Dear SQUIRT families,

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2020 / 2021 RAHA team tryouts.

Below are the team placements for the upcoming RAHA SQUIRT 2020 - 2021 season:

• SQUIRT AA:  2, 4, 9, 15, 30, 48, 73, 80, 83, 86, 90, 93

• SQUIRT A:  10, 41, 42, 44, 49, 54, 64, 65, 74, 78, 87, 96

• SQUIRT B:  23, 24, 29, 36, 50, 53, 59, 81, 89, 94, 97

If you decline your team assignment you must notify one of the ALD’s listed below within 24 hours or RAHA will acknowledge your acceptance and cash your nonrefundable deposit check.

If you have any additional questions please contact the Squirt Tryout ALD’s, Danielle Scesa @ or Hillary Kao @

Have a wonderful spring.

Go lions!

Ridgefield Amateur Hockey Association

          To all 2020-2021 RAHA PeeWee families: As many of you may know our Squirt AA team made the Regional Tournament and will be competing in Maine this weekend.

          To best accommodate PeeWee players and the rising Squirt AA players we are announcing a new PeeWee tryout schedule as follows:  

                Day 1 -  Thursday 3/12,  6:40 - 7:40 PM (last names A-M) OR 7:50 – 8:50 PM (last names N-Z)

                Day 2 -  Friday 3/13,  6:40 – 7:40 PM (Group 2) OR 7:50 – 8:50 PM (Group 1)

                Day 3 -  Thursday 3/19, 5:10-6:10 PM (Group 2) OR 6:20-7:20  PM (Group 1) 

                Day 4 -  Saturday 3/21, 12:40-1:40  PM (Group 2) OR 1:50-2:50 PM (Group 1) 

       If you have any questions please contact the Pee Wee Tryout ALDs, Patrick Walsh   and/or  Jared Kurtz          

       Go lions !

Hello RAHA Players and Families,

As you know, tryouts for the 2020-2021 Ridgefield Amateur Hockey Association travel season begins Monday, March 9^th when we kick off with Mite, Squirt and Peewee Goalies. This correspondence will hopefully clarify the process, answer some of your questions and emphasize some great new additions to the coming season’s Lions’ program.

Updated Tryouts Information

Goalies

• Mites, Squirts and Peewees- Monday 3/9, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
• Bantams and Midgets- Saturday 4/11, 2:30-3:20 AND Monday 4/13 4:00-5:00
• Important Reminder: Goaltenders MUST also attend age-level tryouts!

Mites

• Day 1 Saturday 3/14, 12:45 – 1:45 PM
• Day 2 Sunday 3/15,   9:00 – 10:00 AM

Squirts

• Day 1 Tuesday 3/10, 5:10 - 7:00 PM (***all Squirts attend one session Day 1)
• Day 2 Wednesday 3/11, 5:10 - 6:10 PM (Group 2) OR 6:20 – 7:20 PM (Group 1)
• Day 3 Saturday 3/14, 2:00 – 3:00 PM (Group 2) OR 3:10 - 4:10 PM (Group 1)

Peewees

• Day 1 Thursday 3/12, 6:40 - 7:40 PM (last names A-M) OR 7:50 – 8:50 PM (last names N-Z)
• Day 2 Friday 3/13, 6:40 – 7:40 PM (Group 2) OR 7:50 – 8:50 PM (Group 1)
• Day 3 Saturday 3/14, 5:00 – 6:00 PM (Group 2) OR 6:10 – 7:10 PM (Group 1)
• We will be adding a fourth session – date and times to be announced

Bantams

• Day 1 Thursday 4/9, 5:00 – 6:00 PM (last names A-M) OR 6:10 – 7:10 PM (last names N-Z)
• Day 2 Saturday 4/11, 9:00 – 10:00 AM (Group 2) OR 10:10 – 11:10 AM (Group 1)
• Day 3 Monday 4/13, 5:00 – 6:00 PM (Group 2) OR 6:10 – 7:10 PM (Group 1)
• Day 4 Tuesday 4/14, 5:00 – 6:00 PM (Group 2) OR 6:10 – 7:10 PM (Group 1)

