u 14- or high school?

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zambonidriver
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u 14- or high school?

Post by zambonidriver » Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:08 am

I know it is only June but we are trying to figure out what to do next winter. The school we want our daughter to go to doesn't allow 8th graders to try out. and because the numbers at our u-14 level are so unstable we don't know if there are going to be one or two teams. So what is better play 14 or tryout for a high school in 8th grade and poetentially play J.V.?

SouthernMinnFan
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Post by SouthernMinnFan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:05 am

Why do you want your daughter to grow up so fast? Is a locker room with potentially 18 year olds really a place you want your 13 or 14 year old? Let her play with kids her age. It is not going to hurt her potential. Unless she was a no brainer top 6 forward or top 4 d on varsity, let her develope where she will be comfortable. If you are saying a chance she plays jv it sounds like you have your answer right there. Enjoy u14 and let her stay a kid as long as possible.

InigoMontoya
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Post by InigoMontoya » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:35 am

I'll make my usual comment: 13 and 14 year olds swim with 18 year olds, run cross country, play tennis, play lacrosse, etc., etc. If the locker room environment with that group of 18 year olds is really that toxic, is that the program that you want your daughter playing for, even as a 16 or 17 year old?

SouthernMinnFan
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Post by SouthernMinnFan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:47 am

Not necessarily toxic but I guarantee the things that 17 and 18 year old girls talk about is a lot different than what 13 and 14 year old girls talk about. I am not saying that no 13 year old talks about adult behavior and I am not saying every 18 year does, but if you think that a 13 year old is mature enough to consistently hang around in locker rooms with 18 year olds, you have not had kids at that age.

To your point of the program, I agree that the very best programs have excellent leadership and can make anyone feel welcome starting from the top all the way down. The coaches and captains make sure that it is a great envrionment for everyone. My question is do you actually believe this is common or the majority? I would go ahead and guess that the majority of teams with teenage kids have all types of people in it and can have good kids and kids that have behavior inappropriate for young teenages.

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:49 am

Just want my daughter to continue to develop on the ice the locker room won't expose her to anything different than she has already experience with her six older brothers and sisters. Girls hockey is so different than boys because of the different rules for each high school. Why can't things be uniform? 8th graders play 14 and 9-12 play high school?

SouthernMinnFan
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Post by SouthernMinnFan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:58 am

The boys side isn't better. Kids leaving as first year bantams to play 4ht line jv at their high school. Minnesota hockey, if they really care about development, wouldn't allow that to happen. I understand if a kid is like Jaxon Nelson and is a star Varsity player that young, but when the kid can't make the varsity team, if he is bantam elligible he needs to be there. I also don't think that just because your daughter has older brothers and sisters means she is fully understanding of the life of a young adult. I doubt very much that her older brothers talk about everything in their lives to their 13 year old sister. Maybe we just agree to disagree, but I much prefer the kids to play their own age level as much as possible. The only time I agree when they should move up is in the very very rare circumstances that there is no challenge playing at that level.

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:17 pm

I guess I was looking for pros and cons to each. This spring she has proven she can play with older players. Like i said before I am thinking on ice development. With regards to the locker room one grade difference is not that much. I teach High school so I know what highschoolers talk about and I can tell you from experience it is not that different.

SouthernMinnFan
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Post by SouthernMinnFan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:47 pm

strictly hockey speaking it all depends on the program. If you are planning on playing at an elite program like Blake, Hill Murray, etc. than JV will be a great option. If you are at a program that struggles at the JV level, pick u14. I would say talk to someone for advice that knows your program but is not directly tied to it to give you unbiased advice. You can always take your chances on here, but thats a crap shoot. Good luck with whatever decision you guys make. I am sure either way she will have fun and develope just fine.

jg2112
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Post by jg2112 » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:32 pm

Zamboni -

JV would be a colossal waste of time for your daughter. She wouldn't see enough shots to make it worth her time. If she can't play varsity as an 8th grader, she should tend goal for the Bantams. That will be as tough, if not moreso, than girls' varsity.

Mavs
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Post by Mavs » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:14 pm

One of the most underrated accepts of sports is the locker room and time without coaches. At U14 she would get that. I can't remember what my record was when I played A Bantams but I can sure remember the fun we had as teammates.

Bantams would give her more games and good shots but she would miss out on the locker room and team bonding fun.

The high school locker room conversations might be a little advanced and they have a very short season and the competition isn't that great, sans a handful of teams.

I would say slow down and enjoy the ride.

Would her U14 teammates be her future high school teammates?

The U14 thread below there should be a bigger push for AA and A or call it A1 and A2, A and B1, whatever but the best should play against the best like they do in Bantams when you are one step away from high school.

MN_Bowhunter
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Post by MN_Bowhunter » Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:12 pm

If they won't let her practice with the Varsity I wouldn't even consider going the High School route. Most JV's are horrible so even if her team is OK or better than average, she won't see enough good shots in JV practice or games to be beneficial.

For me it would boil down to where she's going to get the best coaching and quality/quantity of shots, practice or games, doesn't matter.

I would definitely check to see if the Varsity would let her practice/scrimmage with the team.

I would also ask my daughter what she wants to do and that would probably have the most influence on my decision.

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:35 pm

we, have asked her what she want's to do typical 13 year old she doesn"t care
where she plays she just wants to play hockey. I am leaning towards bantams as she has played CAA with the boys that would be on the Bantam team only problem with that would be the parents issue.

