Welcome to the 2025–2026 Hockey Season Evaluations
Dear Whitemud West players and families,
I hope this message finds you well and looking forward to the upcoming hockey season. I personally cannot believe we are already talking hockey as summer seems to be flying by. My name is Kumail Moledina, and I am the VP of Evaluations for Whitemud West Hockey Association. I would like to welcome you to another exciting year of minor hockey as we prepare to begin our player evaluations.
What Evaluations Are All About
The purpose of our evaluation process in the U9, U11, and U13 age groups is to ensure players are placed in an environment that supports their development and enjoyment of the game. Our goal is to evaluate players fairly and consistently so they can be grouped with peers of similar skill and ability. This approach allows each player to grow, compete, and contribute effectively throughout the season.
We recognize the importance of evaluations to both players and families. Our commitment is to maintain a process that is transparent, fair and respectful of each participant. Below is an overview of what to expect.
Independent Third-Party Evaluators
Whitemud West has engaged independent third-party evaluators to assess all players and goalies. For the 2025–2026 season, evaluations will be conducted using an electronic platform. Evaluators will record scores using mobile devices, and goalies will be assessed by a dedicated goalie evaluator.
Each player will be evaluated by a minimum of four evaluators per game. Final scores will reflect the average of these assessments. For more information on how scoring works, please refer to the Evaluation Scoring and Goalie Evaluation pages on our website.
Timed Seeding Skates
Evaluations begin with a seeding skate consisting of two-timed drills that measure forward and backward skating ability. If a player falls during a drill, the on-ice evaluator will determine whether a retry is appropriate. All times are recorded and ranked, and these rankings are used to form initial skate groups for the first scrimmage.
This step ensures players are matched with others of similar skating ability, allowing for more accurate and meaningful evaluations during scrimmages.
Scrimmages
Following the seeding skate, players will participate in two scrimmage games. Groupings will be adjusted between scrimmages based on evaluation results. These games provide an opportunity for players to demonstrate their skills, teamwork, and understanding of the game.
· U9 players will not be assigned specific positions.
· U11 players will be assigned a position each shift by the bench lead and are expected to play that position.
· U13 players will confirm their preferred position (Forward or Defence) at check-in. While players will rotate through both positions during scrimmages, evaluators will assess them primarily based on their preferred position.
Players are expected to approach scrimmages with a positive attitude and demonstrate sportsmanship throughout the process.
Team Formation
Once evaluations are complete, a team of five—including the category director—will review all results to form teams. Team placement is based solely on evaluation data from the seeding skate and scrimmages.
Our objective is to create balanced and competitive teams across all tiers and age groups, in alignment with Hockey Alberta’s Standardized Tiering Model. For example, if Whitemud West has two Tier 2 teams in an age group, players will be assigned using a snake draft format based on evaluation scores to ensure fairness and balance.
Coaches are selected after teams are formed and do not participate in the team selection process. Returning players in the same age group may have their placement influenced by prior tier and evaluation history, in addition to current evaluation results. Please note that moving to a new age group may result in a different tier placement due to changes in skill and size across categories.
Changes
We would like to highlight two changes to the evaluation process for the 2025–2026 season:
- Updated Appeal Process: Our appeal process has been revised to provide greater clarity. Full details are available on our website prior to the start of evaluations.
- U11 Seeding Drill Modification: For the U11 category, one of the seeding drills will now incorporate pucks. This adjustment is intended to better reflect game-like conditions.
Evaluation Schedule
Evaluation dates and times are now posted. Specific skate groups and assigned times will be available on our website by the end of August. All registration requirements must be completed by August 26th. Players who are not fully registered by this date will not be permitted to participate in evaluations.
We understand that evaluations can be both exciting and challenging. Whitemud West is committed to supporting players and families throughout this process. The experience gained during evaluations is an important part of each player’s development, both on and off the ice.
Thank you for being part of our hockey community and for helping us maintain a positive and respectful environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to myself. We wish all players the absolute best during evaluations and look forward to a successful season ahead.
Kumail Moledina
VP, Evaluations
vpevaluations@whitemudwest.com
Whitemud West Hockey Association