Midgets

• Day 1 Thursday, April 9: 8:00-9:00 PM (last names A-M) OR 9:10-10:10 PM (last names N-Z)
• Day 2 Saturday, April 11: 12:00-1:00 PM (Group 2) OR  1:10-2:10 PM (Group 1)
• Day 3 Monday, April 13: 8:00-9:00 PM (Group 2) OR 9:10-10:10 PM (Group 1)
• Day 4 Tuesday, April 14: 8:00-9:00 PM (Group 2) OR 9:10-10:10 PM (Group 1)

All players will be assigned pinnie numbers the first day of tryouts and will have the same numbers throughout the tryout sessions. By the morning of the second day of tryouts, the players will be reassigned to earlier or later sessions according to pinnie number and color, and those reassignments will be posted on RAHA’s home page, prior to the next day’s tryout time.

Requirements for Tryouts

1. Preregister online at the RAHA website www.ridgefieldhockey.org
2. Prepayment of the tryout fee

• $115 for Mites
• $125 for goalies
• $225 for all other age levels

3. A deposit check for the 2020-2021 season tuition

• Mites - $1,500 (Tuition is waived for 2014 and 2015 Mites)
• Squirts, PW and Bantams - $2,500
• Split Season Midgets – Full tuition

Additional Programs for the 2020 – 2021 Season

RAHA is pleased to announce several key features to next season’s program:

1. We will be formalizing three phases to the season -

• Phase I – Skills – During this phase we will focus on early season skills beginning with the RAHA Camp starting on August 17^th. This was a great success last year and aside from a couple minor tweaks to improve the format, we plan to continue the RAHA camp. Additionally, we will use the first 6 weeks of the season to focus on additional skills sessions each week run by the program coaches and Sully’s team. Lastly, the practices and drill curriculum will focus on skills based work in the context of team based practice drills. This phase will run until Oct 2nd.  
• Phase II – Systems – The Systems section of the season will build on the Skills phase. We will begin to incorporate more systems work done specific to age levels to help build game concepts, positioning and hockey sense. Practice drills and curriculum will be designed to leverage skills built into system drills. Additionally, we plan to provide each team with a full sheet for team practices each month from Phase II through the end of the season. The systems phase will begin on Oct 5^th and run through the end of the season.
• Phase III – Compete – The Compete section of the season will include a third session a week designed to have players compete in 3v3, 4v4 and 5v5 scrimmage settings. The purpose of this phase is to leverage skills and systems training in live scenarios with coaches instructing on better hockey awareness, creativity as well as player and puck movement. Phase III will begin on Nov 30^th and run through the end of the season.

2. We will be dropping the off-ice program in 2020-2021 as a result of member feedback and low participation.
3. We will continue to offer the goalie exclusive training each week for our goalies. Mites – Midgets are welcome to attend these sessions.
4. As has always been the case, we will maximize the ice available to us at Winter Garden. When and where we have exceeded the available ice we will need to explore ice options at Danbury and Brewster as needed.
5. Additionally, we understand RAHA schedules and family conflicts can be a challenge. We are very conscious of this and are looking to formalize the upcoming season schedule in advance and keep it consistent throughout the entire season. From time to time, issues will come up and in the event we need to adjust schedule, be assured that we have explored every conceivable option before making a schedule change.
6. Assistant Coach Board Review and Approval - RAHA greatly values our volunteer assistant coaches who devote their time assisting our coaches and developing our hockey players.  To ensure RAHA continues to provide the best coaches for our players, the Board will be evaluating and approving all volunteer assistant coaches.
7. Continuing with last season, the Peewee and Bantam AA teams will compete in the Eastern Junior Elite Prospect League (EJEPL), exposing players to elite competition. We are also exploring adding the Squirt AA team to the EJEPL. This will be an additional cost to those who accept positions on these two AA RAHA teams.

 Tuition for the 2020-2021 Season*

• Mites - $3,000 ($50 discount if paid by check)
• Squirts, Peewees, Bantams - $4,750 ($50 discount if paid by check)
• Squirt, Peewee and Bantam AA Teams - $5,070 ($70 discount if paid by check)
• Midgets - $1,950 ($50 discount if paid by check)
  • An additional pre-season Midget program may be added

*Increased tuition fees are due to increased coaching and ice costs for the 2020-2021 season.

Coaching for 2020-2021

We are pleased to announce the following confirmed coaches for the 2020-2021 season. We believe RAHA is able to offer the finest coaching in the area, continuing a long tradition of building skills through the age levels and producing game-winning talent at the highest levels.

