A Proposal

[Quasar]

Open Enrollment

A proposal to all parents of Minnesota youth hockey players

I propose a solution to the problem of 10% of the hockey community causing waves for their associations. This 10% are the Dads, Moms and kids looking for something other than what they are being offered.

There are many reasons for their discontent, and why should that matter?
What matters is that they are a thorn in every ones side. They are also in many instances the most knowledgeable about what is going on in the larger hockey universe. Many if not most of them are involved in Summer hockey, and they wish to bring this experience to winter hockey.

If the 90% of you do not want to listen/deal with this minority, please think about this proposal, and if you agree with it make your wishes known to anyone in your association that will listen to you.

Think about this ……………

If every player registered with Both USA and Minnesota Hockey could register each season with any team they chose , every body’s problem would be solved. The perceived malcontents could go to the association of their choosing each year.. No more crying about choice… The Associations could say good riddance to the trouble makers.

This will also give a clearer meaning to Summer hockey.. When a parent makes the decision to play summer hockey they enter a new world of hockey with a different attitude about the game. They also widen their net work of hockey friends. This alone opens up an opportunity for them to understand how other associations view hockey.

If people could register with any team in the state, what do you think would happen? I think 90% of them would stay put. I think 9% of the remaining would find a happy home, and I don’t think the other 1% really matters.

In time this might even lead to some associations cleaning up their act…

At any rate it’s up to you, the parents of kids that are in the system.

I believe that for profit Summer Hockey is and can be a great thing for Minnesota., and there is no reason it shouldn’t enhance the winter program. This is a way to make that possible.

What is needed now is someone in a position of power within Minnesota hockey to advance this idea. The standard association board meeting two minutes won’t get it done

With this proposed solution to a real problem, I'll be leaving this board as an active poster..

Good luck .. I’ll be watching from the sidelines

[trippedovertheblueline]

Open Enrollment

A proposal to all parents of Minnesota youth hockey players

I propose a solution to the problem of 10% of the hockey community causing waves for their associations. This 10% are the Dads, Moms and kids looking for something other than what they are being offered.

There are many reasons for their discontent, and why should that matter?
What matters is that they are a thorn in every ones side. They are also in many instances the most knowledgeable about what is going on in the larger hockey universe. Many if not most of them are involved in Summer hockey, and they wish to bring this experience to winter hockey.

If the 90% of you do not want to listen/deal with this minority, please think about this proposal, and if you agree with it make your wishes known to anyone in your association that will listen to you.

Think about this ……………

If every player registered with Both USA and Minnesota Hockey could register each season with any team they chose , every body’s problem would be solved. The perceived malcontents could go to the association of their choosing each year.. No more crying about choice… The Associations could say good riddance to the trouble makers.

This will also give a clearer meaning to Summer hockey.. When a parent makes the decision to play summer hockey they enter a new world of hockey with a different attitude about the game. They also widen their net work of hockey friends. This alone opens up an opportunity for them to understand how other associations view hockey.

If people could register with any team in the state, what do you think would happen? I think 90% of them would stay put. I think 9% of the remaining would find a happy home, and I don’t think the other 1% really matters.

In time this might even lead to some associations cleaning up their act…

At any rate it’s up to you, the parents of kids that are in the system.

I believe that for profit Summer Hockey is and can be a great thing for Minnesota., and there is no reason it shouldn’t enhance the winter program. This is a way to make that possible.

What is needed now is someone in a position of power within Minnesota hockey to advance this idea. The standard association board meeting two minutes won’t get it done

With this proposed solution to a real problem, I'll be leaving this board as an active poster..

Good luck .. I’ll be watching from the sidelines

What about the rinks that are owned by the city and the taxes of its residents? It would be difficult to eliminate those from using it.

[mkpfb]

Q:

You need to understand that you actually do have a choice. Your kid can play in any association in the Minnesota or in the rest of the country.

For Minnesota, you can waive out of your association and into another one. If that does not work, all you have to do is move. Rent an apartment and move your family into Eagan, Edina, Eden Prairie or anywhere else. The $12,000 you pay in rent will be saved in Tier 1 hockey fees. If money is no object, go buy a house where you want to live.

If you want to play Tier 1, then call the Mission or Honeybaked or Russell Stover and join their team. They are always looking for good players and do not care where they are from.

you don't need to change the system, just go do what you want.

[greybeard58]

Also the option to open enroll at another school system and then waive to that association. You would still registrar where you live.

