quote]
My daughter participated last year. Overall a positive experience. She did have a couple D1 committed players on her team. One committed player wanted everyone to see her. Never passed, never talked, didn't work at the defensive end, but had no issues going to the goal. Even their team coach commented to the players about her. No one wanted to be on her line. Tough to get noticed with a teammate like that. She did make the other defensive players work. Thats a positive![/quote]
That's dissapointing to hear and something that player will be forced to overcome at the next level. It's also likely her recruiting coaches were not pleased either. There has been a positive trend towards more and more of the girls understanding that they need to move the puck and involve teammates. Years ago it was one player after another carrying the puck the length of the ice. Now the girls seem to understand that college and USA coaches want players that can move the puck and then find an open seam to get it back. The individual skills are appreciated but the individual play is rated negatively.
JuniorFest 2011
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
Re: Juniorfest 2011
I’ll weigh in on JuniorFest, having had one year to think about it.
Being recruited to play college hockey is all about exposure, and JuniorFest is one event in Minnesota where a player can get exposure.
I have two schools of thought on the two-tier system and can’t make up my own mind which is better:
Argument against two-tier system: High school coaches decide whether a player is an A or a B player based on a couple of tryouts. I think if a player ends up in the B pool, her chance of being seriously looked at by D1 coaches is slim. This is unfortunate, as I believe some of the B pool players last year were just as good as some of the A players. I think this bore itself out over the senior year of play. If you look at the defensemen that played in JuniorFest last year and compare their senior year regular season high school points, the top four scoring defensemen in the B pool each had more points than 16 of the 20 defensemen in the A pool. I’m not saying any of these 4 players are candidates for D1, but the fact that they never had the opportunity to play in the A pool because someone decided they were B players is what I find unfair. And I know, life is unfair …
Argument for two-tier system: I think JuniorFest is a great place for D3 coaches to look at players. Having 8 teams, as opposed to 6, allows approximately 40 additional players to be looked at by D3 coaches. If one believes that most D1 players are already being recruited directly and that D1 coaches have other opportunities to see their potential recruits (e.g., Os events, NAHA, Whitecaps/Icecats games), then JuniorFest might be more about the D3 coaches having an opportunity to look at players. If that is the perspective, then the current system is adequate.
My thoughts on already committed players participating in Juniorfest: If they are asked to participate, they should be required to go through the tryout process and pay the same amount as the other players. It would be unfair to invite these players and give them a free weekend of hockey while everyone else is paying. And in that case, why would anyone pay that kind of money if they have already committed? It might be correct to think that coaches want to see non-committed players competing against the top players. But, logically, shouldn’t the non-committed potential D1 players stand head and shoulders above the rest of the players, even more so if they don’t have to compete against the top players? It’s not like there is much team play anyway – it is mostly selfish control of the puck so that a player can impress the scouts, which is what these kinds of events are all about, isn’t it?
Being recruited to play college hockey is all about exposure, and JuniorFest is one event in Minnesota where a player can get exposure.
I have two schools of thought on the two-tier system and can’t make up my own mind which is better:
Argument against two-tier system: High school coaches decide whether a player is an A or a B player based on a couple of tryouts. I think if a player ends up in the B pool, her chance of being seriously looked at by D1 coaches is slim. This is unfortunate, as I believe some of the B pool players last year were just as good as some of the A players. I think this bore itself out over the senior year of play. If you look at the defensemen that played in JuniorFest last year and compare their senior year regular season high school points, the top four scoring defensemen in the B pool each had more points than 16 of the 20 defensemen in the A pool. I’m not saying any of these 4 players are candidates for D1, but the fact that they never had the opportunity to play in the A pool because someone decided they were B players is what I find unfair. And I know, life is unfair …
Argument for two-tier system: I think JuniorFest is a great place for D3 coaches to look at players. Having 8 teams, as opposed to 6, allows approximately 40 additional players to be looked at by D3 coaches. If one believes that most D1 players are already being recruited directly and that D1 coaches have other opportunities to see their potential recruits (e.g., Os events, NAHA, Whitecaps/Icecats games), then JuniorFest might be more about the D3 coaches having an opportunity to look at players. If that is the perspective, then the current system is adequate.
