Pre-Season Draft
Guidelines
In an effort to maintain fair competition within the league, we have implemented a pre-season draft. Coaches are invited to preview players at organized skills assessment sessions for their division. All players (EXCEPT players returning to the same age division AND team) must participate in a skills assessment. Otherwise, they will be randomly drawn and assigned at the end of the draft. The official draft occurs 1-2 weeks after the skills assessment sessions. Coaches should contact parents/players within one week after draft selections happen and rosters are released.
- Last year’s standings at the end of the regular season determine the draft order in reverse order (the last-place team has the first pick of the draft, the first-place team has the last pick). New teams will draft before returning teams with their draft order determined by a number draw.
- A head coach’s child/sibling/grandchild is protected until the end of the third round. Siblings of returning players must be taken by the end of the third round. Additional siblings must be taken in subsequent rounds.
- Bonus picks will be allowed following each round until the teams’ number of players equals the team’s with the fewest number of returning players.
- Players who attend the skills assessments are draft-eligible by a coach at the pre-season draft. Registered players who are not returning to a team and do not attend a skills assessment session will be randomly assigned with consideration of the ages of players on each team added to a team once all eligible players are chosen at the draft.
- If a team’s head coach steps down, the team’s players will return to the draft– unless an assistant coach or parent from the previous year’s team agrees to take over the team.
- Coaches moving from one age group to another age group will have to draft a new team with only their child and ONE identified (registered with background check and completed concussion training) Assistant Coach’s child being protected.
- Assistant coaches MUST be identified and assigned prior to Draft Day (registered with background check + completed concussion training) to be eligible for protection and selection by a Head Coach. If the Assistant Coach is not identified and registered with the background check + concussion training prior to skills assessment, their children WILL NOT be protected and will be available for draft selection by any team if they attended the skills assessment.
- Coaches who are new to a division and not taking over another team, will draw for the top picks with the returning coaches picking in order of how they finished the last season– the team with the best record picks last.
- Players returning to the same division and opting to remain on the same team from last season should not attend a skills assessment session. They will automatically be placed on the same team.
Draft FAQs
Looking for quick answers? Our FAQ page covers the most common questions for parents and players. You can also watch this video for more information.
Which coaches are supposed to attend the draft?
The draft is only for the Head Coach. In the event the Head Coach cannot be present, an Assistant Coach may attend.
What if the Head Coach is not able to attend the draft?
An Assistant Coach may fill in for the Head Coach. If no coaches are able to attend, then the Head Coach should list players in his/her preferred draft order and a board member will serve as proxy and draft the next available player for them.
How is the draft order determined?
Last year’s standings at the end of the regular season determine the draft order, which occurs in reverse order. This means the last place team has the first pick and the first place team has the last pick. New teams will determine their draft order by a number draw but will enter the draft before all returning teams.
Who is eligible to be drafted?
Only registered players who attended one of the Skills Assessment sessions are eligible to be drafted. Any registered player who did not attend a Skills Assessment session is NOT eligible to be drafted — these players will be randomly assigned to a team at the end of the draft.
How are players drafted to each team?
Coaches will select one eligible, available player each round. At the end of each round, there will be a round of supplemental picks. These picks will occur until the team’s number of players equals the team with the fewest number of returning players. Once all eligible players have been selected, the remaining registered players not returning to a team, who did not attend Skills Assessments, will be randomly (with consideration of registration order & ages of players on each team) added to a team.
How are returning players and siblings of returning players handled in the draft?
If a Head Coach returns to the same division, or an Assistant Coach or parent from the previous year’s team takes over the team, then any players who want to return to the same team are automatically assigned to the team. If a player specifies they do not want to return to the same team and/or attends a Skills Assessment session, that player is available to any other team. Siblings of returning players must be taken by the end of the third round. With other siblings, they must be taken in the subsequent rounds. If no one from the previous year’s team takes over to coach, then all players are placed back into the draft.
I'm a coach. How is my child handled in the draft?
A Head Coach’s child/sibling/grandchild is protected until the end of the third round. Only ONE identified Assistant Coach’s (registered with background check and completed concussion training) child will be protected in the first round of the draft. If the Assistant Coach is not identified and/or registered with background check and concussion training completed prior to the day before the draft, their child WILL NOT be protected and will be available for draft selection by any team – or randomly assigned if they did not attend a Skills Assessment session.