Junior Fest

[SportsMa]

Any thoughts about the upcoming Junior Fest, rosters, new location, etc?

[hockbandit]

Not sure why they couldn't find a more central location.

[hockeya1a]

Not sure why they couldn't find a more central location.

It is central for some! I actually like only having to drive 10-15 miles over 45-50 nice change for the other half of the metro.

[stagefright]

Does anybody have the rosters? I just checked the website and I couldn't find them.

[Just4Fun]

Does anybody have the rosters? I just checked the website and I couldn't find them.

Rosters would be nice, since its a week away. Not everybody can change their schedule at a drop of a hat.

[stagefright]

And we paid how much????? I'm sure all the college coaches would appreciate alittle heads-up too.

[Night Train]

Why 8 teams? Are they section teams?

http://www.mghca.com/page/show/115689-junior-festival

I just read the description of why 8 teams but it's to many.

[donomuch]

Regarding rosters:

Rosters will not be finalized until the night before Junior Fest begins.

This is because the teams are determined by ranking of players. When someone drops out, those rankings need to be re-evenly distributed. This is the explanation I received upon inquiring whether rosters were available yet.

Rosters may or may not be posted the evening before Junior Fest. Your player may just receive their team assignment the first day. I'd have to re-look at the invitation, but I believe there is a meeting on the first day...

[hockbandit]

The invitation says that you will not know which team you will be on until you register that day. It is mandatory for everyone to show up at registration and meeting. Then they will receive their team assignment. The problem I have that for some of us it is quite a ways away and then what do you do when you are there at 11:15, but your team practice in not until late afternoon or evening. A lot of driving back and forth. They also said that they won't put any teammates on the same team. Which is fine, but it would of been nice to do a little carpooling. I guess there is no perfect situation.

[northerngal65]

Not sure why they couldn't find a more central location.

It is central for some! I actually like only having to drive 10-15 miles over 45-50 nice change for the other half of the metro.

You call this "central"??? For who? Guess you tend to forget there are people that have to travel HUNDREDS of miles ONE WAY from Northern MN (not including lodging AND food for four days). Yes, we do play hockey here as well. I know the ratio is much higher in the "twin cities" area but we don't have the luxary of having ice year round in our back yards. No offense but I am giggling over the 10-15 miles or 45-50 miles driving time versus 200+. This is a vacation for me (when you add up all the costs).

[OntheEdge]

Does anybody have the rosters? I just checked the website and I couldn't find them.

Junior Fest rosters were posted last night.

http://www.mghca.com/page/show/115689-junior-festival

[moose jaw]

Well said northerngal,by looking at this board you wouldnt think there was a girl hockey player outside the metro,i some times wonder if the mghca has the same mentality.

[OnFrozenPond]

Well said northerngal,by looking at this board you wouldnt think there was a girl hockey player outside the metro,i some times wonder if the mghca has the same mentality.

My guess is that you are reading into it too much. Jamie Grossman is in charge of Junior Fest. For several years Junior Fest was held at Richfield which, as the Holy Angels coach, was his home rink. I believe he is now coaching at Prior Lake so Junior Fest moved to Dakotah, his current home rink.

It is difficult enough to organize locally, let alone from a distance. I don't know how much interest there is from other coaches, but maybe if someone else volunteered, it would move around.

Full disclosure...I live in the cities and I don't have a daughter participating in Junior Fest this year so i don't feel your pain and I don't doubt that if it was out state that some metro people would complain.

[stagefright]

Alot of quality outstate girls missing this year. Sylvester, Benzie, Marvin, Jensen, Stauber, Illikainen, Hamner, and Ramsey too.

[hockeyheaven]

Might be because most of those players have verbally committed and don’t need the exposure.

[northerngal65]

omg~~~ So shocked but oh so pleasantly surprised that they weren't asking for admission to go and watch the hockey games! Thank you MGHCA. It is about time and I sure wish there were more of them out ther that didn't have to do that. The majority of those watching are parents (who have already forked over enough out of their pockets) and maybe a few close family members. I don't know how the scouts can evaulate because the two games that I watched, I didn't see anyone that really "stood out" (which says a lot for how far the girls' program has come). It would be a very difficult job, for sure! Fun to watch and I give ALL the girls credit for being on the ice and playing with girls they have never played with before. Difficult to know how each are as players but nice to see they are working together as a team which is what it's all about. I would rather see a team pass continually than see the same "bunch of girls" taking the puck from end to end. That was grade school hockey and this is high school hockey. THANKS GIRLS!!!!!

