The ADM Question

[spin-o-rama]

Is it right to take a kid who is on a B2 team in Edina who could make an A team at just about any other place and force him to stay playing B2? He has no chance to move on if he is stuck there.

Change needs to happen because we feel sorry for an Edina kid?
The world must be coming to an end.

[the_juiceman]

You are right, this is not about him, per se. He is a player and it certainly looks like he has decided to come out and play but there will be others too. Walser is not the only company that is going to be willing to support a team. You know that there are benefits to sponsoring a team otherwise nobody would do it and the list of companies that do is pretty long. He will beat MN Hockey on this deal, I think that lawsuit that was filed against him that he won was the tie breaker and now there is no looking back for him, he is off and running.

All in all I think the real winners in this deal are going to be the kids and parents in MN who will soon have a choice about where they want to play hockey. No longer will kids be held hostage by a set of rules that worked "back in the day", now with choices that are open they will be able to choose what works in this day for each of them.

what about the out state teams or smaller associations that can't afford to lose there top talent--due to #'s? they lose 2-3 kids a year, eventually they don't have #'s to have a team--then more kids stop playing hockey. This seems like a plan for the top end kids with no regard for the average kid who likes to play.

There will be a few of those cases but more often than not the locals will band together and form a club that represents an area. In other parts of the country it is not uncommon to drive to play hockey and will become that way in MN too. Sure, if you have a small association out in the middle of no place that is currently on life support it will probably go away. Right now association hockey is sacrificing other kids who do not have a chance to have a chance because they are caught in a bad position so that a smaller number of kids can have the chance to mess around on the ice. Is it right to take a kid who is on a B2 team in Edina who could make an A team at just about any other place and force him to stay playing B2? He has no chance to move on if he is stuck there. Is it right to take a kid who is on a B team for non-hockey reasons who is a good player but is stuck because he can't make a move to try to get a shot and force him to stay there so that that small association can have a few kids who might or might not be serious about hockey to have a place to skate?

I am not saying that I want all kids in MN to become driven hockey players, there is a place for all levels of skill and drive. I do not want to sacrifice a kid's chance to have a chance either though and that is what is happening now. Take a look at those Advanced 15 rosters. How many B kids made the team? None more than likely. I bet there are B players who are stuck on the B team for what ever reason who did not have a fair shot at it because their resume read B team. That is not right, sure MN Hockey comes out and brags about the number of kids who play hockey. Sounds good until it is your kid that they tell to sit down and forget it when he is stuck just to possibly keep some other kids playing. Until every kid in the state of MN who really seriously wants to have a chance to have a chance has that chance the system is broken and needs to be fixed.

This ain't the old days no more, the kids and parents had a chance to get off of the farm and see the bright lights and liked it, now they will have more, either through MN Hockey or something else.

NPC--I completely understand your point--but it seems that you are looking to cater to the few--elite types--while wanting to ignor the majority of players in Mn. IMHO most kids are "B" types or borderline "A".
If the Edina type associations want more kids to have a chance at "A" hockey--then have more than 1 "A" team--they certainly have the #'s. That way they have a chance to try-out for the advance teams. (I believe they only accept "A" team kids)

[Quasar]

[NPC--I completely understand your point--but it seems that you are looking to cater to the few--elite types--while wanting to ignor the majority of players in Mn. IMHO most kids are "B" types or borderline "A".
If the Edina type associations want more kids to have a chance at "A" hockey--then have more than 1 "A" team--they certainly have the #'s. That way they have a chance to try-out for the advance teams. (I believe they only accept "A" team kids)

We just want to cater to all .. It's not that difficult a concept. If everyone but the few top end players are happy, why not let the 40 or 50 kids that are considered the expendable minority be happy too ?

It's not about Edina....

[spin-o-rama]

...I made the point that you are unsure about several pages ago. Basically what I am saying is that if you use my numbers about 5% of the kids are not happy in MN Hockey. If you use HD41's he figures about 10%. What ever that number is and how disadvantaged the players in question actually are is irrelevant the fact that they are not happy, and that they are very very close to having options means that (in my opinion) MN Hockey needs to get with the program. What used to work back in the day does not work now so if MN Hockey wants to remain relevant they need to make a couple of changes. Yes a kid from Edina will probably benefit, so what.

A 90-95% approval rating is extremely high. It's hard to imagine an organiztion achieving a higher rating...unless you screw the Edina kid, then the approval rating will be 99%.

[Quasar]

...I made the point that you are unsure about several pages ago. Basically what I am saying is that if you use my numbers about 5% of the kids are not happy in MN Hockey. If you use HD41's he figures about 10%. What ever that number is and how disadvantaged the players in question actually are is irrelevant the fact that they are not happy, and that they are very very close to having options means that (in my opinion) MN Hockey needs to get with the program. What used to work back in the day does not work now so if MN Hockey wants to remain relevant they need to make a couple of changes. Yes a kid from Edina will probably benefit, so what.

A 90-95% approval rating is extremely high. It's hard to imagine an organiztion achieving a higher rating...unless you screw the Edina kid, then the approval rating will be 99%.

