guiding young players through the hockey maze

hihockey · Post by **hihockey** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:57 pm

How about some advice from those of you with older HS girls or those in college now? Assume you have two 8th grade girls (friends not sisters), one skater (D) and one goalie. The HS program in the community is average at best and in a very strong section, so the future looks like the local team could win very few section games and won't end up very high in the standings at the end of each season. The girls are both strong players, dedicated and driven, have played AAA and Selects in the off-season, work in camps and clinics to improve, and both have college hockey as an ultimate goal. They are starting to watch the local HS team and are eager to play with the older girls. The subject of staying with the public school or switching to a private school is now coming up to them, as their fellow players are now doing that, especially at 9th grade. Each year a few more 'defect' via open-enrollment to neighboring HS programs that are stronger, or go to the private schools. Questions: 1. What grade is the best for leaving ass'n hockey and going to a HS program? These two can play U14 for two years - do that or go HS? There is room every year for several 8th graders to try out and make the HS or JV team. 2. If they are skilled and talented, should you try to avoid JV for that player and wait until they can go right to the HS roster? The local JV is not skilled players that happen to be young, rather it is more average players that stay on JV for years as the younger girls come up and pass them by. 3. Will the defensive player be more invisible to college recruiters someday if she plays on a weak HS team? How about the goalie, will she fare any better? 4. Biggest question perhaps - public school or private school? If the better players are grouped together at a private school by choice, doesn't that create a better environment for a skilled player to continue improving? The local HS program looks so weak it just isn't attractive. 5. Both girls are good students and good athletes, they should have some great choices available to them. Hockey is important enough to be a factor in the choice of school, but getting a quality education is definitely first and foremost. Burnout is a worry, do the private schools have higher expectations of ice time, dryland, etc. for their players? 6. Later on in HS, how do you choose from the abundance of opportunities - CODP, OS, model camp, jr fest - which are the most important? Any comments appreciated, it seems the 8th grade year is a major decision time, and then later the junior year becomes the decision year for college recruiting.

hockeyis1 · Post by **hockeyis1** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:14 pm

I would say stay in U14 for another year...It is so hard to say about the high school..Are there good teams that they would play at the high school level?? If so bot players will only get better playing against players thats are on good teams..But like I said you asked some hard questions without knowing the school or what the school might be in 2 years...Good Luck

Puck35 · Post by **Puck35** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:36 pm

(This message was left blank) Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... >Puck35</A> at: 2/7/06 10:37 pm

hockeyis1 · Post by **hockeyis1** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:36 am

I agree with Puck35..Do what is best for your daughter aslong as she has fun..

traveler · Post by **traveler** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 6:35 am

I certainly appreciate your concerns but would like to give you another perspective. In regard to highschool or JV or otherwise. consult with your highschool coach, chances are he/she will know the right place for your daughter/friend. In regards to changing schools, If every good player leaves a program for what would seem to be greener grass how does the average program get better? Are you approaching this as whats good for me, as is so often the trend today or are you considering the role other people have played and sacrafices made just to get a program in your community? To me, that you have gone to the extent of asking these questions is both good and bad, , you are trying to do whats right for your kids, but on the other hand it seems you really believe that through manipulation and marketing you can some how "create" the future you desire for your children. The reality is this. let them be what they will be, support them, provide them opportunities in your community, travel with them, be proud of them, but dont lose focus that you and your wife decided to have children, not hockey players. I lived your situation and had a fortunate outcome in the end. My wife and I always maintained, if it is to be it will be, If indeed they are good enough they will be found .

hihockey · Post by **hihockey** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:57 am

