FAQs

Riverside Hockey Club Selection Policy and Process

The following is confirmation of the policy and process followed by Riverside Hockey Club for the selection of teams to represent the club, in accordance with the regulations as laid out by KZN Hockey.

1. Players eligible for Premier League selection must have already turned 16 years of age.

2. Players eligible for Senior League selection must be turning 15 years of age. Players who have already turned 14 years of age may be considered for selection, but this will be

   solely at Exco’s discretion and prior approval.

3. Players are only eligible for selection if their membership fees are paid in full or an acceptable payment plan is in place with the accounts department.

4. Players who have moved from other clubs are only available for selection if they have presented Riverside Hockey Club with a clearance form from their previous club and comply in full with point 3 above.

5. Players are only available for selection if they have attended a minimum of 1 practice per week, unless prior approval is obtained from the Selection Committee.

6. Players will be selected on merit.

7. The Convener of Selectors carries the overriding decision.

With regards to the selection of younger, school-going players, Riverside Hockey Club adopts the following policy:

1. Players must have turned 14 years old in order to be eligible for selection for senior hockey sides.

2. Players must have turned 16 years old in order to be eligible for selection for senior, premier league sides.

Prior to the start of the hockey year, coaches need to disclose the Riverside Hockey Club members that are coached privately. The relevant coach is then, as a result of conflict of interest, excluded from the selection process for the relevant player.

The mens and ladies selection committee comprises the following:

Position

• Convener of Selectors1st Team Coach
• 2nd Team Coach
• Talent Identification
• Club Captain

The selectors will select initial teams/squads through the trials process, thereafter they will meet on a monthly basis and review current teams/squads, where any decisions with regards to changes will be made. Changes to teams/squads will be communicated to the relevant coach and player(s) by the Convener of Selectors.

• Players will train within their allocated teams/squads
• Players may only train with other teams/squads once discussed with and agreed upon by the Convener of Selectors
• Movement of players between teams during the month must be discussed and agreed upon with the Convener of Selectors prior to discussion with players
• It is the responsibility of the relevant team coach, as well as that of the selection committee, to ensure that selections and player movements adhere to the By-Laws as set out by KZN Hockey

Riverside Hockey Club’s philosophy is to provide a life time plan for both elite and social hockey players, encouraging an approach that is adopted in Europe to develop sustainable clubs and players within these clubs.

With this in mind, Riverside Hockey Club has set a high level of standards and continuity within our programmes, filtering from Mini, Youth and Senior sections, including criteria to cater for the step from junior to senior hockey for players in the U14 & U15 girls and boys age groups.

Our challenge and focus is to ensure that the player is ready for the step up to the more physically and mentally demanding level of senior hockey.

With a few points we have taken into account, the Riverside Hockey Youth section will look to test this age group during February and March, to see who is capable of making the step up from Youth to Senior.

Below are the criteria that will guide our decision on assessing whether a player is ready to step up to the senior level:

Criteria for Youth players moving into senior section:

1. Attendance & commitment in youth and senior section

2. Physicality on the field

3. Basics and technical skills for the step up

4. Ability to make tackles at higher level (jab, block & reverse tackle)

5. Good game sense, ie they are able understand how a game flows and they know the rules; can analyse the game

6. Previous involvement in senior hockey (please note that previously having played in senior hockey is not a guarantee of senior hockey qualification at Riverside)