Leaving one school for another

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:44 am

I hear a player is leaving New Prague for EP? I know of one Eagle Varsity parent that is mad as hell about it. How can this happen? I hear that the parents are going to maintain a residence in EP and say they are relocating because of a job situation

I wonder if it has something to do with the player losing his linemate to a 16u team from another state. Why would people do these things to the kids they are leaving behind when expectations for the next two seasons were excellent!! Not even a top Metro OR Missota conf player last year.

O-townClown · Post by **O-townClown** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:17 pm

Happens a lot, no?

Sports 69 · Post by **Sports 69** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:22 pm

In your last sentence you state he is not that good, so why are you complaining?

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:25 am

Good player , just not one of the top in league. I guess it's just the principle of it. I guess he is one of the best on his team and makes his team better as a whole. I think he will be average for EP. He must have a for sure spot on EP varsity to make such a move or risk not making it. All in all I don't like the idea of this type of thing going on year after year. It's dirty pool!!!

Sats81 · Post by **Sats81** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:41 pm

urban iceman wrote:Good player , just not one of the top in league. I guess it's just the principle of it. I guess he is one of the best on his team and makes his team better as a whole. I think he will be average for EP. He must have a for sure spot on EP varsity to make such a move or risk not making it. All in all I don't like the idea of this type of thing going on year after year. It's dirty pool!!!

Its called reality.

nickel slots · Post by **nickel slots** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:16 am

Urban Ikeman: I'm with you on this. I don't like kids leaving their hometown for any reason - I'm just a firm believer that it really doesn't matter where you play... if you're good enough, there are ample opportunities to prove it against the best that your age group has to offer (High Performance Program, Great 8, etc). And of course, after high school, there is always juniors. I also know for a fact that the program that these boys are leaving has done nothing but promote their players that are capable of playing at a higher level.

I've seen it each and every way - I saw a kid leave for the USHL as a 15 year old and make it to D1, I've seen a kid stay home through his senior year and make it to D1, and I've seen a kid transfer to a rival high school and make it to D1. I know a kid that bounced around from one program to the next from 8th grade on that is now playing D3. I've seen a kid leave for midgets that is playing D3. I've seen a kid leave early for juniors that is now playing D3. I've seen kids that have had numerous opportunities to leave for midgets and juniors stay home and make it to D3.

The bottom line is that by the time you get to your sophomore or junior year (with the rare exceptions that are late bloomers), it's pretty obvious which are destined for D1, and those that aren't. Whether you play midgets, high school, or juniors... you are still the hockey player that you are. More than anything, it comes down to that individual's commitment to the game - and their physical stature and/or their God given athletic ability - that determines where they top out - and that doesn't change no matter where they are playing.

Oh, and even those that are 110% committed still might not cut the D1 mustard. They might not even make D3. BUT, there is no shame at all in playing this great sport just for the fun of it. They aren't all going to make it. If they want to continue playing after high school, they can... there is a junior league to suit almost all of their talent levels... but just because they can and want to play juniors, there still aren't any guarantees.

AND... more often than not... this comes down to the parents believing that if they invest in their future Hobey Baker nominee now, that it will pay off down the road with a college scholarship. To those parents... invest that money in a college fund instead. Or don't - the choice is yours... but make the best of it and enjoy the ride then... before you know it, they're off on their own and their hockey career is over at some point or another.

observer · Post by **observer** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:39 am

Nickel,

All good and I agree. I think these moves are usually parents chasing the potential State Tournament experience and that's it. On occasion it's a relationship breaking down with a coaching staff. I also agree it is dirty pool and almost always a clear violation of the rules. There is almost always dishonesty and lies involved which is opposite of the lessons parents are supposed to be teaching their children. It's allowed for 9th grade and after that it's not....

Goalie-Dad · Post by **Goalie-Dad** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 1:13 pm

nickel slots wrote:Urban Ikeman: I'm with you on this. I don't like kids leaving their hometown for any reason - I'm just a firm believer that it really doesn't matter where you play... if you're good enough, there are ample opportunities to prove it against the best that your age group has to offer (High Performance Program, Great 8, etc). And of course, after high school, there is always juniors. I also know for a fact that the program that these boys are leaving has done nothing but promote their players that are capable of playing at a higher level.

I've seen it each and every way - I saw a kid leave for the USHL as a 15 year old and make it to D1, I've seen a kid stay home through his senior year and make it to D1, and I've seen a kid transfer to a rival high school and make it to D1. I know a kid that bounced around from one program to the next from 8th grade on that is now playing D3. I've seen a kid leave for midgets that is playing D3. I've seen a kid leave early for juniors that is now playing D3. I've seen kids that have had numerous opportunities to leave for midgets and juniors stay home and make it to D3.

The bottom line is that by the time you get to your sophomore or junior year (with the rare exceptions that are late bloomers), it's pretty obvious which are destined for D1, and those that aren't. Whether you play midgets, high school, or juniors... you are still the hockey player that you are. More than anything, it comes down to that individual's commitment to the game - and their physical stature and/or their God given athletic ability - that determines where they top out - and that doesn't change no matter where they are playing.

Oh, and even those that are 110% committed still might not cut the D1 mustard. They might not even make D3. BUT, there is no shame at all in playing this great sport just for the fun of it. They aren't all going to make it. If they want to continue playing after high school, they can... there is a junior league to suit almost all of their talent levels... but just because they can and want to play juniors, there still aren't any guarantees.

AND... more often than not... this comes down to the parents believing that if they invest in their future Hobey Baker nominee now, that it will pay off down the road with a college scholarship. To those parents... invest that money in a college fund instead. Or don't - the choice is yours... but make the best of it and enjoy the ride then... before you know it, they're off on their own and their hockey career is over at some point or another.

Wonderfully stated!!!

urban iceman · Post by **urban iceman** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:18 pm

Anyway you look at it, ITS WRONG!! Nobody cares about the TEAM aspect anymore. They leave and all they talk about is the reasons to go, NOTHING about the kids (and parents) that dedicated all the time and money to hopefully someday reap the reward as a team from the same town. Thats how I was brought up to believe and the same with my players. Everyone for themselves sucks!! You spelled my handle wrong Jimbo..