Squirt Choice League

[goinbardown]

Does anyone know how this squirt choice league is going over at Minnesota Made. I heard a lot of the kids from there mite program are going back to there associations. Are these teams allowed to play in tournaments or is it just a house league? I also heard Bernie isn't all that happy with the amount of of kids or talent so far. Any truth to that??

[Bash Brother]

Again look on their site for info. or E-mail the contact on the site.

[DuckDuckQuackQuack]

Does anyone know how this squirt choice league is going over at Minnesota Made. I heard a lot of the kids from there mite program are going back to there associations. Are these teams allowed to play in tournaments or is it just a house league? I also heard Bernie isn't all that happy with the amount of of kids or talent so far. Any truth to that??

Not true! There is no logical reason for kids to leave Minnesota made to go back to their associations. I can tell you without a doubt no association can offer the development that Minnesota made can.

Squirt league is going good. The coaches have great practice plans and the kids are working hard. Each practice is 1 hour 20 minutes each game is 1 hour 30 minutes. I compare this to my local association who hasn't even offered squirt tryouts yet. There is no doubt that we're happy with the amount of ice time and development. The convenience of one arena, 60 solo practices, 30 games and two tourneys will be nice. We'll see how the boys like playing the same teams over and over again. As everything in life there are pros and cons.

LEAGUE FORMAT
Each team will have about 145 hours of indoor ice
over the course of the season. Teams will have 60
solo practices and 10 shared for a total of 70 practices,
plus 30 games which includes two league
tournaments. All on indoor ice!
Practices: Teams will skate 4 times per week. Each
ice time is 1 hour 20 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes.
Games: The games will consist of three 17 minute,
stop time periods. This is the same as high school
periods! Most Squirt games in Minnesota use only
12 minute periods.

[goinbardown]

How many squirt teams do they have over at Minnesota Made?

What are we looking at for team sizes and are they parent coaches?

[O-townClown]

Quack, did they lengthen the practices to 80 minutes and opt for REALLY LONG games because it is better for development or as a way to sell more of the Minnesota Made ice?

How many skaters per team? Rather than have such long games I'd rather see fewer on the roster.

[DuckDuckQuackQuack]

Quack, did they lengthen the practices to 80 minutes and opt for REALLY LONG games because it is better for development or as a way to sell more of the Minnesota Made ice?

How many skaters per team? Rather than have such long games I'd rather see fewer on the roster.

There are four squirt teams at Minnesota made this year. Instead of watering down the teams to offer more teams they elected to have four better teams.
We have 16 kids on each team. The way I look at it if the games are longer the kids automatically receive more ice time. If you prefer 60 minutes of ice time that's great. I can tell you that 80 minutes of practice time is much better for development for obvious reasons. Like I've always said if you don't care for Minnesota made then more power to you. Minnesota made isn't for everyone. If your kids love the game of hockey and want to work on their development then Minnesota made is a good fit. At the youth level ice time, ice time and ice time is the key to development. Kids learn through repetition, repetition, repetition. Nothing wrong with kids skating in their associations. What ever works for the family.

Good luck.

[Air Force 1]

Games: The games will consist of three 17 minute, stop time periods. This is the same as high school
periods! Most Squirt games in Minnesota use only
12 minute periods.

We play 15 minute stop time periods with a resurface in D16 Squirts

[kidd]

If you look some of the choice mites moved on to the 98 fire team and I would bet after winning in detroit this weekend people will see that mm has done a great job

[Toomuchtoosoon]

yeah, those kids were ankle benders before bernie got them. A real pygmalion story here.

These kids were great before MM, and have just gotten better. Don't take all the credit for their success. Having a fantastic goalie doesn't hurt either.

[Can't Never Tried]

yeah, those kids were ankle benders before bernie got them. A real pygmalion story here.

These kids were great before MM, and have just gotten better. Don't take all the credit for their success. Having a fantastic goalie doesn't hurt either.

