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Player Game Time

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What we will do

Emphasise to coaches and parents that junior sport is about participation and development and players need opportunities regardless of team results.

Please remember this is junior amateur hockey and all players have registered and paid for the privilege to play and therefore deserve a fair go. As a team coach or manager, you should always ensure each player gets a fair share of playing time across all positions no matter what the age group, division, or ability of the player.

Coaches are primarily development coaches. We aim to have all players of all ability levels improve.

Playing Time Guidelines

  • As much as possible, there should be equal time for all junior field players that attend training and respect the team rules
  • The coach of a Shield team is responsible for balancing a strong team presence and ensuring equality of playing time.
  • In a Shield team, game time will partly depend on competitive factors but there must not be players off for consistently long periods
  • It is expected that players will gain experience across many different positions
  • If a player is unable to play due to absence or injury this time should not be "made up"
  • Unless a player insists on being a goalie, the position should be rotated equally
  • Every effort must be made to ensure that the development opportunities of borderline players are similar to the strongest players
  • Rapid interchange should be occurring

More than 16 players

  • The rules permit a maximum of 16 players to take the field in a game
  • Coaches' should aim to maximise the number of players and the amount of game time for each player
  • In a Shield team, rostering is at the discretition of the coach but no player should be rostered off for consecutive games except in the event of an injury, illness, or misconduct on behalf of the player concerned
  • In other teams, rostering should occur evenly across all players