Solution for assigning hockey players to their nearest rink
Question
What is the best way to assign 66 players to teams of 10-12, and assign each team to a rink using all four
rinks.
Data
The data used is the location of the players (initial geocoding exercise), the location of the four rinks, and
Wake County street geography.
Method
First, using select by attributes, take the four rinks, which are on the same layer, and make them into four
separate layers. Next, use the ‘point distance’ tool to calculate the point distance between each player
and each hockey rink. Export the resulting tables created into Excel and merge them all together. Using
this excel table in SAS, solve it as a linear programming problem. To do this, use proc optmodel and
calculate the optimal solution for minimizing the total distance for all hockey players from their personal
location to their assigned rink. Next, Export the solutions to an excel table to be imported back into
ArcMap. Lastly, join the solution with the table of the players and their location.
Visualize
I went back and look at the map and graphically compare it to the data table to make sure that it is correct.
Future Possibilities
This problem is a common occurrence in the real world. Many times people will have to assign certain
objects based on constraints (such as distance). Often times you want to minimize (or maximize) this
constraint. A more specific example would be the case of the school system assigning children to
schools.
Note: Below is a copy of the map of the assignments along with the data table that has their name and
assignments.
Rink
First Name Assignment
Sam
Reczone
Adam
Reczone
Tim
Cary
Peter
Garner
Dominick
Reczone
Ben
Garner
Jake
Factory
Evan
Reczone
Colin
Reczone
Stephen
Reczone
Christopher Reczone
Grant
Reczone
Jacob
Cary
Kerry
Reczone
Mason
Reczone
Will
Reczone
Mitchell
Garner
Ryan
Garner
Kevin
Cary
Jordan
Factory
Daniel
Cary
Alec
Cary
Ian
Cary
Troy
Garner
Jeremy
Garner
Kyle
Cary
Jus n
Cary
Colin
Cary
Zach
Cary
Luke
Cary
Evan
Cary
Eddie
Cary
Andrew
Garner
First
Name
Peter
John
Cody
Jay
Nicole
Maddi
Noah
Anthony
Imran
Kaleigh
Ellio
Alex
Joey
Sawyer
Robert
Aaron
Fyle
Michael
Alex
Mason
Zach
Jackson
Dakota
Adam
Drew
Cameron
Cullen
Rajiv
Taylor
Aus n
Nick
Kevin
Ma hew
Rink
Assignment
Cary
Cary
Cary
Cary
Cary
Cary
Garner
Garner
Cary
Garner
Cary
Cary
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Garner
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory
Factory