Girls U13/U19 Age Classifications

[InThePipes]

Hearing a fair amount about changing Girls Hockey Classifications from U10/U12/U15/U19 to U10/U13/U19. Does this really have legs?

[elliott70]

Hearing a fair amount about changing Girls Hockey Classifications from U10/U12/U15/U19 to U10/U13/U19. Does this really have legs?

Yes
but more likely to be 10U, 13U, 15U, 19U

Of course, everything is up for debate.

A survey was sent to high school coaches and youth hockey association leadership

[InThePipes]

Hearing a fair amount about changing Girls Hockey Classifications from U10/U12/U15/U19 to U10/U13/U19. Does this really have legs?

Yes
but more likely to be 10U, 13U, 15U, 19U

Of course, everything is up for debate.

A survey was sent to high school coaches and youth hockey association leadership

Please help me understand the logic, the proposal is to create a new 13U level thereby having 3 years/grades playing at the same level during the most pivotal development time of their lives (and all the changes associated with that) in order to keep a few 8th graders out of high school locker rooms in associations that don't have the numbers to support a U15 team? What else am I missing here?

[elliott70]

Hearing a fair amount about changing Girls Hockey Classifications from U10/U12/U15/U19 to U10/U13/U19. Does this really have legs?

Yes
but more likely to be 10U, 13U, 15U, 19U

Of course, everything is up for debate.

A survey was sent to high school coaches and youth hockey association leadership

Please help me understand the logic, the proposal is to create a new 13U level thereby having 3 years/grades playing at the same level during the most pivotal development time of their lives (and all the changes associated with that) in order to keep a few 8th graders out of high school locker rooms in associations that don't have the numbers to support a U15 team? What else am I missing here?

Its more than a few 8th graders.
That is what is being discussed right now.
What are the numbers and what are the alternatives?

Right now, 13 year-old players are playing with 14 & 15 year old players or worse on a JV team.
The reality is where are you in terms of the state and youth/high school hockey..
Some areas have enough to have a 3 year gap at the 13-15 stage while others are forced to the high school level.

[InThePipes]

Yes
but more likely to be 10U, 13U, 15U, 19U

Of course, everything is up for debate.

A survey was sent to high school coaches and youth hockey association leadership

Please help me understand the logic, the proposal is to create a new 13U level thereby having 3 years/grades playing at the same level during the most pivotal development time of their lives (and all the changes associated with that) in order to keep a few 8th graders out of high school locker rooms in associations that don't have the numbers to support a U15 team? What else am I missing here?

Its more than a few 8th graders.
That is what is being discussed right now.
What are the numbers and what are the alternatives?

Right now, 13 year-old players are playing with 14 & 15 year old players or worse on a JV team.
The reality is where are you in terms of the state and youth/high school hockey..
Some areas have enough to have a 3 year gap at the 13-15 stage while others are forced to the high school level.

Thanks, appreciate the response. This number of 8th graders that played HS last year, that shouldn't be difficult to calculate, this must already be known? Then the next question is how many of them played HS not because they wanted to, but because it was their only option due to a lack of a U15 option.

[jg2112]

Please help me understand the logic, the proposal is to create a new 13U level thereby having 3 years/grades playing at the same level during the most pivotal development time of their lives (and all the changes associated with that) in order to keep a few 8th graders out of high school locker rooms in associations that don't have the numbers to support a U15 team? What else am I missing here?

Its more than a few 8th graders.
That is what is being discussed right now.
What are the numbers and what are the alternatives?

Right now, 13 year-old players are playing with 14 & 15 year old players or worse on a JV team.
The reality is where are you in terms of the state and youth/high school hockey..
Some areas have enough to have a 3 year gap at the 13-15 stage while others are forced to the high school level.

Thanks, appreciate the response. This number of 8th graders that played HS last year, that shouldn't be difficult to calculate, this must already be known? Then the next question is how many of them played HS not because they wanted to, but because it was their only option due to a lack of a U15 option.

Don't forget the money here. The difference in cost between U15 and HS hockey for our family was over $2,000.

[InThePipes]

Its more than a few 8th graders.
That is what is being discussed right now.
What are the numbers and what are the alternatives?

Right now, 13 year-old players are playing with 14 & 15 year old players or worse on a JV team.
The reality is where are you in terms of the state and youth/high school hockey..
Some areas have enough to have a 3 year gap at the 13-15 stage while others are forced to the high school level.

Thanks, appreciate the response. This number of 8th graders that played HS last year, that shouldn't be difficult to calculate, this must already be known? Then the next question is how many of them played HS not because they wanted to, but because it was their only option due to a lack of a U15 option.

Don't forget the money here. The difference in cost between U15 and HS hockey for our family was over $2,000.

Correct, now the difference in seasons is also substantial in that the season (depending on where you play and when they start their season) is 5-6 months vs 4 months and 45-55 games vs 25-30.

[elliott70]

Lot to consider.
Gathering info has been done for the most part.

Trying to find solutions while keeping emotion out of it is the harder part.

It will be discussed in April at the annual meeting.

Please forward your thoughts (anyone reading this) to members of the BOD of Minnesota Hockey