Lakeville Game Numbers

[observer]

Let's talk about Lakeville. They usually have posters willing to talk. The end of the season is near and I'm curious how the Lakeville late start and fewer games is working out.

Bantam A

Lakeville North 13-11-8, 32 games ranked 28th in the State
Lakeville South 7-11-3, 21 games ranked 38th in the State

Average number of games for the top 5 Bantam A teams, 47

PeeWee A

Lakeville North 17-16-1, 34 games ranked 25th in the State
Lakeville South 19-16-3, 38 games ranked 20th in the State

Average number of games for the top 5 PeeWee A teams, 50

http://myhockeyrankings.com

The 21 games for Lakeville South Bantam A is jumping out at me. The others aren't as bad. What's your opinion? What's the plan for next year?

[royalhockey999]

They must not update their scores cause I counted 34 games to date.

http://lakevillehockey.org/cgi-bin/cale ... Month=2&p=

[Defensive Zone]

Talking to a few of the Lakeville coaches this year, they have felt much stress, more than past years. With a shorten season, player/team develop has suffered a great deal. Skill development, game plan, team/coaching performance, structure, goal setting, and parent disappointment have been mentioned in conversation. Also, Lakeville coaches have told me that their teams are experiencing a low/slump, if you may, at this time. Most teams in other association have had the same low, but they also have had time to work through it because they started their season earlier.

[buttend]

Let's talk about Lakeville. They usually have posters willing to talk. The end of the season is near and I'm curious how the Lakeville late start and fewer games is working out.

What's your opinion? What's the plan for next year?

PeeWee A

District 8 Final seedings

1 .Farmington
2. Rosemount
3. Woodbury
4. Lakeville South
5. Lakeville North
6 etc.......

PWB1 neither N or S teams rated top 20 in LPHockey

Bantam A

District 8 Standings

1. Woodbury
2. Rosemount
3. Apple Valley
4. Eastview
5. Hastings
6. Lakeville South
7. Lakeville North
8. etc......

BTMB1 Neither N or S teams rated top 20 in LPHockey

I would say at the traveling "A" level Lakeville Hockey teams did not do very well. In fact if you survey the parents no one would have guessed no teams seeded higher than 4th. Reasons? Late start and playing policy are 2 big ones!

Lakeville does not play to win at the "A" hockey level, its all about equal playing game time, no power play unit no penalty kill unit. Roll the lines 1,2,3. No matter the game situation. The District has in place this "playing policy" and parents are encouraged to report any infractions to the HDC. Believe me they do! Ask the coaches if they have been talked to by HDC members about this topic. The current board and HDC is a "good ole boys network" loaded w/ politics.

Top teams play to win! Thats why they are top teams. Many opinions on playing to win vs playing everyone fairly and evenly, thats why there are B and C levels. My opinion, at an "A" travel hockey level your supposed to be a competitive team that is playing to win. You owe it to the team your playing to give them the best game/test you can.

The Association is slipping, once you start that slide its very hard to combat that gravity pull. With Apple Valley and Eastview added to the District and Rosemount and Farmington putting out very good teams, Lakeville hockey better get used to looking up at the competition.

[the_juiceman]

Let's talk about Lakeville. They usually have posters willing to talk. The end of the season is near and I'm curious how the Lakeville late start and fewer games is working out.

What's your opinion? What's the plan for next year?

PeeWee A

District 8 Final seedings

1 .Farmington
2. Rosemount
3. Woodbury
4. Lakeville South
5. Lakeville North
6 etc.......

PWB1 neither N or S teams rated top 20 in LPHockey

Bantam A

District 8 Standings

1. Woodbury
2. Rosemount
3. Apple Valley
4. Eastview
5. Hastings
6. Lakeville South
7. Lakeville North
8. etc......

BTMB1 Neither N or S teams rated top 20 in LPHockey

I would say at the traveling "A" level Lakeville Hockey teams did not do very well. In fact if you survey the parents no one would have guessed no teams seeded higher than 4th. Reasons? Late start and playing policy are 2 big ones!