[hockeyover40]

Q:

You need to understand that you actually do have a choice. Your kid can play in any association in the Minnesota or in the rest of the country.

For Minnesota, you can waive out of your association and into another one. If that does not work, all you have to do is move. Rent an apartment and move your family into Eagan, Edina, Eden Prairie or anywhere else. The $12,000 you pay in rent will be saved in Tier 1 hockey fees. If money is no object, go buy a house where you want to live.

If you want to play Tier 1, then call the Mission or Honeybaked or Russell Stover and join their team. They are always looking for good players and do not care where they are from.

you don't need to change the system, just go do what you want.

I know people who things like this, but how realistic is it for someone that doesn't have money to burn.

[interestedbystander]

I know people who things like this, but how realistic is it for someone that doesn't have money to burn.

I would assume if you can afford to play Tier I hockey, you can afford $12000 in rent instead.

[O-townClown]

It's official. Will pass unanimously on first vote.

[GreekChurch]

All this talk of the 1% or so leaving, and playing where they want through a type of " open enrollment" and paying 10 - $12,000 for that right has an awfully familular ring to it. If they wait just a little bit they can enroll at Hill - Murray. That way everybody would be happy, and nobody would have a problem with it.

[SnowedIn]

Don't think that an any association system would work because there would be chaos and you have fact that rinks are community owned.

It's also backwards to expect families to move or rent homes to change associations, even though some do to avoid a terrible hockey situation for their child.

IMO AAA hockey would have to be private.

Innovative and proven training models are out there being scooped up and used. Right now, there is little incentive or motivation for associations to adopt these methods. Some maybe trying some out but with the stoggy management of most associations, with all kids of conflicting objectives, these opportunities will be missed for most.

A private AAA program has one mission.. To develop the best AAA players in the country using the best development training. USAH and MN Hockey would limit the number of teams and would have to agree on any expansion. These teams would run independently of MH.

Players would have this option if they want to try out. The positive side effect is that Associations would be motivated to develop better training to compete to keep their top players.

[letthembekids]

As I read through the post about "Proposal" I have to laugh when I read 10% of the moms, dads and kids.. Take the kids out of it as the majority of the problem is the parents. If you want to leave, leave. Go move someplace else and I would be you will make things miserable there as well..

[Hockeydaddy]

What I've learned in our 8 year youth hockey career is this: There are only a very tiny number of parents who don't want their kid playing with kids who are either equal or better, and most have a semi-inflated opinion of where their kid is. Most parents want great competition for their kid, a coach who will push them, and a system that helps kids get better.

Problem is, where do you stop? In rules permitted in your proposal, say Edina recruits a super-team, using 5 of their best kids, and 10 others from elsewhere. Now there's 10 A-level Edina kids displaced. 5 of them go to Hopkins, they find 10 others from elsewhere and make team 2. Then the top 5 Eden Prairie players (who didn't join one of those teams) start their association's team. The top Chaska kids joined elsewhere, so what do they do? Not have an A team, or start recruiting? The third 5 Edina kids help Bloomington start an even better team. The NEXT 5 Edina kids (16-20) all have parents who just know they're A players, so Richfield or St. Louis Park's program gets a jumpstart... (well, both get a headstart, since there are more kids where those came from). Where does it stop? I bet you'd have even more A level teams than ever, and it would get watered down like Summer "AAA" hockey. Because of the potential massive turnover every year, how would you have any sense of which are the real A teams? All it would take to field more A level teams is the belief by enough parents that their kid belongs in A.

C hockey would end. After all, some association would convince all those Wayzata or Woodbury C parents that their kid's really a B level kid if given the chance.

Unless there was a mechanism in place to determine who really belongs at the A level, all those top kids who decided to play together will end up playing a lot more kids who would have been B kids in the first place, and there would be a lot of 13-0 games. But hey, everyone gets to play where they want, gets to drive further to practices and games, and everyone is made to feel important.

And associations would have to start much earlier. Fill up the most desired programs, but leave time for the disgruntled non-A players to make up that new A team in the association that hasn't been able to field one.

I can't imagine any association wanting to deal with this headache. Maybe you could speculate on which association would actually want to do this?

It was a good theory, and maybe it would end up better for the top kids. But it might be a giant cluster for everyone else.

[SnowedIn]

What I've learned in our 8 year youth hockey career is this: There are only a very tiny number of parents who don't want their kid playing with kids who are either equal or better, and most have a semi-inflated opinion of where their kid is. Most parents want great competition for their kid, a coach who will push them, and a system that helps kids get better.

