Top 20 12UB

[BlackTape]

Lets hear your thoughts?

[The Bone]

1 Eagan
2 New Prague
3 Chaska/Chanhassen
4 Cottage Grove
5 Waconia
6 Elk River
7 OMG Orange
8 Red Wing
9 Wayzata Blue
10 Edina Green
11 Stillwater Black
12 Edina Black
13 Wayzata Gold
14 OMG Crimson
15 Wayzata Navy
16 Duluth
17 Stillwater Red
18 Centennial Red
19 Woodbury Royal
20 Shakopee

[James B Mcbain]

I think another team not on the list will crack top 10 by years end.

[The Bone]

Please share!

[U12B Dad]

Stillwater Red scrimmaged Eagan last Saturday and won 2-1.

[BlackTape]

One thing is for sure the rankings at the end of the season are more important then right now, but its fun to rank them early.

[James B Mcbain]

This is going to be so great. The surprises will be awesome.

[The Bone]

Who is on & who is OFF???

LPH 12U Top 10 Dec. 2, 2010

WAYZATA GOLD
2 OMGHA Orange
3 New Prague
4 Lakeville Black
5 Cottage Grove
6 Red Wing
7 Edina White
8 Edina Black
9 Elk River
10 Waconia


The Bone’s Top 15 12UB Dec. 6, 2010

1. Eagan
2. Elk River
3. OMG Orange
4. Stillwater Red
5. Lakeville Black
6. Cottage Grove
7. Edina Black
8. Wayzata Gold
9. Chaska/Chanhassen
10. New Prague
11. Waconia
12. Duluth
13. Woodbury Royal
14. Edina Green
15. OMG Crimson

[The Bone]

Let’s Play Hockey U12B Ranking for Dec. 16
1 OMGHA ORANGE
2 Edina White
3 Cottage Grove
4 New Prague
5 Wayzata Gold
6 Edina Black
7 OMGHA Black
8 Red Wing
9 Lakeville Black
10 Elk River
North Metro

REAL WORLD 12B RANKINGS
1. OMG Orange
2. Centennial Red
3. Chisago Lakes
4. Waconia
5. New Prague
6. Elk River
7. Eagan
8. Edina White
9. Wayzata Gold
10. OMG Crimson
11. Cottage Grove
12. Stillwater Red
13. Edina Black
14. Chaska/Chanhassan
15. Lakeville Black

[James B Mcbain]

I could do a better job making the 12B Top 10 list blindfolded.

This is a slight and a travesty.

Also, New Prague...be very humble with no A team. Any other teams in the top 10 with no A teams?

[mnhcp]

I could do a better job making the 12B Top 10 list blindfolded.

This is a slight and a travesty.

Also, New Prague...be very humble with no A team. Any other teams in the top 10 with no A teams?

[hockey121330]

I could do a better job making the 12B Top 10 list blindfolded.

This is a slight and a travesty.

Also, New Prague...be very humble with no A team. Any other teams in the top 10 with no A teams?

Of course Chisago Lakes, it wouldn't be 12UB hockey without Chisago Lakes playing it's typical 12UB hockey without an A team. Gotta make Regions or State somehow before HS.

[The Bone]

Dear James,
Please favor us all with your 12B Rankings.

[mnhcp]

To those that have decided to play B hockey vs A hockey I love this article from buzzhockey.com.

Should Small Youth Hockey Associations Not Have “A” Teams?
I do not believe it is fair to ask the better players in a program to play “down” just to win games. Every kid wants to compete at the highest level possible. When you force the issue by dropping your “A” program so you can be more competitive, you compound your problems. The true “A” player will likely look to play somewhere else in order to compete at his or her level of play. In addition, how are players ever going to compete at a high school level when they compete against JV players all the way through youth hockey? There are better solutions. Small numbers can bring about added attention and time spent in developing the entire program. Some associations may lack depth, but have the opportunity to increase it it with more ice time and skill development than some of the larger programs are able to offer.

I have seen more players quit hockey over a lack of true competition than those that quit because they did not have a winning record. Athletes love competition and there is no better feeling than giving it everything you have. We send the wrong message to kids when we try to manufacture winning experiences. Positive experiences and success come from learning to be the best an athlete can be. As parents and coaches, we should teach young players that that success is found in the journey to give it your all, not necessarily the numbers on a scoreboard.

[hockey121330]

Love the take on this from buzzhockey.com, thanks for sharing mnhcp. The annual B vs A discussion is about to get under way .

It's always interesting thou to look at the following year after the State Tournament to see how many of those same associations that opted to play B last year now choose to play A this year. Champlin Park (12UB champs from 2009-2010) and Tartan (3rd place) come to mind this year. Tartan/North St Paul this year. Mahtomedi has fielded A teams at 12U the past two years but a few years ago fielded 2 12UB teams with one making it to state that year.

I'm sure this year there are teams out there at the 12B level that don't have an A team and they are rolling thru their league with wins, perhaps their Girls program directors and presidents could read the article above and look big picture for all, not just a few.

[royals dad]

perhaps their Girls program directors and presidents could read the article above and look big picture for all, not just a few.