So were back to square one. What is Minnesota hockey going to do about the three HPC's that USA hockey have slated for Minnesota.

They will not be formed from the 90%. They will be formed from the 10%
The Edina kid that has the ability to be in the upper 10% will be on the HPC be it private (AAA Tier 1) be it association, or district.

The thing is, you can pretend that this is all just a couple of kooks ranting about a few kids, or you can go read the plans at USA hockey.

The ADM has launched. It is underway. Like the no checking rule that Minnesota did not want is part of the plan that culminates in the High Performance Clubs.

So I guess we can worry about the 10%, or we can let someone else decide for us. It will happen.

Whatever happens in the next couple of years, one thing is for sure Minnesota hockey will have to change or it will be something no one will be happy with.

[O-townClown]

So were back to square one. What is Minnesota hockey going to do about the three HPC's that USA hockey have slated for Minnesota.

What three clubs are those?

As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families.

Do you not see the difference?

[Quasar]

So were back to square one. What is Minnesota hockey going to do about the three HPC's that USA hockey have slated for Minnesota.

What three clubs are those?

As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families.

Do you not see the difference?

When I am told something in confidence, I don't betray that source.

I know what I know. I am not posting here to have an argument with you or any one else. I am just letting people know that the winds of change are blowing. If you are as inside as you want people to believe, you know this to be true.

I am not in favor of private AAA Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota.
You know that!!

You also know the Minnesota hockey will come to terms with USA hockey over the ADM! And, someone living in Florida and posting on a Minnesota forum is about as fringe as it gets!!

[the_juiceman]

So were back to square one. What is Minnesota hockey going to do about the three HPC's that USA hockey have slated for Minnesota.

What three clubs are those?

As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families.

Do you not see the difference?

When I am told something in confidence, I don't betray that source.

I know what I know. I am not posting here to have an argument with you or any one else. I am just letting people know that the winds of change are blowing. If you are as inside as you want people to believe, you know this to be true.

I am not in favor of private AAA Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota.
You know that!!

You also know the Minnesota hockey will come to terms with USA hockey over the ADM! And, someone living in Florida and posting on a Minnesota forum is about as fringe as it gets!!

now you're starting to sound lke denny green--they are who we thought they were... are'nt we over reacting just a bit? The end of the world as we know it! Minnesota hockey will become a thing of the past. Really?

[Quasar]

What three clubs are those?

As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families.

Do you not see the difference?

When I am told something in confidence, I don't betray that source.

I know what I know. I am not posting here to have an argument with you or any one else. I am just letting people know that the winds of change are blowing. If you are as inside as you want people to believe, you know this to be true.

I am not in favor of private AAA Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota.
You know that!!

You also know the Minnesota hockey will come to terms with USA hockey over the ADM! And, someone living in Florida and posting on a Minnesota forum is about as fringe as it gets!!

now you're starting to sound lke denny green--they are who we thought they were... are'nt we over reacting just a bit? The end of the world as we know it! Minnesota hockey will become a thing of the past. Really?

Not the end of the world. Change? for sure!

What the change looks like is what were talking about. Call it HPC, Tier 1, Elite, or peanut butter there will be peewees and Bantams playing high level hockey in Minnesota.

The question is will they be private sponsored Tier 1 AAA as in the rest of the world, or will they be Minnesota HPC's formed within the system we have now?

I don't think anyone is overreacting I don't want Minnesota hockey to become a giant house league, like it is now for kids when they reach 16.

The game will always have top performers, Minnesota will always send kids to college and beyond. The question is how many are missing the chance? Are they not important too?

Like the man from Florida says

"As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families."

So if you think that the people posting on this board are fringe elements, and disenchanted families, OK .. your choice..

I think he also said Minnesota hockey is working with USA hockey to figure out how to do what USA hockey demands. That means change to me..

Those of us on the fringe would like that change to come from disenchanted Minnesota families, not some one from Florida that calls himself a clown!

Your choice !!

[MrBoDangles]

When I am told something in confidence, I don't betray that source.

I know what I know. I am not posting here to have an argument with you or any one else. I am just letting people know that the winds of change are blowing. If you are as inside as you want people to believe, you know this to be true.

I am not in favor of private AAA Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota.
You know that!!

You also know the Minnesota hockey will come to terms with USA hockey over the ADM! And, someone living in Florida and posting on a Minnesota forum is about as fringe as it gets!!

now you're starting to sound lke denny green--they are who we thought they were... are'nt we over reacting just a bit? The end of the world as we know it! Minnesota hockey will become a thing of the past. Really?

Not the end of the world. Change? for sure!

What the change looks like is what were talking about. Call it HPC, Tier 1, Elite, or peanut butter there will be peewees and Bantams playing high level hockey in Minnesota.

The question is will they be private sponsored Tier 1 AAA as in the rest of the world, or will they be Minnesota HPC's formed within the system we have now?

I don't think anyone is overreacting I don't want Minnesota hockey to become a giant house league, like it is now for kids when they reach 16.