Thanks for the replies so far. Would love to hear even more perspectives. It sounds like coaching and playing time are most important, while public vs. private school, or the success of the team is less important. That's good to hear. We have watched a few other local girls pushed at very young ages to excel, to the point that they never came back to play with girls their own age (isn't that sad?). They got so good so young that their parents always played them up in the offseason on girl's teams and in the boys program during the regular season. Most of the time they refused to play with the girl's teams their own age, even the A teams. They made the varsity at an early age, or left for other schools at 9th grade. What worries me when I think of my own daughter is that some of these girls now look to have peaked already. They were stars at age 9, but now are head-cases in middle school/HS. It's not 100% that way, some are still improving, and that may be due to the personal drive and dedication of those players, but the burn-out factor is clearly evident for some. In contrast, our girl and her friend have been held back somewhat when it comes to 'keeping up with the hockey Joneses'. Family time, summers with vacations and trips up north come first. No summer hockey, no AAA. We really stayed low-key, felt they were too young to play hockey year-round. Until this year. Now both girls played on AAA teams this summer and did other training programs and we are suddenly overwhelmed by the multitude of options that the players heading into the HS years have. I wouldn't agree that we are manipulating their future, I feel more like we are fearful of making a mistake, especially when it comes to the big decisions. Each camp or team that our daughter does starts with a meeting with Mom, Dad and her. We always tell her that if there's too much hockey, she should take a break. We also look at older girls that she sees as role models and discuss how they got there, how much time they dedicated to becoming a good athlete in addition to specific hockey skills, etc. It's not all about hockey, these two girls play other summer sports at rec level and thoroughly enjoy them. Both sets of parent love our community. We have been very involved with the youth program. My family lives less than a mile from all our kid's schools. Why would we even think of changing schools in HS? Because: 1) I graduated in a class of 250. The two girl's class size will approach 700. Sense of 'community' is very different when class sizes grow so large. Smaller private schools are more attractive, they are more like my own good HS experience. 2) For lack of a better word, the HS coach is unapproachable. There is no connection between the HS and youth program. HS staff only deal with the girls once they show up for tryouts and then they sort them out, before that age they are invisible. 3) No summer training by the HS coaches. Neighboring communities do STP or other type of training for all 7th-12th grade girls, but not ours. Privates like Blake and Breck run extensive camps for weeks in the summer. Shouldn't we be concerned that this is deficiency in our local HS program? 4) There are captain's practices, but that's all. Do these do much for the team? We haven't heard who runs these. 5) There are a glut of players in the year ahead of these two girls. The skater will fare better, she may make the varsity in 9th grade, but may not see much playing time right away. The goalie has 3 older goalies in front of her and would not be the oldest until she is a junior. So she would have to beat out the older girls which looks possible. But who knows. Wouldn't it be better for the goalie to play somewhere she could start in 9th or 10th grade? 6) Maybe the key issue - the girls are starting to prefer playing with the better-skilled girls they have met in Selects and AAA, and are less interested in opportunities that come up with the local girls. This probably applies more to the goalie than the skater. The skater actually loves being on a team where she can take the puck from end-to-end <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"> The goalie however is bored when she stands behind a strong team and only sees a few shots a period. She enjoys strong competition the most. Her attraction to a more elite team is that of getting really quality shots in games at the higher level of competition. So if your child's happiness, coaching and playing time are the keys, I'm not finding too many reasons for the girls to stay with their local high school program.

traveler · Post by **traveler** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:21 am

Sounds like then you have your answer, Just fyi some additional information. It is not easy to scout female players until after 10th grade. lots of things going on anatomically and emotionally. What happens in grade 11 and 12 is the real key to setting expectations . good luck !

hockeyrube · Post by **hockeyrube** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:07 am

