Promoting Your Team in These Economic Times
Posted by Don MacAdam
In a December 18, 2008 Globe and Mail article titled Bargain-basement league, David Shoalts talks about the effect of the economy on NHL teams and how teams are slashing ticket prices and giving freebies in an attempt to draw fans.
Check out the reaction of a couple of experts on sports promotion.
With the weak economy yanking down attendance in many U.S. cities, NHL clubs are slashing prices in hopes of getting fans in the door.
At least 17 of the league’s 30 franchises are offering significant discounts and giveaways, notably in the non-traditional markets…
The thinking is that at least those buyers may spend money at the concession stands. But there may be a downside to the deep-discount strategy.
“I’m terrified of giving away product,” said Mike Veeck, who owns and promotes six minor-league baseball franchises and is the son of the first promotional genius in that sport, the late Bill Veeck.
“If people are cutting prices, then maybe something is wrong with their original pricing structure,” Veeck said. “Fans get used to paying your discount in about 12 seconds. Then that becomes the norm and you have to pay tremendously to get them back.”
Hockey clubs need to emphasize service rather than slash prices, says David Carter, the executive director of the University of Southern California’s Sports Business Institute.
“It’s like the debate of whether people should pay for content on the Internet,” Carter said. “Once you release it for free, you can’t persuade anyone to pay.
“The only way to get fans back in the building [at regular prices] is to service the dickens out of them. Make sure they have a fantastic time and walk out saying they received fantastic value for their tickets. But it’s a slippery slope because people then assume the discounted value is what the tickets are worth.”
There is no shortage of slippery slopes in the NHL. Discounts can even be found in traditionally strong markets such as Detroit and Denver, although they are not as generous as those in the Sun Belt. In Phoenix, buyers get four tickets for the price of three, and also with each ticket, a visor, autographed puck, hot dog and soft drink and priority for playoff tickets.
Ottawa is the only Canada-based team to offer discount packages.
Carter and Veeck say the club pays less than face value for the extras and, in the case of team merchandise, only a nominal amount. But that is where the giveaway should stop.
“Free parking feels like a deal,” Carter said. “So rather than drop the ticket price from $50 to $40, find a way to maintain the price at $50, but give value with it like parking or a voucher for something else.”
The only club to add the extras into the price is the Philadelphia Flyers. They have a promotion that charges $125 for two $46 seats. But fans also get a voucher for two tickets to their farm team’s games, a $10 credit on each ticket at the concession or merchandise stands, a team calendar, an autographed puck and a gift bag.
Veeck says ticket giveaways can work as a one-off promotion rather than a regular practice. The best policy, though, is to figure out the best possible price and stick to it, even in a recession.
“I don’t think selling tickets is going to be a problem, even in tough times,” Veeck said. “Bread and circuses become more important in these times. The last time there was an auto slowdown, ice-cream sales in Detroit went up.”
Winning, both Carter and Veeck agree, is the best promotion of all. Failing that, they say, service is the best tool to use.
“Add-ons of any kind work,” Veeck said. “This is a great time to utilize the players. Have ticket drives where players make calls or kids can come in and touch their heroes.
“It’s a matter of rolling up your sleeves and selling service. The underlying message is: we know it’s tough out there and here’s how we’re making it easier for you.”
In Columbus, where attendance for Blue Jackets games has been strong since they joined the NHL in 2000-01, the club is offering discounts in the face of declining sales, but only for a limited time.
“We tailor our offerings based on the current conditions,” said Marc Gregory, the vice-president of marketing. “It’s a matter of showing value in [discount] ticket packages compared to what they were worth initially.”
One of the worst things that can happen to a club is having a season-ticket holder discover that the person alongside paid much less for the seat.
“Our most important customers are our season-ticket holders,” he said. “When you look at the overall benefits they receive, it’s much greater than a discount on single-game tickets [which are customarily priced higher than season tickets].
“Our subscribers receive food and beverage and merchandise discounts. They also are invited to exclusive events like a morning skate followed by a chalk talk with coach Ken Hitchcock.”
