LTAD ERRA Working Group Meeting – November 25, 2009

 

Present: Kim Noxon (ERRA), Byron Johnson (ERRA), Ellorie Hanson (ORA), Rob Hanson (GCRA), Karen Fishwick (NRA), Paul McCloskey (NRA), Mike Hogan (WORA), Rob McKean (WORA), Chuck Robineau (MDRA)

 **Suggestions in Red came from the ERRA’s LTAD Q&A Session on January 5th**

 
U-7 Suggestions 

  • Some kids spend too long at bunnies – bunny coaches need to encourage them to move up to Novice Rec (U-9) if they are too advanced.
  • Need to cap the number of bunnies or offer more hours for bunnies, because they require a 1-5 ratio in order to learn properly – WORA has a problem with this because they have too many bunnies so they can’t fit that many instructors on the ice for all of those bunnies – suggestion to have another bunny hour to develop these kids properly.

 

U-9 Suggestions 

  • Important for these kids to be following the rules as written, no modifications, but perhaps some leniency from the refs especially at the beginning of the season.
    • There are coaches on the ice to help the kids remember the rules
    • Need to make the rules uniformly enforced from an officiating perspective.
    • Need to make the rules uniformly enforced from Province to Province – there should be a Ringette Canada mandate for all provinces to follow the rules as written.
  • Nepean Ringette Association already piloted a project at their tournament wherein the Novice Recs did not have scores posted, and so did not have a final, but instead had a party with ice cream and crafts – the kids loved it! 
    • Novice Recs in the NCRRL already do not play with the scores posted.

 

U-10 and U-12 Suggestions 

  • Call-ups should be encouraged more frequently as a way of developing players.
  • Need to come up with an equal-ice policy, ie coloured bands.
  • Potential for just two tiers instead of 4 at U-12, and maybe just one at U-10
    • Then, depending on the how the teams progress from a non-tiered sort-out, divide the teams halfway through the season.
  • No tiering at U-10 is acceptable – would require more coaches on the ice in order to have more stations – possibility for tiering at practices, but not at games… Could have association-wide practices for all U-10 players, if someone needs to work on their skating they would go to a practice where skating would be the focus, for example.
  • Major problem with tiering is that those at the lower end don’t have the same access to resources/coaches/etc… instead of non-tiering, equal access to resources – ie: same amount of practices, etc.
  • QUESTION:  Does tiering really solve the issues that are caused by competitive vs community?  Are there different ways to address the problems?  What are the direct, tangible results of non-tiering?  Is it a cultural issue?  How is it going to work, and what will it look like eventually?
  • Current U-10 C shouldn’t be split just based solely on their scores – could be the difference between an established goalie and a new one in some instances.
  • Proposal to have a U-9, U-10, U11, U12?
  • Focus need to be on improving coaching at the community levels.
  • IMPLEMENTATION
    • WHY ARE WE DOING THIS??
      • Need to be able to answer this question for implementation
    • Important to preface discussions with, “we want your kid to attain her fullest potential ability”
    • Following a certain age group (ie: 2002), see how it works at each level and adjust accordingly – just change Novice C, see how that works, then incorporate B, then Petite, once results have been proven… or not
    • Making the changes at Novice and watching what happens will be a predictor for what to do at Petite
      • Is it resulting in increased development?
      • Are they changing the ratios (ie: maybe less games in the season)?  How is that working?
    • MANDATES NEED TO BE SET AND MAINTAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY (ORA, ERRA, OR NCRRL)
    • Use the skills-testing pilot at Petite over the next few years to see if how the Novices coming up in the new method compare to those who did the testing in 2009/2010.
      • Use this to help develop the action plan
  • Eastern Region willing to pilot a process wherein the feasibility of non-tiering at U-10 would be evaluated.  In March 2010, we would ask Novice C and B teams to come out and be sorted vertically into two new teams that would play against each other in an exhibition game – chance to evaluate who would pass to each other, etc.
  • Suggestion for pilot wherein Novice C teams are balanced at the beginning of the year, and then at Christmas they are seeded into two divisions because chemistry, coaching, etc can all play a part in how the teams develop and it is not fun for any team to come out and lose 7-0 every game – even if the scores are not posted, the teams still know that they are losing by a lot every game.
  • Potential for U-10 “tournament team” for those of a higher skill level across the region.

 

U-14 and U16 Suggestions 

  • Some kids are not interested in the same level of commitment and this affects their access to resources.
    • Ratio of one practice to one game – there are people who chose to play community based on this ratio, their financial and time commitment to the sport does not exceed this expectation
  • ORA needs to mandate the maximum number of tournaments and games each team is allowed to participate in per season (helps with ice resources as well, relieves pressure – for example there are 4 major tournaments in the ERRA/year, eats a lot of ice)
  • Incorporate a dry-land in before or after a game to get closer to the expected ratios
  • ORA needs to be more assertive about teams being allowed to declare themselves Provincial A teams – others (ie: Nepean 2, Oshawa P) could maybe play up in league, but not be allowed to go to Provincials – they could participate in A levels at tournaments, because fewer As would mean the ability to host ranking tournaments, so they could go to all but the ranking ones.
  • Ranking tournaments useful because they de-emphasize winning, because it doesn’t matter how you place (you will end up playing the same teams at Provincials anyway), the coaches are not trying to win, therefore no shortened benches, etc.  Suggestion would be however that instead of Eastern teams playing Eastern teams, that Eastern teams would meet Western teams at these tournaments as well – not really ranking tournaments, more a chance to see the competition and try out new things when winning is not the end goal.

 

U-19 Suggestions 

  • Expected ratios are maybe lopsided – Belles do a lot of practicing for a 40:60 ratio… Perhaps less standardized expectations for Belles, more like Opens.

 

Coaching Suggestions 

  • Orientation session for new coaches
    • Ask new coaches what their exposure to ringette has been.
  • Year-long development for coaches
  • Need more resources on how to coach skills
  • Important to develop coaches to understand LTAD principles (ie: smiley face chart)
  • Coaching needs to spend more time coaching coaches how to coach – one weekend is not enough
  • Look for mentor coaches in the association
  • Key to making LTAD work at the younger levels is the coaching
  • Skills sessions for advanced coaches as well (or those who have been coaching for 2+ years).
  • Session where those who have never before played the sport come out and scrimmage.

 

General Suggestions

  • ORA and the regions need to communicate on their website a short blurb about what exactly is happening with LTAD right now – For example right now we’re piloting and implementation will start ___.
  • We need to look at what LTAD for the C player.