Moving to Minnesota - Part 2

Puckstopper81 · Post by **Puckstopper81** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:37 am

Posted on here about the same time last year about possibly getting transferred to the Twin Cities area. Well........my company wanted to hold off for another year and here I am again looking for any insight since it looks like they are going to finally pull the trigger this summer on moving my family. My son will be a second year Bantam this upcoming season and was wondering what associations may be in the need of a Bantam A or B1 goaltender? I really appreciated the great feedback last time regarding the areas you recommended. Since I posted last time, I have visited Lakeville, Woodbury, Eagan, Bloomington, etc. and they are all great communities! Anyone of those I would be more than happy to move my family to. Thank you in advance!

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:33 am

Forest Lake.

Puckstopper81 · Post by **Puckstopper81** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:52 am

old goalie85 wrote:Forest Lake.

Thank you! I would like to be a little closer to the airport since I travel quite a bit, but I will check it out. Thanks again.

hockey7788 · Post by **hockey7788** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:10 pm

Rosemount is in need of goalies at that age level. There is only one that is currently in 8th grade. They were an OT goal short of making to the state tourney at the A bantam level this year with 8 first year bantams. Two years ago as A-peewees, they were a top 3-4 team all year (check out the myhockey rankings from the 2010/11 season). The B peewee team was also very good taking 2nd in state that year. Also, only 20 minutes from the airport. Sounds like a good fit.

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:42 pm

35 mins to the airport. We need goalies. Good luck wherever you end up!!!

Puckstopper81 · Post by **Puckstopper81** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:05 pm

hockey7788 wrote:Rosemount is in need of goalies at that age level. There is only one that is currently in 8th grade. They were an OT goal short of making to the state tourney at the A bantam level this year with 8 first year bantams. Two years ago as A-peewees, they were a top 3-4 team all year (check out the myhockey rankings from the 2010/11 season). The B peewee team was also very good taking 2nd in state that year. Also, only 20 minutes from the airport. Sounds like a good fit.

Sounds great too!

Do you think it would be best to contact the coaches directly to let them know of our situation?

TheOctopus · Post by **TheOctopus** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 8:31 pm

Puckstopper81 wrote:Posted on here about the same time last year about possibly getting transferred to the Twin Cities area. Well........my company wanted to hold off for another year and here I am again looking for any insight since it looks like they are going to finally pull the trigger this summer on moving my family. My son will be a second year Bantam this upcoming season and was wondering what associations may be in the need of a Bantam A or B1 goaltender? I really appreciated the great feedback last time regarding the areas you recommended. Since I posted last time, I have visited Lakeville, Woodbury, Eagan, Bloomington, etc. and they are all great communities! Anyone of those I would be more than happy to move my family to. Thank you in advance!

Prior Lake/Savage won the MN State Tournament at the PeeWee A and B levels. Bantams As did very with a record of 39-15-5 making it out of districts and within two games of state. Great coaching staff, dedicated parents and kids. High School team looks to be a future contender. Something to think about.

puckhead58 · Post by **puckhead58** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:57 pm

I would be VERY careful about going with a very successful team. They aren't generally looking to change goalies, no matter what they tell you. History and success are strong influences to overcome for a new goalie to town in order to make ateam and then get playing time. I would look for a team with moderate success that feel they really NEED a goalie. Teams don't just drop a goalie in favor of the new kid in town, even if he is decent. By now, 2 nd year of bantams, most teams have a servicable goalie, particularly in the cities, where competition at that position is fierce and goalie training is widely available and utilized. I would think you might need to consider a smaller association, that has a quanity rather than quality issue. I don't envy your position.

Puckstopper81 · Post by **Puckstopper81** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 9:47 am

puckhead58 wrote:I would be VERY careful about going with a very successful team. They aren't generally looking to change goalies, no matter what they tell you. History and success are strong influences to overcome for a new goalie to town in order to make ateam and then get playing time. I would look for a team with moderate success that feel they really NEED a goalie. Teams don't just drop a goalie in favor of the new kid in town, even if he is decent. By now, 2 nd year of bantams, most teams have a servicable goalie, particularly in the cities, where competition at that position is fierce and goalie training is widely available and utilized. I would think you might need to consider a smaller association, that has a quanity rather than quality issue. I don't envy your position.

Thank you for the heads up and I really appreciate the great input. Yes, I agree that going to an already successful team is probably not the best thing to do. I am just trying to get some ideas on what organization "needs" a solid goalie at this age level. I also know it is not a sure thing my son will make it either. I can only do the research and it's up to him to make the team. Thanks again!

