Top associations

[justanobserver]

Northock07:

Think you just missed the point that thinkb4engaging and breakout made. It is not about winning Championships. It is about developing A hockey players on a percentage basis to the number of players at each level. Good job, you just gave another reason why the large associations like Wayzata and Edina should have more A teams. If they are going to lose hockey players to the private schools then these associations should think about developing more A players to fill the ranks. Associations like Wayzata have a great opportunity to really develop a slew of top end players. Unfortunately, due to lack of opportunity many good players
with great potential in squirts are "told" and labelled as B players throughout their association career. It then becomes a self fullfilling prophecy. These boys stop putting the work into their game necessary to compete and then a number of the boys "quit" the game in Bantams.
See a pattern here yet?

My vote is for Roseau too. Also hear they provide a fair amount of free open hockey (inside ice) for their players. Does Wayzata or Edina do that?

____________

Think before engaging...

It's obvious you have an issue with Wayzata due to the history of your posts. Wayzata is currently at the top of youth hockey in Minnesota.

2007 Junior Gold A State Champions
2007 Peewee A State Champions
2007 Peewee B State Champions and 2nd Place
2007 Fargo Flyers International Tournament Squirt A Champions
2007 Bantam A 4th in State
2007 Bantam B 3rd in State

The reason for the lack of success at the HS level boils down to 1 major reason...the majority of the top youth Wayzata players are enrolled at Blake, BSM, Breck, etc.

Comparing Wayzata and Roseau at the Youth level is a waste of time and energy.


[/quote]

[spin-o-rama]

Edina had 140 squirts last year. This year they are projecting to have over 200 squirts. Despite D6 being a proponent of 2 equal squirt A teams, Edina will still have only 1.

Does anyone know the true reasoning behind this decision? My only guess is vanity at the leadership/parent level. It can't be good from a developmental angle.

[wyztaJGA4vertildeath!!!]

Wayzata:

Correct no big deal winning championships.

Wayzata is just an example of one of those associations which is "pushing" their players down due to their traveling program structure. Look at how many players they are really developing at the higher level. Look at their success at the high school level- not much. If they had more players playing A level rather than thinking a state title at the A or B level is the goal, maybe their high school program would be more successful. 20-25% of their players should be playing A hockey- not 10%. Look at their conference competition and the number of players at their association levels- they are at the 25% A participation level.. This has been covered in past blogs but still no changes- just more and more B teams. Would certainly vote for Roseau over Wayzata or Edina! Would bet Roseau has even more than 25% A team participation.
at each level (squirts, peewees and bantams).

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

[Neutron 14]

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

I bet all of Wayzata is soooo proud of you! Way to go sport!

[Govs93]

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

I bet all of Wayzata is soooo proud of you! Way to go sport!

Uhhh... no.

[Neutron 14]

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

I bet all of Wayzata is soooo proud of you! Way to go sport!

Uhhh... no.

Ya gotta admit its the funniest username you've ever seen...

[wyztaJGA4vertildeath!!!]

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

I bet all of Wayzata is soooo proud of you! Way to go sport!

Yeah... they are! State champion baby!

[Govs93]

Shut up we're the best there is

As will farrel in Blades of Glory once said, "Good ahead drink it in"

Were the best and will always be da best.......

I bet all of Wayzata is soooo proud of you! Way to go sport!

Yeah... they are! State champion baby!

You do realize you're talking about Jr. Gold here, right?

Don't give everybody out here a black eye. I came out here from the other side of the tracks (so to speak), so I know how outsiders view Wayzata, and it's generally not favorabe... the kids are snotty, selfish, cocky and spoiled from daddy's money. For the most part I've learned that isn't really the case out here, but there are some exceptions. You're not doing much to help... a little humilty will take you a long way in life. There's a fine line between having pride in your (our) program and being a cocky punk. Nothing wrong with taking pride with things your team has done, but there's nothing to be gained from talking down about other programs because of it.

[Neutron 14]

You do realize you're talking about Jr. Gold here, right?

Don't give everybody out here a black eye. I came out here from the other side of the tracks (so to speak), so I know how outsiders view Wayzata, and it's generally not favorabe... the kids are snotty, selfish, cocky and spoiled from daddy's money. For the most part I've learned that isn't really the case out here, but there are some exceptions. You're not doing much to help... a little humilty will take you a long way in life. There's a fine line between having pride in your (our) program and being a cocky punk. Nothing wrong with taking pride with things your team has done, but there's nothing to be gained from talking down about other programs because of it.

Its not "just" Jr. Gold...

Its Jr. Gold for ever till Death!!!

Ya gotta love it...

[breakout]

It's not only a goal.............it's a lifestyle!

[watchdog]

i dont care about numbers roseau produces good teams at every level every year!!!!!!!!!!!! now heres the scare roseau is constantly working and improving what is already the best hockey program in this country. just the changes made over the last 5 years will put roseau on the hockey map for many more years to come and it wont stop their. You cant win everything every year but i know this you wont have any easy games against roseau.

[oldram]

Why would Roseau worry about the wolves raiding their programs? The private schools should worry about kids wanting to play in Roseau. There have been people discouraged to move to Roseau for hockey reasons. Some of them have no idea what they are walking into and bringing their kids into. There have been "stars" on other teams that tried to fit in and barely make it. They like to win with their own kids.