(Please note, the final number of teams and assignments cannot be finalized until the process is complete. We will do our best to carry as many teams as possible based on numbers, acceptances and travel skill level.)

Midgets

• U18 - Sean Sullivan and Easton Oliver
• U16 – Anthony Lobianco and Nick Dinicola
• U18 Open – Nate Allen and Alex Rowella

Bantams

• AA – Anthony Lobianco and Nick Dinicola
• A - Peter Bafundo
• A1 – Mark Elliott

Peewees

• AA - Andy Marchison and Sean Sullivan
• A – Gil Alicea
• A1 – Matt Savona
• B – Mike Bruno

Squirts

• AA - Hunter Alicea and Alex Rowella
• A – Mike Zarro                                                            
• A1 - Michele Gintoli

Mites

• A - Billy Cosolo
• B - Ryan Avery
• C - Greg Fischer
• Skating Coach – Cathie Bonner
• Skills Coach – Anthony Lobianco

Hockey Director – Sean Sullivan

Tryout Process

Prior to EVERY session of tryouts, the head coaches will talk to the players and lay out how the session process will go, the skills they are looking for, and how each session will proceed. We ask that all players be dressed and ready to listen 20 minutes prior to scheduled ice times.

The coaches of each age group will determine what each session of tryouts entails. Age level coaches are not on the ice during tryouts, but observing and making assessments from behind the glass and in the stands. There will be on-ice coaches to direct the players through drills, small games, and scrimmages.

For the Midget, Bantam and Peewee level players, there will be some portion of tryouts during which players will be divided to assess offense/defense-specific skill-sets.

Lastly, there will be an independent evaluator at every session, who will evaluate all players and provide unbiased feedback regarding player performance and score for each session. Please do not approach the independent evaluator to discuss any aspect of the process while we are in tryouts.

Following each tryout session, coaches and the independent evaluator will review every player’s performance score and reassign players by pinnie number for the following day’s tryouts.

Goalies will be independently assessed by Mark Elliott and Matt Grogan during the goalie-specific tryouts and additionally reviewed by team coaches during their age level tryouts. Goalies MUST attend both tryout formats.

All players will be assessed based on standard hockey skills—skating, stick-handling, passing, shooting, competitiveness, etc. and by the less tangible standards of hockey sense, coachability and character.

This past season’s coaches may potentially be asked for feedback and rankings on players from the 2019-2020 season where additional evaluation and team selection criteria is needed.

Every year members of the board are assigned as Age Level Directors (ALDs) and to ensure fairness they are assigned to an age level that the ALD DOES NOT have a child/player trying out at that age level. This year’s ALD assignments are:

• Midgets —Eric Presbrey, Patrick Walsh and Elizabeth Zimels
• Bantams — Kim Hulber and Vera Hertwig
• Peewees — Patrick Walsh and Jared Kurtz
• Squirts —Danielle Scesa and Hillary Kao
• Mites —Eric Presbrey and Dave Turberfield

Age Level Directors check –in players, collect deposit checks, facilitate evaluations, gather and process data specific to player placement, and present the teams once chosen by the Coaches based on their tryout observations and the independent evaluator input. The ALDs do not choose players for team placement; however, they do ensure a fair process for EVERY player, confirm, approve and communicate the final rosters out to RAHA families and players.

RAHA will make best efforts to stay within the USA Hockey recommendations for bench depth,

• Mites (U8) - 8-10 skaters
• Squirts (U10) - 11-12 skaters, 1-2 goalies
• Peewees (U12) - 11-14 skaters, 1-2 goalies
• Bantam (U14) - 12-15 skaters, 1-2 goalies
• Midgets (U16, U18) - 14-18 skaters, 1-2 goalies

Please note, final numbers or teams and team sizes are ultimately left to the ALD’s and head coach’s discretion.

Notification and Acceptance

For the Squirt, Peewee and Bantam levels, the AA teams will be chosen and notified by phone, within several hours after the end of the last tryout session. Players will have 24 hours in which to accept or decline their positions.

The A, A1 and B team assignments will be assigned and posted within 48 hours of the end of tryouts. Team assignments, by pinnie number, will be posted on the RAHA home page. These players and will also have 24 hours in which to decline their team placement. Players wishing to decline will need to notify their specific ALD in writing by email, and their deposit checks will be destroyed or returned. For those accepting a team position, there is no need to contact RAHA, and their deposit checks will be deposited after the 24hour period has expired.

