Sort Out Process

Before the regular season begins, typically following the Thanksgiving holiday in October, registered U9 through to U18 players only undergo conditioning and sort-out sessions where they are evaluated and tiered based on their level of skill and knowledge. Teams are then created and balanced in an effort to give each player the best opportunity to develop and succeed. The balancing of teams and divisions is an art! The WEHL does its best to ensure a healthy balance; however, there is no perfect formula as all depends on the number of registrants within WEHL and the BMHL as well as the personal development level of each player (and there are hundreds!).

A summary of sort-out details for our Junior (U9), Intermediate (U11 & U13) and Senior (U15 & U18) levels can be found here. This process will help to provide the WEHL with fair and balanced teams and gives a transparent understanding for players, parents and volunteers. There are no try-outs, players are not “cut” and all players will be placed on a team to best match their skill and development level. The division Convenor leads the process with the assistance of the Level VP and volunteers including coaches, parents and students.

IMPORTANT: Under Hockey Eastern Ontario player pathway policy, the WEHL adopts the U9 Player Pathway and U11 Player Pathway, which includes guidelines for evaluation (sort-outs), team selection and more.

Junior Level Process (U9 only)

U7 Coaches submit initial recommendations for where a player would be best grouped in the next season given their current skills and development. The information is confidential and is only used by the Convenor to create initial balancing groups before the start of the regular season.

The initial balancing groups will vary in number and size, depending on the number of registrants in a given year and will likely be maintained until the end of the evaluation sessions.

In September and prior to the start of the regular season, all U9 players are offered four (4x) conditioning sessions to prepare for the season per Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) Player Pathway guidelines. These sessions are for fun and conditioning, and will not be evaluated.

Players will then participate in at least one (1x) skills evaluation session. These sessions consist of a series of drills designed to test skating, shooting, puck control and passing proficiency.

Based on the results, the Convenor will assign players to a A-, B-, or C-level team with 9-10 players per A-level team and 10-15 players per B- and C-level teams. The number of players per team will depend on the overall number of players in the division and take into consideration HEO’s guidelines for team distribution. The balancing team assignments are not final teams. Friend requests are not part of the balancing process, and will only be considered under certain circumstances.

Each team plays at least one balancing game with other U9 WEHL teams, and final team assignments will be communicated by the Convenor in late September or early October.

Practices and scrimmages will be scheduled prior to the start of the regular season in November to support team and player development.

Intermediate Level Process (U11 & U13)

Coaches from the season prior submit initial placement recommendations for where a player would be best placed in the next season given their current skills and development. The information is confidential and is only used by the Convenor to create initial balancing teams before the start of the regular season.

Each initial balancing team is expected to have approximately 12-15 players, depending on the number of registrants in a given year. These are not final teams and the team make-up may change over the course of the sort-out process.

In September and prior to the start of the regular season, players are offered four (4x) conditioning sessions to prepare for the season per Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) Player Pathway guidelines. These sessions are for fun and conditioning, and will not be evaluated.

Players will then participate in two (2x) skills evaluation sessions. These sessions consist of a series of drills designed to test skating, shooting, puck control and passing proficiency.

Based on these results only (no draft), the Convenor will re-evaluate and if necessary, reassign players to a A-, B- or C-level team. The final number of teams for each level (i.e. A, B, or C) will depend on the number of registrants in a given year, both within the WEHL and across the District, and on Hockey Eastern Ontario and Bytown Minor Hockey League (BMHL) recommendations. Friend requests are not part of the balancing process and will only be considered under certain circumstances.

Teams will play a series of balancing games with other WEHL teams, which are monitored by Coaches to ensure that skill levels both within and between teams are similar. Inter-league exhibition games may be scheduled by District depending on availability of ice and teams. Final team assignments will be communicated by the Convenor in late September or early October.

Practices and scrimmages will be scheduled prior to the start of the regular season in mid-October to support team and player development.

Senior Level Process (U15, U18 & U21)

Each initial balancing team is expected to have approximately 12-15 players, depending on the number of registrants in a given year. The team make-up may change over the course of the sort-out process.

In September and prior to the start of the regular season, players will be offered two (2x) conditioning sessions to prepare for the season. These sessions are for fun and conditioning and will not be evaluated.

The Convenor will assign players to a A-, B- or C- level team (there is no draft). Note: U18 only has A- and B-level teams. The final number of teams for each level (i.e. A, B, or C) will depend on the number of registrants in a given year, both within WEHL and across the District, and on Hockey Eastern Ontario and Bytown Minor Hockey League (BMHL) recommendations. Friend requests are not part of the balancing process and will only be considered under certain circumstances.

Final team assignments will be communicated by the Convenor in late September or early October.