Tryouts are one of the most emotional weeks of the youth hockey calendar, and this summer, TeamGenius joined the Our Kids Play Hockey podcast to dig into exactly why youth hockey tryouts fairer for players, parents, and coaches is such a hard — and important — problem to solve. Our own Gabe Malinski sat down with hosts Lee Elias and Christie Casciano Burns for a wide-ranging conversation on evaluation bias, parent communication, and what it actually takes to run a tryout process families can trust.
About Our Kids Play Hockey
Our Kids Play Hockey is one of the most listened-to podcasts in the youth hockey space, built around conversations that go beyond the technical side of the game and into the real experiences of players, parents, and coaches. The show has built a loyal following of hockey families across North America who tune in weekly for practical, honest takes on everything from tryouts to long-term player development. It was the perfect stage for a conversation about fairness, transparency, and what tryouts should really be measuring.
Key Points From the Episode
The Biggest Mistake Organizations Make at Tryouts
One of the first topics Gabe tackled was how associations tend to overcomplicate their evaluation process. Trying to capture too many data points in a single hour-long session often does more harm than good — the real purpose of a tryout is simply to build appropriate, balanced teams, and evaluation criteria should scale with an organization’s size and the age group being assessed.
Reducing Bias With Objective Data
The conversation dug into practical ways organizations are removing bias from evaluations — from timing gates and shot-speed tools to anonymous, numbered jerseys and third-party evaluators who don’t know any of the players walking onto the ice. These tools don’t replace human judgment on things like hockey IQ or compete level, but they give organizations a more objective foundation to build decisions on.
Why Communication Is the Real Fix
A recurring theme throughout the episode was that transparent communication — telling parents what’s being evaluated before tryouts happen, and following up with honest, specific feedback afterward — does more to build trust than any scoring system alone. When families understand the process, the “the team was already picked” narrative tends to disappear.
Tryouts Are One Data Point, Not the Whole Story
Gabe also shared the story of his brother Sam, now playing in the NHL, whose path included getting cut from junior teams and going undrafted before working his way up. It’s a reminder that one roster decision, at any age, doesn’t define a player’s future — and that year-round development matters far more than a single evaluation session.
Listen to the Full Episode
You can catch the entire conversation on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts using the links below.
- 🎧 Watch on YouTube
- 🎧 Listen on Spotify
- 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Why This Conversation Matters
Fair, transparent tryouts don’t just make one season easier — they build the kind of trust that keeps families engaged with an organization for years. That’s exactly the work TeamGenius does with hockey associations every day: clearer evaluation criteria, less bias, and better communication between coaches and parents.
Want to see how TeamGenius helps organizations run fairer, more transparent tryouts?
Visit teamgenius.com to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Kids Play Hockey is a weekly podcast focused on youth hockey, covering topics like player development, tryouts, coaching, and the parent experience through conversations with coaches, players, and industry experts.
TeamGenius’ Gabe Malinski discussed how youth hockey organizations can make tryouts fairer, reduce evaluation bias with objective data, and build trust with parents through transparent communication and honest feedback.
Using tools like timing gates for objective measurements, assigning anonymous numbered jerseys, and bringing in third-party evaluators who don’t know the players are all effective ways to reduce bias in the evaluation process.
Transparent communication about evaluation criteria and honest post-tryout feedback helps parents understand how decisions are made, which reduces frustration and builds long-term trust in an organization’s process.
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