hihockey, First, I will say that these two yound ladies are fortunate to have someone like yourself looking out for their best interests, only wanting the best opportunities for them !!!! Many of us have been in the same boat, myself included, so my perspective will hopefully be somewhat helpful. I will try to format my reply to follow your 2nd post. Coaching and playing time are important, but so is TRAINING. Public vs. Private should be a decision based on educational opportunities only. Try not to focus on playing in every AAA tournament known to mankind (there are soooo many), but rather find a good training program and maximize those opportunities (O/S, ODP, Scott Bjugstad's shooting programs, etc). You will be blown away with how much improvement you see in girls ages 11-15 who bust their butts in these training environments. Be very wary of BURNOUT. Our society has gone nuts (mostly the parents) with people focusing their young kids on one sport year round. They spend big $$$ on little Johnny or Susy to enter every AAA option in the world, so that they don't get left behind by the other nutso parents. Don't get me wrong, before and after season AAA opportunities can be fun and worthwhile, but they should be mixed with other TRAINING specific programs for a healthy blend - and not overdone. I have coached U12A hockey, and many AAA teams over the years. I have seen the burnout with some of these kids that play hockey every waking moment of every day all year. In my opinion, it just isn't healthy. As for my kid, she plays another sport, and enjoys her time away from the rink - comes back hungry for hockey after the other sport is done. Don't worry about keeping up with the Jones at the hockey rink - they may end up at the psychiatrist office in the end - I always encourage players/parents to stick with their local team if at all possible. There are sooo many options today with open enrollment, and I know it is tempting to consider the alternative. Maybe you could stay with the local program, and work towards some positive changes - be a part of growing and improving the program over the years. Remember, the key to improving as a player is TRAINING, not how many AAA teams you can play on, or how many good players you play with or against. If the coach isn't willing to get involved in the local youth program - to me that isn't acceptable. Try to get them involved, or work with the A/D in replacing the coach - this is a critical element of building a winning program. Many programs do not offer Summer Programs. Fortunately, their are many good ones throughout the cities (O/S, ODP, STP's, Total Hockey, Acceleration MN, etc.) Not every program can offer a full blown Summer Program. Captains practices are simply an opportunity for anyone wishing to try out to get some skating in just prior to tryouts. They are usually run by the captains and are simply a light scrimmage. If there is a glut of players ahead of the skater, and she may ride the pine in 9th grade at the varsity - perhaps U14A is a better environment. The competition is good (getting better as the numbers grow) - many more games than high school, and tournaments, etc. Talk to your coach. Selects and AAA are good opportunities, but in my opinion have been the breeding ground for all these kids transferring schools. I have heard the lockerroom talk - wouldn't it be great if we could all play together this season ???? Let them play AAA with their elite buds before and after, but I am a strong advocate for staying with your local program in season. Plus it's fun for the AAA teammates to face each other in season - makes for some great competition. I have been in your shoes personally, and these decisions aren't easy at all. The best advice I ever received was from my old HS Football coach who said "Remember, success is a journey, not a destination". If a kid/parents are so focused on playing D1 hockey, pushing all the time for exposure, etc. they may miss all the fun along the way. Have them enjoy the journey, enjoy the hometown shool pride, etc. My kid played varsity as an 8th grader last year for her home program. She had a blast, and improved tremendously. Her team may very well never reach the State Tournament (section 3AA-ouch) - but she is willing to face those odds as long as it's with her buddies she has grown up with and played with for years, rather than transfer to a program with a better chance of making the State Tournament and providing her with some personal exposure. Sorry so long - I wish you luck Rube

traveler · Post by **traveler** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:36 am

Well said Rube !