Important dates for the 2020-2021 season

• The season kicks off AUGUST 17, 2020 with a week of "skills boot camp" led by Sully’s Hockey Academy. The kids will be participating in on-ice, off-ice and video “chalk-talk” sessions.
• On-ice team practices commence the week of August 24^th.
• For the first six weeks of the season, there will be one night dedicated to Sully’s skills sessions in addition to regularly scheduled practices.
• The regular season practices will conclude the week of March 5^th.
• We will again be taking off the period between Dec 23^rd and Jan 4^th.
• Stay tuned for Gear Day dates that will be scheduled close to the completion of tryouts.

We hope that this information has been helpful, and please reach out with any questions or comments.

And of course…

Gooooo Lioooons!

2020-2021 RAHA Tryout Schedule

Goalies participate in their age level tryouts as well as the Goalie Specific Tryout.

The Tryout Schedule is as follows:

Goalies Only:

• Mites/Squirts/Peewees: Monday, March 9, 6:30-7:30 PM
• Bantams/Midgets: Saturday, April 11th, 2:30-3:20PM AND Monday April 13th, 4:00-5:00PM

All Players and Goalies Tryout Times Below:

Mites (2012 and younger):

• Saturday, March 14: 12:45 - 1:45 PM
• Sunday, March 15: 9:00 - 10:00 AM

Squirts (2010 and 2011 birth years):

• Tuesday, March 10: 5:10-6:10 PM last names A-M; 6:20-7:20 PM last names N-Z
• Wednesday, March 11: 5:10-6:10 PM. Group 2; 6:20-7:20 PM Group 1
• Saturday, March 14: 2:00-3:00 PM Group 2; 3:10-4:10 PM Group 1

Peewees (2008 and 2009 birth years):

• Thursday, March 12: 6:40-7:40 PM last names A-M; 7:50-8:50 PM last names N-Z
• Friday, March 13: 6:40-7:40 PM Group 2; 7:50-8:50 PM Group 1
• Saturday, March 14: 5:00-6:00 PM Group 2; 6:10-7:10 PM Group 1

Bantams (2006 and 2007 birth years):

• Thursday, April 9: 5:00-6:00 PM last names A-M; 6:10-7:10 PM last names N-Z
• Saturday, April 11: 9:00-10:00 AM Group 2; 10:10-11:10 AM Group 1
• Monday, April 13: 5:00-6:00 PM Group 2; 6:10-7:10 PM Group 1
• Tuesday, April 14: 5:00-6:00 PM Group 2; 6:10-7:10 PM Group 1

Midgets (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 birth years):

• Thursday, April 9: 8:00-9:00 PM last names A-M; 9:10-10:10 PM last names N-Z
• Saturday, April 11: 12:00-1:00 PM Group 2; 1:10-2:10 PM Group 1
• Monday, April 13: 8:00-9:00 PM Group 2; 9:10-10:10 PM Group 1
• Tuesday, April 14: 8:00-9:00 PM Group 2; 9:10-10:10 PM Group 1

A note regarding Group 1/Group 2: following each evaluation session, players are sorted into "Group 1" or "Group 2". You will receive an email telling you which group session to attend.

All evaluations will be held at the Winter Garden Ice Arena in Ridgefield, CT.

Tryout fees:

• Goalies - $125.
• Mites - $115
• Squirts, Peewees, Bantams and Midgets - $225

Basic requirements:

Prior to being allowed on the ice for evaluations, all players must:

• Register and pay the tryout fee
• Make a tuition deposit of $1,500 for Mites. $2,500 for Squirts and PW's and Bantams and paying full for split season Midgets (checks only) at tryout check in
• Submit tryout registration paperwork
• Be in good standing with RAHA, if a returning player

Please contact Eric Presbrey at epresbrey@ridgefieldhockey.org with any questions.

Hello Lions,

RAHA and Sully's Hockey Academy have partnered to bring you competitive Spring Hockey following the 2019-2020 season.

• Multiple practices a week
• 3v3's
• 3 tournaments
• Free tryouts - Feb 18-19

Register now at www.sullyshockeyacademy.com/nyconn

Go Lions!