Agree 100%. It is the denial that irks people.Nevertoomuchhockey wrote:QUOTEIn the minutes of a Herm youth hockey board meeting from a year or two ago, they discussed the fact that recruiting of players from nearby associations was indeed happening and that there had been complaints from Herm parents about it.
This is a fact. I read it myself on the association website when someone on here pointed it out. I think someone even posted the minutes on the forum. I also know for a fact that a great player from Hibbing got a letter from Hermantown youth hockey a few years ago. It told them how great the Herm program was and that they would welcome him to join. That sure sounds like recruiting to me.
Hopefully you are right that they will go AA in 19-20. Then the recruiting, open-enrolling, and transferring won't matter anymore. They'll be in with other teams that are suburbs of large metro areas, so the footing will be equal.QUOTE
Great post Rainier.
My buddy from Duluth listed like 10-12 boys and 5 Girls who are all juniors and seniors at Hermantown now who aren’t playing hockey at all after losing their spots to players who didn’t come up in their youth programs. As long as it’s done legally, it’s sucks but any coach is going to play the best kids no matter their youth origins. I think what observers get frustrated about is simply the denial about what’s going on. Instead of being proud of the program and product you’ve created that brings in good players from all over (both on their own and those who are sought out and “talked to”) you minimize and deny the move ins. It’s a strange phenomenon.
Deluded Hermantown fan view:
We are a small town with a program that is so incredibly good that we are able to take a paltry 600 kids and produce greatness consistently. Other Class A teams' programs are total crap because they can't attract and develop talent like we can.
Reality:
You are a very good program that has taken advantage of being in a metro area, and without the outside talent your team would still be a solid A team, but certainly not a dominant one.