The Case for Experience and Stability in Building a Management Team
Posted by Don MacAdam
Mike Smith has been a GM with two NHL teams and with Team USA. He is well known as one of the cerebral people in the game, having studied the game at different levels and written books on various hockey topics. Now one of his projects is a blog on www.thn.com. His post on November 23/08 deals with building a management team and he uses the Detroit Red Wings as his elite example. As an assistant coach for the Red Wings for three seasons, I saw first hand of which he speaks. Here is an excerpt…
The point is, in my opinion, nothing replaces experience when you’re a GM. The same holds true for the management staff. Every season has a similar yet different rhythm to it. When things are bleak and look even darker going forward, the vultures tend to come out. Listening to them can be deadly. Experience tells you: “Don’t listen.”
The organization that epitomizes experience at the upper management level is Detroit. The Red Wings have clearly been the dominant franchise over the last 20 years. Four Stanley Cups, in ‘97, ‘98, ‘02 and ‘08, and 18-straight playoff years reflect their success.
Mike and Marian Ilitch bought the Red Wings in June of 1982. Not only have they built a franchise that looked for and kept experienced people, they have also placed emphasis on stability. The NHL, like other major leagues, all too often makes changes prematurely, often in a panic.
Let’s look at the Red Wings’ combination of experience and stability:
- Jim Devellano was the first GM hired by the Ilitch family in 1982. Twenty-seven years later, he’s still there. This is his 42nd year in the NHL. He played a major role in the construction of the New York Islanders dynasty in the 1970s and early ‘80s.
- Ken Holland is starting his 12th season as GM and his 26th in the organization. A former American League goaltender, he began his post-playing career as an amateur scout, progressed to director of scouting, then assistant GM and, in 1998, GM.
- Jim Nill is entering his 11th season as assistant GM and 15th with the Red Wings. He has a background both as an amateur and pro scout and also served as GM of Team Canada at the 2004 world championships.
- Steve Yzerman, beginning his third season as vice-president. This is his 26th year with the club. He has twice served as GM of Team Canada at the world championships.
- Scotty Bowman, though now with the Chicago Blackhawks, joined the Red Wings in 1993 as coach. His NHL coaching career began in 1967 with the St. Louis Blues and he’s won 12 Stanley Cups in his career. He stayed on as a consultant with the Wings following his retirement from coaching in 2002.
The critical fact is all of these men had jobs in which they had to make crucial decisions.
Being a coach, a director of scouting or a GM of a national team requires decision-making. Mistakes are made. But to grow, you need to learn from the mistakes. Nothing will happen during the season this management group has not seen before. Their years of experience have brought them sound judgment.
Not all ownerships follow the Detroit path. I like the Detroit model, but the new ownerships in Tampa Bay and Vancouver have looked to player agents – Brian Lawton and Mike Gillis – to be their hockey leaders. Both have limited, if any, team management experience. This is not to say they will not be successful. After all, it is hard to criticize the job Pierre Lacroix – a former agent – did with the Colorado Avalanche.
Mike Smith is a former GM with the Blackhawks and Jets and associate GM with the Maple Leafs. He also served as GM for Team USA More from Mike Smith
Scouting a Hockey Game With Tips From the Pros
Posted by Don MacAdam
Whether we are a coach, GM, player, parent, or fan of hockey we are usually, in some way, ‘scouting’ the on ice talent as we watch a hockey game.
Want to know how the pros do it? Rory Boylen has a weekly blog called A Scout’s Life on www.THN.com on scouting. Here is how it is described on the site:
A Scout’s Life is a weekly look at the world of minor and pro scouting throughout North America. Each week we’ll talk to different scouts from all levels of the game, getting a first-hand perspective of the different aspects of talent evaluation.
Boylan talks to people in the scouting world and gets insight on the many aspects of the job. The differences between being an amateur or pro scout are pointed out. Even details like where to sit to watch games is discussed. Here is a sample from the November 11/08 blog.
“There are always guys who will jump out you weren’t expecting to. That’s a bonus, someone else to follow.” – Paul Castron, director of amateur scouting, Columbus Blue Jackets…
So how does a scout keep an eye on all these guys without missing anything? Part of it is getting a heads-up from your area scouts so you know who to watch before you set foot in the arena and another part is getting there a little early – about one to two hours beforehand – and making sure you’re prepared.
“Prior to the game I’ll check out all my reports on all the players I expect to play and the date the last time I did a report on those players,” said Mark Dobson, director of player personnel with the Atlanta Thrashers.
