Playing Time

[hockeydad79]

I want to get opinions from everyone on a subject that upsets a lot of people.....Should every player at all youth levels play evenly? If so, why? if not, at what level should the bench be shortened? What about with Goalies? Do some associations in MN mandate that coaches play players evenly? Great hockey minds like all of you should have some great discussions. thanks

[GoldenBear]

Squirts play kids even at all levels and all goalies play every other game. Exception: Fargo tournament (Semi finals or Finals maybe shorten bench one or two shifts max or play best goalie. Goalie shouldn't play three games in a row). In addition, All squirts should rotate positions--each player plays at least 10 games at defense and forward.

Peewees: Peewee A and B (play evenly and rotate goalies for all ages)
Exception at Peewee A level: (District (Elimination game) /Region (Elimination game) and State Tournament)

At Peewee B level, all players should rotate positions (State tournament elimination games coaches discretion) During season,each player plays at least 10 games at defense and forward.

Bantam A's coach can do what he wants as long as he is quicker and stronger than some irrate parents. (Should play kids evenly and rotate goalies as much as possible..tournaments coaches discretion)

Bantam B: Should rotate players evenly as much as possible....elimination games, coaches discretion.

My thoughts.

[sorno82]

I say play them evenly all the way up. There is a nice article discussing the merits of coaching to win vs. coaching to develop. There is always a balance, but I would err on playing evenly unless there is a discipline problem.

http://www.minnesotahockey.org/coaches/ ... Making.pdf

[whos_it]

Wow, all I can say is "can of worms". All sports have the same dillema.

Bantams ............ play the best for the situation
Peewee's ........... play em all but limit time as situations occur
Squirt ................ play em all
Mites ................. play em all

This is all A teams focused. Players not good enough to play should be cut to the B team or teams. On B teams play em all or make the cuts.

This should be moved to the Youth board ............

[whos_it]

Wow, all I can say is "can of worms". All sports have the same dillema.

Bantams ............ play the best for the situation
Peewee's ........... play em all but limit time as situations occur
Squirt ................ play em all
Mites ................. play em all

This is all A teams focused. Players not good enough to play should be cut to the B team or teams. On B teams play em all or make the cuts.

This should be moved to the Youth board ............

Woops, I see I am already in the youth board. Sorry

[chester24]

Play them all if they made the team they should play. My coach asked the team what we wanted to do and we said roll the lines. In peewee we had a coach that would only play certain players(his son) on pp and pk and we lost games at the end cause our best players were gassed.

[nahc]

Skaters are developed in practices, not games. I believe coaches should have the flexibility to play whoever is needed to provide the optimal chance to win. Does that mean that a team only plays 2 lines each game, absolutely not. Does it mean that when your third line is out on the ice and the other team sends out their #1 line, you should be able to change lines. This may mean that some skaters mgiht not play as much against the stronger teams but will play more against other teams, so on the whole, playing time is about even.

My opinion is that this should start in Pee Wees.

Do we play the games to win? To me, that is what the skaters work so hard each and every night to accomplish. When do we begin thinking about the team concept rather than if everyone on the team plays the exact same amount of time, goalies are rotated each and every game no matter their ability, etc.. This goes back to the statement of giving everyone a trophy at the end of the year for participating. It don't work that way in life.......

[RobRay]

This ones been rehashed a few times.

I like the "if ya pay ya play" philosophy. I also like the 5 minute rule at the end of the game.
And the coaches that do shorten the bench I respect more if they
play other kids once in a while, besides their own.

[sorno82]

Kids are developed in games also. There is game speed and practice speed. If it weren't for the games, there would be a lot less kids participating.

If the kid is not hustling or having an attitude problem, then adjust the playing time accordingly.

I read an article once (wish I could find it) that stated that on the Soviet Youth teams, it was prohibited to shorten the bench for the simple fact that kids all develop differently and the top kids will not be the top kids every year. They wanted everyone to experience game pressure and realize it took a team to win. If a team was found to shorten the bench, they would get penalized.

It is about the kids enjoying the sport, even the 15th kid on the team.

[O-townClown]

With sites like myhockeyrankings.com and mnhockeyrankings.com it is harder and harder to play all kids evenly with an interest in 'development'. The world can see your results now. This has plusses and minuses.

I think the trend is in the other direction for those favoring equal ice time.

My personal belief is that youth rosters are way too big. 9-10 skaters is enough at most levels and 12 would be fine through Bantam A. Anyone that doesn't agree with this is operating with a lot of self-imposed constraints.

[tomASS]

This should be moved to the Youth board ............

Woops, I see I am already in the youth board. Sorry[/quote]

[Dull Blades]

.02

All B level hockey - run em in run em out. Roll the lines. Rotate penalty situation against next line out so same guy doesn't sit more than his share with position player ahead of him getting more than 1 penalty per game or routine penalty getter. (my kid once suffered over many games sitting out on penalty kill cuz kid ahead of him was a penalty getter - fairness issue that brews if let continued to exist?)

All A level hockey Squirt & up - play to win. Shorten bench at coaches discretion and have a coach that understands when his team is thumping the opponent to shorten the reverse bench up just as fast (overly play the 3rd line and the 1st liners should understand why). With a reverse short you send the message to all players that their time spent in practice will be rewarded at game time.

No matter what the call - make sure the parents are well versed going into the season. All too often, and especially this time of the year, the parents begin to let the thoughts they been thinking from Christmas time begin to roll off the tongue...