Trial and Selection Guidelines

Trial Procedures

• Trials will be advertised on the school website, under the sport.
• Each trial is facilitated by a non-selecting staff member.
• A selection panel comprises of:
  – At least two knowledgeable staff members or
  – Two non-school staff with code expertise, supported by a staff member
• Every student must be observed in action on the field/turf/court for enough time, at the selectors/CDC discretion.
• Individual sports (e.g. Swimming, Cross Country, Athletics) use a different selection method, with team selection based on fastest qualifying times or longest distances recorded on the competition day.
• Two trial sessions are held to give selectors a wider observation window.
• Selectors must not discuss any aspect of the trial, trial environment, or any team placements with parents or caregivers. Selectors should not communicate with individual players during the trial but go through the trial facilitator.
• All parent enquiries or comments must be directed to the CDC.
• Staff, parents or caregivers are not permitted to act as selectors if they have a child trialling for that team.

Selection Criteria

• Selection is based on the following criteria:
• Year 9-13 students meet all School Sport NZ eligibility criteria.
• Commitment and attitude
• Work ethic and effort
• Skill level and game understanding
• Fitness and availability
• Team balance and positional requirements
• Ability to uphold the school’s special character and code of conduct.
• Should competition for places be high, previous performance may be used to inform team placement.

Attendance & Absences

• Students are expected to attend all scheduled trials.
• If a student is unable to attend due to illness or injury, parents must notify the CDC or the Sports Department before the trial. In such cases, selectors have the discretion to consider previous performances, coach & PE teacher feedback, and training history.
• Students who do not attend trials without a valid reason are at risk of not being placed in a team.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Student Athletes – must uphold KingsWay’s Player and Supporters’ Codes. Students who do not meet these expectations may be excluded from the trial process.
• Trial Facilitators – run trials, ensuring the environment aligns with the expectations outlined above.
• Selectors – observe and record performance, assessing players based on performance criteria.
• Code Development Coordinator (CDC) – Plans trials, appoints/selects the selection panel and trial facilitator, ensures documentation is completed, and communicates timelines and expectations to students and families. Initial concerns or questions about trials or feedback should come through to the CDC.
• Director of Sport – Oversees the implementation of this policy and manages any escalated selection issues.

Trial Environment

During School Hours

Trials conducted during school time are closed trials. No parents or caregivers are permitted to attend. This rule is in place to ensure student safety and  maintain a focused, disruption-free environment on school grounds.

After School Trials

Trials held after school are closed events, and parents or caregivers are not permitted to attend. A scheduled finish time will be communicated, and parents/caregivers should arrive only at the designated pick-up time to collect their child.

Team Placement

Students, choosing to play in recreational grades, may indicate if they wish to play in the same team as a friend. Both friends must agree and where possible, efforts will be made to accommodate this; however, students must understand that:

• To play with friends, they may need to play in the lower of the two teams where those friends are placed.
• When the number of registrations is only enough for a single team at a particular level, trials are not required. Players will be included in a team for that grade.

Review and Feedback

• Questions about selection decisions need to be raised by players in the first instance. Should further clarification be required the student or the parent may contact the CDC of the code.
• Feedback on selection may be directed to the CDC & not directly with the selectors.
• The school reserves the right to review and amend this policy as needed to ensure fair and safe practices across all sports.
• The final decision regarding player placement is at the discretion of the CDC in consultation with the Sports department.

 Team Notification Procedures

• Initial Communication : Parents will receive an email from the Sports Department containing their TeamReach code. After registering in the TeamReach group, they will be able to view the full team list.
• For students in Years 9 and above, parents and students (if the student has a mobile phone) are required to join TeamReach.
• The majority of communication from this point onward will take place via TeamReach.