The U14 co-op challenge

[skateittillyouloseit]

Looking for pros/cons on a co-op at U14 which would produce an A and a B team. Has this been done anywhere else and, if so, what were the results? Assume each association has 12-15 skaters and a goalie.

[InigoMontoya]

Is there going to be 14UA and 14UB, or just 14U this year?

[Tigerhockey2012]

Looking for pros/cons on a co-op at U14 which would produce an A and a B team. Has this been done anywhere else and, if so, what were the results? Assume each association has 12-15 skaters and a goalie.

Buffalo and Delano do it kind of. Second team is A2 but for all practical purposes they should be playing at a B level. Delano also does it at the 12's with Mound. D3 and D5 allow the co-op at the 14's with Buffalo because of the high schools but not at the 12's for those that are wondering why Delano works with two different associations. I would highly encourage it. It gets skaters skating and practicing with like abilities. In my opinion that fosters development. Plus 14U can be so watered down, it can always use more top level teams for competitions sake. What two associations are we talking about.

[skateittillyouloseit]

The assocations doing this would be D10, AA schools, whose HS take all top 9th grade players. U14 does get watered down, leaving 3-4 dominant teams who have their best 9th graders still at that level. The argument comes down to having girls from the same school skate together, or have girls of the same talent skate together. Because many see benefits to both, I was looking for examples of it working out, or not.

[Tigerhockey2012]

The assocations doing this would be D10, AA schools, whose HS take all top 9th grade players. U14 does get watered down, leaving 3-4 dominant teams who have their best 9th graders still at that level. The argument comes down to having girls from the same school skate together, or have girls of the same talent skate together. Because many see benefits to both, I was looking for examples of it working out, or not.

I think it has worked well here. If you need to co-op because top 9th graders are going HS, do you really think those girls that will be making the B team are likely to skate with the girls from the A team when they reach HS anyways? Not likely for most of them. The B girls won't ever make it to varsity. At least most of them. So you don't gain much by keeping them together. What you gain by co-oping is more development skating against higher level girls that push each other in practice all year. Having the girls from the same talent skate together, wins in my book every time.

[InigoMontoya]

The original question was regarding two associations, which, for the most part, each feed their own high school teams. Delano girls skating with other associations is apples-oranges, as they have no high school team.

[observer]

I'm a fan of the co-op at 14 like Tiger. It puts more girls together that skate at the same level. It benefits the girls a lot. Teams with A to C level players have issues during the season that some families can't foresee today. Some families will be upset cuz Suzie can't play with all her friends and won't make the top team because she hasn't been working on her game. But, that's a good thing as it forces everyone to work harder in an effort to make the now more difficult top team.

But, recruit, recruit, recruit. The recruiting committee is the most important function in your association so I hope you have one. Now is when mite recruiting is done. HS are now taking top 7th and 8th graders too so you need to build girls numbers at your association. You're either growing or shrinking. Which is it going to be. 20 new mite girls each year or your future will be shrinking.

I also wish HS coaches would stay away from youth eligible players but that's a tough one and different at each association and high school. Often it's the families that want Suzie to move up. Play youth.

[Tigerhockey2012]

The original question was regarding two associations, which, for the most part, each feed their own high school teams. Delano girls skating with other associations is apples-oranges, as they have no high school team.

Delano doesn't share a high school team with Mound and we co-op at 12's with them. That is where I was drawing the comparison.