Thoughts on the Best Girls Selects Tournaments

[James B Mcbain]

Which Girls Selects Tournament do you feel is the best for 14U and under girls?

Thoughts here are:

1. MN Made Preview Cup
2. MN Selects
3. MN Super Series
3. MN Elite Classic
5. Midwest Selects

Comments on each?

[FIRE*ON*ICE]

Which Girls Selects Tournament do you feel is the best for 14U and under girls?

Thoughts here are:

1. MN Made Preview Cup
2. MN Selects
3. MN Super Series
3. MN Elite Classic
5. Midwest Selects

Comments on each?

MN Select, IMO is the best...Free to get in, honors the kids for
their schoolwork...skills competition...out of town for the kids to stay at a hotel. Bad point for us is the south seems to have quite a few more kids to pick from (huge area)!

Preview challenge cup...only played in one year...nothing really stands out in my head for this one but at the time we were in it it seemed like good overall competition and games were pretty close (no blowouts)!

MN Elite... Close to home for us but it seems like all these tourneys are getting watered down and not the best players overall..Opted not to do this one

Super series...Same weekent as Selects in St. Cloud so again the best girls are just chosing different tourneys which is disappointing. Never played in this one

Midwest Selects...Played in one year and it seemed to have pretty good competition but again seems like a while since our daughter was there. You can only choose so much.

[panpan111]

I will rate them:
1. Selects - Best talent and tournament
2. Elites - Now that is not the same weekend as state...good tourney, but expensive with cost per player, then a $15 gate fee per fan.
3. Super Series-Great alternative to Selects for those who don't want to drop $500 on hotel in St. Cloud.
4. Midwest Selects - Fun August tourney if have not had your fill of summer hockey (usually the only weekend off). Good tourney
5. Preview Cup - Crickets

[Cut Above]

1. Mn Selects - they do a good job selecting the top girls and top coaches
2. Mn Elite Classic
3. Mn Super Series - assuming the coach does his due dilegence you get some decent unnoticed talent or those who by pass the expense of Selects.
4. Midwest Classic - B Kids round out rosters
5. Mn Made Preview Cup - B Kids on what should be A Teams frequently round out the rosters.

[D6 Girls Fan]

Selects has gone downhill. It's still probably the best of the bunch, but they aren't getting all the top kids. Looking at the 97 & 98 rosters, they're missing some of the best kids from Edina, EP, Minnetonka. They got some, but they also took some tier 2 kids from those programs.

[hornethockeymom]

Selects has gotten worse each year due to the scheduling conflicts with Spring Break. Many families are not willing to give up their vacation for yet another hockey tournament. At least the girls still get some of the top talent, the boys have very little.

The other issue that the same Dad's coach every year, and never change their rosters, or just roster their summer AAA teams.

[Dirty Coaches]

I will rate them:
1. Selects - Best talent and tournament
2. Elites - Now that is not the same weekend as state...good tourney, but expensive with cost per player, then a $15 gate fee per fan.
3. Super Series-Great alternative to Selects for those who don't want to drop $500 on hotel in St. Cloud.
4. Midwest Selects - Fun August tourney if have not had your fill of summer hockey (usually the only weekend off). Good tourney
5. Preview Cup - Crickets

My daughters have played in all the above tournaments and I would agree with your posting.

[Bandy]

Don't worry about which is the best. I've seen players who aren't asked to play in the "best" tournament do exceptionally well in high school, advanced 15, 16, & 17. If you're inclined to do any of these "glory tournaments", pick one that's close driving distance and affordable, and have fun with it. Don't kid yourself that being asked to play in the top U14 end-of-season glory tournament means anything. I'm offended by the tournaments that ask you to pay $200 for 4 hours of ice, then charge you a gate fee when you show up to watch your kid play.

[cg8318]

[quote="hornethockeymom"]Selects has gotten worse each year due to the scheduling conflicts with Spring Break. Many families are not willing to give up their vacation for yet another hockey tournament. At least the girls still get some of the top talent, the boys have very little.

The other issue that the same Dad's coach every year, and never change their rosters, or just roster their summer AAA teams.[/quote]


I concur with hornethockeymom for the most part. I believe that the girls side is weak also.

If you look at the rosters over the years, you will see little movement on the part of players and coaches. These tournaments have become meaningless. I believe for these tournaments to regain their integrity, the coaches should only be allowed to coach once (that includes either as head or assistant), the directors should rotate annually as well.

Also looking at the rosters, it appears that only 2 or 3 Centennial players were chosen for selects. Didn't they just win state at the U12 level? Sure they have more talent than just 2 or 3 girls.

It's become apparent that these tournaments are controlled by a select few.

[u12dad]

Selects has gotten worse each year due to the scheduling conflicts with Spring Break. Many families are not willing to give up their vacation for yet another hockey tournament. At least the girls still get some of the top talent, the boys have very little.

The other issue that the same Dad's coach every year, and never change their rosters, or just roster their summer AAA teams.

