"B" Team Tiering- is it a good thing?

hockeychopper · Post by **hockeychopper** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 2:11 pm

I would like to get everyone's take on tiering of B teams, mainly at the U12 level. Is this a good thing? I'm not a fan of this at all. I understand there is a gap between the top few B players and the bottom few, but to me it doesn't make a lot of sense to load up 1 B team and leave the 2nd B team behind so to speak. thoughts on this topic?

Nevertoomuchhockey · Post by **Nevertoomuchhockey** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 3:41 pm

IMHO
Tiering at 12u should only happen if its between A and B teams. If the talent discrepancy is big enough and the top group is good enough (or second year. I don't think anyone should play 2 years of 10 or 12uB if it can be avoided) they should play A. If the quality or quantity of girls doesn't work, a couple players may go over to squirts but the rest of the B field should be even between teams. If the association tiers out at 12uB, the likelihood of one team getting "better" coaching, ice, games, travel etc. goes way up and with it, development on the "lower" B team suffers. I also don't agree with bigger programs tiering teams at A level.

hockey121330 · Post by **hockey121330** » Sun Feb 02, 2014 9:48 pm

Nevertoomuchhockey wrote:IMHO
I also don't agree with bigger programs tiering teams at A level.

Not to get off topic too far since this topic is B Level tiering; however at the A levels at 12U and for sure at 14UA, please don't forget there are top end talented players that often are overlooked when decisions are made to make sure the lower level talented players are not 'hurt', just don't forget about the top players too because too often we are worried about the lower players; then we make decisions like equally split teams at the A level which in some cases doesn't develope the higher level skaters/players either. Just sayin' so it's not as easy as saying bigger programs tiering teams at A level isn't the answer either. Always going to be some happy, and some not happy no matter which way you go. And yeah, my players have been at both end of the spectrum so I've seen it both ways.

Nevertoomuchhockey · Post by **Nevertoomuchhockey** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:51 am

The elite players in each or any association will almost universally not be able to stay at that elite level without a lot of time (and prob $) invested off hours and off season. They probably got to that elite level working at home or dryland or camps or AAA outside the association in the first place. IMHO tiering does not really help this category of player, and hurts entire levels of girls who can't or won't do much outside association. So I see your point but dont agree. The best players will make their teammates better and that should be spread across the entire A level. This is short term (trophies now) vs long term (state championships later) logic. Far from universally correct, but also not a huge issue because very few programs have the luxury of 2 A, 2 B, or even 2 teams at every level.

hockeychopper · Post by **hockeychopper** » Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:36 am

Nevertoomuchhockey wrote:The elite players in each or any association will almost universally not be able to stay at that elite level without a lot of time (and prob $) invested off hours and off season. They probably got to that elite level working at home or dryland or camps or AAA outside the association in the first place. IMHO tiering does not really help this category of player, and hurts entire levels of girls who can't or won't do much outside association. So I see your point but dont agree. The best players will make their teammates better and that should be spread across the entire A level. This is short term (trophies now) vs long term (state championships later) logic. Far from universally correct, but also not a huge issue because very few programs have the luxury of 2 A, 2 B, or even 2 teams at every level.

Agreed. Your comment at the end about few associations able to have 2 teams per level... numbers do fluctuate on the girls side year to year in most associations, I wonder how many girls and perhaps even boys quit playing after being on the "lower" B team or what the retention rate looks like for those kids? I have heard that tiering is not suppose to be happening (and it does)- is this per District or is this a MN Hockey bylaw? If it isn't suppose to be happening, why is it being allowed?