Once the game is over, however, a scout usually doesn’t hang around for too long…
That reminds me of the old hockey line: “What are the eight words a scout never hears at a hockey game?-Last minute of play in the third period.”
Mike MacPherson also has a scouting blog. He has great stuff as well. I know Mike and he really knows talent. Here is information on Mike and where to get his blog.
Mike MacPherson began scouting in 1999 for the Chicago Blackhawks and was responsible for the ECHL. He is currently the director of scouting for the Phoenix Roadrunners, NHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks and also scouts the OHL for the International Scouting Service. MacPherson also coaches in the OMHA within Guelph Minor hockey. He will be blogging about his experences in scouting throughout the season on THN.com. Read his other entries HERE.
Check these blogs out. They are entertaining, informative, and will give you a view from trained eyes-and I wouldn’t be surprised you will enjoy watching hockey more than ever.
A Coaching Lesson From the 2008 World Series
Posted by Don MacAdam
With the 2008 World Series upon us there are lots of interesting stories about the Phillies and Rays. This Associates Press article, Nine equals eight, by Fred Goodall on October 22, 2008 has lots of gems in it.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The manager wears thick-rimmed glasses and listens to everything from the Rolling Stones to the Four Tops. Mohawk is the haircut of the moment. Inspirational quotes decorate walls of the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse – and we’re not talking conventional baseball wisdom.
Albert Camus weighs in with a thought, although it’s not clear if the French existentialist had any advice for hitting a split-fingered fastball. Economist Alan Greenspan is represented. The words of college basketball coaching great John Wooden are cited.
“Integrity Has No Need Of Rules.” – that’s Camus.
“Rules Cannot Take The Place Of Character.” – Greenspan said that.
“Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To.” – that’s all Wooden.
“9=8.” Now, that one belongs to Joe Maddon, the unconventional skipper who sold his young players on the motto that’s become the club’s mantra during an improbable run to the World Series.
“I didn’t know what the hell it meant at first,” designated hitter Cliff Floyd said, recalling a speech Maddon delivered on the first day of spring training.
Some players rolled their eyes. Others stared straight ahead with blank looks on their faces.
Floyd, a 14-year veteran signed last winter to add leadership and stability to the clubhouse, gave Maddon the benefit of the doubt.
“It was a different speech than what you’re accustomed to hearing when you come to spring training. It’s usually, “We’ve got a good team, you’ve just got to believe it.’ It was different. So when he said it, people perked up. ‘Whoa. OK, let’s figure out what this means and try to accomplish it.’”
The rest, as they say, is history.
“9=8″ essentially translates to nine players playing hard for nine innings every day equals one of eight post-season berths.
Maddon also sold the concept that the Rays, who won 66 games and finished with the worst record in the majors in 2007, could make the playoffs if they got nine more wins because of hitting, an additional nine because of pitching, and another nine because of defence.
Turns out he was prophetic. The Rays, won had never won more than 70 games in a season, clinched a post-season berth for the first time with their 93rd victory – exactly 27 more than a year ago.
“I’m so used to the eye roll. I’m so used to the scoff,” Maddon said, looking back on that first day of camp. “I’m so used to it, and I’m really immune to both. … At some point, corny can turn into cool.”
While much of Tampa Bay’s success can be attributed to young talented athletes such as Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and Scott Kazmir, players say Maddon’s insistence that things are done “The Ray Way” is responsible, too.
Although he’s an intellectual type who prefers fine wine to a cold beer following a game, Maddon can be one of the boys.
When Upton decided on a whim to get a Mohawk haircut last month, the fad caught on in the clubhouse. Maddon joined in the fun, getting his hair cut and noting the importance of solidarity.
“That stuff all matters,” he said.
It all promotes calmness that spills over onto the field.
“He’s acts like he’s one of us in here, and that’s awesome. Guys appreciate that,” rookie David Price said. “He comes in, we have gangsta rap music just blaring in the locker room. Does he say a word? No. It probably stops about two minutes before the first pitch is thrown. Joe just lets us be us. … He has a relationship with every player, and no relationship is the same. That just speaks volumes about Joe.”
Maddon’s also shown he can be a disciplinarian.
The manager benched Upton twice for not hustling on the bases after Maddon first tried to get the player’s attention in a private conversation. He preaches approaching every game the same – be it spring training or playoffs – and is convinced that’s one of the reasons the team has not been overwhelmed by the post-season stage.
