Ice Vault Travel Families, 

Our Ice Vault staff hopes that you and your family have remained safe and healthy during this trying time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  All of you should have received an email from the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association (AAHA) this past weekend outlining the player procurement process for the 2020-2021 season.  This is a significantly different team selection process that we all will be navigating for the first time together.  We support the affiliates common sense approach putting athletes and their families health, well-being and safety first.  As we embark on this together, we feel it is important to summarize the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association’s Player Agreement Process and answer some questions regarding this process.

1. Starting on Monday, June 1, 2020, Tier 1 Hitmen contracts will be offered to players electronically based on the coaching staff's recruiting process. There will be no registration or tryout fee. Any player who previously submitted a tryout fee will have that amount credited to their tuition if offered a roster spot or refunded if they are not. Initial roster offers must be accepted and executed by 12 noon on June 1, 2020. After that time, coaches will begin offering available spots to other perspective candidates.
2. On Thursday, June 11, 2020, Tier 2 contracts will be offered to Bandit players electronically via email.  Contracts must be executed with deposit within 24 hours in order to secure your roster spot.
3. In order to qualify for team placement within the Bandits, perspective players must register and pay a $75 tryout fee prior to June 10, 2020.  If you have already registered for Bandit tryouts there is no need to submit another form.  All tryout fees will be applied towards your 2020-2021 tuition.  If we are unable to place you on a Bandits team for the 2020-2021 season, you will be refunded your tryout fee.
4. All contracts offered for the 2020-21 season will include a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Refund policy, as per the AAHA.  The policy states that hardship under this policy must be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, where a family’s financial condition changed after signing a Player Agreement, and on or prior to July 31, 2020. A participant/family exercising this option will not be permitted to roster with another club at the same tier level, or with a similarly ranked Non-National Bound and/or Non-Tiered Travel team for the 2020-2021 season.
5. In accordance with the AAHA policy, we are required to submit a minimum roster head count on June 7, 2020 for Tier 1 and June 20, 2020 for Tier 2.  While we intend on meeting that deadline, we are well aware that this is a trying time with the current circumstance’s rosters will continue to evolve through the summer.

Q. I already submitted a tryout application to the Bandits with a higher tryout fee?

1. We will apply this fee to the 2020-2021 contract.  There is no need to submit another tryout form.

Q. Will my tuition be prorated if the season abbreviated?

             A. Original 2020-2021 tuitions have already been adjusted to reflect current conditions and altered training calendars.   The organizations will continue to monitor circumstances and are prepared to make further adjustments should the need arise.

Q. How will the players be evaluated without an on-ice tryout component?

A. For either Tier 1 or Tier 2, the staff relies heavily on a player’s body of work which include written evaluations from previous seasons and prior coaching recommendations.  While this works for returning players within our organization we realize this presents a challenge to new players entering our programs.  Our cadre of coaches worked diligently in the recruiting process prior to the premature competition of the 2019-2020 season.   In addition to those evaluations, our coaches will utilize a vast network of contacts from which to most accurately assess a player’s appropriate competitive level.