Problem is, where do you stop? In rules permitted in your proposal, say Edina recruits a super-team, using 5 of their best kids, and 10 others from elsewhere. Now there's 10 A-level Edina kids displaced. 5 of them go to Hopkins, they find 10 others from elsewhere and make team 2. Then the top 5 Eden Prairie players (who didn't join one of those teams) start their association's team. The top Chaska kids joined elsewhere, so what do they do? Not have an A team, or start recruiting? The third 5 Edina kids help Bloomington start an even better team. The NEXT 5 Edina kids (16-20) all have parents who just know they're A players, so Richfield or St. Louis Park's program gets a jumpstart... (well, both get a headstart, since there are more kids where those came from). Where does it stop? I bet you'd have even more A level teams than ever, and it would get watered down like Summer "AAA" hockey. Because of the potential massive turnover every year, how would you have any sense of which are the real A teams? All it would take to field more A level teams is the belief by enough parents that their kid belongs in A.

C hockey would end. After all, some association would convince all those Wayzata or Woodbury C parents that their kid's really a B level kid if given the chance.

Unless there was a mechanism in place to determine who really belongs at the A level, all those top kids who decided to play together will end up playing a lot more kids who would have been B kids in the first place, and there would be a lot of 13-0 games. But hey, everyone gets to play where they want, gets to drive further to practices and games, and everyone is made to feel important.

And associations would have to start much earlier. Fill up the most desired programs, but leave time for the disgruntled non-A players to make up that new A team in the association that hasn't been able to field one.

I can't imagine any association wanting to deal with this headache. Maybe you could speculate on which association would actually want to do this?

It was a good theory, and maybe it would end up better for the top kids. But it might be a giant cluster for everyone else.

HD - Agree. I pointed out it would be a mess to do **Any Association** AAA hockey. Thanks for throwing out the scenario which neatly paints the picture. It would end up like summer AAA hockey. No state or province can support 10 true AAA teams. But, if the teams are limited to 3,4 or 5 across the entire state, now you have something that could be supported. Those teams would compete with each other and against out of state teams. The only way I think it would work, to avoid a ridiculous amount of problems, is to keep it private and separate from Association Hockey.

[Chuck Norris Fan]

Great Idea!!!

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic. ... highlight=

[observer]

I agree HD, the summary is a good one and exposes some flaws.

One other thought I've had is that a lot of dads fussing for winter AAA think their son would be part of a team. Should it become reality their son may not make a team if he has to compete with the best from the largest associations. That is why in some instances they want private clubs because then they still have some control regarding who makes the team.

In my opinion we currently have the perfect combo. Winter with your community based association team and then summer AAA with players from multiple associations.

[SnowedIn]

Great Idea!!!

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Very good posts on that one. Agree that Minnesota has a whole lot of potential to produce many more elite players and even higher calibur if a system like HPC was implemented here and could be supported in state like you suggest.

If it ain't broke don't fix it is the one of the most common fallacies. Nothing wrong with some fine tuning and new ideas to create something better. SSpecially if it does't destroy the status quo.

My vote is yes.

[BadgerBob82]

The chaos scenario hockeydaddy laid out is exactly what would happen. Add to this the poor administrators in each association trying to figure out who's coming to take over which levels in their association? Are they having 3 Pee-Wee teams or 10?

What I would envision is a renegade and his minions invade a "rural" association that doesn't field A teams. They invade that assocation, though hold all practices and games at say the Made. So you have the West Rubberboot Hockey Assocation become instant championship contenders, but are based out of a town 90 miles away?

The funny thing is many of the supporters would all go to the same place, and end up on powerful B teams! As long as you win, who cares, right!

[JoltDelivered]

A private AAA program has one mission.. To develop the best AAA players in the country using the best development training.

Actually I would argue that's the marketing message for when AAA coaches call to recruit a player. Their actual #1 mission in a for-profit hockey world is to make a profit. They won't exist for very long if their business model isn't sound. And the way you achieve the mission is to win as absolutly as many games as you can. And the way you achieve that is to recruit the best players. One can argue they then develop those top flight players...that may be but it's not their #1 mission. Also people, especially parents, love the status that comes along with being affiliated with a top team and I suspect that's where much of this is coming from. There's a reason the Blades and Machine and many others sell car stickers, tee shirts, hats and sweatshirts with the team colors and logo. In the business we call that creating and cultivating brand loyalty.