“Our program’s been validated. Our concepts have been validated,” Maddon said Tuesday.
Time to Start Your In-Season Training
Posted by Don MacAdam
Hopefully all your goals were met for the pre-season and your team is ready to start the regular season. Now it is time to change your training emphasis for the in-season.
Here is an excerpt from The Hockey Conditioning Handbook chapter on the in-season. Your focus now is on maintenance.
In-Season Training Emphasis:
1) Aerobic maintenance
2) Flexibility
3) Explosive Energy maintenance
Training in-season should be focused on maintenance sessions. This is assuming you have reached the necessary fitness levels prior to the start of the season. If not, you may find there are not enough practice hours in a day or week to do everything that needs to be done. Concentrate on aerobics, flexibility, and explosive energy, regardless of the fitness levels. The game cannot be played well without these.
Following are some suggested programs for in-season conditioning maintenance.
Sample In-Season Training Programs
Off-Ice
Aerobics is still the foundation for training. A good practice will usually have an aerobic drill package built in. Cycling and running are two common ways to do aerobic work off ice. Skiing, both water and snow, is excellent for hockey players because it includes upper body work.
Flexibility should be done daily with emphasis on proper warm up/cool down stretching before and after practices and games. Add at least one weekly flexibility training session.
Explosive energy can be done as outlined in the pre-season section. You can also incorporate stair sprints (2 steps at a time), or stair hops (up and down) using one leg only for each 5-10 second work bout.
Maintenance of strength/endurance and high energy can be accomplished by exercising at least the level attained in the pre-season. If a player’s ability to sustain high energy is still weak, players will need to do additional training. Continue to do high energy training 1-2 times per week, depending on game schedule. High energy work should not be done the day prior to a game. Try to do at least one of the two sessions on the ice.
On-Ice
All aspects of conditioning should be done at least to the level attained in pre-season work using programs and drills as outlined in the pre-season section. To save training time, or for variety in training, exercise circuits can be designed to meet all components of conditioning, except flexibility.
Flexibility should be done separately before and after workouts. A complete on ice training circuit is presented below.
Click on the Store tab above to read more about The Hockey Conditioning Handbook.
A Communication Lesson From the NFL
Posted by Don MacAdam
The Globe and Mail newspaper ran an article from The Associated Press on October 4, 2008. There were some interesting coaching tips on player communication from two very successful NFL coaches.Here is most of the article.
RENTON, WASH. — There may be a secret to coaching success in today’s NFL, though it’s one Vince Lombardi would never stand for: empower your players.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin was 25-23 in New York with no playoff wins when he arrived for the 2007 training camp in Albany, N.Y., to begin a must-win season. The man renowned for inflexible discipline was concerned over players misunderstanding why he made certain decisions. So he established a leadership council of about a dozen players to deal with internal issues.
Mike Holmgren has had his own players’ committee of about half that size in each of his 10 years with the Seahawks. He also had one from 1992-98 while leading Green Bay. Holmgren won a Super Bowl and went to another with the Packers before moving to Seattle…
Coughlin’s Giants are undefeated and the Super Bowl defending champions.
Coincidences?
Players on both teams say the committees enlighten them, unite them, strengthen their teams’ trust.
“It just gives us a chance for you to relate stuff better to your teammates than maybe a coach can,” said all-pro left tackle Walter Jones, a Seahawks committee member. “Not saying you don’t want to hear it from the coach, you are just more comfortable hearing it from a player.
“You build a bond in the locker room. It’s all about respect.”
Added quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, also a committee member: “It makes the players feel they have input.”
Coaches having veterans as their deputies isn’t new in the NFL – or even with the Giants. Bill Parcells used to rely on Harry Carson and George Martin to deliver his intentions and report back on the pulse of New York’s locker room.
But Holmgren and Coughlin have formalized the practice, setting committees and having philosophies on who it should include. Coughlin’s represents older and younger players. Holmgren’s is limited to the captains of the offence, defence and special teams, so it usually includes only established veterans…
Last season, the Giants were 0-2 after routs by Dallas and Green Bay. Fans screamed for Coughlin’s dismissal. Coughlin went to his leadership council and told it there was no other group that he would rather be coaching.
The council relayed the coach’s message. The Giants went on a six-game winning streak en route to shocking the undefeated New England Patriots, one of the biggest upsets in a Super Bowl.
