No Checking = No Top Girls at 12U?

[hornethockeymom]

The rule states: "Beginning in the 2011-12 season, legal body checking in games will begin at the Bantam age level".

Based on conversations I have heard, checking will still be used in practices and is allowed in scrimmages. My understanding from several coaches is that they plan play fewer games, and many more scrimmages to ensure the boys continue to practice those skills.

If girls leave U12 because they(or their parents) believe there won't be any checking, they are sadly mistaken!!!!

[InigoMontoya]

Are there honestly no statistics regarding the number of girls playing squirt, peewee, and bantam hockey? At registration time the question "Male or Female" is right next to the question "Team?". I just didn't see that many girls playing squirt hockey this year, and I don't know why they'd play peewees if they just have to go back to 14U or girls' high school.

[SECoach]

The rule states: "Beginning in the 2011-12 season, legal body checking in games will begin at the Bantam age level".

Based on conversations I have heard, checking will still be used in practices and is allowed in scrimmages. My understanding from several coaches is that they plan play fewer games, and many more scrimmages to ensure the boys continue to practice those skills.

If girls leave U12 because they(or their parents) believe there won't be any checking, they are sadly mistaken!!!!

So let me get this straight......You are hearing that coaches will schedule fewer games and more scrimmages, feeling that in scrimmages, which could be considered "non-conference" games, they will be able to instruct the referees that we are playing by our own rules in this one. Please disregard the "official" rules of the game. Best of luck with that. And best of luck to the coaches going down that road.

[BadgerBob82]

I know each association is different, but in general, I would doubt many girls will choose Pee-Wee over U-12. Top level girls have played PW for years, and this rule might bring a few more. But, again, IN GENERAL, girls hockey is more "social" and I don't think alot of girls will move to PW.

Also, there will be alot more body contact than people think. The "big hit" is going away, but PW hockey will not resemble Squirt or girls hockey. And I expect practices to be full on checking.

Like all games, the refs will set the tone. And I think refs will be calling the big hit and everything else will be allowed. PW A and B will be no place for the girls that are expecting "no check" squirt style hockey.

Also, I think there will be alot of checking with 2 minute penalties called. So, you can make checking a penalty, but the poor kid that just got steam rolled will still feel like they got checked.

[hockey1620]

FL girls director says three top returning 12's will be trying out w/boys pee-wee. None will make A. They would rather play B/C w/the boys. This may push us into only one team at U12. If we had two we would take some from C-Lakes. SOOOOOOO it's already started in FL. I know we are no Edina/EP, but we are not the smallest. We may end up just scrapping the girls hockey, and just having YOUTH hockey. Now this may not be the case in Stillwater/Rosaville/WBL, but we play those teams twice a year, if we have no team thats two less games. If other assc. have too do the same thing it could get ugly. Don't get me wrong I don't want my daughter in the lockeroom w/my sons and his buddys.

The girls hockey director of the Forestlake Hockey Association did not say that and the girls can make the A team for peewees. Also You do not have the right to put words in that person's mouth.

[Gymnast]

Edina will lose 1 player. That's it. Mark my words

[Gymnast]

Take me with you to Vegas....we can head East and visit the wax museum and catch a bird outta me-no-money Lay the money down and oh huh your on the hook for the end of year vid!

[endtoend]

I don't know about the top players but if you take the top 10-15 associations around the state I am pretty sure there second and maybe even third team(s) will be more competitive then the top team at the girls level at the same organization.

If you are talking about cities 2nd and 3rd teams versus outliers A teams, I caution you. They have always been competitive and will continue to do so. In addition if you are saying an associations second and third team will be just as competitive as that same associations first or A team less the top girls that are gonna play boys, whatchya smoking???

[luckyEPDad]

What did the girls director say when you asked, "Why?"

Hopefully the response would be "None of your business".

