INFORMATION
Spring Camp Schedules
Summer Camp Schedules
Player Evaluation
Hockey Nova Scotia’s High Performance Program strives to ensure that equitable, fair, relevant and consistent standards are applied to all participants when involved in program activities and events. Hockey Nova Scotia uses a scoring system ranking each player from 1-10 after on ice sessions using the following scoring guide.
Evaluating players in a sport like hockey naturally involves a degree of subjectivity. Unlike timed events in track and field, there is no single measurable result that captures every aspect of a player’s performance. Coaches and evaluators may see situations differently, and every athlete brings unique strengths and areas for growth.
We recognize that players develop at different rates and follow their own individual paths. We encourage all athletes to continue working hard in every area of their game, regardless of their current evaluation. Development is ongoing, and long‑term success is driven by consistent effort and commitment.
In previous years, Hockey Nova Scotia has provided feedback (not rankings) to players after camps when requested. However, due to the increasingly aggressive nature of some interactions, we will no longer be offering individual player feedback or rankings following camps. Our program relies on volunteer coaches who take vacation time to support these camps after a long winter season, and expectations on them have never been higher. While no evaluation process is perfect, we work hard to support our coaches so they can assess players to the best of their abilities in this program.
For athletes seeking guidance on strengths and areas for improvement, we recommend connecting with your club team coach or any skill or skating coaches you work with regularly. They are best positioned to provide ongoing, personalized feedback.
Please keep this in mind before registering for camp: no feedback or rankings will be provided to participants at the conclusion of the camps.
Special Consideration Policy
Hockey Nova Scotia’s High Performance Program specifies two situations in which a player can apply for special consideration for participation in the next step of the process. These situations are:
1) Injury/Illness: A player is physically unable to participate in a particular step in the program due to either an injury or illness. Players are deemed to have qualified for these criteria when they provide a written medical excuse signed by a doctor; or
2) Compassion: This includes any and all special situations that may arise where compassion is necessary. The responsibility of determining whether or not a player qualifies for consideration through compassion rests with Hockey Nova Scotia. Examples of compassion are an emergency situation, personal or family situation or conflict, participation at a national event in hockey or another sport.
Please note, being out of province for a private spring program, club team or school hockey program is not a reason for Special Consideration.
When a player is unable to attend a High Performance Program camp or event, that player is able to apply for an exemption to possibly move onto the next stage of the High-Performance Process. While a player is able to apply for this exemption, they are not guaranteed to advance to the next stage of the process, it simply means that they will be considered. Players do not find out if they have advanced to the next stage of the camp until the conclusion of the camp along with the other players involved.
At the end of each camp or event, players are ranked by position to determine their status in the High-Performance Program. A player who has applied for Special Consideration will have their hockey ability taken into consideration by the coaches and staff to determine if that player would rank among the top players at their position, had they been in attendance at a particular event. Players involved in this process will find out their status in the program with other players when rosters and players are announced following camps and events.
Click to apply for special consideration (application).
Injuries During Camp
When players are injured during camps, they may still be evaluated and considered to move along in the process. Coaching staff will work to establish if they feel a player's skill set would warrant them moving on in the provincial program process based on the player's ability.
Underage Players
Players are only permitted to move up into higher age divisions within the High Performance Program if they are going through the exception player process. In this case players may move within the program for evaluation purposes, but return to their own age group for the Atlantic Challenge Cup and any competition.
The exception to this is every 4 years where an underage player may be moved up beginning in the summer prior to the Canada Games at the discretion of the Canada Games coaching staff if they believe a player has the ability to play up an age level at a national event.