U11 AAA Pilot Project for 2024-25 Season
Hockey NL Minor Council Launches U11AAA Pilot Project for 2024-25 Season
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL – Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minor Council is proud to announce the launch of the U11AAA Pilot Project, an exciting initiative designed to provide U11 players the opportunity to experience AAA hockey in a more flexible and cost-effective format. This pilot project, managed by the Newfoundland and Labrador AAA Hockey League, will run throughout the 2024-2025 season.
Program Overview
The U11AAA Pilot Project will feature four weekend tournaments taking place between November and February, with each team playing a minimum of four games per weekend. This initiative offers young players exposure to competitive hockey without the extensive time and financial commitment often associated with a full season.
Participating teams will include one team each from the Tripen, Central, and Western zones, with additional rotational participation from Eastern zone teams. Players from the Avalon, CBR, Mount Pearl, Paradise, St. John’s, Northeast, and Goulds/Southern Shore will participate on a rotational basis, ensuring a broad representation of talent. The pilot has been created to address the needs from a select membership demographic for an earlier entry to best on best competition, while still being commitment to the U11 player pathways an skill development through local association programming.
Key Program Details
- Teams are permitted to practice once per month.
- Participation will not interfere with association-based hockey, as players are required to obtain permission from their home association to attend tournament weekends.
- No standings or statistics will be recorded, with the emphasis placed on development and enjoyment.
- Rosters will consist of 20 skaters and 2 goalies per team, ensuring all players receive fair playing time.
- Tryouts will be held in late October or early November.
- Players from U9 playing up in U11 or U11 playing up in U13 are not eligible to participate in this pilot program.
The program follows a strict Ice Time Allocation Policy to promote fairness, requiring equal playing time for all players. Coaches are responsible for monitoring adherence to this policy, and any violation will result in the removal of the coach from the program.
Application & Registration
Coaching applications are now open and will close on October 12th, 2024. Player registration for the U11AAA Pilot Project closes on October 10th, 2024. Interested applicants can apply through the following links:
- Coaches Application: https://forms.gle/jTVy8Mjspm4kmLy99
- Tripen Registration: https://forms.gle/5ziHM2DUYRm18dWF9
- Central Registration: https://forms.gle/MwRtK8bxhnaMhykk9
- Western Registration: https://forms.gle/Qg3Fb8tPVZwkuKwX9
For more details on the U11AAA Pilot Program, visit the Newfoundland and Labrador AAA Hockey League website: www.nlaaahl.ca.
Quotes
“Minor Council is excited to introduce U11 players to our elite stream of hockey. This pilot will help ensure the growth of our AAA programs throughout the province.”
– Greg Barton, Chair of Minor Hockey
“The U11AAA Pilot Project will allow selected players and families the experience of participating in the AAA stream in Hockey NL without committing to a full season. Players will participate in weekend competition structured like other AAA programs in the province. This will provide a valuable experience for all involved and better prepare them for what may come next season.”
– Marcus Power, Manager, Development, and High Performance
For Any Questions Contact:
Craig Tulk
Executive Director
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
Tel: 709-489-5512, Email: ctulk@hockeynl.ca
