Our Mission

MISSION
Organization building and player development, like child rearing, are measured in years, not games. While we choose to live in the world of athletics, where by definition you are judged by the score, the New Jersey Bandits choose to focus on the process of developing players' abilities more than the immediate, weekly results. It is this focus that remains in the forefront of our minds as we develop our players.

Winning and losing is part of our culture. Either can be done well or poorly. Successfully finding that balance begins with personal accountability.

The Bandits organization exists for those families who strive to meet the challenge of striking a balance between the demands of the athletic arena and the true spirit of player development and youth sports. Our primary goal is to provide our athletes with a safe and positive culture built upon a foundation of proven, fair, consistent and uncompromising principles acquired over many years of experience.

VISION & PHILOSOPHY:

The NJ Bandits are not a status driven organization.  Letters are far less important than an athlete’s experience. Our objective is to provide leadership and create a complete hockey experience using USA Hockey’s American Development Model – Long Term Athlete Development Principals.  Our goal is to cultivate each player’s passion for the sport and establish a culture of esprit de corps in a safe, clean and ethical atmosphere where athletes are empowered in an appropriately competitive environment.

 SELECTION & TEAM DECLARATION PROCESS: For Mites through Bantams

Note: Midgets are placed on teams at the initial tryouts 

 In order to ensure athletes are placed on the appropriate team, and that the team is placed at the appropriate competitive level, we use a multi-phase selection and declaration process. It is our intention to field AA, A & B at each level based on the talent pool without compromising the integrity of the competitive component in the development process. 

 Phase I Open Tryouts:  (April). For a variety of reasons, tryout week often provides a false impression of an athlete’s ability.  We evaluate candidates based on their body of work whenever possible.  During the season three evaluations are conducted.  The results of those evaluations are taken into account during the tryout phase.  Depending on the quality and quantity of the player pool, the coaching staff for each level will determine and fill the roster spots.  Once selected, each player will be required to secure their place in the organization with a deposit on the final night of tryouts.  This will insure that you have a place to play next year.

 Phase II Spring Training Sessions: (May-June)   Over the next two months as players continue to grow and mature at varying rates they will participate in training sessions.  At these practices we will continue to challenge and evaluate each candidate and begin to assess the collective ability of the group.

 Phase III Final Declarations: (June)    Conducted following spring clinics and just prior to the NJYHL team declaration deadline.   Candidates will be sorted out and assigned to a team that best suits their ability.  Coaches will be assigned a team and teams will be placed at the appropriate competitive levels (AA, A or B). Competitive level selection for Mites and Squirts is determined by NJYHL seeding process.

 American Development Model (ADM):

The Bandits are proud to announce the adoption of the new NHL-USA Hockey Development program. Implementation of the ADM began with the Mite level in 2010-2011 under the direction of the USA Hockey Regional Manager Jim Hunt.