Beginning in the 2020-2021 season, the Ontario Minor Hockey Association will be following the U11 (Atom) Player Pathway issued by Hockey Canada. Player Pathways are progressive, learn to play development guides that support age-appropriate player development guidelines.
As can already be seen with U7 (Initiation) and U9 (Novice) programming, these Pathways include outlines of optimal seasonal structures.
The U11 (Atom) Player Pathway consists of a policy and recommendations, all focusing on the appropriate development for 9 and 10-year-old players. The U11 (Atom) Pathway ensures there are no evaluations during the first week of school, a time which can be stressful for players and families. It delivers a positive experience during evaluations by providing planned pre-evaluation ice sessions and allows all U11 (Atom) players to be actively playing for as long as possible during the season.
https://www.ohf.on.ca/players/player-pathways/u11-atom-player-pathway