The game will always have top performers, Minnesota will always send kids to college and beyond. The question is how many are missing the chance? Are they not important too?

Like the man from Florida says

"As far as what Minnesota Hockey is going to do, they've been working with USA Hockey to figure out the best way to incorporate the elements of the ADM. HPCs aren't going to come because a fringe element challenges the community-based model to provide program choice to disenchanted families."

So if you think that the people posting on this board are fringe elements, and disenchanted families, OK .. your choice..

I think he also said Minnesota hockey is working with USA hockey to figure out how to do what USA hockey demands. That means change to me..

Those of us on the fringe would like that change to come from disenchanted Minnesota families, not some one from Florida that calls himself a clown!

Your choice !!

[O-townClown]

The question is … How does Minnesota fit into the future of youth hockey as defined by USA hockey’s ADM (American Development Model).

With the approval of the peewee checking portion of the ADM it’s pretty obvious that The ADM is now the operational plan for the future as far as USA hockey is concerned. It is my opinion that the end game is the replacement of tier 1 AAA hockey with the USA hockey HPC (High performance Club)s.
It is the stated goal of USA hockey to have at least 35 HPC clubs within 5 years. The target for Minnesota is three (3) clubs.

As near as I can tell based on conversations with some of the movers and shakers of the summer AAA scene it is their opinion that somehow the high performance clubs will come from the private hockey clubs. Hard to see how at the moment given Minnesota hockey’s insistence that nothing other than association hockey can be played in Minnesota during the winter season.

The rub is that the ADM at the HPC level, the last year of peewee in Minnesota and Bantam minor in the rest of the world, calls for a year around schedule with way more total on ice hours and games than the 35 or so that Minnesota hockey deems adequate. My opinion is that Minnesota hockey can solve the problem by authorizing high performance clubs at the District level.. These HPC’s would draw from all the kids in the district, and would play the USA hockey National HPC schedule.

So what do you think? Are the High Performance Clubs going to be part of Minnesota hockey, or.. will the privately owned for profit clubs finally be able to play their games in the winter. It’s something all Mite parents should be thinking about because it is going to effect your children when they reach the Bantam level.

Q, I will go back to the initial post in order to stay on topic. The discussion has come full circle and it on topic, but we've meandered along the way and it is easy to lose focus.

If you were fishing for ideas on how Minnesota Hockey will ultimately incorporate HPCs, I have some. If you already know, which is certainly the implication when you reference confidential sources and hint at inside knowledge, just share it.

I am under the impression that Ken Martel, Jim Johannson, Marc Boxer, and Guy Gosselin are not sitting in a room with a map and a whiteboard trying to choose from the Machine, Blades, Fire, Shattuck, and other respected groups. Am I wrong? You allude to movers and shakers of the (I must point out) unregulated 'summer scene'. Are these folks also movers and shakers within the affiliate?

When ADM first came out, we were told USA Hockey was working with Minnesota Hockey to incorporate things like crossice Mite play and an accelerated path for those deemed high performers. Has this changed?

Here are some ideas for how HPC play can be added to Minnesota's existing community-based model without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

* Rather than include teams for the whole season of HPC play, rotate different community-based associations for the events. Letting 18 programs go once each to a HPC get-togehter would allow Minnesota to reach not just Edina, Wayzata, and Eden Prairie, but also Roseau, Grand Rapids, White Bear Lake, and Rochester.

* Select District all-star teams to represent Minnesota and work the league calendar to avoid conflicts. This has the advantage of facilitating formation of birth-year teams.

* Participate on a limited basis before the traditional HS season, possibly by sending Elite League teams. Or teams comprised of selected Elite League players.

Those are just a few off the top of my head. Minnesota Hockey has many different avenues it can pursue to provide the high-performance path. The notion that they are helpless or will be forced to do something they don't want to do is one I find laughable.

[Quasar]

My friend from Florida . I hate to say this, but here goes any way.

I realize this has been a long meandering thread, Most of the things you brought up have already been mentioned, or a variation thereof. The discussion is about association Vs private. or a combination of both. No one has said that Minnesota hockey will be forced to do any thing. No one has said Minnesota hockey would go away, This is about 5 or 10 % of the kids in the program at the peewee and bantam level. I afraid you are just clueless .. and that's the only thing laughable about this whole discussion ....

[Quasar]

I guess that was uncalled for. My apologies for being snarky..
It's late and I'm tired .. And this subject has been beaten to death..

Good night .......

[greybeard58]

Since the question is about ADM here is the report from USA Hockey.
USA HOCKEY, INC
2011 ANNUAL CONGRESS
AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL (ADM)
(2010 – 2011 Season)
YEAR-END REPORT


This past season saw very good growth in the number of programs that have adopted the American Development Model (ADM) at the 8U Mite age category. We have had great leadership and partnership with a number of our largest Affiliates and Districts in the implementation of our Mite program. Each has assisted us in a different way but the most proactive have established ADM regional people to help us provide education within their areas. For example Minnesota has 12 regional ADM people spread throughout their state working with Guy Gosselin. New York has a point person in place with 4 additional regional people assisting Jim Hunt. Other Affiliates have established ADM committees that have worked had in carrying the ball at the association level. This support is what has really allowed us to push forward.

