That was my goal, thank you!EPdad congrats and I do agree with you regarding the opportunities privates allow and offer and if a family can afford to send their kids, no problem, more power to them. Not everyone has this chance and we all know the quality of the players they do attract. Remember Blake beat Edina 4-1, and Blake beat HM in the holiday tourney, but it was a shootout win. There is a very good chance Blake could win the whole thing this year, not just Class A and for these reasons they should opt up, just like Breck and soon to be SPU. There were zero upsets or surprises at the Class A level and for these reasons I feel it would be a better product for the smaller communities to not have to face a Blake in the tournament. Is it fun for the girls to participate, absolutely! and that is a very big reason to play, it is not about the trophies. But I do think the playing field has changed and tilted towards the privates and for these reasons I think it would be better for the game.
I have no issue with their recruiting and the girls usually have the means for more training, the top AAA Summer teams, etc, and more power to them, but it is these reasons they should just do the right thing and move up. I do believe strongly it does nothing for the game to have them in the championship almost every year at the Class A level. Some may disagree and feel this keeps the Class A relevant, but I am not sure watching two privates, both Metro based promotes the game. Just my bias. I think it would be pretty exciting to see a EGF playing a New Prague or Northfield. You can leave the Class AA for the bigger programs, or more talented. Everyone likes the small David vs Goliath story, why people were excited to see MG take down Hill.
The girls game is unique in that a hot goalie can really determine the outcome. EP and MG both benefitted from outstanding goalie play yesterday. Unfortunately girls unlike boys to not have the dexterity to pick off corners routinely and majority of shots hit the sweaters logo which allows for that team with a good tender to steal a game. I have to feel HM thought this after their game, and even Edina. They both had better scoring chances, but their goalies stole the games for their respective teams.
Outside our state, hockey has very little appeal, basketball, soccer, LaCrosse are so much bigger in terms of numbers and participation. The game is changing and girls at the youth numbers except for a few communities are declining substantially. If things do not change you will be left with metro dominance at the high school level. At least keep it to one Class and that would be Class AA.
As for you 36, you were lured in like always and took the bait. I am only hard on you as you have always attacked on this board if someone does not agree with you or your opinions. You should be proud of your daughter's accomplishments and leave it at that. You know exactly what happens for summer AAA teams and all the political shenanigans that occur, even at team reebok. When you transferred you had the opportunity to pick where you wanted to live, I am sure hockey was a big part of that decision. So please stop trying to say otherwise and there are no issues with parents doing this all over. I am sure your Club's outcomes would have been very different this year without two key players. And these were players that did not grow up in the association, only came together for HS. Accept that and keep your attacks to a minimum to others who may not agree with this type of team building. Your club was pretty high on the horse, expecting to win it all this year and why it was so fun watching a team like EP knock you out. It happens, accept it. Your club did not lose because a goal was disallowed or the refs not calling stick checks, it happens, its hockey. Probably just like how Hopkins took you out this year. EP was the better team that night and continue to show this for making the Championship, congrats to EP.
Good luck to all the girls today, I wish the Class A had different participates but it is what it is, the MG and EP should be a great contest, especially if they both have the same level of goalie play as yesterday.
Thanks for helping this subject hit 20,000 view, I was hoping it would