Just had to chuckle on that.... They're squirts

[DuckDuckQuackQuack]

yeah, those kids were ankle benders before bernie got them. A real pygmalion story here.

These kids were great before MM, and have just gotten better. Don't take all the credit for their success. Having a fantastic goalie doesn't hurt either.

Just had to chuckle on that.... They're squirts

Yep! Squirts that have been developed through repetition.

[hiptzech]

yeah, those kids were ankle benders before bernie got them. A real pygmalion story here.

These kids were great before MM, and have just gotten better. Don't take all the credit for their success. Having a fantastic goalie doesn't hurt either.

Just had to chuckle on that.... They're squirts

Yep! Squirts that have been developed through repetition.

Repetition is good ONLY IF done properly. Practice does not make perfect if you practice in correctly. Practice makes permanent. I have seen plenty of coaches conduct drills and not stop their players when conducting repetive drills incorrectly. One of the problems may be that they are trying to get too many repititions in without correcting the improper technics all for the sake of getting more reps in.

Pull off your blinders for a min, make it 15 and I guarantee you will find flaws in the coaching of repitive drills. You will see flawed practices if you only open your eyes for a min, but of course you would actually need to open the door to the rink and step inside and watch.

[puckfan]

Yep! Squirts that have been developed through repetition. Wink

Wow don't you ever get tired of drinking that same Kool-Aid over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over ........................................?

[Hockey!LoveIt!]

If you look some of the choice mites moved on to the 98 fire team and I would bet after winning in detroit this weekend people will see that mm has done a great job

With a good portion of the kids on the 98 Fire team it is pure talent at this age and not MN made that is making a winning team. You can hide 2 or 3 players with the rest of this team and still win. Who knows what willl happen when they become Pee Wee Majors. Quick feet and speed is great, but size will eventually count. But having said that...the head coach is great!!!!...and several of the players will go far. Kudos to this team!!!!!!

[Can't Never Tried]

yeah, those kids were ankle benders before bernie got them. A real pygmalion story here.

These kids were great before MM, and have just gotten better. Don't take all the credit for their success. Having a fantastic goalie doesn't hurt either.

Just had to chuckle on that.... They're squirts

Yep! Squirts that have been developed through repetition.

Speaking of repetition you'd think with as many times as you've traveled the same road you'd have found the right direction by now

[muckandgrind]

I'm all for options when it comes to hockey...While I'm not thrilled with everything I hear about BM, I'm glad he decided to break the mold and start something up. Now I hope that others follow suit and give parents more options than being forced to play for the local association or move to another location with a better-run association.

If there are associations that feel threatened by the competition....GOOD!!! Maybe it will force them to take a serious look inward and find out why kids want to leave for something else. Competition is healthy.

Any word as to if he will be starting a PeeWee and Bantam "Choice League" in the future?

[Road Rage]

With a good portion of the kids on the 98 Fire team it is pure talent at this age and not MN made that is making a winning team. You can hide 2 or 3 players with the rest of this team and still win.

It is also pure money that makes the team. I know a lot of kids as good or better than the Fire athletes, and their parents are not writing gigantic checks for the privilege of spending even more money on gas for practice, missing school and coughing up plane fare fly to tournaments where there is "real competition." Give me a break. Especially the 2-3 or three players being hidden on the strong lines. You can't tell me that those skaters are getting the actual game development that they would be getting if they had to step up and lead a weaker line that wasn't part of an all-star team. All they are learning is how to celebrate when the strong players do the job over and over.

Quick feet and speed is great, but size will eventually count.

Size is important, granted, but it is just one aspect of the game. I know of many great squirt players that do NOT like any type of a physical game, and they are some of the bigger kids you see. My son is not a giant, but he is a great skater and LOVES a physical game. The rougher the better. Bigger is not always better. The bigger they come the farther they fall...