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:45 am

Arguably the best thread I've read on here yet... I must add that look at the emotional/personal/maturity element of going to HS team sub-9th - I think many have spoken to this already. Not all development centers around signing up for any camp/clinic/team/etc. I've seen more improvement out of kids that train on their own or with their friends with a good program for an EXTENDED PERIOR OF TIME than anything else. Much of this might be off-ice, weight room, stickhandling/shooting/plyos/running/rollerblading/etc. I think all too often we put WAY too much emphasis on some costly program. There is no "quick fix" to becoming a great hockey player - and if you're not naturally gifted, then you're going to have to outwork many others. Heck - even if you are gifted - you have to outwork others!!! Let kids play multiple sports, this can be a form of cross-training, and watch the burn-out as mentioned above. Not all coaches have the time to contribute to their youth association. I didn't as much last year as a first year HS coach in my new program. The 2nd year on is a telltale sign of what a coach will be able to do and what time/availability they have/make for building a youth program, etc. Also, not all HS coaches have the interest from their players to run a HS off-season program. Many other STP/HS summer programs draw their kids, or OS/CODP/Camps/Clinics or other sports, or... whatever make kids not available financially, time wise, etc. I think that many Class A programs suffer from this especially - or economically challenged ones - or ones with powerhouses around them offering strong STP's for neighboring kids - or ones with many kids tied up in the glamor of participating in AAA (almost exclusively as they're either too good for their HS program now off-season, or they just don't have the time/$$$ to do both). For my team - my girls that are interested skate the boys STP - along with other training. That seems to be a good option for us as a small/class A school - even though we're in the metro. I do think that something good in moderation is a good thing - but too much of a good thing isn't always either. Don't send your kid to everything - they will eventually burn-out that way more than likely. I've realized that different community dynamics or other issues can play a role in how a program functions. Yes, it starts at the top with the coach - but even the best coach can't change a community demographic, etc. Doesn't mean that the coach, community, team, etc. is a failure - but you have to keep this in mind. Success - I don't think - should be always measured with an equal measuring stick for all programs - situational aspects should be taken into consideration. Class AA doesn't = Class A, publics don't = privates, outstate teams don't = metro, etc. The opportunities that these differences provide hockey - and educationally - are what needs to be considered if someone is going to transfer. But, put the education piece first. Tour the school, meet with the coach, but put more ephasis on the education than what the coach has to say. Remember that different people function better in different environments too. Consider the friends that your daughter has, and what the potential impact is - good and bad - for moving on. Also, staying put isn't always best. It's all case-by-case I guess.

hockeyrube · Post by **hockeyrube** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:05 pm

GHS, You are right - this is a great thread because it's a respectful discussion about doing the right thing for our young adult student/athletes. I for one appreciate your continual input into this board - you set a good example for other posters about being respectful, open minded, positive, etc. It's a great forum to share ideas, and share the great game of hockey. Rube

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:24 pm

Agreed about the forum and thanks for the support. I think anything is ultimately what you make of it. Be that this board, a hockey program, the HS/Team you choose to play for/coach, etc.

hihockey · Post by **hihockey** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:32 pm

Lots of good advice, keep it coming. I put this on the thread about the Fogerty jamboree last week....We went there to watch a couple of games and it looked like so much fun for the girls it really started me thinking about these issues when I started this thread - because our HS program does nothing in the summer except captain's practices in starting in late August and going through October. It got me thinking about how much fun it would be for the girls in our community to get together in the summer and play in a low-key environment like that jamboree.

keepitreal · Post by **keepitreal** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:15 am

I brought thread this back to the top, not only because it's full of great information, but to solicit advice on burnout--specifically as it seems to relate to the swift changes that can occur to the 7th-8th grade female. Mine has undergone a lot of changes in the past year from a cheerful and fun tomboy-esqe player with strong high school and college hockey aspirations to a sullen, withdrawn, makeup wearing teen who doesn't seem to care about playing hockey anymore. Her grades are slipping, her game is slipping badly-- in fact her interest in doing almost anything outside of watching TV (we are limiting this) is slipping. I'm sure a lot of families go through this very difficult stage, but I'd like some advice on how to deal with her and support her. We've tried everything from being extra-supportive and loving (rejected) to being tough, and we just can't seem to find a balance that works. This is a very coachable, elite-level player that within the span of a few months has devolved into a complete mess who seems to revel more in ticking off her parents than in ticking off the opposing team. Any words of advice from experienced hockey moms and dads who went through this?

