Dear Cole Harbour Bel Ayr Minor Hockey Association Members,

First, I want to thank all 124 members who took the time to complete our recent survey on tryout spectators. Your feedback is valuable and helps guide our decisions. After reviewing the results and having thoughtful discussions, the Board has voted to keep all tryouts closed to spectators for this season. 48.8% of respondents supported opening the doors, but ultimately, our priority must be creating the best environment for both players and evaluators. To give perspective, last season we had 352 players try out for competitive teams in the association and managing that process smoothly requires a consistent and focused approach. 

You can read the Survey results published here.

There are several reasons behind this decision:

• Fairness and Focus: Evaluators need to focus entirely on the players without outside pressure or distractions.
• Player Confidence: Many players perform better without the added stress of spectators in the stands.
• Efficiency: With multiple divisions and hundreds of players, we need to complete tryouts quickly and stay on schedule.
• Respect for Volunteers: Our evaluators and coaches dedicate countless hours, and a closed environment helps them do their jobs effectively.
• Consistency Across Divisions: All players and families experience the same process, keeping tryouts fair for everyone.
• HNS Support: Other associations in Nova Scotia and HNS have provided positive feedback and applauded our decision in past years which supports our decisions.  

I know parents want to support their children during this important time, and I appreciate the trust you place in our process. Approved coaches and volunteers will still have access to watch players during intersquad games to make informed roster decisions and to support requirements defined by Hockey Nova Scotia.

In an effort to support transparency and help parents understand the process.

• New 2025-2026 Team Selection Process has been approved
• Forward Drills for Tryouts
• Defense Drills for Tryouts
• Goaltender Drills for Tryouts
• Team Selection Process Information Session TBD (week of September 15)

Please stay connected by visiting chbawings.org, joining our Facebook page and checking emails during these next few weeks

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work together to make tryouts a positive and fair experience for every player in Cole Harbour. I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our coaches and volunteers who are already hard at work running conditioning camps and supporting our players. Your dedication and effort are what makes Cole Harbour such a special community. Your commitment does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for everything you do to help our athletes grow and succeed.

Any questions please contact tryouts@chbawings.org

Jonathan Hunter

President, Cole Harbour Bel Ayr Minor Hockey Association.