My thoughts on already committed players participating in Juniorfest: If they are asked to participate, they should be required to go through the tryout process and pay the same amount as the other players. It would be unfair to invite these players and give them a free weekend of hockey while everyone else is paying. And in that case, why would anyone pay that kind of money if they have already committed? It might be correct to think that coaches want to see non-committed players competing against the top players. But, logically, shouldn’t the non-committed potential D1 players stand head and shoulders above the rest of the players, even more so if they don’t have to compete against the top players? It’s not like there is much team play anyway – it is mostly selfish control of the puck so that a player can impress the scouts, which is what these kinds of events are all about, isn’t it?
-
puckskillz
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:46 am
I believe all players, committed or not, are required to try out and the fees are the same for everyone. As far as why an already committed player would play I guess it would be because they are either supporting the event, want to play with their peers, or just want to play knowing that everyone has incentive to play hard and it should be good hockey. They probably look forward to it just like the advanced tryouts except this is with classmates not the age group.
-
flatbottomv
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:47 pm
Re: Juniorfest 2011
What if a player sees that their particular school does not have a program that is competetive and does not value girls hockey? Many schools in Minnesota have very dedicated athletic departments and coaches. Transfer rules discourage open enrollment. Private schools are more expensive than the Thoroughbreds, or other Jr. teams. Anybody that follows girls hockey knows that our state has some of the best High School Hockey in the country. I don't believe they think they are better than the high school girls. I think it is a chance to play with a competetive team with dedicated coaches like many High School teams are fortunate to have. Their parents also pay taxes that support the Minnesota State High School League. I can't disagree with you more.x-out wrote:After all....it is a showcase for players who stayed with their high school teams and played for Minnesota Girls High School Hockey teams, not for people who made a decision that Minnesota High School hockey wasn't good enough for them until they want the perks of what this association promotes. So....go back to NAHA or Thoroughbreds and play in their junior fest showcase.flatbottomv wrote:Committed players should participate for sure!!!! The Directors should also allow Thoroughbred and NAHA players who are juniors in Minnesota to skate. Invite and encourage every quality junior to compete. After all it is a showcase.
Thoroughbreds is the same as boys going to the ushl or nahl. They are no longer a part of the minnesota state high school league. If you cant get the exposure with the thoroughbreds then you never should have left your own program.
Players on the team from the following cities:
Plymouth
Princeton
Maple Grove
Zumbrota
Maplewood
Eden Prairie
Bloomington
Woodbury
Richfield
Princeton
Edina
Duluth
Zumbrota is the only place that I would have sympathy for. Everyone else could ve attended a decent high school.
If you are good enough you will get noticed no matter where you play!!!
Players on the team from the following cities:
Plymouth
Princeton
Maple Grove
Zumbrota
Maplewood
Eden Prairie
Bloomington
Woodbury
Richfield
Princeton
Edina
Duluth
Zumbrota is the only place that I would have sympathy for. Everyone else could ve attended a decent high school.
If you are good enough you will get noticed no matter where you play!!!
Re: Juniorfest 2011
Selfish and clueless. Is Junior Fest run by the MN State HS League and your tax dollars? I think not. You left your High School hockey team for NAHA and made your choice...live with it and leave the kids that are not traitors to their teams and their schools alone. You don't get it, you only care about yourself and your kid and have never cared about a program or MN hockey until you got what you deserved....an organization that has the integrity to stand up for people committed to working for their teammates and program.flatbottomv wrote:What if a player sees that their particular school does not have a program that is competetive and does not value girls hockey? Many schools in Minnesota have very dedicated athletic departments and coaches. Transfer rules discourage open enrollment. Private schools are more expensive than the Thoroughbreds, or other Jr. teams. Anybody that follows girls hockey knows that our state has some of the best High School Hockey in the country. I don't believe they think they are better than the high school girls. I think it is a chance to play with a competetive team with dedicated coaches like many High School teams are fortunate to have. Their parents also pay taxes that support the Minnesota State High School League. I can't disagree with you more.x-out wrote:After all....it is a showcase for players who stayed with their high school teams and played for Minnesota Girls High School Hockey teams, not for people who made a decision that Minnesota High School hockey wasn't good enough for them until they want the perks of what this association promotes. So....go back to NAHA or Thoroughbreds and play in their junior fest showcase.flatbottomv wrote:Committed players should participate for sure!!!! The Directors should also allow Thoroughbred and NAHA players who are juniors in Minnesota to skate. Invite and encourage every quality junior to compete. After all it is a showcase.