It has been a very productive season and again our ADM Staff feels that we are ahead of the implementation pace that we though we would be at right now. This allows us to stay on track with the long-term implementation plan that we established 18 months ago. This next season we will begin to add the 10U Squirt age division into our education plan. We expect this to be much smoother than implementation at 8U. The goal at 10U is to work towards a three to one practice-to-game ratio and then to help our local associations and coaches run more efficient and higher quality practices. While there are other aspects of the ADM at 10U beyond the ratio and quality practices, like roster sizes, if we can get those two major pieces in place as adopted practice across our country we will have made a huge impact on player development.

While we move to expand our educational efforts into the 10U age group, we can’t take our eyes off of the 8U group. We do feel we are very close to a tipping point at 8U. The start of the 2011-12 season will be important as a significant number of areas are making the move to cross-ice game play. If everything goes as it did for this past season, by December, we will have worked through the initial over-reaction by a minority of the people and things will smooth out as the majority of our people are happy with their playing situation.

Our biggest issue as areas transition to cross ice is the confusing signals that some Affiliates have sent with regard to how they are implementing the transition. By allowing the older/better 8U mites to continue to play full ice and the perceived second tier players transitioning to cross-ice, the unintended consequence is that some people perceive that their child is in some way being held back. While we all understand that it is the other way around, this has lead to some additional educational work. Since, these Affiliates have worked very hard on a plan to transition to cross ice, this is a minor area that we are more that willing to work through.

The best new support we have in implementing the ADM will be the new CEP modules coming on line this fall. With a direct connection to our coaches we hope this will allow us to help accelerate the distribution of information at the local level.

In addition to the expansion at the 10U age group we will also be attempting a small scale test on our high performance education program this fall. This will include participation by our NTDP and College Hockey, Inc. (CHI) (our NCAA Coaches). The plan is to run a single weekend event where we invite some regional bantam teams (to reduce travel expenses) and have those teams participate in two games, one practice, some off-ice testing and several presentations on elite athlete performance. The presentations would be done by CHI, and our ADM and NTDP staffs on what it takes to be an elite athlete. This would provide parent education as well. We would also be including the participating bantam coaches in a workshop to help them become better at their craft. Our goals are to test the logistics of this type of event, help educate the participating players, parents and coaches as to what is important as they move forward along their own development pathways, and to collect data on some of our better players. We then hope to establish better direct communication with our player pool down the road.

[O-townClown]

Thanks Greybeard. I'm very curious to see how the High Performance pilot project goes. It's only two months away I think, and I still haven't heard of host venues or invited teams.

[greybeard58]

Hope this helps,still waiting for the youth council report.

USA HOCKEY, INC. 2011 ANNUAL CONGRESS
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
(2010 – 2011 Season)

