Edina ABRA Invitational

[hockeya1a]

Edge, I'll take that one step further, why not allow more combinations of smaller HS teams, to get more older kids on the Varsity, thus reducing the need for the younger kids to leave the youth? Your situation is great, and the way I would think we would all like it, but until the sport completely takes of on the girls side, it might be nice to see things even out a bit. Could combo teams be the option?

The unfortunate thing is that there is no one clear cut answer to this,
if you combine to make the teams stronger you have to cut kids who want to play. Take Edina there are many girls that will never get to play for their HS because of the numbers,
but you take a Chaska or Prior lake or Shakopee or Bloomington they have a better chance of playing for their HS I think I heard somewhere on here where Shakopee has never has to cut a kid I would doubt that Prior Lake has had to or Jefferson or maybe even Kennedy Chaska probably not either. and now that EP does not have as many Transfers there is room for there own girls I guess sometimes being in a bigger program is not always better.

Would be interesting to see if Warroad or Roseau have ever had to cut!

[Whatthe]

The unfortunate thing is that there is no one clear cut answer to this,
if you combine to make the teams stronger you have to cut kids who want to play.

I have to disagree here. Single high schools with more than enough kids for one team but less than two teams (no JV schools) often have to cut kids. If they don't cut anyone, there's the problem of having too many kids on varsity, no JV, and no icetime for many kids on the bottom of the team. Many of these kids quit.

Small numbers also hurt programs without full U14's because the high schools are pulling up many U14 kids. Then, associations often have to waive the remaining kids (usually at the last minute after high school try-outs) to other communities to try to find a home at the last minute. Many of these kids quit.

There would be more opportunities for playing, greater stability and stronger U14's if there were more combinations for high schools that struggle with numbers.

[ice29]

we already do "combo" teams, (North Metro, Grand Rapids/Greenway, Duluth, Proctor/Hermantown, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton, Brainerd/Little Falls ect... and those are all AA schools) .

Just a note: These would be All A Schools in not combined - Greenway,Proctor,Hermantown,Esko,Carlton,Brainerd,Little Falls,Silver Bay,Two Harbors,Cook County,Hibbing,Cherry,Chisolm,Eveleth,Gilbert,Virginia,Ely,Babbitt,Moose Lake,Willow River, Etc, Etc, ... the list could go on and on...... In Duluth - Denfeld,Central,Marshall,Proctor are all A.
These small non-metro communities use combining at the HS level for #'s, this makes the MSHSL . It promotes youth level players in every town, and gives High School Varsity teams a schedule because they have a JV program. (not easy for out-state eams get a good schedule if you don't have a JV Team)

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