“I think that I’ve communicated better than I have in the past,” Coughlin, 62 and a grandfather, said. “I think I’ve taken the time to do that, attach more significance to that, and been more keenly aware of trying to make everyone understand what’s being done, why it’s being done. And do so with enough advance notice so that there’s time for it to sink in.”
Manning said Coughlin went to his council during New York’s bye last week to inform it he wanted to suspend star receiver Plaxico Burress for that Sunday’s game for missing a team meeting. The quarterback appreciated knowing what was going on.
Coughlin said there was a “very good reaction. The players understood it, they understood why, and they went back to work.”
His last meeting with them was on Monday, apparently over Holmgren wanting to change the way the players review game and practice video.
The 60-year-old has a limit to the give-and-take with his committee.
“I don’t want them coming up to me saying, ‘We want grilled cheese sandwiches on the airplane,’ ” Holmgren said.”We’re talking about things more important
Be Sure You Select The Best Captain Possible For Your Team
Posted by Don MacAdam
Most teams understand the importance of leadership. Getting the right captain and alternates is a major component of team leadership and can be a key to a team’s success. The captain will likely become the ‘face’ of the team to fans and media. He will be the one the coaching staff relies on to ‘run’ the dressing room and players look to for leadership.
Teams use different strategies to pick a captain. The process can take many forms:
- Players vote for the team captains
- Coach picks the best player as captain
- Th most senior players fill the captain roles
- Rotate the ‘C’ through the lineup over the course of the season
- By committee, where everyone gets a say
- Management selects the captains
Danny Brooks, assistant coach with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL had this to say about what is done with his major junior team.
The three most important aspects to our organization are: 1. work ethic, 2. attitude, 3. discipline. The captain and assistant captains must have those attributes first and foremost. The captain represents what we want everyday. Our captain is not our best player, but he brings those attributes everyday. He pushes the best players to adopt those attributes. Leadership is something that is groomed. We do something very unique here in Drummondville; we change our assistant captains every month. We reward players for hard work, discipline and attitude. Each player is also a leader in his own right. A player can be a leader in a particular aspect of the game. For example, if you are a banger, you might be the leader of the bangers. In each case all players have ownership in the team. Players are held accountable for the aspect they lead the team in.
Frank Hubley, coaching at the high school level in Nova Scotia, tells us how he selects his captains
I choose the captains. At times I have asked a number of players who they think would make good captains. I ask them ‘why’ and if there are any reasons why any of their choices may not be a good captain for the team.
I have done it where I ask no questions and I pick the captains myself. I have never allowed the players pick the captains. For me it is too much of a popularity contest. Also, I may speak about leadership to the team then ask for 3-4 names of people they think would be good captains. I have not made up my mind on that way yet.
Jason Lammers, assistant coach with Ohio State, gives us another perspective on the process.
This year we had the guys fill out a questionnaire asking for more information about teammates. For example we asked; who would you want in your foxhole, who is the most committed on and off the ice, and who has the best work ethic. We added up the scores and then decided if we agreed with what the guys thought. It seemed to work really well!
There is no sure-fire way to ensure your team selects the best person as captain. That shouldn’t stop you from doing everything possible to try to make this happen anyway. The right leader could make or break your season.
If you have any suggestion on how to pick captains, please comment on this post,
High Tech, Scouting, and Predicting Success in Hockey
Posted by Don MacAdam
In a Globe and Mail story by technology reporter Matt Hartley dated September 23, 2008 read how high tech is becoming part of scouting with the help of a devise called a Phantom. It was developed in the artificial intelligence lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here are clips from the article.
Scouting young hockey prospects is, at best, an inexact science. Something Lauren Sergio is aiming to change with the help of her trusty “force field-creating robotic arm.”
Science fiction it’s not. Since 2003, the York University associate kinesiology professor has spent two days each June running the top 100 NHL prospects through a hand-eye co-ordination test during the league’s annual scouting combine.
“We’re excited about the potential,” NHL Central Scouting director E.J. McGuire said. “But to this point, we are waiting on some of the longitudinal effects to come in on this kind of research.”
It seems simple enough. Each player must stickhandle a ball through four pylons spaced an even distance apart.
There’s just one small catch: the obstacles exist only on a computer screen and the stick is attached to a robotic arm that pushes back against the player, making it harder to maintain control.