YEAR-END REPORT
The Player Development Committee met in the Fall of 2010 and the following activities were discussed and/or reviewed. The Committee, primarily consisting of our hockey department and volunteers, continues to work to develop and provide the tools necessary for players and coaches to excel.
The Player Development Committee continues to develop strategies and programs to improve on the development of all of our players. The Committee’s main focus, primarily through the staff, has been working on the American Development Model (ADM) through numerous on-site visits to various Districts/Affiliates explaining the main component’s of the program.
The High Performance Club (HPC) portion of the model is a small component to address a small segment of our population. The HPC is an extension of USA Hockey’s highly successful National Team Development Program, (NTDP) in Ann Arbor Michigan. Many of our best Under 18 and Under 17 year old players are there training to represent the USA in International competition. The HPC component is currently undergoing further refinement and is expected to be implemented after the initial phase of the 8-12 year olds has been fully implemented.
The ADM was introduced to bring more child development and sports science into our structure. The model has shown good results in player development and retention. It encompasses something for all members within our USA Hockey family. Sports science shows that what is appropriate to developing elite players and athletes is also appropriate for the recreational player at the younger ages.
The numbers show that the costs for players should decrease, especially at the entry level age 8U, 10U & 12U. Costs should stay the same for the older players, but with increased value to what they are spending.
Current research on long-term athlete development has brought to light critical areas that our system has been lacking at a very early age. As children mature they each progress through the same developmental stages and certain aspects of these stages must be addressed at the appropriate points along the developmental curve in order to reach their genetic potential. Without developing basic athletic skills and certain physical and mental attributes during the windows of optimal trainability, the long-term prospects of becoming a truly elite player are diminished.
Long-term athlete development (LTAD) is a framework for athlete development in sport that can be used as a basis on which to ‘re-align,’ or make more consistent, our existing systems and structures. It has been developed, in part, by Istvan Balyi, an internationally recognized coach educator, and is based upon a consensus of evidenced research about how young people develop their maximum sporting ability, linking more closely the coaching and development of players to their physical and psychological growth.
It should be recognized that the LTAD principles are not new. The majority of research on which the principles are based is widely accepted, and has been used to underpin physical education teaching for many years. The LTAD principles bring a mechanism for applying the theory to better integrate our whole hockey development system (i.e. coaching, training, playing, competition, etc.). It is also important that we understand that the LTAD principles have been developed and implemented by over 100 sports and federations around the world.
The new Coaching Education Program (C.E.P.) structure will provide coaches with more education while also slowing down the certification process in general. This will prevent coaches from achieving multiple levels in a year to get to level 5 as quickly as possible. Included at each level will be age specific modules. Age specific modules will be taken online and will be around 4-5 hours. The coach will have to read though the information and answer questions at the end of each section. Each module can be downloaded and printed so that coaches can refer back to it at a later date. Each module has around 12 chapters which include topics such as skill development, ADM / LTAD principles, practice plans, off ice training, nutrition, etc. This new coaching certification program will be more hockey specific in nature and will provide coaches with the key information they need to coach their specific age groups.
This new CEP structure will consist of modules that have a similar look and feel to them as the current FlexCoach Level III Re-certification. USA Hockey has partnered with Cramer for the production of the content. The system will be able to handle approximately 60,000 coaches in the first year. There will be an ADM chapter in each module. There are a series of test questions that will end each chapter. Within each module there is a Girls/ Women’s section. The coach will get a certification at the end of the test. The information from each module can also be printed and kept for future reference. This new program will be posted on the website, and an e-mail blast will be sent out soon after January 1, 2011. The parent and player module is being discussed which will be a great way to communicate with players and parents and give them more information on the rules of the game.
The Player Development Committee reviewed the performance data from the various camps noting that the ultimate goal is to have more A players than C players in attendance. The 2010 Player Development camps utilized Rinknet to gather more accurate rankings of the players. All the coaches ranked their players daily. This helped the accuracy in ranking the players. Exact Sports was also used performing physical and mental testing on all the players at the camps. The mental testing was taken prior to the camps in the form of an online test. Surprisingly, the data showed there was a high number of At-Large players that did not come though the District for one reason or another. The main objective of this data is so the District can see how their players are being ranked on a national level. Knowing there will always be “C” ranked players at the camps, each District needs to continue working hard to make sure their very best player are sent to camps. If a District is sending more “C” players to the camp they may need to look at their tryout process, evaluators, etc. In the future, the ADM Managers will be more involved with the District tryouts.
A discussion was held regarding the National 14 Camps. These players are very young and still developing. Discussions were held regarding whether to conduct a Regional Camp rather than a 14 National Camp. One idea was to hold four Regional Camps with 72 players at each camp. This would allow 288 players to have this type of experience. There are currently only 180 players that participate in the National camp. This would give more kids an opportunity to showcase their talents for USA Hockey and expose them to great coaching. Conducting Regional Camps at the 14 year old age group will hopefully develop a new level of consistency as players will exposed to similar coaching, etc. Regional Camps will have a greater potential impact on more players. Additional discussions will be taking place on this subject in the coming months with the various District Player Development Camp District representatives.
The Committee reviewed the on-ice structure and content of the 15, 16 & 17 Camps held this past summer. A positive new step at the Camps was having all the games being played on one rink. The All Star Game was also a good step forward. It was suggested to shorten the practices towards the end of the week as players are very tired at this point playing so many consecutive games. This would be a good time to practice and teach power play and penalty kill.
National team coaches, nutrition and concussion management were among the suggestions for potential presentations. Energy management, proper rest, what to eat and when to eat are also important topics. It was noted that more attention needs to take place on meals during the camp to make sure the players are eating right and that the meals served are in line with the nutrition presentations being made at the classroom sessions.
Currently there is a one-year hole before the World Junior Camp. This presents additional challenges in finding the players. It was suggested that if we have an 18 Camp then we could keep the players in the system. The concept of a Sports Festival, similar to the one we conducted in the 80’s should be brought back. A select few players could be selected for an 18 National Camp Ann Arbor camp in May could be expanded to include a few extra players. Further discussions will continue on this topic.
Discussions have been taking place with the Rochester facility and USA Hockey has requested a few changes be made in order for the Camps to return to this location for next year. Once these requests have been satisfied, a review of any other bids for the Camps will be reviewed and work will begin on getting contracts signed for next year. Although we do not currently have an official USA Hockey bid package for the Camps, if somebody is interested in putting a bid together they are always welcome. A sub-committee will be established to develop a formal bid for these summer camps.
There was a brief discussion regarding NTDP players and whether or not they should attend the District camps. It was decided that all committed NTDP players U18 and U17 do not need to attend the District Camps.
The Districts are doing are very good job getting the best girl players to the Camps. It was noted that there is really only one route to the National Team so it is easier for Districts to get their best players to the camp. The National team won all three games, so we have been doing a great job of picking the right kids. The curriculum is great and working at the Girls Camps. At the 2010 Player Development Girls Camps they had three volunteer strength coaches. They did a great job and were a huge benefit to the Camps. The All Star game is not always the best way to end the camp but it helps with getting the most competitive team and best players at the end of the camp. The All Star Game at the 14 Camp was eliminated because these players are not eligible to make the National Team. In the past the feedback has varied depending on who the head coach was. This year we included mentor coaches and this seemed to work really well. A new proposal for the Girls Camps will be forthcoming shortly.
A discussion was held outlining the process for goalie allocations. There are only eight goalie allocations for the Girls Camp and 12 Districts. Using this process there were no C rated goalies at the Camp. This is a huge improvement from the past few years and this new process seems to be working. This year there were goalie coaches at each camp. The goal is to get more USA Hockey representation out to each District tryout.
Again this year, over 1300 players and 350 coaches and administrators will participate in nine USA Hockey Player Development Camps. The dates and locations for the 2011 USA Hockey Player Development Camps are as follows:
• Girls’ Select 14 Camp July 21 - 27, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Girls’ Select 15 Camp July 21 - 27, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Girls’ Select 16 Camp June 24 – 30, 2011 St. Cloud, MN
• Girls’ Select 17 Camp June 24 – 30, 2011 St. Cloud, MN
• Boys Select 14 Camp July 8 - 14, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Boys Select 15 Camp July 15 - 21, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Boys Select 16 Camp June 24 – 30, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Boys Select 17 Camp July 7 - 13, 2011 Rochester, NY
• Sled Hockey Camp July 16 - 21, 2011 Rochester, NY

