Opinion of Northland Hockey Group

[Pexring]

My son is looking forward to tryouts later this month for the Solar Bears in the Northland Hockey Group. Where we live we don't have a lot of options for AAA hockey, and the Solar Bears (a new team) would be the closest team to us.

Is the Northland Hockey Group a good league to play in? What are the ups and downs? Is it a well-run league? Coaching good? Any player development? What's your opinion of the league compared to others? Costs seem very reasonable.

[QuikSkil]

Northland Hockey Group gives alot of kids that don't get a chance to play AAA Hockey a chance.
The hockey isn't at the top level,But they do compete with other NHG teams.Asfar as coaching its luck of the draw,what ever dad wants to step up and coach.

Good Luck

[Air Force 1]

This will be our third year with NHG, we were on their first team, the Fighting Loons. We are satisfied with the program for what we are looking to get out of it, my son has fun and has met a lot of new friends and is able to play in metro venues. One of the drawbacks I feel about the NHG, and I have talked with the organizers about this is the markets they are trying to launch new teams in are already a bit saturated with summer teams, the kids that are into summer hockey are already playing on teams and don't want to change. Other than that, the teams that get fielded, the program is well thought out. As mentioned, coaching is the luck of the draw based on what dads step up. The program includes 10 practices, typically 2 the weekend prior to the scheduled tournaments, keeps the calendar open for summer activities.

I think the Solar Bears have the oppurtunity to immediately attract the best talent for the area they are based out of is underserved by other programs and not necessarily a lot of independent teams. The published program is the basic, if it works for the team, you could always pass the hat and buy more ice in SF or Brookings and have more practices or enter more tournaments.

[DMom]

One of our sons skated with NHG last year and he had a very good experience. Nice group of families. Liked that they did a service project as a team.

[HockeyDad41]

I think it's great that Northland Group has teams popping up in areas that traditionally have not had any organized summer hockey.

True in it's current form there are mostly games and few practices, but I would be willing to bet as they become more established in the areas they are in they will expand their programs.

Let's not forget that Northand boasts of having the hottest sublimated jerseys on the AAA scene today!

[MnMade-4-Life]

[...]Let's not forget that Northand boasts of having the hottest sublimated jerseys on the AAA scene today!

good call! Almost forgot about the jerseys!