I concur with hornethockeymom for the most part. I believe that the girls side is weak also.

If you look at the rosters over the years, you will see little movement on the part of players and coaches. These tournaments have become meaningless. I believe for these tournaments to regain their integrity, the coaches should only be allowed to coach once (that includes either as head or assistant), the directors should rotate annually as well.

Also looking at the rosters, it appears that only 2 or 3 Centennial players were chosen for selects. Didn't they just win state at the U12 level? Sure they have more talent than just 2 or 3 girls.

It's become apparent that these tournaments are controlled by a select few.

The 98 South team who won the MN Select Tourney, had six new players this year, more than 1/3 of the roster-not sure what you people are smoking, but I would not call that "little movement" or "never change their rosters". If you are going to write on these blogs, at least do your research before you write incorrect information! These tournaments are for the best kids who can make the tournament. Not all of the best kids can make it for various reasons, but it should be limited to the top players from each team, not the 4-6th best. Centennial had a great year mostly because of the top 3 players and they were rewarded by being asked to play in MN Selects- it is the top of all the tourneys!

[moose jaw]

Once again Bandy hits it out of the park,these tournaments are about one thing-MONEY

[bluebyou]

Why the negative bloggers? Sorry to break up your whine party, but no question the Minn Selects girls is the top event and most popular of all tournaments. I've seen all 5 tourneys and Minn Selects has far and away the most competitive teams. Selects gets even more competitive at the older levels (U12 & U14) w/ each of metro teams looking more solid than ever with the top kids in attendance. Don’t overlook the fact that a ton of D-1 players played Minn Selects as kids which makes it unique. Other tourneys are great opportunities too, but whining about the Selects seems more like misdirected frustration.

[moose jaw]

A ton of d1 players,really you must collect the checks.

[panpan111]

They all cost money!!!! To answer the initial question again....Selects is the best of what is available! They recruit a great group of girls that all love to play the game of hockey at a high level.
Recognizing the academics adds a nice touch to a great weeekend.

[D6 Girls Fan]

The Selects is the best, but to say they take the best kids from every team is wrong. They missed on the best Minnetonka U12 this year, they didn't get any of the top 3 Edina scorers at U12, they don't always get everyone.

Their 97 team didn't take the best kids (with the exception of Eden Prairie, who probably could have just moved their team over and still won.)

But often those programs are so deep that they can bring a couple others along and do very well.

[Cut Above]

Don't worry about which is the best. I've seen players who aren't asked to play in the "best" tournament do exceptionally well in high school, advanced 15, 16, & 17. If you're inclined to do any of these "glory tournaments", pick one that's close driving distance and affordable, and have fun with it. Don't kid yourself that being asked to play in the top U14 end-of-season glory tournament means anything. I'm offended by the tournaments that ask you to pay $200 for 4 hours of ice, then charge you a gate fee when you show up to watch your kid play.

Once again Bandy hits it out of the park,these tournaments are about one thing-MONEY

BANDY AND MOOSE JAW

$200 for 4 hours, wrong! On average $175 to $200 for 6 to 7 hours including practices (plus skills) depending on which (about the price of some clinics) plus the friends that are made! Now that's priceless!

How's that for hitting it out of the park?

Instead of dialing in on the details, let's start speaking in generalities when ranking each. None are perfect and how petty will all this all be in 2 or 3 years.

[pucktech]

Selects is the top tournament in my opinion --
The teams and rosters I saw did have at least three of the top four U12A players from all the districts and teams I know -- this includes Minnetonka and Edina -- go to www.mnselects.com and view the games that were played for this 2011 year and you can see the first names of those that were rostered. If you know someone that wasn't there that deserved to be I would guess they chose not to go -- but again at all levels I saw the names of the top players that played U12 from each area in the girls program -- however, they are divided between '99's, '98's & '97's from the U12 teams --

Super Series is second -- this is a good tournament for mixed ages on each team --

Like others have said each player and their family that's invited to any tournament should choose based on what they want to do and afford or vice-versa -- we had a great time and no it wasn't inexpensive but it wasn't outrageous for us either !

They don't need to play in any of these tournaments to move forward or get noticed for higher level play -- but if your kids like it and you can afford going it's good competition as is other AAA hockey --

[Phish12]

