observer wrote:Then you must be one of them.
What I'm saying is if you line up the 8-10 kids they have that may be interested in playing Bantam B hockey at STA I believe most would say they would have no problem playing their final year of youth hockey with their friends they've played with their previous years. One or two final years. Kids don't request waivers, dads do.
Anyways, that's the structure we currently have in place. Did you want a special allowance for a few players out of thousands of hockey players. We've got a pretty good structure in place. Once associations and districts start making exceptions to the rules there's a problem. Like life, follow the rules.
Associations and districts will likely support their other associations and districts. Associations and districts currently offer Bantam B so there's no need for additional special circumstance squads. Associations and districts that don't support other associations and districts on decisions like this are unlikely or will just need a little additional educating regarding the current structure in place. If there are people out there that don't understand why associations and districts need to be supportive of our current structure, and rules, then they're missing a large chunk of gray matter.
Here's the process and Minnesota Hockey is watching because of the violations in the process a year ago,
Register, and pay, for your community based hockey association. Required or your player isn't insured through USA Hockey. No exceptions.
Most Districts, and associations, require all registered and paid players attend tryouts with their community based association.
Request waiver, because you're a baby and want special considerations no one else in the state receives.
Waiver denied because your community based association already offers Bantam B.
I've heard waivers granted because families and players are a total pain in the ass, and weak anyways. That will make for a good squad. Dysfunctional school, coaches, parents and players. I heard that's how they behaved last year. Beautiful.
Be supportive of your community based hockey association and your district through your child's Bantam years. They have done a lot of great work for Minnesota hockey players over the years. Most of us owe them great thanks. Don't be destructive. High school comes soon enough. It's easy and everyone follows the same rules.
No waivers. No youth teams sponsored by schools.
Actually, I'm not. My two sons will be playing Squirts and Bantams for their local association this year. And I do much more than many around my locale to support youth hockey. But I can definitely see the argument for having private Bantam teams or allowing kids to waiver out to other better run associations. The local associations should figure out a way to create an environment where kids WANT to stay instead of forcing them to.
Deny it all you like, but there are MANY poorly run and poorly attended youth associations in this state. Hockey is an expensive sport. Why should people be forced to shell out thousands of dollars a year to see their son or daughter not have fun because their team gets creamed every game and not be properly developed because there aren't enough players to field skill-appropriate teams?
My son has MUCH more fun playing AAA hockey in the summer than he does playing association hockey in the winter. Why? Because he talks about how much fun it is to play with other kids who are of similar ability and determination....AND he has developed long-lasting friendships with those players as well. It's a shame that parents are forced to pay for an association that their kids don't want to play for all because some monopoly (MN Hockey) says they have to.
My kids will do it basically because there is no other option. But I will hear the same thing from my older son that I have been hearing for the past couple of years: "I can't wait for summer hockey." And to be honest, I don't blame him a bit. He shows more improvement after AAA than he does after association hockey, BY FAR.
If we were fortunate enough to live in Edina, Wayzata, Woodbury, etc. I'm sure we would think differently. But we don't. The way my son looks at it is winter hockey is just something to do until summer hockey starts up again. It's a shame, but that's the way it is. He IS looking forward to playing for the local high school team, but sees Bantams as a something he "has" to do, not something he "wants" to do. But he'll go out there and give it all he has and be a team-player.
Yes to waivers and giving families a choice.
Last year STA violated several rules during team formation as the players weren't registered with their home associations before skating so they were uninsured.
Doesn't the cost to register with USA Hockey cover the insurance? If so, all the player needs to do is register with USA Hockey to be insured, not with the local association.
needs to build six more rinks and be SuperRink South. Then my kid who does not attend a private has a [u]choice[/u] and has options equivalent to what you want us to 'get used to'.
