I agree this is very confusing for both parents and players. Again however we have to distinguish between programs that are oriented toward TRAINING, and AAA teams oriented toward PLAYING-- these are two different things with different goals. We also see hybrids of one form or another. I believe OS has had some teams in recent tournaments.
Excuse my trademark long rant
The brutal yet non-surprising truth is that many, many parents and players alike, wish to surround themselves with only the most talented players in off-season hockey--whether for tournament or training purposes. Like the elite boys teams past, this mindset has permeated every age level all the way down to the youngest players. This is done for a number of reasons-- a "greater challenge", affirmation of talent, acceptance, ego, friendships, recognition, "visibility", etc., and is accomplished either by playing at an older age level than the player's peers, or by trying to land on the most elite team/program that will have her, or both. Players who aren't quite at that caliber also seek to play with the top players thinking it might help them develop, i.e. "challenge" them.
For the most part I suppose this is neither right or wrong, nor ideal or inherently evil. There are good and bad things about it to be sure, but we as parents might believe it's the right thing to "take our kid to the next level". A great player on an average high school team might need to work with top players to improve. It's classic self-interest and when it's your dime, that's fair right?
There's so many choices for parents because we continue to throw money at organizers and professional trainers/coaches, though well-intentioned they (and we) may be. Because they honestly believe in what they do and there is money to be made with a willing audience, off-season opportunities have flourished for a relatively small number of participants-- creating pressure to participate in more and more programs and events. The same is true about other sports, though hockey parents seem to exhibit a more profound degree of madness
And because of vastly fewer numbers in girls hockey, herein lies the difference between the boys elite and the girls from a league standpoint. The caliber of the top to bottom players in an 8-team league is a wide gulf compared to the boys, and many of the true elite (D1 level) players probably don't feel this is worth their time compared to other opportunities.
In my opinion the closest we get to a true elite league are one or two short spring leagues squeezed in between the end of the HS season and NDP phase I. After that, top players are scattered to the winds and you're unlikely to get them all in the same place until fall. Agree if CODP and OS could work together a fall league would work. Or maybe they should each put in four teams against each other
wow would that be a recruiting firestorm...
BUT, there is a place for a summer HS summer league-- I imagine it to be more tier II varsity, JV players and for U14's coming into HS hockey, with a healthy dose of coaching and training built-in to the experience. Maybe even allow some higher level players or graduating seniors to skate at no charge to provide "the challenge". Just a thought.
In all this, I don't think we have to worry about the true elite players, they're gonna be okay