Most of these tournaments are what they are - fundraisers for someone. But they are also very fun for the kids and offer great competition. There are also some very key differences that most folks seem to ignore. For instance, everyone wants to compare Selects and Super Series - both of which are well run and great events. However, there is a very key difference - age! Selects is based on birth year (1997, 1998, 1999, etc.), while Super Series is based on MN Hockey's calendar (e.g., July 1, 1997 to June 31, 1998). As a result, it is difficult to compare a Selects team to a Super Series team as the Selects teams will have the best (available) kids from a given birth year - which, as the rosters prove, 90+% of the time are kids born Jan 1 to June 30 of that year. Super Series teams will have the best (available) kids from a given MN Hockey age level which, as the rosters prove, 90+% of the time are kids born July 1 to Dec 31 of that year. Sometimes they are the same kids, but most often they are not. In other words, the U12 Super Series teams were made up primarily of the oldest kids from the recently completed U12 season (kids born July 1, 1997 to Dec. 31, 1997). These kids were all "2nd year" U12s and all move to U14 next year. The next oldest group of U12s from the recently completed winter season make up the 1998 Selects teams (kids born January 1, 1998 to June 30, 1998). They were also 2nd year U12s that move to U14s next year. The next oldest group of U12s from the recently completed winter season make up the U11 Super Series teams (kids born July 1, 1998 to Dec. 31, 1998). These kids were all "1st year" U12s and therefore can all play at the U12 level again next season. And so on. So which team do you compare which team against? The U12 Super Series against the 1998 Selects? Somewhat reasonable as those kids are all, by age, in the same grade - in this example, 7th. Or do you compare the 1998 Selects against the U11 Super Series? Again, somewhat reasonable as they are all, mostly, from the same birth year - in this example, 1998, but importantly they are also from different grades, 7th vs 6th. So in both comparisons the teams are...different. At these young ages, 6 months matters. A grade level matters. There are always exceptions, but most often it matters. Eventually the kids in this example will be High School Seniors and Juniors, respectively. From my perspective, the comparisons will become more relevant then. For now, I hope the best kids continue to attend these events so they can collectively push each other to keep improving!

[SS729]

These tournaments are nothing about getting the best kids to play form an area. I am from the north and have a girl and a boy that play hockey. These tournaments are used by parent coaches to get their kid and other parent coaches kids to play or as an essentive for kids to play for their summer teams.. My daughter as a 10u had a great season, she was not ask to play, one of the parents of a player ask me if she was playing I said nobody contacted me. Within 10 min the coach calls and asked her to be on the team. We go to the first practice and everybody knows everybody there already weird.. so while we are at the tournament I go and take a look at my sons age group. Her is a coach I know coaching and his granddaughter is on the team being used as a cone. along with 3 kids from the town he is from that didn't deserve to be on a SELECT team.. What they should do is have each team from their region nominate 2 kids for the ages available then have a tryout to really get the best talent to play.

[hornethockeymom]

[U12 Dad says: "The 98 South team who won the MN Select Tourney, had six new players this year, more than 1/3 of the roster-not sure what you people are smoking, but I would not call that "little movement" or "never change their rosters". If you are going to write on these blogs, at least do your research before you write incorrect information!"]

Or perhaps you should look at the other age groups and the boys, not just your 98' South Girls team. They weren't the only team at the Tournament.
You missed the point that this was a forum about the Tournament and not about your division/age group. Some of our ponies were in different races.

[Cut Above]

[U12 Dad says: "The 98 South team who won the MN Select Tourney, had six new players this year, more than 1/3 of the roster-not sure what you people are smoking, but I would not call that "little movement" or "never change their rosters". If you are going to write on these blogs, at least do your research before you write incorrect information!"]

Or perhaps you should look at the other age groups and the boys, not just your 98' South Girls team. They weren't the only team at the Tournament.
You missed the point that this was a forum about the Tournament and not about your division/age group. Some of our ponies were in different races.

You missed the point that this was a forum about specific/age group!

It was "SPECIFICALLY" about 14U and under according to Mr Mcbain. Girls!

[bluebyou]

Sorry Cut Above if I’m off topic here. I think U12Dad was simply calling out a few of the negative bloggers for making inaccurate statements about the Minn Selects. It looks like the other age groups, teams and coaches at Minn Selects did have good movement. Suggest bloggers do research on the facts before writing.

Last I checked both 97 & 98 groups showed respectable turnover on their rosters and the teams looked even stronger than last years group. For the 97 and 98 girls rosters all of the teams (except 98 East which was a very solid team again) had at least 4 new players (24% turnover) or more. The South 98 team did have 6 new top kids and won the tourney playing the West again in the 'ship. Same story with the 97 group, and the South 97 team and won playing against the West, who happened to win in 2010. From year to year a few top players are not in attendance (Spring break or other good reasons), but otherwise seemed like both age groups did have the top 98 and 97 birth-year kids coming from areas liek Centennial, Wayz., Mtka, Edina, NWC, Eden Prairie, Eagan, Chaska, Woodbury, Hastings, Duluth, Lakeville, Buffalo, Rochester, etc. Didn’t see any tier 2 kids from those assoc.

Also respectable coaching movement in the 97 and 98 levels. Each level had 11 or so coaches total, 4-5 were new additions. Each level had 1 new head coach (25% turnover), not bad. I believe the head coaches do have to be invited back each year by the event directors so those that are asked back have usually done a decent job with the kids/teams (and are not on spring break) and tend know the top players by now. Can’t really fault the event directors on that one.

Minn Selects is a solid event. Other tournaments are solid too and have high return rates among players. But some are missing the big picture here, though Selects has always been a fantastic tourney for many kids over the years, there are 4 other excellent options too that are fun & competitive for the kids, and that’s all that should matter.