Warriors Travel Hockey Tryout Guide
Arapahoe Warriors Travel Hockey Tryout Guide
A clear overview of how our tryout process works, who evaluates players, what our evaluators look for, and how final team selections are made.
Purpose of This Guide
The purpose of this guide is to help players and families understand how the Arapahoe Warriors Travel Hockey tryout process works, who evaluates players, what evaluators are looking for, and how team selections are made.
We believe clear communication creates a better experience for everyone and allows players to focus on what matters most—playing their best hockey. Our goal is to provide every player with a fair, objective, and consistent evaluation while placing each athlete in the environment where they will have the greatest opportunity to develop and succeed.
Understanding the Tryout Process
Our announced head coaches, Youth Development Committee members, independent evaluators, and dedicated goalie evaluators work together throughout tryouts to ensure each player is placed at the appropriate competitive level based on their overall performance.
AA Tryouts
Tryouts begin with the AA division for each age group.
- Players who register for AA compete for a position on the AA roster(s).
- Depending on the age division, there may be one or two AA teams.
- Players are not guaranteed three AA evaluation skates.
- Following each AA session, players may advance in the AA process or be released into the A/B tryout.
- Players released from AA continue to be evaluated for placement on an A or B team.
- After the final AA evaluation, players who participated in the final AA skate but are not selected for an AA roster automatically advance to the A Final Tryout.
A/B Tryouts
Players who register only for the A/B division participate in three evaluation sessions.
For both AA and A/B tryouts, players are assigned to groups alphabetically by last name for the first skate. This creates a completely neutral starting point.
Following the first session, players are regrouped based on evaluator feedback. This begins the tiering process and allows evaluators to compare players in different competitive environments.
The second evaluation continues the tiering process. The third and final session is used to determine division placement and begin forming the A and B teams.
A player skating in a B evaluation group during the final session may still earn a position on an A team based on their performance.
Every shift matters. Evaluators consider each player's complete body of work throughout all tryout sessions.
What Our Evaluators Look For
Our evaluators assess much more than goals scored or points. They are looking for complete hockey players who demonstrate the skills, habits, hockey sense, and character necessary to contribute to a successful team.
Skater Evaluation
- Skating ability — speed, agility, edge work, balance and acceleration
- Puck skills — passing, receiving, puck control and shooting
- Hockey IQ — decision making, positioning, anticipation and game awareness
- Competitiveness and work ethic
- Ability to play within a team concept
- Defensive responsibility
- Coachability and willingness to learn
- Character, attitude and communication
- Consistency throughout all evaluation sessions
Behaviors That Can Negatively Impact an Evaluation
- Trying to score on every shift instead of making the best hockey play
- Holding onto the puck too long or attempting to beat every defender individually
- Poor or negative body language following mistakes or coaching feedback
- Becoming overly focused on first-line minutes rather than contributing in every role
- Failing to backcheck or support teammates
- Showing frustration toward teammates, coaches, or officials
Players are evaluated on their overall body of work throughout the tryout process—not on one great shift or one mistake.
Goalie Evaluations
Goaltenders are evaluated separately from skaters by experienced goalie evaluators who specialize in the position. Their evaluations focus on the technical, tactical, and mental aspects of playing goal.
Areas of Evaluation
- Skating and crease movement
- Edge control and balance
- Positioning and angle play
- Puck tracking through traffic
- Rebound control
- Save selection and recovery ability
- Post integration, including RVH/VH and post play
- Hockey IQ and reading developing plays
- Puck handling and communication
- Competitiveness and composure
- Mental resilience after allowing a goal
- Consistency throughout all evaluation sessions
More Than Saves
Goaltenders may face different numbers and qualities of scoring opportunities depending on the group they are skating with. Because of this, evaluators focus on how a goalie plays the position rather than simply how many pucks they stop.
A technically sound goalie who demonstrates positioning, movement, rebound control, decision-making and composure may receive a stronger evaluation than a goalie who relies primarily on athletic ability.
Our objective is to identify goaltenders with the technical foundation, hockey sense, competitiveness, and mental strength necessary to succeed throughout the season while continuing to develop within the Warriors program.
Who Evaluates the Tryouts?
Player evaluations are conducted by:
- Announced Arapahoe Warriors Head Coaches
- Members of the Arapahoe Warriors Youth Development Committee
- Independent evaluators
- Dedicated goalie evaluators for all goaltenders
Volunteer Coaches
To preserve the integrity and fairness of our tryout process, volunteer coaches are not involved in the initial evaluation and division placement process.
Volunteer coaches are intentionally excluded from determining whether a player belongs in the AA, A, or B division. Once the evaluation committee has established the appropriate divisions, volunteer coaches become involved in helping form the individual teams within those divisions.
Coaches on the Bench
Players and parents will notice coaches on the benches throughout tryout sessions.
Their role is to organize line changes, manage the bench, communicate with players, and ensure each session runs efficiently. These coaches will also observe important intangibles including coachability, willingness to learn, character, attitude, and communication with teammates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are players moved between groups?
Players who move between groups are often referred to as bubble players. These players are typically being compared between two different competitive levels.
Moving them allows evaluators to compare them against different groups before making final decisions.
Movement should not be viewed as either a promotion or a demotion—it is simply part of the evaluation process.
Does my player's first group determine where they will play?
No. The first skate is organized strictly alphabetically by last name and has no relationship to projected team placement.
Can a player move back up after being moved down?
Yes. Players move between groups throughout the tryout process—including during the final day. Strong performances at any point can change a player's final placement.
When are volunteer coaches involved?
Volunteer coaches become involved after the evaluation committee has completed the initial division placements.
Their responsibility is to help build balanced teams within each division, not determine which division a player belongs in.
When will final teams be announced?
Final team selections will be announced within 24 hours following each division's final tryout session.
A Message to Parents
Tryouts can be exciting, emotional, and stressful for both players and parents.
One thing we have consistently observed over many years is that players perform their best when they feel confident, relaxed, and free to simply play hockey.
We understand every parent wants the very best for their child. However, we encourage parents to avoid coaching from the stands by giving hand signals, directing players during drills, or yelling instructions from behind the glass.
While these actions are usually well-intentioned, they can create additional pressure and distract players from trusting their instincts.
For our goalie families, remember that one goal—or even several goals—does not determine the outcome of a tryout. Goaltenders are evaluated on every aspect of their game, not simply goals against. Encourage your goalie to stay composed, compete on every shot, and quickly reset after each save or goal.
The greatest gift you can give your player during tryouts is your support. Encourage them to compete hard, play with confidence, be a great teammate, and simply do their best every shift.
Our evaluators are not looking for perfection. They are looking for complete hockey players who compete with heart, make smart decisions, support their teammates, and display the character that represents the Arapahoe Warriors.
Our Philosophy
At Arapahoe Warriors, our mission is to provide every player with the opportunity to develop, compete, and enjoy the game of hockey.
Our objective is not simply to build the strongest individual teams. We strive to place every player on the team and at the level where they will have the greatest opportunity to develop their skills, contribute to their teammates, build confidence, and experience success throughout the season.
We believe proper placement benefits everyone. Players develop more effectively when they are appropriately challenged, teams become more competitive, and the overall strength of our program continues to grow.
We recognize that tryout weekend can be exciting, emotional, and sometimes disappointing. Every evaluator is committed to making thoughtful, objective decisions based on each player's complete body of work throughout the tryout process.
Thank you for trusting the Arapahoe Warriors with your player's hockey journey. We appreciate the commitment of every player and family and wish everyone the very best of luck during tryouts.