Lakeville does not play to win at the "A" hockey level, its all about equal playing game time, no power play unit no penalty kill unit. Roll the lines 1,2,3. No matter the game situation. The District has in place this "playing policy" and parents are encouraged to report any infractions to the HDC. Believe me they do! Ask the coaches if they have been talked to by HDC members about this topic. The current board and HDC is a "good ole boys network" loaded w/ politics.

Top teams play to win! Thats why they are top teams. Many opinions on playing to win vs playing everyone fairly and evenly, thats why there are B and C levels. My opinion, at an "A" travel hockey level your supposed to be a competitive team that is playing to win. You owe it to the team your playing to give them the best game/test you can.

The Association is slipping, once you start that slide its very hard to combat that gravity pull. With Apple Valley and Eastview added to the District and Rosemount and Farmington putting out very good teams, Lakeville hockey better get used to looking up at the competition.

You mention district playing policy..is that a district 8 policy, or is it a Lakeville policy?

[buttend]

You mention district playing policy..is that a district 8 policy, or is it a Lakeville policy?

Typo.. S/B Lakeville Policy

[jancze5]

how many practices did these teams have? If they have an amped up practice schedule, the decreased games won't have any long term development impact, or will it? There are kids this age playing 60-70 games a year all over the country.

On the other hand, looking at lakeville's recent export of developed players, they seem to be doing just fine

[CoachRabbit]

Standings for the Bantam A level were really close. beside woodbury the other 6 teams were separated by 2 points...

Bantam A Rankings
1.Woodbury 47 pts
2. Rosemount 34pts
3.Apple valley 33 pts
4. Eastview 33 pts
5. hastings 33 pts
6. Lakeville South 32 pts
7. Lakeville North 32 pts

[nahc]

Don't looknow but Lakeville North's Bantam A team is heading for Regions after beating Apple Valley 2-1.........got nothing to do with the head coach and everything to do with the heart of the players.......GOOD LUCK PANTHERS!!!

[OneMoreYear]

Don't looknow but Lakeville North's Bantam A team is heading for Regions after beating Apple Valley 2-1.........got nothing to do with the head coach and everything to do with the heart of the players.......GOOD LUCK PANTHERS!!!

Make no mistake nahc, North is heading for regions for one reason and one reason only. . .#30. I am not a Lakeville parent, but saw each of their district games - take that goalie off that team, and they are getting out the golf clubs and baseball bats.

That said, Good luck though to all the D-8 teams going to Regions, especially "Cindarella Sibley" - sandbagged everyone with a 2-13-1 regular season!!

[BadgerBob82]

buttend: I am curious what you mean by "playing to win". Would this mean to play 1 goalie and 10 players all the time. Bottom 5 players and backup goalie are just there to practice and help defray the team costs?

Your goal might be to have a great Pee-Wee record, but thankfully most intelligent minds believe in developing the skills of all 17 players on a team.

[old goalie85]

Bob- I get what your saying, and No that's not what I think he's saying. If your kid is a low end player on the A's then the coach SHOULD be able to sit said kid in certain situations @ the Bantam, and maybe even pee-wee level. Coach can make it up later he's not ma" practice" player, Otherwise have little bob skate B. I have lived both ends and the kids want to win. It about the kids ..Right??

[old goalie85]

Hit the M by mistake. Good coach can make up the ice in other situation. NOT the 3rd period of the tie game.

[BadgerBob82]

oldgoalie: I was taking his position to an extreme. But you provided my point, if "wonder coach" is not going to play the bottom 5 kids and let them develop, take 10 players and send the other 5 to the B level. Kids just want to play!!!!!!!!

[old goalie85]

Bob- You might be right. The kids do want to play. So your option would work. I just dodn't see why our FL , For example has a fair play rule on the B-A's, P-a's. Then put 17 skaters on the A's. [plus 2 goalies] That's what I was thinking of, so your point hit close to home.

[JoltDelivered]

Bob- You might be right. The kids do want to play. So your option would work. I just dodn't see why our FL , For example has a fair play rule on the B-A's, P-a's. Then put 17 skaters on the A's. [plus 2 goalies] That's what I was thinking of, so your point hit close to home.

This brings up a point I have thought about for a long time. If coaches at the Pee Wee A and Bantam A levels roll 3 lines and hang their hat on the old axiom...I'm here to develop all the players then I ask...what's the plan to develop the the top end players?