[jcp-18]

Any update on this? Who is playing in championship? Any standouts?

[iceage]

Might be because most of those players have verbally committed and don’t need the exposure.

....nor the injuries.

[jumpstart]

Any update on this? Who is playing in championship? Any standouts?

In the cross-over games: Red (Pool B) beat Royal (Pool A) in, I believe, a one-goal game. Yellow (Pool A) beat Sky (Pool B), but did so in a shootout after two overtime periods.

Royal beat Sky by 1 goal in the 3/4 place game. Red beat Yellow in a shootout after two overtime periods in the championship game.

In my opinion, when it came down to competing in the big games, the teamwork of the Pool B players was just as effective as the individual play of the Pool A players

I understand the idea behind separating players so that the D1 coaches can see the "better" players playing against each other. However, one can make the argument that because these four games were all one-goal games and two had to be decided by shootouts, that maybe a six-team, one-pool system might be a better way to go.

[allhoc11]

In my opinion, when it came down to competing in the big games, the teamwork of the Pool B players was just as effective as the individual play of the Pool A players

I understand the idea behind separating players so that the D1 coaches can see the "better" players playing against each other. However, one can make the argument that because these four games were all one-goal games and two had to be decided by shootouts, that maybe a six-team, one-pool system might be a better way to go.

Interesting take, but IMO the reason these games were close was the goaltending, I saw a good number of games on Thur/Fri and was impressed with the the tenders in both groups. Looking at the scoreboard the shot margin was 3 to 1 in favor of the Pool A teams in almost all the crossover games.

In the long run the only opinion that counts is that of the college coaches who come, according to the philosophy behind Junior Festival, so I doubt either of our opinions matter to the powers that be.

[Girls_Hockey_fan]

In the cross-over games: Red (Pool B) beat Royal (Pool A) in, I believe, a one-goal game. Yellow (Pool A) beat Sky (Pool B), but did so in a shootout after two overtime periods.

Royal beat Sky by 1 goal in the 3/4 place game. Red beat Yellow in a shootout after two overtime periods in the championship game.

So in summary, if I am correct, a Pool B team (Red) beat not 1, but 2 Pool A teams to go on to win the championship?

Go Pool B!

[hockeya1a]

In the cross-over games: Red (Pool B) beat Royal (Pool A) in, I believe, a one-goal game. Yellow (Pool A) beat Sky (Pool B), but did so in a shootout after two overtime periods.

Royal beat Sky by 1 goal in the 3/4 place game. Red beat Yellow in a shootout after two overtime periods in the championship game.

So in summary, if I am correct, a Pool B team (Red) beat not 1, but 2 Pool A teams to go on to win the championship?

Go Pool B!

Proof! that the best looking is not always the best

[hockeya1a]

In the cross-over games: Red (Pool B) beat Royal (Pool A) in, I believe, a one-goal game. Yellow (Pool A) beat Sky (Pool B), but did so in a shootout after two overtime periods.

Royal beat Sky by 1 goal in the 3/4 place game. Red beat Yellow in a shootout after two overtime periods in the championship game.

So in summary, if I am correct, a Pool B team (Red) beat not 1, but 2 Pool A teams to go on to win the championship?

Go Pool B!

Proof! that the best looking is not always the best

[observer]

Give me grit and determination any day.

The other thing often underestimated, as evaluators are wowed by players dripping talent, is brains and game sense. I see a lot of skilled players making unforced errors and other players going weeks without making a mistake. Check the report card. You want to watch for players making good decisions.

[hockeya1a]

Give me grit and determination any day.

The other thing often underestimated, as evaluators are wowed by players dripping talent, is brains and game sense. I see a lot of skilled players making unforced errors and other players going weeks without making a mistake. Check the report card. You want to watch for players making good decisions.

agree 100%

Anyone have any idea why they allowed girls that have already committed to play in the fest?