Hi Players and Parents,
Welcome to
the 2025-2026 hockey season!
My name is
Kris French and I am the Head Coach for the U15 BB (2011) Aurora Tigers. I’m excited about continuing to work with our 2011 born athletes and will
be looking to build a team of players who are equally enthusiastic and
committed to sharing in a great season. I'd like to welcome everyone to tryouts and
thank you for taking the time to attend. I wish every player the best of luck!
About me:
I’m a calm,
approachable coach with a solid background in sports, athletic training and
coaching. I’ve volunteered in minor hockey for the past 8 years most
recently as Head Coach for the U11AE & U12A Tigers, Asst Coach for the U13A
Tigers and Head Coach for U14BB Tigers this past season. I continue
to play hockey myself and grew up playing years of “AAA” hockey in
Barrie. I hold coaching certifications in Hockey, Volleyball and
Football and have previously been certified as a level 1
trainer. Prior to my time as a hockey coach, I attended the
University of British Columbia as a member of the UBC Thunderbirds Football
Team and completed my degree at UBC in Human Kinetics with a specialization in
Physical Education, Teaching & Coaching. My wife, Melissa, and I
have called Aurora home for more than 20 years and are proud parents to our two
kids, Claire and Blake.
Coaching Philosophy:
My minor hockey and university Sports experience have shaped my love for
sports. My goal is to foster a positive, high-performance environment
where athletes can grow and have fun, all within a supportive and inclusive
team culture. I emphasize the importance of hard work, both on the ice and in
off-ice training, while ensuring a focus on discipline and
teamwork. The U15 BB TIGERS will be working towards being a
team that is difficult to play against, disciplined, under good emotional
control and a group that is able to compete with speed, skill, and
tenacity. Our core values will focus on being a good teammate, having a
good attitude and striving to give your best effort in support of the team.
Tryout
Schedule:
Tryout
1: Sat May 10 2:30 –
4:00pm ACC #1
Tryout
2: Mon May
12
7:45 – 9:15pm ACC #2
Tryout
3: Thurs May
15 6:15 –
7:45pm ACC # 2 (Exhibition Game vs. TBC)
Note, the schedule could change. Please keep an eye on the AMHA website for
try-out schedule updates.
Tryout
Process:
All
players trying out for the Aurora Tigers must pre-register with the AMHA for
the upcoming season and purchase a tryout passport from the AMHA website to
participate. Details can be found at:
https://page.spordle.com/aurora/participant/1efff94a-ac58-6de0-9229-02630278221b
Note, the
player try-out Passport Number will be the last 5 digits of the Invoice #
received after purchasing the passport.
1. On the day of each ty-out,
a representative from the Aurora Minor Hockey Association (AMHA) will be
present to help with the try-out check-in process. Check-in will take place at
the Aurora Community Centre (ACC) prior to the try-out.
2. Please arrive 45 minutes before tryouts #1 and #2 and 60 minutes prior to
tryout #3 to allow sufficient time to sign-in and to get dressed.
3. When you arrive, please go to the AMHA sign-in table located in the lobby
outside ACC. Your player will be provided a tryout jersey for that
day. This jersey must be returned at the end of each
tryout. It should not go home.
4. Several independent and experienced coaches
will act as evaluators and/or on ice instructors during the tryout process.
Their assessments, together with my own and the AMHA’s independent evaluators
will select the Aurora Tigers U15 BB team.
Selecting
players in a short timeframe can be challenging, and I understand tryouts can
be an anxious time for everyone involved. Please encourage your player and
remind them they will perform at their best when they feel confident and
relaxed. It's also important to manage expectations— being placed on the roster
for this team should never be assumed.
Tryout
Expectations:
Assessments
from a team of evaluators will be used to determine which players will be
offered a position on the team. There will be many factors
considered including:
- SKATING > Speed & Agility
- PUCK SKILLS > Handling, Passing and
Shooting
- COMPETE > Compete level, Battling and Tenacity
- ATTITUDE > Focus, coachability, attentiveness
- TEAM PLAY> Hockey IQ, Decision Making, Positional Awareness
Tryout
Results:
Communication
of my decisions after each tryout will occur via the website. Your child’s
passport submission ID number is your code that identifies your player on the
website.
After
each tryout a list of passport numbers will be posted on the 2025/2026 U15 BB
team webpage. These numbers will indicate which players are being asked
to return for the next tryout. (On the AMHA website, U15BB page and then
onto the Tryout Player List page)
> After the first tryout, results will be posted after 10:00pm the same day
> After the second tryout, results will be posted after 9:00pm the next day
> After the third tryout, results will be posted after 9:00pm the next day
Team
Commitment & Expectations:
Playing
rep hockey brings with it additional commitments both financially and in time
requirements. The following should be considered by each family
prior to committing and entering the tryout process:
- There will be a financial commitment for each player estimated to be
approximately $3500 - $4000 for this season. We will be looking for
sponsors and fundraising opportunities to reduce this cost.
- A significant time commitment is required. Our team will have
activities, on average, 3 to 5 times per week throughout the season.
Players are expected to prioritize and attend team activities including
games, practices, dry-land training and/or classroom sessions. Players missing practices, games and/or team activities impacts the whole team.
- We will participate in 4-5 tournaments (with 2 being away).
- Our season begins in September and can extend into mid April 2026.
Please build vacation plans accordingly.
- If your child is offered a position on the team, there will be a
team fitting to attend on
Wednesday May 21 @ 7:30pm.
If you have any questions about the information listed above, please email me.
If
you have a concern during the tryout process, please respect the OMHA protocol
of waiting 24 hours to contact the coach. You may contact me via email
after this time. If I receive an email before this time, I will respond when
the 24-hour protocol period has expired.
Thank you, best of luck in tryouts and I look forward to seeing you at the
rink.
Kris French
Head
Coach U15BB
[email protected]