Mavs
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Post by Mavs » Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:54 pm

One consideration would be how many goalies? Two goalies on a bantam team playing every other game? I'm sure you already know the numbers at U14.

Parents meaning pissed off parents that Johny made X team because a girl stole his spot?

What does her goalie coach recommend?

If she plays good competition in the spring/fall and does goalie training then the 5 month season is only a blip on the radar screen. Long future ahead and kids don't need to play varsity as pups to be D1 studs, especially at goalie. Many kids don't play full time goalie til 10th and 11th grade at the varsity level and still play at the highest level in college. Playing in 8th or 9th grade varsity is not a necessary badge of honor in today's day and age.

hockeywild7
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Post by hockeywild7 » Thu Jun 18, 2015 7:42 pm

If she is going onto a high level U14 team, this would be her best option in my opinion. She could build on many things she would not get on a HS team. Playing with players her own age, develop great relationships and a strong chemistry that gives her a memorable experience and possibly builds on something with the same players when she gets to HS. Things she would not experience most likely in high school unless she is a starter. I think you need to look at her long term success, be patient let her develop with her peers and build something special with them. Playing bantams would be a big mistake in my opinion. She needs to develop with her female peers, have fun, enjoy what they may accomplish, especially if they have potential to be a good U14 team.

InigoMontoya
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Post by InigoMontoya » Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:36 am

Wow. Don't put her in a locker room with 18 year old girls, but put her in a locker room with 15 year old boys? Wow.

InigoMontoya
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Post by InigoMontoya » Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:56 am

I don't think the high school v 14U is a no-brainer. Of course, high school programs and 14U teams differ widely, but:
High school practices are on a pretty regular schedule; at many schools, shortly after classes are done. Provides a little more regular sleep pattern, and a little more regular school work time.
Away games are a bus ride. (Good for parents.)
Costs may be $1000 less.
Over 100 hours of practice, possibility of playing 25 games, or so.
As part of the team, you're invited to the STP.
Start working up the depth chart (maybe even snuff out the idea some 7th grade stud may have of going there next year).
Plus and minus of overnight tourneys and travel distance and times for games.
Volunteer hours.
Politics.
Are other youngsters on the team? Seemed like a few 8th graders (and 7th) at the state tourney this year.
If you were in a smaller program, there'd be no 14U team, so you wouldn't be choosing to stay with your buddies, but to go play with girls from another town (which is fine, but you get that in the summer).
Lots of stuff to think about, for kid and parents.

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:33 am

Good points made. Things today are totally different then when our older kids went through the ranks. Back then it was a no-brainer after 12's you played 14's then tried out as 9th graders relatively simple. My older kids started playing when it was u-9, U-11, U-13, and U-15. Which made it easier for the kids, high schools and associations. I understand the change to align with the boys also because of the huge initial growth of the late 90's and early 00's with girls hockey. I am not worried so much about locker room stuff as I am on ice development. One thing we do to much as parents is hover over our kids. I don't want to waste an important year of on ice. She is currently skating STP and is doing fine. If she were a boy her path would be already laid out 2 years of Bantams then high school. Unfortunately on the girls side it is not as clear cut. I know this, the right thing to do is not always the easiest.

Mavs
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Post by Mavs » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:31 am

what is STP?

BluehawkHockey
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Post by BluehawkHockey » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:39 am

If your primary concern is with development then it really boils down to this. Does the HS team have a dedicated goalie coach or someone they bring in on a regular basis to work with the goalies? Does the youth program have a goalie development program?

If the HS program has goalie coaching, then go with the HS team. Otherwise, go with the youth team regardless of whether they have a goalie development program. She may get as many as twice as many games at the youth level.

Mavs
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Post by Mavs » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:43 am

I just read the initial post again and you said the high school doesn't allow 8th graders to tryout? So how are going getting around that if you choose the high school route? Asking for a special waiver to tryout?

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:43 am

Mavs wrote:what is STP?
summer trainng program

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Fri Jun 19, 2015 8:45 am

Mavs wrote:I just read the initial post again and you said the high school doesn't allow 8th graders to tryout? So how are going getting around that if you choose the high school route? Asking for a special waiver to tryout?
Looking at all options including transfer. Like I said don't want to waste a year Looking at 3 goalies for one 14-U team

Mavs
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Post by Mavs » Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:07 am

zambonidriver wrote:
Mavs wrote:I just read the initial post again and you said the high school doesn't allow 8th graders to tryout? So how are going getting around that if you choose the high school route? Asking for a special waiver to tryout?
Looking at all options including transfer. Like I said don't want to waste a year Looking at 3 goalies for one 14-U team
You would change high schools just to avoid a U14 year?

zambonidriver
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Post by zambonidriver » Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:11 am

Mavs wrote:
zambonidriver wrote:
Mavs wrote:I just read the initial post again and you said the high school doesn't allow 8th graders to tryout? So how are going getting around that if you choose the high school route? Asking for a special waiver to tryout?
Looking at all options including transfer. Like I said don't want to waste a year Looking at 3 goalies for one 14-U team
You would change high schools just to avoid a U14 year?
Not sure looking at all options again u -14 three goalies 1 team

jg2112
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Post by jg2112 » Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:23 am

Bantams is your daughter's best option if you're concerned about quality of play.

She has a pretty clear path to the varsity when she's a 9th grader. I certainly wouldn't transfer out of where you have her now.

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