2020-21 SEASON TRYOUTS

Welcome to the Rye Rangers 2020-21 season tryouts to be held at Playland Ice Casino in Rye, NY.  We are looking forward to another fantastic season filled with fun, skill development and success in games!

This year was particularly challenging trying to navigate the various school vacation calendars and holidays with ice availability.  The tryout sessions below are not ideal, but the best we could do given all the parameters.

Below you will find information that we hope is useful in explaining the tryout process and season team makeup for next year.  PLEASE plan on arriving at least 1 hour before your first tryout to allow time for registration, payment of tryout fees, and assignment of tryout pinnie.

Each player will be assigned a tryout pinnie that they are to wear for the entire tryout process.  Coaches at check-in will let you know whether to wear the blue side or white side of the tryout pinnie.

Squirts (2010 & 2011 birth years)

3/28/20, 3:30 – 4:30 pm, 2011 birth year

3/28/20, 4:40 – 5:40 pm, 2010 birth year

3/29/20, 3:50 – 4:50 pm, 2011 birth year

3/29/20, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, 2010 birth year

Pee Wees (2008 & 2009 birth years)

3/28/20, 5:50 – 6:50 pm, 2009 birth year

3/28/20, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, 2008 birth year

3/29/20, 6:10 – 7:10 pm, 2009 birth year

3/29/20, 7:20 – 8:20 pm, 2008 birth year

Bantams (2006 & 2007 birth years)

4/20/20, 7:25 – 8:25 pm

4/21/20, 8:40 – 9:40 pm

4/23/20, 8:40 – 9:40 pm (callbacks, if necessary)

Midget Elite U16 (2004 – 2005 birth years)

4/20/20, 8:35 – 9:35 pm

4/22/20, 9:10 – 10:10 pm

4/24/20, 9:10 – 10:10 pm (callbacks, if necessary)

Goalie Clinics (in addition to above)

3/29/20, 10:30 – 11:30 am, Squirt Goalies

3/29/20, 11:40 – 12:40 pm, Pee Wee Goalies

3/29/20, 12:50 – 1:50 pm, Bantam & Midget Goalies

The tryout fee is $125 per player and can be paid in cash or check made out to Rye Rangers Hockey Club.  Any player new to the Rye Rangers must submit a NYSAHA Release form from their previous organization prior to participating in any tryout.

Evaluators will be in the stands.  Erik Nates’ group will be running the tryouts on the ice.  Please respect their privacy and do not approach with questions regarding the performance of your child. 

This selection process is difficult and a meeting is held with all coaches and evaluators to discuss player team assignments to ensure fairness, equity and agreement between the selection committee.

Players will be notified via email of their team placement shortly after the conclusion of the final tryout.  A letter of commitment will be attached to the email and must be signed and mailed to Rye Rangers PO Box 85, Rye NY 10580, with a $1,000 deposit within 3 days of notification.  Failure to do so will result in the spot on the team being made available to other players.

As a reminder, all 2019-20 membership dues must be paid in full for participation in tryouts and consideration for a spot on a team for next year.

We will be fielding the following teams for the 2020-21 season: 

Mite A

Mite A-1

Mite Minor

Mite ADM

Jr Clinic

Squirt 2010-A

Squirt 2010-A1

Squirt 2011-A

Squirt 2011-A1

Squirt B (divided in fall to HVHL & WestConn teams)

Pee Wee 2008-A TB

Pee Wee 2008-A1

Pee Wee 2009-A

Pee Wee 2009-A1

Pee Wee B (may be divided into 2 teams in the fall based on numbers and ice availability)

Bantam A-TB

Bantam A

Bantam A-1

Midget U16-ATB

Midget U-16 A (probable full season team)

The travel teams will participate in the Hudson Valley Hockey League and WestConn League.  Pee Wee ATB, Bantam ATB & Midgets will be state tournament bound eligible.

Information regarding program format changes for 2020-21, including changes to the Rye Rangers League and Mites will be forthcoming in advance of tryouts.

Please allow ample time for parking and let parking attendant know you are there for Rye Ranger tryouts in the rink and parking is free.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact Sharon or Steven Ketchabaw us at 914-937-9331 or via email at should you have any questions.

Congratulations to the Rye Rangers Bantam A-TB team for clinching a second consecutive berth in the New York State Tier III tournament to be held in Buffalo March 20-22.

Coached by head coach Brian Landy and assistants Angel Rosado and Steve Francella, the Bantams locked down the regular season Hudson Valley Hockey League title with their come-from-behind win over White Plains on Jan. 25.

"The kids worked really hard," Landy said. "They have a goal, and that is to win states. That is their focus and has been since September."

The Bantams will be joining the Midget 16U-TB team that had already secured a berth in the fall.

Photo by Aileen Brown

Congratulations to our Squirt 2010 A team for winning the Doritos Challenge Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport, Conn. The Rangers closed out the tournament with a 4-1 win over the Palisades Predators in the finals.

The Rye Rangers boasted four teams in the tournament in three different division. The Bantam A team reached the semifinals before losing to the host Wonderland Wizards.

Through the early part of the 2019-20 season, one of the great successes in our program has been the debut of the Rye League. 

The Rye League was conceived around the idea that with the Rye Rangers developing so many quality players, our best competition can often be found within. As a result, a number of players at both the Squirt and Pee Wee levels are now, in addition to teams that compete in either the Hudson Valley Hockey League or WestConn, divided into Rye League teams that compete once a week against one another.

Those games have already featured some of the most intense competition of any of our games. And the uniforms aren't bad either!

Click here for the Rye League Pee Wee standings and here for the Squirt standings.