...some of the choice mites moved on to the 98 fire team and I would bet after winning in detroit this weekend people will see that mm has done a great job.

Interesting that MM refers to these leagues as "Choice" leagues to begin with. I guess they are, if you think hockey is the only "choice" there is in life, and if you think playing the same four teams over and over and over and over again at the same rink is a "choice." Kids - remember, your parents "chose" to invest a ton of dough in your hockey future at the ripe old age of 8, 9 or 10, because they have "chosen" hockey as your sport of "choice," and because your own association wasn't good enough for you. Congratulations, you will all make it to D1 and the pros. The gospel according to Bernie, amen.

[muckandgrind]

Interesting that MM refers to these leagues as "Choice" leagues to begin with. I guess they are, if you think hockey is the only "choice" there is in life, and if you think playing the same four teams over and over and over and over again at the same rink is a "choice." Kids - remember, your parents "chose" to invest a ton of dough in your hockey future at the ripe old age of 8, 9 or 10, because they have "chosen" hockey as your sport of "choice," and because your own association wasn't good enough for you. Congratulations, you will all make it to D1 and the pros. The gospel according to Bernie, amen.

My definition of "Choice" is providing alternative options. And once again, I see someone placing the stereotype on parents who choose to try something different for their player. There are many reasons for parents wanting another option and the NHL or D1 isn't usually the reasons. Poorly run youth association is probably a more common reason.

You also don't give kids enough credit. My older son doesn't particularly like playing in the local association...This year he is having more fun because he really likes his Bantam coach...In years past, he would always tell me that he couldn't wait until summer to play AAA.

[misspacman]

Not true! There is no logical reason for kids to leave Minnesota made to go back to their associations. I can tell you without a doubt no association can offer the development that Minnesota made can.

Squirt league is going good. The coaches have great practice plans and the kids are working hard. Each practice is 1 hour 20 minutes each game is 1 hour 30 minutes. I compare this to my local association who hasn't even offered squirt tryouts yet. There is no doubt that we're happy with the amount of ice time and development. The convenience of one arena, 60 solo practices, 30 games and two tourneys will be nice. We'll see how the boys like playing the same teams over and over again. As everything in life there are pros and cons.

LEAGUE FORMAT
Each team will have about 145 hours of indoor ice
over the course of the season. Teams will have 60
solo practices and 10 shared for a total of 70 practices,
plus 30 games which includes two league
tournaments. All on indoor ice!
Practices: Teams will skate 4 times per week. Each
ice time is 1 hour 20 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes.
Games: The games will consist of three 17 minute,
stop time periods. This is the same as high school
periods! Most Squirt games in Minnesota use only
12 minute period[quote]


I can think of at least one logical reason to go back to your association. For the fun![/quote]

[DuckDuckQuackQuack]

Not true! There is no logical reason for kids to leave Minnesota made to go back to their associations. I can tell you without a doubt no association can offer the development that Minnesota made can.

Squirt league is going good. The coaches have great practice plans and the kids are working hard. Each practice is 1 hour 20 minutes each game is 1 hour 30 minutes. I compare this to my local association who hasn't even offered squirt tryouts yet. There is no doubt that we're happy with the amount of ice time and development. The convenience of one arena, 60 solo practices, 30 games and two tourneys will be nice. We'll see how the boys like playing the same teams over and over again. As everything in life there are pros and cons.

LEAGUE FORMAT
Each team will have about 145 hours of indoor ice
over the course of the season. Teams will have 60
solo practices and 10 shared for a total of 70 practices,
plus 30 games which includes two league
tournaments. All on indoor ice!
Practices: Teams will skate 4 times per week. Each
ice time is 1 hour 20 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes.
Games: The games will consist of three 17 minute,
stop time periods. This is the same as high school
periods! Most Squirt games in Minnesota use only
12 minute period

I can think of at least one logical reason to go back to your association. For the fun!

So true! Let the kids play where they'll have fun.