I'm not sure I understand. The girls director told OG85 that 3 girls would play with the boys next year, but when OG85 asked the girls director "Why" they were going to skate with the boys instead of the girls, the girls director should tell OG85 "none of your business"??? Why wouldn't the health and well being of an association be the business of a member of that association?

I hope association officers exercise discretion when it comes to sharing information about individual players.

[luckyEPDad]

If girls leave U12 because they(or their parents) believe there won't be any checking, they are sadly mistaken!!!!

If girls or parents think there won't be checking in U12 they are sadly mistaken.

Was just at a AAA tournament in Winnepeg. It was funny hearing Canadian parents complain about how the Minnesota girls hockey is too rough. There was nothing going on that you don't see every day in district 6 (which supposedly is the district of wimps). Just goes to show that hockey parents are the same everywhere.

[blondegirlsdad]

Take me with you to Vegas....we can head East and visit the wax museum and catch a bird outta me-no-money Lay the money down and oh huh your on the hook for the end of year vid!

I thought I was on the line for every video from now until the end of time. And I hear that wax museum is closed now. On this topic, I think the leadership in most of the strong girls communities (particularly Edina, mr. - or is it ms. - Green) is strong enough to keep the kids playing 12U. Not sure what all the gloom and doom is all about.

[InigoMontoya]

Hopefully the response would be "None of your business".

I'm not sure I understand. The girls director told OG85 that 3 girls would play with the boys next year, but when OG85 asked the girls director "Why" they were going to skate with the boys instead of the girls, the girls director should tell OG85 "none of your business"??? Why wouldn't the health and well being of an association be the business of a member of that association?

I hope association officers exercise discretion when it comes to sharing information about individual players.

It isn't personal medical information protected by HIPPA, for crying out loud. If a 12U girl is opting to play peewee hockey, I would hope someone is asking the parents "Why?" Then I hope they are discussing that answer at board meetings and developmental meetings. A company doesn't do an exit interview with an employee that just left to work for someone else, then shove the results of that interview into the file. If girls are fleeing the girls program at an association, then someone had better know why, and be working to either take corrective action or to better communicate if no change is needed. I would guess the best associations have already begun, at least informally, the research and are formulating plans to keep the girls program successsful.

[luckyEPDad]

If a 12U girl is opting to play peewee hockey, I would hope someone is asking the parents "Why?" Then I hope they are discussing that answer at board meetings and developmental meetings. A company doesn't do an exit interview with an employee that just left to work for someone else, then shove the results of that interview into the file. If girls are fleeing the girls program at an association, then someone had better know why, and be working to either take corrective action or to better communicate if no change is needed. I would guess the best associations have already begun, at least informally, the research and are formulating plans to keep the girls program successsful.

I also hope a company doesn't discuss the details of my exit interview with the next person to walk in the door or post them on a public forum.

There may be a lot of reasons why a player decides to play PW instead of 12U. And unless you are that player, her parent, the coach or on the association board I would expect those reasons to be none of your business. The problem is that when you are dealing with three easily identified individuals you cannot talk in the abstract. It would be all to easy to figure out who didn't get along with the girls coach, who didn't like one of her teammates, and who thinks the girls team stinks.

I'd like to know the reasons too, but it really is none of my business. Youth hockey has enough drama as it is.

[InigoMontoya]

I'm not advocating that we list the names of the girls and the reasons on the TV in the arena lobby. My original point was headed toward: find out why they're leaving and decide whether you want to stop it and how you can go about that. Build a better mousetrap.

[capitalist]

After seeing a tournament with games in both Minn and ND, it's obvious the ND referees believe that Minnesota girls' teams play much too rough.

[old goalie85]

Lucky- I think it is my business, I have a daughter who will be a U12. A a son who is a returning pee-wee. Not to mention three other kids that play hockey, a wife on the board. Most important to me is the fact that I feel it will hurt both programs.[the "youth" hockey and the girls hockey] I'm not talking drama, I'm talking about facts that effect my family and the program that I grew up in. Not information on someones colonoscopy[sp?]