Roseau has coaches who are not always parents of kids on the team. It makes it easier to cut for A and B teams. The first peewee coach, hired in about 1960, was the only peewee coach until 2 or 3 years ago. Almost 50 years is a long time and quite a commitment. Many of these coaches played at the D1 or professional level. Most of them come from Roseau and know what is expected...demanded.

Any kid in Roseau is going to be noticed by a lot of people. Any kid in Roseau is going to play on an above average team every year. Any kid in Roseau can skate every day from the end of October until the end of March in an indoor rink for free. There hasn't been an outdoor rink in Roseau since about 1973. They got rid of it because the snowmobilers chewed it up cutting cookies on it.

Roseau has won more than 4 State Championships, counting the VFW state titles. The schools playing in the VFW tourney are most of the same who are in the High School tourney year in and year out. They were also runner up in the national peewee tournament.

Where is WBL and Wayzata every March during the High School season?

[FREDFLINTSTONE]

Usually sitting at home because most of the kids they grew up with left to go the private route or they left their senior season to play in the USHL.

[puttinthefoilon]

My vote is for Roseau, second would be White Bear Lake, and third is Apple Valley. AV did free hockey for all 1st year mites and eliminated registration fees for any first year player at the travelling level. I was told they had 23 1st year squirts last year. That is a low number in any district yet alone district 6. This year the have over doubled the amount of 1st year mite players.. u imagine doubling the size of your youth program..

Edina is in my opinion one of the top, but is also one of the worst. Edina is not showing me they are about developing the whole program. I see them with what should be at least 2 A teams, possibly 3 at the younger ages, and they are only providing 1. If it is about the kids, then put 2 squirt a's or 3 on the ice. You can't tell anyone that Edina does not have over 15 kids that can play squirt a anywhere else in the state. Give them a chance and put winning second.

[oldram]

Exactly Mr. Flintstone. There must be a reason they're leaving. Maybe things aren't so rosy in WBL or Wayzata.

[watchdog]

not only could edina and many other put out more than one a squirt and peewee teams im willing to bet that they could put what they call their top 15 on a team make two more and those teams may even beat the first 15 in a game!!!!!!!!! another judge of a good program in my opinion is loyalty. If kids are proud of their town and heritage they stay to play. sometimes its a better move to leave but only under certain conditions in my eyes. oh and old ram roseau has alot of parent coaches and its getting worse every year not sure whats gona happen but i see problems for the future. in fact thats the only thing i can see ruining some seriously good teams coming in the very near future.

[oldram]

I hear you watchdog... My kids play against Roseau. I see who's coaching there.

Parents as coaches many times have their own agenda. It's amazing how shameless many of them are.

There are some very good ones and I had some, but the bad apples are the ones you remember.

It's too bad, it seems nobody has time to volunteer any more. God bless the ones who do. I appreciate them all.

[Neutron 14]

My vote is for Roseau, second would be White Bear Lake, and third is Apple Valley. AV did free hockey for all 1st year mites and eliminated registration fees for any first year player at the travelling level. I was told they had 23 1st year squirts last year. That is a low number in any district yet alone district 6. This year the have over doubled the amount of 1st year mite players.. u imagine doubling the size of your youth program..

Edina is in my opinion one of the top, but is also one of the worst. Edina is not showing me they are about developing the whole program. I see them with what should be at least 2 A teams, possibly 3 at the younger ages, and they are only providing 1. If it is about the kids, then put 2 squirt a's or 3 on the ice. You can't tell anyone that Edina does not have over 15 kids that can play squirt a anywhere else in the state. Give them a chance and put winning second.

If you can't beat them, force them to make two A teams. If that doesnt work, force them to have 3 A teams and so on until YOU can win. You like WB, but they're as big or bigger than Edina. But I guess since they dont beat you every year, you like them.

Numbers mean squat, and Roseau proves it. They provide the ice and quality coaching required for a successful program. Most importantly, they get ALL the best athletes in their community. Its a program everyone should try to emulate.

[DumpandChase1]

The answer to the question, " Top associations", is simple.

What association has the most state championships?

What association year in and year out produces the best teams?

I am not talking about the 1 year wonders and the small towns from up north. You guys are great but you just don't have it year in and year out.

You can complain about the numbers, and how many teams they should have. But it all comes down to wins and championships.

There is only one team that everyone loves to beat. Only one team that every loves to hate. Only one team that every team plays their best against.

The envy of every program in the state.

The truth hurts.

[ToePull43]

Wayzata is the best association. We had 7 teams go to state tournys. 3 of them took 1. I dont think that any other association can match that dominance at every level. We had at least one team go to state at every level, that their is a state tourny for. At Peewee's we took 1 & 2 i doubt that has happened many other times.

Might you know "Ryan Poppitz" if that's how you spell it?

[keepyourheadup]

Maybe no association ever rostered 160 peewees before either, large doesn't always mean best, that said wayzata had great success

[wyztaJGA4vertildeath!!!]

It's pretty simple. We're the best there is.

[breakout]

It's pretty simple. We're the best there is.

[Neutron 14]

It's pretty simple. We're the best there is.

There's definately something simple going on...

[Can't Never Tried]

It's pretty simple. We're the best there is.

A legend in your own mind !