Something Doesn’t Add Up?

Everyone knows it takes a lot of money to play hockey. It’s becoming more and more unattainable for many families across the entire hockey world.

We have all heard tell and witnessed the supposed “new math” model in action. Over the last several years we can all agree that our children have been exposed to “new math” at school, and all of the different philosophies and techniques that are associated with that. Sometimes it’s incredibly difficult to make sense of the “new math,” but “hockey math” seems to be even more perplexing. On many occasions “hockey math” just doesn’t add up.

How much does a tryout in let’s say U15 AAA cost these days? How many ice times would that fee incorporate? How many players would try out for that level? How much does an hour of ice cost these days? Is the flood included in that fee or are rinks charging a flood fee on top of the hourly rate?

In some zones there are two teams that have joint tryouts and then build out their rosters accordingly after a final draft process has occurred.

In this day and age of advanced signings, hockey promises, cliques and hockey related back-channel overtures at the minor hockey level the evaluation or tryout process is becoming a money maker rather than a legitimate and valid evaluator, which clearly doesn’t add up.

So, let’s say for argument’s sake that roughly a hundred players were looking to try out at the U15 AAA level for two teams. How much would those teams agree to charge for their tryouts?

With that many players being evaluated one would assume there would be at least four to five ice times, with a drill and scrimmage component for a thorough evaluation process. Obviously, ice time costs a lot of money, but players and parents can justify the price tag or tryout fee because they would assume that the tryout process is fair and equitable. Would $100 for let’s say four ice times compute?

What if the tryout process was only limited to three ice times? What if they were charging $225 for three thirty-minute games? Would those numbers add up or make sense?

So, with so many players trying out in a scrimmage tryout format, one could assume players would only average roughly 10 to 15 shifts to showcase what they can do? We can all agree those numbers don’t really add up or make sense when it comes to gaining a full or true evaluation of the player.

You don’t need “new math” to figure out what 100 x $225 adds up to. Now sure those two teams would have to pay for ice time, timekeepers and referees for their three 30-minute game tryout format, but what happens to the money left over? One would assume that it would be split between the organizations.

Some associations, governing bodies and organizations take pride in the scrimmage model because they find it the most telling when it comes to the evaluation process and to each their own, but how much evaluation, assessment and projection can be done in a 30-minute game which one assumes will be straight time?

The tryout and evaluation process is never easy and only gets more difficult as players climb each rung of the competitive ladder. Every organization, governing body and association are searching for best practices or a new formula for success, but sometimes, somethings just don’t add up.