A discussion regarding standardization for all District tryouts took place. It was noted that this would be very difficult thing to change as there are so many Districts doing tryouts in different ways according to what works best for them. Some of these Districts are getting their best players to the Camps so it would be hard for USA Hockey staff to come in and ask them to change things if they are getting the right players to the camp. It was noted that the ADM mangers would like to be more involved with the training, planning evaluations and presentations and would like to be aware of all the District tryout dates. ADM Managers will try to get out to as many tryouts as possible.
It was noted that there is a huge age gap between the players in the sled hockey area. There was a 12 year-old and 30 year-old at the camp this year. The Sled Camp was a Co-Ed camp. The players are recommended by coaches and there is not a tryout format. There will always be an issue with getting the right kids to the camp but the Selection Committee is working on this. This year’s evaluations started a day earlier and the coaches spent 20 minutes with each player reviewing strengths and points to work on. Special thanks goes out to Mark Tabrum for working on the schedule to make this camp run so smoothly. Discussions are taking place about starting an adult camp and also a goalie camp. The sled community is struggling to find players that are within the 14 – 20 year old age group for the Junior Sled team that is selected from the National Camp.
The 2011 USA Hockey Player Development Camp Administrator’s Guidebook has been sent electronically to all members of the Youth Council and the District Player Development Representatives. Additional guidebooks should be distributed to all other District personnel involved in these Camps. This guidebook includes all of the pertinent information, procedures, job descriptions, District/Affiliate responsibilities, timelines, player information and guidelines, allocations and tryout procedures.
District personnel should read all of the information carefully and acknowledge the importance of meeting the established timelines. Everyone was reminded that it is the responsibility of the District Player Development Representatives to distribute all player development information to the appropriate individuals within their District/Affiliates in a timely manner.
The Player Development Camp tryout policy states that players should tryout for the various Camps in the District in which he/she permanently resides. Every effort should be made by those Districts, which have a heavy concentration of Prep School and Junior teams, to allow members of those teams to tryout with performance/ranking information being sent back to the player’s home District. A copy of this information should also be sent to the National Office for the Player Development Committee’s review.
Please be reminded that a player chosen as a District’s allocation may not be replaced by the District should he/she become unavailable. Kevin McLaughlin is solely responsible for replacing any player. District Player Development Representatives should submit the names of players they feel deserve consideration to be attend any of the Camps as an at-large player.
The High Performance on the sled side consists of the USA Hockey Junior Sled Team which was selected from the player development camp that was held in Rochester in the summer. The program consists of training camps and international competition for this year. The target age range is 20 years and younger although we are expanding this age range due to the wounded warriors that have not had a chance to develop their skills. It was noted that USA is much further along than other all other sled countries with this younger development program and the US still has the youngest National team.
The meeting between USA Hockey and the USHL regarding the movement of players was discussed. If players could be moved (from USHL teams to NTDP teams temporarily) it would give players the opportunity to play more games. The teams have almost a month of full training before they play their first international game. It was noted that Blaine Ice Arena is in the process of building another locker room. Upon completion, this locker room will be exclusively for USA Hockey’s use.
The ADM Player Development Symposium was held in Chicago on November 11 – 14, 2010. The hope is this will be the first of many. The event was by invite only to hockey directors, coach’s educators, etc. The group attending were those having a hands-on approach to educating other’s on the implementation of the ADM. The focus was on 8U, 10U and 12U programming. The coaches and educators that attended will have a direct effect on at least 50,000 players, coaches and educators around the nation. The symposium was wrapped around the under 17 Four Nation Tournament that was played at the Seven Bridges Ice Arena.
All the ADM Managers gave their regional updates, all noting that things seem to be going well. They stated that they are well ahead of where they expected to be at this point in time. The ADM jerseys have been sent to associations. These reversible jerseys feature USA Hockey and ADM logos.
The discontinuation of 12-and-Under Youth Nationals and how it abides by ADM principles was discussed. The 2012 National tournament will be the last 12-and-under tournament. The Committee felt this is a huge step in the right direction and at this time he has not received any negative feedback.
The ADM Managers are still meeting and working on our strategy related to High Performance Clubs. To become a High Performance Club, teams will need to be ADM compliant from the bottom up. The Player Development Committee will continue to meet on this topic and work to find the best solutions. The progress of the Body Checking Task Force was reviewed. Dr. Stuart has shared a lot of research with the committee. The purpose of the committee is to examine the age of when body checking should be introduced. The committee was put together as a sub-committee from the Player Development Committee. Increased teaching of body contact will be encouraged and taught to coaches at the CEP clinics at the Mite, Squirt and Pee Wee levels. USA Hockey currently has great materials regarding on and off ice body contact. The Committee highly recommends full body checking be taught in practice for two years at the Pee Wee level.
The Player Development Committee agreed unanimously to support the rule change to move body Checking up to the Bantam level.
The Player Development Committee remains committed to improving the skills of each and every player within USA Hockey.
The Player Development Committee will continue to work on ways to provide the best possible learning environment for the greatest development of their individual skills while at the same time allowing every participant to enjoy the sport of ice hockey to its fullest.
Submitted by: Jim Smith, Chairperson Kevin McLaughlin, Staff Liaison
JPS/5/1/11