The Enlightened One · Post by **The Enlightened One** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:37 pm

I think you need to go easy on this move. I do not have a dog in the fight so don't really care one way or the other but I also do not want to see you walk into a buzz saw either.

First off make sure that you understand what association hockey is all about. When you make the move and buy a house you are locking your kid into an association for better or worse. I assume that you are moving into the state from some place out east where they (you) have club hockey teams. With those teams you have some mobility. You can pick and choose who you want to tryout for and who you want to skate for. Here in MN we have association hockey which means that when you buy a house in town you will fall into an association and they own your kid for hockey. You can buy a house on the north side of Cross Street and be in an association and have another association on the south side of Cross Street and you can't skate for them. No matter how much better your situation might be from the stand point of playing for a team, travel times, coaching, or etc you are locked into Team 1, no matter what. You have to understand that you will have NO mobility or choice in the matter.

Now, for the second part. Since these kids are all in the same association from day one they are groomed for different teams. If your kid is deemed to be good and placed onto an A team in squirts he will stay there throughout Bantams. The only exceptions are those bubble kids who go back and forth from first to second year. Your new Bantam team has been grooming a kid for that goalie spot since he was a squirt. His parents have been "doing stuff" to ensure that he has that spot. If you go to a team with two goalies your kid is going to be the #3 goalie automatically, no matter how much better he is than the other two. He will NOT beat them out. Yes, they will tell you they have tryouts and that they are open and fair and that they want to pick the best kids for the teams. They do, as long as those kids are the "right" kids. Your kid is not the right kid, he is the new kid. The local goalie parents will make sure of it. Your only option to make a Bantam A team with a second year move in goalie is to find a team with only one Bantam A goalie and hope that they are not planning on moving a PeeWee up to get him ready.

People who have kids who play hockey in MN look at people like Blaggoovich (that IL governor) who got caught trying to sell Obama's senate seat and laugh. They recognize rank amateurs when they see them and laugh at them. Blaggo would be dead meat in MN if he had a kid playing hockey.

Your best bet if you seriously are thinking about moving a second year goalie into MN to play hockey and you want him to make a team higher than a B2 team is to think again. Stay where you are and play club hockey, you are way too late to even think about getting into the association hockey world in MN.

As somebody else said earlier in this thread, I don't envy your situation. If you make this move you are in for a lot of heart ache and are going to wind up hating hockey.

old goalie85 · Post by **old goalie85** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:17 pm

Like I said. F.L. Conf. champs 2 yrs ago. Sect. semi this year. hurting for G's this level. Nice lake, Great schools, off the busline!! Look up our last five goalies. One was up for the hobey, another is @ Airforce, The naxt is # UMD. We would love to have you !!!!!

Bleed Maroon and Gold · Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:54 am

The Enlightened One wrote:I think you need to go easy on this move. I do not have a dog in the fight so don't really care one way or the other but I also do not want to see you walk into a buzz saw either.

First off make sure that you understand what association hockey is all about. When you make the move and buy a house you are locking your kid into an association for better or worse. I assume that you are moving into the state from some place out east where they (you) have club hockey teams. With those teams you have some mobility. You can pick and choose who you want to tryout for and who you want to skate for. Here in MN we have association hockey which means that when you buy a house in town you will fall into an association and they own your kid for hockey. You can buy a house on the north side of Cross Street and be in an association and have another association on the south side of Cross Street and you can't skate for them. No matter how much better your situation might be from the stand point of playing for a team, travel times, coaching, or etc you are locked into Team 1, no matter what. You have to understand that you will have NO mobility or choice in the matter.

Now, for the second part. Since these kids are all in the same association from day one they are groomed for different teams. If your kid is deemed to be good and placed onto an A team in squirts he will stay there throughout Bantams. The only exceptions are those bubble kids who go back and forth from first to second year. Your new Bantam team has been grooming a kid for that goalie spot since he was a squirt. His parents have been "doing stuff" to ensure that he has that spot. If you go to a team with two goalies your kid is going to be the #3 goalie automatically, no matter how much better he is than the other two. He will NOT beat them out. Yes, they will tell you they have tryouts and that they are open and fair and that they want to pick the best kids for the teams. They do, as long as those kids are the "right" kids. Your kid is not the right kid, he is the new kid. The local goalie parents will make sure of it. Your only option to make a Bantam A team with a second year move in goalie is to find a team with only one Bantam A goalie and hope that they are not planning on moving a PeeWee up to get him ready.

