NCWHL - Northern California Women's Hockey League

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IN THE NEWS
06/07/08	Give Hockey A Try Day (GHATD) is July 26, 2008
06/07/08	Summer 2008 Registration is CLOSED!
04/02/08	Summer 2008 Schedule [HTML]
02/02/08	General Membership Meeting 2008 (PDF - 328KB)

Ice Slot Days/Times/Locations
  Friday 9:00pm Fremont
  Saturday 6:00pm Fremont
  Sunday 4:15pm Fremont
  Sunday 5:45pm Fremont
  Sunday 5:30pm Belmont
  Sunday 7:00pm Belmont
  Tuesday 8:15pm Belmont

Need Hockey Gear?
Click here for the what and where of hockey gear.

League Policies & Rules

Player Placements

The NCWHL has four divisions of play and the League tries hard to ensure that all players are playing at the level most appropriate for their skill level. All divisions, except for the beginner Green Division, require a player to be assessed through the placement process. The NCWHL Placement Coordinator organizes the placement process.

Types of Evaluations

The league has three types of evaluations: Summer/ Winter season placements, league-wide evaluations and mid-season placements.

a) Summer/Winter placements

Season placements occur at the beginning of each season, usually in March and September. Placements are required for players new to the league, returning players who have skipped more than one season, and players requesting placement in a new division. These sessions are also attended by returning players for conditioning, practicing skills and to provide benchmarks for the evaluators to rate skaters under evaluation.

b) League-wide evaluations

The league-wide evaluations are conducted at the discretion of the NCWHL Board and replace the season evaluation. Reasons for a league-wide evaluation include rebalancing divisions to maintain the competitive level and spirit of each division, moving players to the division that best suits their skills and promoting respectful sportsmanship. See FAQs for more information.

c) Mid-season placements

If you are new to the league, a returning player who has skipped more than one season or a player requesting placement in a new division and register after regular placements sessions, you will need to go through a mid-season evaluation to assure your placement in the division appropriate to your skill set. Mid-season placements are coordinated through the specific Division Coordinators. See Mid-Season Evaluation Policy for more information.

Placements Sessions

Skaters requesting placement in a particular division must attend two placement sessions at the beginning of the season in order to be evaluated. All players should attend all placement sessions as per the evaluation schedule posted each season. If a player who requires placement cannot attend any scheduled placement session, it is her obligation to contact the NCWHL Placement Coordinator to make arrangements for alternative evaluations. This is considered an excused absence. If a player who requires placement misses a placement session without prior arrangements for alternative evaluations, she may be placed at the discretion of the placement committee. Any player missing all sessions, excused or not, will be placed at the discretion of the placement committee.

Assessments & Placement

Evaluations are completed by knowledgeable volunteers from outside the league and NCWHL players in divisions above the level being evaluated. The goal is to be as fair and objective as possible and to place skaters in the division most suited to their skill level based on a clear set of criteria as outlined by the League.

We aim to have all skaters evaluated by at least three different, anonymous evaluators over two sessions. Skaters are assessed for level and strength in skating and hockey skills in both drills and scrimmages using standardized forms for rating skaters. Benchmark skaters are a representative selection of the current division's skaters.

Skaters are scored in comparison with the average, and not lowest, division benchmark skaters to help maintain division speed and skill levels.

After all assessments are over, placements are based the numerical scores by the evaluators. Borderline scores will be considered in conjunction with noted comments and recommendations by the evaluators, the Division Coordinator and the Placement Coordinator. Tallied evaluation forms will be filed with the NCWHL Board.

Final placement is communicated as the division in which a skater is placed, by the Division Coordinator with notes from the Placement Coordinator to those who were not placed as requested. Numerical scores will not be provided. Final placements are absolute and not subject to appeal. Comments and recommendations can be provided to the evaluated skater so they can work on skills needed for the next level for the following season.

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