If every player registered with both USA and Minnesota Hockey could register each season with any team they chose , every body’s problem would be solved.

Don't make the assumption that all these pervieved people with problems have the same problem as you. And I would argue a little bit that you have a solution thats looking for a problem. It's been well stated on this board that choice exists today, without changing a thing. And I don't think the arguement of 9% of the people would leave their associatons today because they are looking for a winter super team to join. I think it's much lower than that. But of course a wise professor once told me 92% of all verbailzed statistics are made up on the spot.

In time this might even lead to some associations cleaning up their act…

I respectfully disagree. What's the incetinve for the association to change? To keep the top players around? If MN Hockey would enact a proposal such as this, the top players of non competitive associations will leave like bolts of lightning, regardless of what the association does to "clean up their act". If you had a top pee wee in the state and lived in say...North Branch or Wilmar or Marshall, would you stay if your propsal was in effect? Or would you head off to a top flight program when the coach calls? I think you have been arguing for quite some time on this board that you would leave regardless of what the association does.

What is needed now is someone in a position of power within Minnesota hockey to advance this idea.

This won't happen. It's a self defeating exercise for Minnesota Hockey to engage in. Minnesota Hockey does not engage in activities that will ultimately segrgate the kids based on talent in the youth ranks (mites, squirts, pee wees). Lets peel the onion back here all the way. That's really what you are advocating for. We can all hide behind buzzwords like Choice and Development. To me that's code for: I want my stud to play with other studs and I want to watch my kids win games and tournaments. I want this because I've been exposed to it in the summer and it's fun and makes me and my son feel good. Now I want it in the winter too. If you go the MH website, that is not their stated mission. The mission is stated as: "Since 1947 Minnesota Hockey (formerly known as the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association) has been providing volunteer services for the development and promotion of all youth hockey in Minnesota."

So I'm sure you can tell by my opinions above that I disagree with your proposal. I like the creative thought process so I like it when people bring this sort of thing forward. However, it's not really out-of-the box thinking. What you're trying to do is simply replicate a model that already exisits and that's probably been good to you. I honestly think that this sort of model would restrict access to young, less skilled players, associations would dry up or consolidate and at the end of the day we would have fewer kids playing hockey in Minnesota, which I don't think anybody wants.

[BadgerBob82]

Excellent post JoltDelivered!

You said it best right here "We can all hide behind buzzwords like Choice and Development. To me that's code for: I want my stud to play with other studs and I want to watch my kids win games and tournaments. I want this because I've been exposed to it in the summer and it's fun and makes me and my son feel good. Now I want it in the winter too."

100% correct!

[woogieboogiewoogie]

You confuse me Quasar I'm just sayin....

Quasar
Joined: 23 Sep 2009
Posts: 243

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing wrong with profit... Especially if they are trying to improve the product. As far as open and invite. I believe invite is AAA and open is AA. If they are looking to have good teams that can compete at those two levels, and people are willing to pay the freight that would seem to be their business.There must be something to it ..They seem to be building the teams.
I wish there would have been summer hockey 40 years ago when I coached my kid. By the way .. I think AAA hockey should only be played in the summer ...

Open Enrollment

A proposal to all parents of Minnesota youth hockey players

I propose a solution to the problem of 10% of the hockey community causing waves for their associations. This 10% are the Dads, Moms and kids looking for something other than what they are being offered.

There are many reasons for their discontent, and why should that matter?
What matters is that they are a thorn in every ones side. They are also in many instances the most knowledgeable about what is going on in the larger hockey universe. Many if not most of them are involved in Summer hockey, and they wish to bring this experience to winter hockey.

If the 90% of you do not want to listen/deal with this minority, please think about this proposal, and if you agree with it make your wishes known to anyone in your association that will listen to you.

Think about this ……………

If every player registered with Both USA and Minnesota Hockey could register each season with any team they chose , every body’s problem would be solved. The perceived malcontents could go to the association of their choosing each year.. No more crying about choice… The Associations could say good riddance to the trouble makers.

This will also give a clearer meaning to Summer hockey.. When a parent makes the decision to play summer hockey they enter a new world of hockey with a different attitude about the game. They also widen their net work of hockey friends. This alone opens up an opportunity for them to understand how other associations view hockey.

If people could register with any team in the state, what do you think would happen? I think 90% of them would stay put. I think 9% of the remaining would find a happy home, and I don’t think the other 1% really matters.

In time this might even lead to some associations cleaning up their act…

At any rate it’s up to you, the parents of kids that are in the system.