People who have kids who play hockey in MN look at people like Blaggoovich (that IL governor) who got caught trying to sell Obama's senate seat and laugh. They recognize rank amateurs when they see them and laugh at them. Blaggo would be dead meat in MN if he had a kid playing hockey.

Your best bet if you seriously are thinking about moving a second year goalie into MN to play hockey and you want him to make a team higher than a B2 team is to think again. Stay where you are and play club hockey, you are way too late to even think about getting into the association hockey world in MN.

As somebody else said earlier in this thread, I don't envy your situation. If you make this move you are in for a lot of heart ache and are going to wind up hating hockey.

I totally disagree with everything you have said here. I have coached on the east coast and also here in Minnesota. I know the difference between club hockey and association hockey. In all fairness if he moves into a big association, I.E. Blaine, Edina, Eden Prairie yes his kid will have a hard time making an A Bantam team. If he were to move into a medium size or small size association he would have a chance.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:35 am

My opinion would be to move to an association that falls on the below side of average. Gump Worsley used to say the best thing for a goalie is to play on a terrible team. Face 55 shots a game. Learn to make impossible saves. Take a terrible team into the playoffs and people will certainly notice the goalie! HS coaches will come calling.

Since you've been doing AAA club hockey. You are familiar writing big checks. Find the appropriate Private HS and the tuition will still be less than AAA club hockey. Where you live won't matter come HS time. 30-40 minute commutes for Private HS is no big deal.

royals dad · Post by **royals dad** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 9:51 am

One nice thing about Minnesota those who are enlightened will not say anything to your face it will all be on an forum like this or with a couple of their cronies up in the rafters of the arena.

I think what you see from FL or a place like Hopkins is that the goalies actually see pucks in every game, they get leaned on by the teams consistently. They do not win consistently but have produced some great goalies recently. Hopkins had a 2 year stretch where 5 goalies who played in the youth association (youth and girls) went or are now committed D1 (Harvard, Syracuse, St. Cloud State, UMD, Providence). Then last year another backstopped the AA state champs. Although I don't think any ever played in a youth state tourney.

Bottom line there are plenty of places that would accept your kid with open arms, if your used to Tier 1 or Tier 2 you may find that the drive to away games is the best part of MN hockey. In the west metro you might have half of the top 10 teams at any given level within 15 miles.

Good luck!

mp#99 · Post by **mp#99** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:02 am

Bloomington Jefferson may be short also

MrBoDangles · Post by **MrBoDangles** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 1:36 pm

royals dad wrote:One nice thing about Minnesota those who are enlightened will not say anything to your face it will all be on an forum like this or with a couple of their cronies up in the rafters of the arena.

I think what you see from FL or a place like Hopkins is that the goalies actually see pucks in every game, they get leaned on by the teams consistently. They do not win consistently but have produced some great goalies recently. Hopkins had a 2 year stretch where 5 goalies who played in the youth association (youth and girls) went or are now committed D1 (Harvard, Syracuse, St. Cloud State, UMD, Providence). Then last year another backstopped the AA state champs. Although I don't think any ever played in a youth state tourney.

Bottom line there are plenty of places that would accept your kid with open arms, if your used to Tier 1 or Tier 2 you may find that the drive to away games is the best part of MN hockey. In the west metro you might have half of the top 10 teams at any given level within 15 miles.

Good luck!

So you're saying that you wouldn't want your kid playing goalie on the Edina A Squirt team.......?

Great Post!

royals dad · Post by **royals dad** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:45 pm

MrBoDangles wrote: So you're saying that you wouldn't want your kid playing goalie on the Edina A Squirt team.......?

Great Post!

It was a great place for me to grow up, I chose to move down the street for my kids, not about hockey just fit like a pair of well broken in skates. Our suburbs give us lots of slightly different choices hopefully the poster gets time to look for the right fit.

BodyShots · Post by **BodyShots** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:16 pm

Johnson High School had an 8th grader in nets and he was their only goalie. I would think your son would have an excellent chance to be on the varsity team next year, if they have a team. Move to the East Side of St. Paul. Very close to the airport.