My point is while a normal 1-2-3 shift might be a great way to develop a lesser skilled, maybe 1st year player it really doesn't do much for the top end kids. To further their development, those top end kids need to be put in more challenging spots... like power plays, penalty kills and crunch times of games. It's difficult though I know. Parents don't drive to the rink to watch other people's kids play hockey, they want to see THEIR kid play hockey. So when their kid is shorted a shift here or there in favor of maybe a more skilled player, they feel angry and confused and always equate it to the coach "playing to win". When in fact, maybe the coach of that Bantam A player is trying to get the top end player better prepared for high school and beyond.

[BadgerBob82]

Jolt: I understand what you're saying, but I didn't realize "fair play rules" included special team situations also? PP and PK are naturally going to tilt the playing time somewhat? And I agree with that.

But I have witnessed a coach that rolls his lines 1-2-1-2-1-3-1-2... 3rd liners get 1-2 shifts per period, and hopefully they don't go off-side or ice it, because they were off on the 1st whistle. 2nd goalie played the "easy" games and would play the 3rd period when the game was decided. So ended up playing about 20% of the games. That isn't right and if the coach can't figure out how to play all his players without stacking one line and having the 3 weakest on 3rd line, need a new coach. His response was the "good" players are in better shape and can play over half the game. The 3rd liners should be happy they practice with good players and get to hold the trophies. Take 10 skaters and 1 goalie if that's your objective.

And for the record, I didn't have a kid on that team, or even at that level.

I also agree Bantam A might require something different, but to hear about this stuff at Squirts and Pee-Wee (A or B) is crazy.

[BadgerBob82]

jolt: Meant to ask how or why would "developing" a player means different things if they are in the top 5 on a team vs. middle or bottom 5? Are you saying development is that different on say a Pee-Wee A team?

And if so, please explain how a coach would implement a development strategy for these various ability levels on the same team.

[JoltDelivered]

jolt: Meant to ask how or why would "developing" a player means different things if they are in the top 5 on a team vs. middle or bottom 5? Are you saying development is that different on say a Pee-Wee A team?

And if so, please explain how a coach would implement a development strategy for these various ability levels on the same team.

Oh no question. If you compare a top end 2nd year Pee Wee A player and to a mildy skilled 1st year pee wee A player, the development needs are vastly different...in my opinion.

I think often times people equate the term development with "physical" skill development. When often times what that top end player needs is to develop his mental quickness, decision making and anticipation skills. To do this, it can be better accomplished when that top end player faces the other team's top end players. It pushes the player to think and react quicker. Penalty kills and power plays are great places to do this. It tests a player mentally and you are usually facing the opponents top players while doing so.

Not to mention, what about leadership skills? How do you develop leaders? It's not as easy as one might think. That leader not only has to lead by example...but he has to make sure each player feels like they are an important part of the team.

So yes, I think development requirements for top end vs. low end players can range widely.

The 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-3 line combo crap I absolutly disagree with. If my son was on line 3...I would ask for my money back.

[CoachRabbit]

Don't looknow but Lakeville North's Bantam A team is heading for Regions after beating Apple Valley 2-1.........got nothing to do with the head coach and everything to do with the heart of the players.......GOOD LUCK PANTHERS!!!

Make no mistake nahc, North is heading for regions for one reason and one reason only. . .#30. I am not a Lakeville parent, but saw each of their district games - take that goalie off that team, and they are getting out the golf clubs and baseball bats.

That said, Good luck though to all the D-8 teams going to Regions, especially "Cindarella Sibley" - sandbagged everyone with a 2-13-1 regular season!!

Congrats to all four team that made it out of regions( Woodbury, Lakeville North, Rosemount, and Sibley). I got to watch most of these games and all were tightly played. Nice job on the Sibley team making it out of districts. They really played very well in the playoffs. Rosemount is the best coached team with very disciplined players on their roster. Sibley showed true grit and beat very good teams to advance. Lakeville North surprised a lot of teams with only two lines of players and excellent goaltending by their netminder. Woodbury, who dominated league play has a very nice team with a great overall understanding of the game. Good luck in regions.

Finally there is no reason to call out coaches or to undermind them from associations no matter what your opinion is about the character or knowledge of the game from said coaches. Good luck to all teams