So your Jr team started off with low roster numbers… this is common for many teams in the USPHL and NA3HL. What do you (as a coach) do?
One pool of players I would avoid relying on is poaching players from your youth program.
Why avoid poaching U18 or U16 players within your program? Here’s why…
- Information will circulate about how much, if any, these youth players are playing and it will undermine both the players and parents on your current roster. They will feel like there are getting less for their dollars spent with your organization than these kids being brought in.
- It cannabalizes your program and can upset the youth coaches who recruited or developed these players, if they are leaving their youth team full time or even missing games to join your older Jr team.
- Its a short term answer. USA hockey limits the time these players can play for the Jr team if they are on a National bound roster, and playing after December 31st could jeopardize their eligibility in playing at USA hockey nationals (youth).
In 2014-15 I had the opportunity to be the Head Coach for my first ever Junior team. We began the season with 20+ players and got off to a good start, even winning our Home Opener 6-5 over the New Hampshire Jr Monarchs (when they were an established and top program here in NH) in a dramatic shootout. Yet, with injuries, high school and other reasons our numbers dipped come November. Positioned in a playoff spot, here is where I looked for in finding the extra players I needed:
- NCAA cuts- I reached out to local NCAA schools (Franklin Pierce, SNHU in particular) and asked those coaches if they had any cuts from their walk-on tryout. We ended up getting a forward from nearby Maine who was able to make practices a few days a week and play all the weekend games.
- ACHA Programs- Some ACHA teams have great programs at local universities, and others are essentially intramurals. I was able to pick up a defenseman from Connecticut who had started with an ACHA program at a local school, but found that the program wasn’t as serious or as competitive as he had hoped.
- Trades- My team had started out doing well but our third goalie quit (we only take 3 for our Jr teams). Other teams take sometimes, 4 or 5 (which I find to be unfair to the kids). So I traded for a goalie in a cash transaction, and he joined our other 2 to round out our roster, and collected part of his tuition to offset the costs.
- Academic Ineligibility or Transfers- Heading into the 2nd semester at Christmas/ New Years some kids were looking to transfer schools they had started at. They missed being an athlete and their College decision wasn’t working out to what they had hoped for. They still had ambitions about playing hockey, and weren’t ready socially, academically, or emotionally for school. I was able to acquire some players who could join the team full time, take some college courses as a part- time student and use the Junior Hockey experience to step back and evaluate their futures while also staying engaged in something positive.
- Deadline deals- If your team is in a playoff position, work out with a team that is not in a playoff position a trade or bring in a player or two to help your roster. Future considerations or a small financial amount can usually bring in a player from a non-playoff roster.
Post -Christmas break our New England Wolves MJHL team in the 2014-15 season went on a run, climbing from 3rd place in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey league into 1st place, before settling into 2nd place to finish the season. With 20+ wins and a playoff berth, we positioned ourselves and our program for success without hurting our local youth or high school programs. Over 10 players from this team would go on to play in College and many became NCAA hockey players (Zach Skop & Kevin Morello- Becker College, Dom Senerchia & Will Francis- Post University to name a few).
Short term access to players in your youth program can be an easy fix but it has a shelf-life and comes with repercussions. Coaches… look for other creative ways to bolster your roster and provide for your players the best possible season. Work hard, stay focused on your team goals, and take on the challenges that you are experiencing. As a young coach, recruiting is difficult, but it can be the most important piece to a successful campaign.
By Andrew Trimble
Andrew Trimble is the General Manager and Co- Owner of the New England Wolves Hockey Club. He is also the Owner of Scoring Concepts LLC, a New Hampshire based hockey training company that offers camps, clinics, private lessons and teams. He has coached at all levels from Learn to Skate to College Hockey. For more info on his teams and programs check out- www.scoringconcepts.com or www.ne-wolveshockey.com
Andrew’s new book- “The Hockey Planner: A Year-by-Year Plan to Assist You on Your Hockey Coaching Journey: From Learn to Play to Junior Hockey.” is available now.
This essential guide is designed to elevate the coaching experience for those involved in Amateur Hockey, providing invaluable insights and practical tools for coaches, parents, and players alike.
Click Here to Purchase- The Hockey Planner: A Year by Year Plan to Assist You on Your Hockey Coaching Journey: From Learn to Play to Junior Hockey: Trimble, Andrew: 9781963743388: Amazon.com: Books