[MrBoDangles]

I'ts time to wake up for those that think the MN model has nothing to worry about. Remember that the choice leagues turned away hundreds of kids. What would happen to MN Hockey if there were five more centers like the made?

MN Hockey is just like the bulk of the posters on here.. They think everything is great and nothing will change.

In District 10 there are top notch programs that might not be able to field A teams because their top 3-5 players will be playing in the peewee choice league........ and this is happening way up in D10..

MN Hockey is currently getting pounded in a battle that they seem to not know that they are in. It's time to make the MN model one that nobody would want to leave....... More options.

- Leave a morning or weeknight open for pooled teams to play extra games. Like a Sunday afternoon - back to back - one hour rolled games. OPTIONAL for those that want more.

- Or it could be pooled district teams(Quasar) that compete against each other on a certain day. Elite through C level?? The regular season could be followed by a short district pooled team season that could end with a district tournament state championship..

- District teams that would compete in the national scene. Wouldn't that be a great thing to see?

- Fall elite league for the association levels.... They figured out they needed this at the high school level because of the lack of competition during the season. Why not have it for the younger kids?

* These are only ideas

You would obviously need to be a part of association Hockey to be involved. I know that I would love to see my kids have some type of options like these. T he alternative is Mn quickly becoming a privatized market.

Thanks Q! White belly is now a red belly..

Is it time to get creative?

Or is it time to hand the keys over?

[Quasar]

I'ts time to wake up for those that think the MN model has nothing to worry about. Remember that the choice leagues turned away hundreds of kids. What would happen to MN Hockey if there were five more centers like the made?

MN Hockey is just like the bulk of the posters on here.. They think everything is great and nothing will change.

In District 10 there are top notch programs that might not be able to field A teams because their top 3-5 players will be playing in the peewee choice league........ and this is happening way up in D10..

MN Hockey is currently getting pounded in a battle that they seem to not know that they are in. It's time to make the MN model one that nobody would want to leave....... More options.

- Leave a morning or weeknight open for pooled teams to play extra games. Like a Sunday afternoon - back to back - one hour rolled games. OPTIONAL for those that want more.

- Or it could be pooled district teams(Quasar) that compete against each other on a certain day. Elite through C level?? The regular season could be followed by a short district pooled team season that could end with a district tournament state championship..

- District teams that would compete in the national scene. Wouldn't that be a great thing to see?

- Fall elite league for the association levels.... They figured out they needed this at the high school level because of the lack of competition during the season. Why not have it for the younger kids?

* These are only ideas

You would obviously need to be a part of association Hockey to be involved. I know that I would love to see my kids have some type of options like these. T he alternative is Mn quickly becoming a privatized market.

Thanks Q! White belly is now a red belly..

Is it time to get creative?

Or is it time to hand the keys over?

I 'm voting for creative

[MrBoDangles]

I'ts time to wake up for those that think the MN model has nothing to worry about. Remember that the choice leagues turned away hundreds of kids. What would happen to MN Hockey if there were five more centers like the made?

MN Hockey is just like the bulk of the posters on here.. They think everything is great and nothing will change.

In District 10 there are top notch programs that might not be able to field A teams because their top 3-5 players will be playing in the peewee choice league........ and this is happening way up in D10..

MN Hockey is currently getting pounded in a battle that they seem to not know that they are in. It's time to make the MN model one that nobody would want to leave....... More options.

- Leave a morning or weeknight open for pooled teams to play extra games. Like a Sunday afternoon - back to back - one hour rolled games. OPTIONAL for those that want more.

- Or it could be pooled district teams(Quasar) that compete against each other on a certain day. Elite through C level?? The regular season could be followed by a short district pooled team season that could end with a district tournament state championship..