Puckstopper81 · Post by **Puckstopper81** » Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:12 pm

I want to thank you all for the great posts. You all gave some great input and advice. I didn't expect anything less from Minnesota hockey! I have also received a good number of positive PMs. Again, thank you and please keep the great posts coming!

blueliner5 · Post by **blueliner5** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 12:35 pm

Please consider what these folks are saying about transferring to a well rounded association/High School. We had a pretty good goalie that was entering into 10th grade, but decided to transfer out to another school within the conference. He would have been a starter or alternated games as a sophomore within our High School. The school he transferred to has a dominant hockey program and he did not see more than 20 minutes of Varsity play last year as a Junior.

defhockeymom · Post by **defhockeymom** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:01 pm

we are in the same boat. husband will be moving ahead of us (many reason for this)and we will follow in the year 2012-2013 season during that year my youngest will be a squirt major. the towns as of now buffalo area OR hibbing area. yep completely different areas....advice would be helpful.

I did not realize when you move to the town you are locked in that area. So thank you for posting that for new comers. WNY is not like that except for one town called amherst--kids can leave but no outsiders in.

any advice to teams in 'those' areas? (again buffalo or hibbing) not limited in we could move to grand rapids or Virginia as this is 30-45 min to husbands work. thanks for any info.

puckhead58 · Post by **puckhead58** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:19 pm

defhockeymom wrote:we are in the same boat. husband will be moving ahead of us (many reason for this)and we will follow in the year 2012-2013 season during that year my youngest will be a squirt major. the towns as of now buffalo area OR hibbing area. yep completely different areas....advice would be helpful.

I did not realize when you move to the town you are locked in that area. So thank you for posting that for new comers. WNY is not like that except for one town called amherst--kids can leave but no outsiders in.

any advice to teams in 'those' areas? (again buffalo or hibbing) not limited in we could move to grand rapids or Virginia as this is 30-45 min to husbands work. thanks for any info.

I would say, at that level (Squirt), your situation is entirely different. You aren't really considered a threat to anyone at that age.....you have time on your side to get established into the association before bantams. By bantams, everyone knows who is going to be the goalie(S)...typically, they have been the same since the 1st year of PW year after year. Not to say there are not exceptions, because it happens, but would not count on it as a general rule. At the goalie position it is tremendously difficult to buck "tradition", esp if there is a very strong team ahead of them, they will not have any weaknesses exposed, ever. A goalie can appear fantastic with 14-15 shots a game, all from bad angles. Looks like a hero, when in fact, that guy down the road facing 40-50 shots a game is better (and getting better because of it.....but not treated like a hero, I can assure you....and yes, I am a little jaded.....)Before you all go ripping on me, first tell me you have had a goalie, have moved into a very good association at the pee wee level or later, and then lets talk. Depends on what the parents and the kids head can handle and what you want out of life......winning(hero worship) or getting better (can he handle some criticismSign me....glad to have association hockey behind me..... and what the &*^% was I thinking when I strapped the goalie pads on that kid?

puckhead58 · Post by **puckhead58** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:25 pm

Oh, yeah, of the associations you listed, would recommend Grand Rapids (they always seem to develop good goalies, not sure what their secret is). Hibbing and Virginia....ok as well, but Class A at the high school level if that makes any difference to you. Don't know much about Buffalo. Rogers and STMA, MAML --west end suburbs seem to be coming on at the PW level and up.

defhockeymom · Post by **defhockeymom** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:58 pm

i guess i should have stated that ours is defense for right now. so sorry. He is playing spring house called dippin dots at holidayrinks.org/com in cheekotowaga, ny and at niagara university(both goalies are in the top ten this year and the soph got signed to a minor team), he will play the adm program (new usa rules). he will be playing offensive this spring as he wants to be a stronger defense BUT would love to play goalie & tries when he can. he has that 'protective' nature. we have been very lucky that with the year and a half he has skated, we have surrounded him to play like someone with 4+ years experience--he has done the work though and keeps asking for more. can you tell i am a proud momma? lol. he knows going back to MN he has to be better than the players around him because they have been playing together forever.....thanks so much for all the advice and any more would be great NOW that i told you he is a defender -- maybe he'll switch after this season....who knows...

puckhead58 · Post by **puckhead58** » Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:18 pm

After association hockey, he will move to high school where teams are either A (small school& some privates) or AA (large school). Of the teams you listed, the only one that is AA is Grand Rapids. AA generally has better exposure and competition, although there are a handful of A schools (Hermantown, and some years Hibbing, Virginia, and of course the few privates), which could play AA in any given year. Grand Rapids is a little different in that they are a smaller population, playing AA compared to most AA teams. Not sure how competitive things look on D, in any of those places, but odds are better than goalie, I would assume.

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Moving to Minnesota - Part 2

Moving to Minnesota - Part 2

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