Photo courtesy of John Souza

The Rye Rangers sent a record number of teams to the annual Haunted Shootout in Marlborough, Mass., with 11 teams playing in four different age categories (Squirts, Pee Wees, Bantams, and Midgets). The weekend was highlighted by three teams capturing division championships.

The Pee Wee A-TB team (pictured above) survived a double-overtime semifinal thriller before prevailing 4-3 in the finals over the Maine Moose.

The Pee Wee A-1 team (below) allowed just five goals in four games to win its divison.

And the Midget A-TB team, making its first appearance in the Haunted Shootout, survived its own double overtime epic to win its final 2-1 over the SW Knights.

Congrats to players, coaches, and parents on another successful weekend. 

(Above: Rye Rangers Award winner Evan Ketchabaw and Good Skate Award winner Terry Morris)

One of the enduring traditions at the Rye Rangers is the presentation of the Good Skate Award.

Awarded annually since 2001, the Good Skate Award is dedicated to the memory of three former Rye Rangers—Teddy Maloney, Tommy Palazzo, and Ward Haynes—who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. The inscription on the Good Skate Award states that it is to be: “Presented annually to the member of the Rye Rangers Hockey Club voted by his/her peers as best epitomizing the human goodness of these special individuals.  It shall be forever known as the ‘Good Skate Award.’ Its enduring legacy is to serve as a reminder that we are all better human beings for having shared our lives, both on and off the ice, with these guys.”

This year’s award was presented to Terry Morris, a former standout Princeton hockey player who has long served as one of the program’s most dedicated coaches. In addition, Terry has been instrumental in elevating the experience for goalies in our program by tirelessly coordinating with Prorease to ensure the best coaching for our netminders.

From left: Rye Rangers board member Rocky Shepard, winner of the inaugural Rye Rangers Award Evan Ketchabaw, 2019 Good Skate Award winner Terry Morris, and Rye Rangers president Eric Bommer. (All photos by Aileen Brown)

For the first time this year, the program also presented the Rye Rangers Award, a $1,000 scholarship funded by the former Good Skate Award winners given to a college bound former player who represents the program as a model player and citizen. The inaugural award winner was Evan Ketchabaw, a longtime player in the program who has also distinguished himself as a referee, coach, and for his charitable work. Evan will be attending Colgate in the fall.

Congratulations to both winners.

The Rye Rangers offer a premium goaltending experience. We take great care of our goalies, ensuring they get a playing and coaching experience tailored to their specific needs, consistent with the specialized nature of the position.

Team:

• Placement on a competitive travel team that competes in the Hudson Valley Hockey League or WestConn League, augmented by games in the newly launched Rye Rangers league.
• Up to six teams per age group allows for ideal team placement.
• Multiple practices and skills session per week in the heart of the season.
• Forty to fifty games per season, including tournaments and playoffs. 

Goaltender Specific Training:

Rye Rangers is pleased to have a close affiliation with Pro Crease Goaltending, the premiere goalie development program in the Northeast.

• Pro Crease is led by founder Jared Waimon,who is also Assistant Coach at Quinnipiac University, Regional Mentor for the USA Hockey/Warren Strelow National Goaltending Program, USA Hockey Goaltending Coach/Evaluator; New England and Atlantic Districts and goaltending instructor/consultant for several nationally ranked elite travel teams and prep schools including the Mid Fairfield Youth Hockey Association, Avon Old Farms, Salisbury School, Taft School and Westminster School.
• Early-season training includes weekly goalie-specific practice sessions with Pro Crease.
• A Pro Crease goalie coach is on ice for all weekly team practice sessions throughout the season.
• Each goalie is also offered an additional weekly session offered at no extra cost with Pro Crease coaching for critical individual training (1:1 or 1:2 ratio)

For more information on our program for goalies, contact

(Photos by Aileen D. Brown)

The Rye Rangers offers programs for every level of player, from beginners to adults. Below is a breakdown of our different programs. Please email for more information.

Mite (8U)

The Rye Rangers have four levels of instruction in our 8U program so there is a progression from one year to the next. All of our levels work on each individual player's overall skill development in a fast-paced, energetic and fun manner.

Junior clinic

The entry point into ice hockey for most players, this is for players who have recently learned to skate. Ice sessions are typically Sunday mornings at the Playland studio rink.

Mite ADM

Named after USA Hockey’s groundbreaking American Development Model, our Mite ADM program offers station-based instruction in skating, stickhandling, and shooting fundamentals. Clinics are typically on both weekend mornings.

Mite Minor

The next level of progression from Mite ADM, Mite Minor continues station-based instruction on the weekend, along with midweek intramural games and cross-ice games against other programs.

Mite A

Our Mite A team continues to emphasize skill development, and is also entered in the Chelsea Piers Connecticut cross-ice league game.

Squirts (10U)

The first year of full-ice hockey, with a continued strong emphasis on skill development. Our teams compete in the Hudson Valley Hockey League.

Pee Wees (12U)

Skill development remains a priority, with increased attention to team concepts. Teams also compete in the Hudson Valley Hockey League. Our Pee Wee A-Tournament Bound team is eligible for the New York State Tournament at season’s end.

Bantam (14U)

The first level of full checking. Teams also compete in the Hudson Valley Hockey League, with our Bantam A-Tournament Bound team also eligible for the New York State Tournament.

Midgets (16U & 18U)

Midget teams play a truncated schedule from late August through November to accommodate school hockey schedules.

Men’s hockey

Adult pick-up hockey typically on Thursday nights and weekend mornings, with some game opportunities against other programs.

General skating

Open skate sessions, with no sticks or pucks, typically on Friday and Sunday afternoons.