In effect, it’s a way of measuring whether a player has “soft hands.” But Sergio believes it could become a predictor of whether a prospect will make it to the NHL or spend years toiling in the minors.
“We want to see if there’s any way to predict performance,” she said. “It’s all about control.”…
Sergio and her team are currently developing a formula that gauges the success each prospect has early on in their hockey careers – ice time, points etc. – and how those results compare to their Phantom tests. She hopes certain scores will indicate whether a player is more likely to develop into a Dion Phaneuf, a Matt Stajan or an Alexandre Daigle…
“The challenge is to come up with the best weighting factor,” she said. “So that, at the end of the [scouting combine] we can give the scouts all the scores and … tell them that this player has a 68-per-cent chance of being in the NHL in the next year, or two years, or three years.”…
Sergio’s colleague, Norman Gledhill, has run the fitness component of the scouting combine for the NHL for more than two decades, and was the one who initially suggested Sergio when the league asked for a way of testing hand-eye co-ordination…
“This gets down to the hair-splitting when all these other factors start to wash each other and you’re sitting at a draft table in the fourth round, or even before that, and you’re looking to set up your team’s hit list for this year,” McGuire said.
Eric Lindros Giving Back in a Big Way
Posted by Don MacAdam
People tend to have a very distinct opinion about Eric Lindros. Whatever that opinion may be, this article about his donation has to impress…
Sep 16, 2008 04:16 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
LONDON, Ont. – Former NHL star Eric Lindros was known for his presence on the ice – and now in retirement he’ll be known for his generosity off it.
Lindros was on hand in London, Ont., on Tuesday for the unveiling of the Lindros Legacy Research building, made possible by his $5-million donation to the London Health Sciences Centre.
The gift is believed to be the largest one-time charitable donation by a Canadian sports figure.
Doctors at the London Health Sciences Centre helped heal Lindros’s various injuries during his career, which was cut short by concussions.
In a release, Lindros said he was pleased to donate to an “organization that helps so many.”
Lindros retired from the NHL last November after stints with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars.
How Do You Start Your Pre-Season?
Posted by Frank Hubley
Frank Hubley has been coaching for over 30 years, mostly at the high school level. His teams are always competitive and hard working. Frank is an educator and has a Bachelor of Physical Education degree from the University of New Brunswick. Here is how he handles tryouts.
How do you get your tryouts started? Do you just give out the dates and times and then have players show up for the first ice session? There are many ways that coaches do the tryout process and it varies between age groups.
Here is one way that I use and find to be very effective.
I have a player meeting prior to going on the ice, typically 5-7 days in advance. This gives the players and parents some time to think about the things I have said. At this meeting:
- players are given the ice times for tryouts.
- no guarantee anyone a position on the team.
- I then provide them with an overview of my expectations for them, if they make the team.
- Players are given a brochure to take home for their parents to read, along with a permission slip. Why do I do this? The brochure gives the players and parents information on practice times, tournaments, off ice, finances and fundraising.
- Parents are asked to attend a meeting prior to tryouts. This meeting is typically 2-3 days prior to the first tryout.
When the parents come to their meeting they now have information on which they can ask questions – if they wish. The brochure serves as a very valuable information tool for me.
At the parent meeting I inform the parents:
- that ice time is not something I will discuss
- I am not there to please them but to coach their son
- they will all contribute to the fundraising projects and that
- I am the coach- I run the show.
I believe it to be very important for parents to know my philosophy and how the team will be run prior to allowing their son to tryout for the team. Could you imagine a parent not knowing the cost of playing hockey and their son makes the team and they can’t afford it!
Having a meeting prior to tryouts and gets rid of many problems. You lay out your beliefs and philosophy. If they agree, then you have them. If not, then you get the people who want and believe in what you are doing. As I tell them, 38 students have signed up to try out for the team. If you as a parent do not like what I say and only 20 players show up on the ice, then I only have to release one player.
Over time I have found this to be a good way of approaching the tryout process. Everyone knows up front how the ship is going to sail and who is the captain. I believe this to be very important.
Once the tryouts are finished I have another meeting with the parents whose sons made the team and lay out plans for the year.
Not every league or team can do this but at the High School where I coach this is the way I do it and it works for me.
My suggestion is be up front and firm and things will fall in place.