I believe that for profit Summer Hockey is and can be a great thing for Minnesota., and there is no reason it shouldn’t enhance the winter program. This is a way to make that possible.

What is needed now is someone in a position of power within Minnesota hockey to advance this idea. The standard association board meeting two minutes won’t get it done

With this proposed solution to a real problem, I'll be leaving this board as an active poster..

Good luck .. I’ll be watching from the sidelines

[SnowedIn]

This won't happen. It's a self defeating exercise for Minnesota Hockey to engage in. Minnesota Hockey does not engage in activities that will ultimately segrgate the kids based on talent in the youth ranks

--Why are there A and B teams?

That's really what you are advocating for. We can all hide behind buzzwords like Choice and Development. To me that's code for: I want my stud to play with other studs and I want to watch my kids win games and tournaments.

--Your key words are "TO ME that's code for". That's your opinion. My opinion is that these kids will develop infinitely better and faster with kids their own calibur. They will be able to do more advanced skills each and every hour they are on the ice. They will be able to pass with them, play 1 on 1s with them, compete against them. Their development will exponentially advance over their current system. Not everyone will want this but many will. Why is it a bad thing for kids to advance to their top potential? As far as games go, the only ones that matter are the ones against good teams, and wins are not guaranteed. AAA teams don't rack up millions of wins against other AAA teams. That only happens in the summer when 70% of AAA teams are not truly AAA. That's not what is being proposed here..small number of AAA teams.

The mission is stated as: "Since 1947 Minnesota Hockey (formerly known as the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association) has been providing volunteer services for the development and promotion of all youth hockey in Minnesota."

--And that will not change because you have 3 to 5 AAA teams from north to south.

it's not really out-of-the box thinking. What you're trying to do is simply replicate a model that already exisits

--Yes. Nobody is arguing it is out of the box, just that it should be offered here.

I honestly think that this sort of model would restrict access to young, less skilled players, associations would dry up or consolidate and at the end of the day we would have fewer kids playing hockey in Minnesota, which I don't think anybody wants.

--Why would it restrict access to young players? Remember we're talking about 3-5 teams statewide, not mutated summer AAA hockey. It is controlled AAA hockey - regulated by the state and USAH like every other state. The small vacuum created by the few players that leave an association will be filled with kids that will take over the roles of those that leave, and that process cascades down the chain. The sky is not falling and access does not change. Tell me why you think it would in a scenario in which AAA is private, not association based, with 3-5 teams stateswide, which is the only way I think it could work.

[observer]

AAA teams don't rack up millions of wins against other AAA teams.

Frankly, they do. The winter AAA season is very imbalanced. Several teams dominate certain other teams at every level. Some travel to another location and have little 24-0 three game weekends. Many early round games at nationals are even blow outs as some regional qualifiers are a long way behind other regional qualifiers. Any Minnesota metro association team can put together a significantly more competitive schedule within 40 miles of home.

[BadgerBob82]

snowedin: It seems hard to argue with you. If I understand your position, you think the only way for the top elite players to get better is to practice, play with and against teams that have a very narrow range of ability levels. In other words, you think a team with 3 1st lines is better development than a team with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd line?

I would agree too wide of an ability range is not good, but that doesn't mean a player is not developing.

I still think Jolt's opinion is valid, and an opinion shared by many.

"To me that's code for: I want my stud to play with other studs and I want to watch my kids win games and tournaments. I want this because I've been exposed to it in the summer and it's fun and makes me and my son feel good. Now I want it in the winter too."

[mnhcp]

THIS CAN BE DONE AND STILL KEEP IT COMMUNITY BASED:

Simply require a large majority of the kids be from that community and on the A Team. You pick the number but 70% sounds good as a starting point.

Second requirement would be no kid from that community is to be left off of a team.

Girls are most often the victim in being locked into a program. Some boys too. There should be a mechanism in place other then waivers as sometimes those are impossible. Hockey hides behind this idealistic community based program which works. Maybe a combination of community based and open hockey would work even better?

Maybe someone at Minnesota Hockey should look into community based soccer programs which do something similar.

[JoltDelivered]

--Why are there A and B teams?

This is done at the individual community level not by Minnesota Hockey itself. I guess I'm a bit confused. Are you asking Minnesota Hockey, the entity, to create these 3-5 super teams and choose the players? If that's the case it sounds to me like you just want to extend the Advanced 15's program down to the Advanced 10's.