I don't know that an association that has 15 total players at particular level would do well to ask Buzz Hockey in Wayzata for advice. It seems every year B Parents from mega association get upset that they loose a game to some lowly association and accuse them of stealing their daughters trophies. I have been around these decisions before both to skate an A team that had mostly B players and to skate a B team that had a few A players. Winning games was never part of the decision.

Finding what is best for the group of kids you have at each level is not always as simple as rolling an A team out then splitting the rest (if any) into B teams. When you build a team that has A, B, and C level talent you need to try and find a balance. Sometimes it is a co-op, 1 A team or 1 B, sometimes you need to waiver a top player or 2 out.

[SmalltownHockey]

As a small town girls hockey coach the A team B team question is always hard. Which is better for players and the program. For most Small town programs there is not much of a choice in the decision. As a 12u coach how can we expect brand new players to compete at an A level, or 10u players to compete at 12uA level. The realty is we have those players on all of our teams. We do not always even have the option to move players up when it is clear that it would be best for an individual player. If we want to develop our program making a new skater try and compete at an A level would be unrealistic and bad for the program as a whole. Here is what my team consists of please let me know what level you think I should be at.

1- 2nd year 12u players that is a very good player
4- 2nd year 12u players that are average
6- 1st year 12u players(one is a brand new skater, 2 are 2nd year skaters)
1- 10u move up player that has a sister on the team
1- 1st year 12u player(playing goalie for her 2nd year)

Do you think we could compete with an A team from the cities?

[observer]

No. That's a B team if you plan to play any metro or large association teams.

So we can consider where your team may be in the future, how many new mite girls this year?

[royals dad]

No. That's a B team if you plan to play any metro or large association teams.

So we can consider where your team may be in the future, how many new mite girls this year?

Kinda getting old being chided about recruiting mites. Lets face it some of the largest associations do the least work in this regard. A small association might work their tail off for 6 or 7 new skaters a year, and might find 3rd grade friends of players as the best targets for recruiting. Hence 1st year skater U12s. The way hockey costs are increasing and the ability of people to really buy their kids short cuts to skills (whether you agree with it or not it is reality). How are associations outside of core demographics really supposed to recruit? "Come on out and pay $5,000 a year to watch your 9 year old kid get skated off the ice by a kid who's parents spend $15,000 a year that you cant afford", the reality of the new hockey landscape is a hard sell. We had ice the other night at a non traditional arena, there were squirt age kids from Edina and Wayzata doing dryland and strapped to a skate treadmill, there are empty outdoor rinks and these kids are getting their strides perfected on plastic. I doubt it will make it more likely to get them to the NHL but they will outclass Squirts and PeeWees who have not been trained the same.

If you really look at the article above it basically writes off any one who is on a B team as a future JV player that you wouldn't really want to be on the ice with. If that is really how Mega Associations look at their kids I guess that is who you should feel sorry for. Maybe that is why their parents are so upset that a small town doesn't have an A team.

[Mr Nice Guy]

I could do a better job making the 12B Top 10 list blindfolded.

This is a slight and a travesty.

Also, New Prague...be very humble with no A team. Any other teams in the top 10 with no A teams?

Of course Chisago Lakes, it wouldn't be 12UB hockey without Chisago Lakes playing it's typical 12UB hockey without an A team. Gotta make Regions or State somehow before HS.

Funny thing is, they had opportunity to send a few to Forest Lake to play A. None would go. Even the parents of the better players are brainwashed.

[Mr Nice Guy]

Love the take on this from buzzhockey.com, thanks for sharing mnhcp. The annual B vs A discussion is about to get under way .

It's always interesting thou to look at the following year after the State Tournament to see how many of those same associations that opted to play B last year now choose to play A this year. Champlin Park (12UB champs from 2009-2010) and Tartan (3rd place) come to mind this year. Tartan/North St Paul this year. Mahtomedi has fielded A teams at 12U the past two years but a few years ago fielded 2 12UB teams with one making it to state that year.

I'm sure this year there are teams out there at the 12B level that don't have an A team and they are rolling thru their league with wins, perhaps their Girls program directors and presidents could read the article above and look big picture for all, not just a few.

Someone is missing there, oh yeah, Chisago!!! Yeah, they sandbagged again!

[The Bone]

Minnesota 12UB
Real World Top 15 - 1/3/11

1. Northern Lakes (Pequot Lakes)
2. Chisago Lakes
3. Edina White
4. Elk River
5. Cottage Grove
6. New Prague
7. Red Wing
8. OMG Black
9. Wayzata Navy
10. OMG Orange
11. Edina Black
12. North Metro
13. Edina Green
14. Wayzata Blue
15. Centennial Red

[James B Mcbain]

Minnesota 12UB
Real World Top 15 - 1/3/11

1. Northern Lakes (Pequot Lakes)
2. Chisago Lakes
3. Edina White
4. Elk River
5. Cottage Grove
6. New Prague
7. Red Wing
8. OMG Black
9. Wayzata Navy
10. OMG Orange
11. Edina Black
12. North Metro
13. Edina Green
14. Wayzata Blue
15. Centennial Red

Watchoo smokin'?

[The Bone]

Once again JBM
Thank you for all your hard work and valuable insights. You really have made this forum a better place!

[The Bone]

Is it Pequot Lakes that is an issue?

http://www.pequothockey.com/schedule/te ... ason=33553