Participation Numbers Declining?

gorilla1 · Post by **gorilla1** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:37 am

The only thing declining in our association is the number of kids put on the A team. Kids trying out is going up (100 at squirt level) but only 14 kids rostered on the squirt A's including the goalies. Thought D6 had rules against that. And no my kid wasn't passed over, he's still a mite.

Wildcathcky · Post by **Wildcathcky** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:04 am

gorilla1 wrote:The only thing declining in our association is the number of kids put on the A team. Kids trying out is going up (100 at squirt level) but only 14 kids rostered on the squirt A's including the goalies. Thought D6 had rules against that. And no my kid wasn't passed over, he's still a mite.

Carrying 12-13 skaters on a squirt team is recommended under USA Hockey's ADM. Assuming all of your association's squirt teams are carrying the same number of players, this shouldn't be a bad thing. Every kid will get more ice time and more touches. However, I see a problem if only the A team has a smaller roster.

observer · Post by **observer** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:35 am

I like 9 forwards and 3 sets of D (6). I like units working together so they get used to working as a 5 skater unit. I also think the 50 some practices go a lot more smoothly, and I mean a lot, when you have units of 5 to work against each other. A D or 2 missing practice and all the drills, and practice planning, become much more difficult.

I know all the discussion about the natural split, not wanting to take two more players just for the sake of it, etc. This is one of the examples, often sited here, where a coach wants the 4 D to get a lot more ice time over the course of the year. Especially at Squirt, where the goal is to develop, the number is 15 skaters. Develop that third set of D. Associations with only 4 D are creating future problems for themselves. Selfish.

PeeWee is the same. 15 skaters is the ideal number. D play such a bigger role today than 10 years ago. Such an important position, with players that are really fun to watch, on good teams. Your job is to develop more of them not fewer.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:44 am

C-dad: Interesting number decline from 2 years ago PW. Would be interesting to know where the 60 kids that quit went? You say a few to HS. That leaves 50+ that quit, or do they move associations?

2 years ago Edina had 1PWA, 2B1, 3B2 and 5C? Ever think having less than 10% of your association on the A team might be a bad thing? 2A, 2B1, 4B2 and the rest C's might be a better equation with that many players and the overall skill level of those players. But then winning is fairly important isn't it?

JSR · Post by **JSR** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:33 am

observer wrote:I like 9 forwards and 3 sets of D (6). I like units working together so they get used to working as a 5 skater unit. I also think the 50 some practices go a lot more smoothly, and I mean a lot, when you have units of 5 to work against each other. A D or 2 missing practice and all the drills, and practice planning, become much more difficult.

I know all the discussion about the natural split, not wanting to take two more players just for the sake of it, etc. This is one of the examples, often sited here, where a coach wants the 4 D to get a lot more ice time over the course of the year. Especially at Squirt, where the goal is to develop, the number is 15 skaters. Develop that third set of D. Associations with only 4 D are creating future problems for themselves. Selfish.

PeeWee is the same. 15 skaters is the ideal number. D play such a bigger role today than 10 years ago. Such an important position, with players that are really fun to watch, on good teams. Your job is to develop more of them not fewer.

Everything you said about squirts and having 15 squirts is completely backwards if you want to DEVELOP players. Fewer players per team means MORE development, not less. It means more ice time, more puck touches, more confidence and more development. The larger the team the fewer players develop not more.

observer · Post by **observer** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:17 pm

I don't agree. I do know that you're in a smaller community with smaller numbers so divide the kids equally between 3 or 4 teams however you like. Some youth associations in the metro have 12 squirt teams I just think to cut numbers on the single A team and push everyone down to the other 11 teams is short sighted and selfish. You decide who's being selfish.

I do believe a lot of development occurs in games as, after all, we're training kids to play better in games. But, with 50 practices and 30 games tell me how it goes after you run a few squirt practices, to develop players, with only 2 or 3 D. Rewrite the ol' practice plan. You'll get more done, with more dynamic drills, more and better repetition, with 6 D. Having 3 units of 5 skaters is a thing of beauty and develops more D players that have an ever increasing important role in the today’s overall style of play.

C-dad · Post by **C-dad** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:24 pm

BadgerBob82 wrote:C-dad: Interesting number decline from 2 years ago PW. Would be interesting to know where the 60 kids that quit went? You say a few to HS. That leaves 50+ that quit, or do they move associations?

2 years ago Edina had 1PWA, 2B1, 3B2 and 5C? Ever think having less than 10% of your association on the A team might be a bad thing? 2A, 2B1, 4B2 and the rest C's might be a better equation with that many players and the overall skill level of those players. But then winning is fairly important isn't it?

You won't get me to disagree with that point. I'm not on the board though, just a dad watching what happens. I think Edina should push more kids higher at every chance. Won't win as many games or trophies but let the kids play against better competition. Whether that's another A or another B1, I don't much care. Heck this season I think we should have added another B2. There are not many Bantam C teams around for competition and I think we have the talent to make another B2.

Edit: I know most of those 50+ kids are out of hockey. I know about 15 or so that are in the recreation league as well.

jBlaze3000 · Post by **jBlaze3000** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:40 pm

gorilla1 wrote:The only thing declining in our association is the number of kids put on the A team. Kids trying out is going up (100 at squirt level) but only 14 kids rostered on the squirt A's including the goalies. Thought D6 had rules against that. And no my kid wasn't passed over, he's still a mite.

What association and how do these number compare to previous years?