STEP 2 – EVALUATION DATES

Within a week of registering, players will be contacted by the Staff Coach for their age group. The Staff Coach will share a set of dates on which players can be evaluated. It is each family's responsibility to ensure they are aware of these dates once they are communicated.

To be properly evaluated, players must attend at least 2 of these dates. In some cases, our coaching staff may request additional evaluation dates for some players or extend the evaluation period altogether.

All communication will be done via email, by the coaching staff. Please do not email admin@ottawatfc.com for dates.

STEP 3 – ATTENDING THE EVALUATIONS

New players are typically evaluated by 5 or more different members of our coaching staff. These will include include the coaches of the specific program the player is hoping to play in, but may also involve  coaches from outside of that program to help give a fresh perspective and added objectivity to the process.

Evaluation sessions may take place within the context of the existing program, as a standalone evaluation day with all new trialists, or, most commonly, as a combination of both.

Where possible, objective player tests are performed as part of the evaluation process. These may include timed speed/agility tests, fitness tests, dribbling/ball control tests, shot power tests, physical strength tests, etc.

STEP 4 – STAFF REVIEW

Once the evaluation period has concluded, our coaching staff meets and reviews each coach's evaluations. This includes all available data the club has on each player (past season performances, coach reviews, testing scores, evaluation performances, and more). With this information, the staff will form the most appropriate squads or teams for each level, placing each player at the level that currently best suits their abilities. Players may be placed at the Academy, Competitive or Open (recreational) level.

Decisions are ultimately formulated by each staff coach with their coaching staff, with the selections carefully presented to and reviewed by the broader technical group at the club. This includes the club’s Technical Director, High Performance Manager, all Staff Coaches and the General Manager.

STEP 5 – EVALUATION RESULT & INVITATIONS

The bulk of evaluation results are communicated by our staff all at once for all programs. Players will receive an official invitation letter to join an Academy or Competitive squad, or if not selected, will be placed in our Open/Recreational programs. All players sent to open programs are entitled to receive formal feedback from the staff coach on their evaluation.

Invitation letters will contain important information regarding registration fees, uniforms, season plans and the upcoming parent meeting, along with the expectations of each player joining the program. Ultimately, each invitation letter concludes with an invitation to accept the offered position in the team or squad.

STEP 6 – ACCEPTANCE

Invitation letters must be accepted by replying to the email before the indicated deadline for players to officially join a program/squad. For higher level teams, an electronic signature is required for acceptance of an invitation letter.