- District teams that would compete in the national scene. Wouldn't that be a great thing to see?

- Fall elite league for the association levels.... They figured out they needed this at the high school level because of the lack of competition during the season. Why not have it for the younger kids?

* These are only ideas

You would obviously need to be a part of association Hockey to be involved. I know that I would love to see my kids have some type of options like these. T he alternative is Mn quickly becoming a privatized market.

Thanks Q! White belly is now a red belly..

Is it time to get creative?

Or is it time to hand the keys over?

Without these types of options the MN youth model will become a skeleton of what it once was. Hide your heads in the sand if it helps.

Everything that was needed to be said has been said. Good luck to ALL the Minnesota kids out there!

[HockeyDad41]

I'ts time to wake up for those that think the MN model has nothing to worry about. Remember that the choice leagues turned away hundreds of kids. What would happen to MN Hockey if there were five more centers like the made?

MN Hockey is just like the bulk of the posters on here.. They think everything is great and nothing will change.

In District 10 there are top notch programs that might not be able to field A teams because their top 3-5 players will be playing in the peewee choice league........ and this is happening way up in D10..

MN Hockey is currently getting pounded in a battle that they seem to not know that they are in. It's time to make the MN model one that nobody would want to leave....... More options.

- Leave a morning or weeknight open for pooled teams to play extra games. Like a Sunday afternoon - back to back - one hour rolled games. OPTIONAL for those that want more.

- Or it could be pooled district teams(Quasar) that compete against each other on a certain day. Elite through C level?? The regular season could be followed by a short district pooled team season that could end with a district tournament state championship..

- District teams that would compete in the national scene. Wouldn't that be a great thing to see?

- Fall elite league for the association levels.... They figured out they needed this at the high school level because of the lack of competition during the season. Why not have it for the younger kids?

* These are only ideas

You would obviously need to be a part of association Hockey to be involved. I know that I would love to see my kids have some type of options like these. T he alternative is Mn quickly becoming a privatized market.

Thanks Q! White belly is now a red belly..

Is it time to get creative?

Or is it time to hand the keys over?

Without these types of options the MN youth model will become a skeleton of what it once was. Hide your heads in the sand if it helps.

Everything that was needed to be said has been said. Good luck to ALL the Minnesota kids out there!

Is this still happening? I thought the Pee Wee Choice league was just a supplemental Sunday Wednesday thing.

[Shinbone_News]

Hi guys. Not a new poster/lurker, just inactive and had to start a new account with a lot of pent-up thoughts. Sorry for the long post.

Had to clarify one earlier point that leads to the larger point. Several folks have lamented the death of outdoor rinks in Minneapolis and greater Minnesota. To which I say a resounding BUNK. There are at least a dozen rinks in Minneapolis proper that STILL get flooded every day from December to March (true, the season is shorter due to both global warming and park board funding). I know, because my kid drags me out to them every day he doesn't have practice or a game with his association. St. Paul still has at least 4 refrigerated outdoor rinks that get plenty of use.

That all said, I think it's interesting to explore WHY we're having this conversation at all -- simply put, because of Gary Bettman bringing NHL hockey to the sun belt. Kids all over the country are playing hockey -- not in any local association, because there aren't any local associations -- but in tiered AAA (or whatever) hockey.

Minnesota is still the exception to the rule, but it's kind of the rule too since we so far outnumber any other USAH affiliate.

To me, it comes down to one simple question: How sacred is high school hockey? (Or maybe more to the point, the HSH state tournament.) The community based model is a good one because it has worked beautifully in a state that has a wealth of hockey rinks, indoor and out, and kids to play on them, and because the high school varsity team was really the achievable Holy Grail to most Minnesota kids. The 1 percent that can and will play D1, juniors, or pro now have lots of options to forgo the high school dream, whether it's the NTDP or Shattuck or the USHL (MArio Lucia anyone? WHy hasn;t anyone noted how sad it is that the kid is giving up on Tonka and his teammates and his senior year to go where he'll eventually end up ANYWAY but to get there faster? Why? To eventually start cashing those NHL checks one year sooner? Please.)

That all said, there's incredible upward pressure on ALL Minnesota kids, and it starts at Mites, and this is thanks to YEAR ROUND HOCKEY, something that did not exist in any meaningful way before the San Jose Sharks, the Phoenix Coyotes, the Carolina Hurricane etc. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I for one continue to tell my kids what Herb Brooks always said: The single biggest highlight of his career was getting to the state tourney -- not the Miracle, not the Gophers, not the North Stars. The state tourney. And barring that, making varsity on your local high school team and giving it your best damn shot.

Why not use the high-school elites model for younger kids? Would that be a huge stretch from the HPC model? Or maybe that IS what it would look like. In my view, that sort of pre-season arrangement going down to Pee Wees would give the kids with real aspirations four to eight years to step it up to the next level without poaching from their associations and minus the association (or high school) politics (but of course with broader district politics in play, no doubt.)

[MrBoDangles]

They tried that with Bernie and they are going to lose that case.