such that team sizes remain in compliance with the Hockey Edmonton guidelines and requirements for team sizes. This includes the guidelines for team size and differentiation of team sizes within a community.
2. Was there an error in the evaluation score calculations that materially compromised the placement of the player?
3. If the appeal is based on a player’s sickness, injury, or partial attendance, was notification of the sickness, injury or inability to attend a session given by the player/parent?
4. The position of the player in relation to the desired team.
5. Was the appeal made in the timelines required by Whitemud West, in the required written form and accompanied by the required deposit as set out above in the Appeal Process?

 

Unacceptable Reasons for an Appeal:

The following are examples of some of the unacceptable reasons for an appeal:

1. Desire to play with a particular player or players on another team.
2. Desire to play for a particular coach or assistant coach.
3. Desire not to play with a particular player or players on the assigned team.
4. Desire not to play for a particular coach or assistant coach on the assigned team.
5. Previous year(s) performance or placement alone.
6. Placement in relation to another particular player or players.

 

Questions or concerns involving the placement of player(s) should be directed to VP Evaluations. vpevaluations@whitemudwest.com