-
flatbottomv
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:47 pm
Re: Juniorfest 2011
Does that put kids and their families who left associations for private schools or transfered to other schools in the selfish and traitor category? Let's not even bring up home schooled players. I thought the tournament was run by the Minnesota State High School Hockey Coaches Association. They are public employees, unless they work for private schools. It is ultimately their decision who plays or not. The tournament would be stronger if all Minnesota Juniors, committed or not ,were eligible and encouraged to try out.x-out wrote:Selfish and clueless. Is Junior Fest run by the MN State HS League and your tax dollars? I think not. You left your High School hockey team for NAHA and made your choice...live with it and leave the kids that are not traitors to their teams and their schools alone. You don't get it, you only care about yourself and your kid and have never cared about a program or MN hockey until you got what you deserved....an organization that has the integrity to stand up for people committed to working for their teammates and program.flatbottomv wrote:What if a player sees that their particular school does not have a program that is competetive and does not value girls hockey? Many schools in Minnesota have very dedicated athletic departments and coaches. Transfer rules discourage open enrollment. Private schools are more expensive than the Thoroughbreds, or other Jr. teams. Anybody that follows girls hockey knows that our state has some of the best High School Hockey in the country. I don't believe they think they are better than the high school girls. I think it is a chance to play with a competetive team with dedicated coaches like many High School teams are fortunate to have. Their parents also pay taxes that support the Minnesota State High School League. I can't disagree with you more.x-out wrote: After all....it is a showcase for players who stayed with their high school teams and played for Minnesota Girls High School Hockey teams, not for people who made a decision that Minnesota High School hockey wasn't good enough for them until they want the perks of what this association promotes. So....go back to NAHA or Thoroughbreds and play in their junior fest showcase.
Jr. Fest 2011
The MGHCA runs Jr. Fest for the benefit of girls playing high school hockey in Minnesota. It doesn't matter if you play for a public or private school. Your high school coach must nominate you to try out for Jr. Fest. Thoroughbreds, NAHA, etc. are not coached by members of MGHCA and thus not eligible for Jr. Fest. Nor should they be. It's a program sponsored by the coaches association to benefit Minnesota high school girls.
-
in the zone
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:55 am
I agree, girls who choose to play with the Thoroughbreds should not be part of Jr. fest, which is for girls playing MN high school hockey.
BTW talent on Thorougbreds is not what it used to be, doesn't seem like that many girls from that team are moving to college level....only a few listed on their website are going D-1 and a couple going DIII.
BTW talent on Thorougbreds is not what it used to be, doesn't seem like that many girls from that team are moving to college level....only a few listed on their website are going D-1 and a couple going DIII.
Tigers33 wrote:Thoroughbreds is the same as boys going to the ushl or nahl. They are no longer a part of the minnesota state high school league. If you cant get the exposure with the thoroughbreds then you never should have left your own program.
Players on the team from the following cities:
Plymouth
Princeton
Maple Grove
Zumbrota
Maplewood
Eden Prairie
Bloomington
Woodbury
Richfield
Princeton
Edina
Duluth
Zumbrota is the only place that I would have sympathy for. Everyone else could ve attended a decent high school.
If you are good enough you will get noticed no matter where you play!!!
For the record, the Edina girl listed is a PG player that played at Benilde. As far as I know the only girl that went to Edina HS and played on the Thoroughbreds was Jenny Potter but the girls game was much different back them.
Yep, Hockey Hub is the place to go, thanks to who ever runs that site, it always seems to have up to date info.iceage wrote:hit youe browser for Jr Fest 2011 minnesota and the rosters, updates, and schedule is there. This Friday is the last day.joehockey wrote:Are rosters or schedule out yet?
I would bookmark it!
www.mngirlshockeyhub.com