Your key words are "TO ME that's code for". That's your opinion

I thought most of what is written on this board is opinion. Very rarely does anyone show up here with facts including me.

And that will not change because you have 3 to 5 AAA teams from north to south.

We're talking about making all these major changes for 3 lousy teams? Who are they going play? Each other? That doesn't sound like much of a winter.

My opinion is that these kids will develop infinitely better and faster with kids their own calibur. They will be able to do more advanced skills each and every hour they are on the ice.

This is a misconception that I hear people throw around time and time again. All kids develop differently and just because they are skating with kids that are also good is nowhere near a guarentee. Don't get me wrong, it's seems logical when you say it but there's no proof or science behind the statement. Let me ask you this...why is it your top AAA summer teams turnover 3-5 players every year? How come those 3-5 didn't develop at the same rate as the others? You see it every year.

Look, can we sweep aside all the BS for just a minute and lets call a spade a spade shall we? People who push forward this idea come from one of the following camps:

A: You live in an area that has a non-competitive association and you think your child (son or daughter) is a good player today and deserves more than a 5-30 season every winter?

B: You live in a large association where the top (A) team line-up is tough to crack and your child, who is good, is repeatedly cut to B's. And you think he should have an opportunity to play with better players.

I am honsestly trying to understand why someone would want to leave their assocaition and pay 500% more in hockey fees. I suppose you could throw political reasons in there too, maybe a personal spat with a coach or board member(s). But I don't buy...not for one minute, that you or Quasar are advocating this choice proposal all in the name of development. Man if I had a nickel for every parent and coach that has thrown around that term in the last 10 years.

[SnowedIn]

--Why are there A and B teams?

This is done at the individual community level not by Minnesota Hockey itself. I guess I'm a bit confused. Are you asking Minnesota Hockey, the entity, to create these 3-5 super teams and choose the players? If that's the case it sounds to me like you just want to extend the Advanced 15's program down to the Advanced 10's.

Your key words are "TO ME that's code for". That's your opinion

I thought most of what is written on this board is opinion. Very rarely does anyone show up here with facts including me.

And that will not change because you have 3 to 5 AAA teams from north to south.

We're talking about making all these major changes for 3 lousy teams? Who are they going play? Each other? That doesn't sound like much of a winter.

My opinion is that these kids will develop infinitely better and faster with kids their own calibur. They will be able to do more advanced skills each and every hour they are on the ice.

This is a misconception that I hear people throw around time and time again. All kids develop differently and just because they are skating with kids that are also good is nowhere near a guarentee. Don't get me wrong, it's seems logical when you say it but there's no proof or science behind the statement. Let me ask you this...why is it your top AAA summer teams turnover 3-5 players every year? How come those 3-5 didn't develop at the same rate as the others? You see it every year.

Look, can we sweep aside all the BS for just a minute and lets call a spade a spade shall we? People who push forward this idea come from one of the following camps:

A: You live in an area that has a non-competitive association and you think your child (son or daughter) is a good player today and deserves more than a 5-30 season every winter?

B: You live in a large association where the top (A) team line-up is tough to crack and your child, who is good, is repeatedly cut to B's. And you think he should have an opportunity to play with better players.

I am honsestly trying to understand why someone would want to leave their assocaition and pay 500% more in hockey fees. I suppose you could throw political reasons in there too, maybe a personal spat with a coach or board member(s). But I don't buy...not for one minute, that you or Quasar are advocating this choice proposal all in the name of development. Man if I had a nickel for every parent and coach that has thrown around that term in the last 10 years.

Very funny to read your responses JD. I'm not on here to throw insults but if you want to get condecending.. Here's a fact: Based on your answers you seem very uninformed and isolated from the rest of the world which explains your answers.

The answer is C) want an option that provides the best development for those that want it. Oh yeah according to you, that option doesn't exist and is a theoretical and practice impossibility that anyone would want this. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out why that scenario would be accelerated development for the skaters in it. Just need to be clued in to reality and the countless examples where this is used in sports and other walks of life. And just plain common sense.

Some kids don't keep up with the program and some accelerate in other avenues and replace these kids. Many factors for this but it still doesn't negate that it is an accelerated development model.

I said 3-5. Will play each other and teams from other states.

If you take time to read my posts before answering, I never said MN would pick the teams. In more than one post I said they would be private AAA teams. MN and USAH would control the number of teams like happens in every other state.

You need to broaden your horizons and knowlege base instead of just looking for the next insult to live up to your moniker.