hockeyrube · Post by **hockeyrube** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:05 pm

keep it real, Appreciate you bringing this most excellent thread back to the forefront. This is one of the few threads that actually deals with the true priorities in life - kids first ! You are not alone - if it's any consolation to you, many of us have gone through very similar situations with our young daughters. I went through a similar experience with my daughter just a few years ago. The 6th/7th grade Tomboy U12A playin' hockey lovin' kid that has her priorities well in place, suddenly becomes a completely different kid. I think they all go thru this same stage (to different degrees) at the junior high age. Junior high can be a brutal place for young ladies, not to mention the hormonal changes due to puberty. Peer pressure is running high to wear makeup, hang out with the popular crowd, and who knows what else. Doing well in school is no longer cool, nor is playing competitive sports, or church, or family. Parents, particularly DADS, are certainly not cool at this stage!!! Apparently, my once vast knowledge of the game had disappeared, and she just rolled her eyes whenever I would give her advice on her game, or try to work with her in the garage. What did I do... Well, I followed my natural instincts and threatened to stop paying for all this expensive hockey stuff if the grades and attitude didn't improve immediately !!! I applied the "frozen boot" parenting technique which was firmly engrained in me from my old man. As you might imagine, this made things much worse. AT this point, I was out of bullets on the parenting front - I must have missed the "How to raise a teenage daughter" class in college. Thankfully, my wife stepped in. We started by giving her lots of space - and tried to get some dialogue going on what was going on in her new world. I resisted the urge to push hockey back on her - blew off the shooting tarp, stickhandling ball, extra training that was such a big deal to her before. The result was a slow metamorphosis back toward the kid we once knew. Over time she figured out who were her true friends, makeup and brand name clothes became less of an obsession. Schoolwork improved, attitude improved, hockey became a higher priority, etc etc. I even started hearing the sound of pucks hitting the shooting tarp. Today, she is a very well adjusted young lady. Not perfect, and certainly not the little 7th grade Tomboy, but she has her priorities firmly in place. Setting goals and working hard to accomplish those goals, are very important to her once again. We even talk a little hockey on ocassion - she even asks me advice on certain aspects of her game. She even finds time to whip my butt in a game of HORSE at the shooting tarp once in awhile. Needless to say, I am very proud of her maturity, and enjoy the time we spend hanging out together. I am not trying to tell you what to do, rather I am just trying to let you know that many of us have gone through the same exact thing at the same exact stage. I wish you luck with your situation - and hope for the best. Rube

puckdaddy22 · Post by **puckdaddy22** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:36 pm

I know that your in the same boat as most parents of kids today that lose interest in things at the drop of a hat. One thing I have found is that when pushed they push back in many ways. I have found that communication is the key in getting through to them and telling them its all part of growing up. Be there to support them when they need it, I know that in the big picture its not the winning or losing that they remember but the experience of the game and the life lessons they learn along the way. Having a daughter that loves not only hockey but softball and is a great all around athlete in many sports is alot to be thankful for. I think its important to be part of a team win or lose and after high school only a very few get the opportunity to play at the next level, and many will be disoppointed if they have not enjoyed the experience of being with their friends and classmates. Remember that we need to balance things in our lives to keep things in perspective. Hockey and sports in general is not all that we have in our lives. Friends and family will be there long after they are done playing the game.

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:41 pm

ttt In a related consideration that some are just starting to address, how hard do you "push" your kid during the off-season? I think this has to be something that they (the kid) wants to put a ton of time into. If they don't, sometimes you have to learn to let them walk away and come back to the game if they find they miss it and weant to devote more time. With all the off-season considerations that are being finalized this time of year, I just thought that this was worth mentioning. I still believe that multi-sport athletes are what's best, even though they are a dying breed. I will also say though that I hope kids balance being a kid, with getting some ice time, and also playing other sports, etc. A healthy mix is what's best.

77Thunderbird · Post by **77Thunderbird** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:13 pm

This thread hit very close to home as we have heen helping our daughter through the hockey maze since she started playing travel after Mites. This year, she decided that she wanted to try to play Varsity as an 8th grader. Unfortunately, our HS does not allow 8th graders to try-out. As a result, (and at the end of a lengthy decision process) she decided to open enroll. This was a very difficult decision for her because it meant leaving a wide network of friends. Anyone thinking about changing schools should consider this challenge. However, making such a move will also provide your daughter with a valuable life experience. Moving schools is a big risk. Our daughter has learned a lot through the experience, but it came with a price. What we found out through this process was the key was to let our daughter make the decision. As parents, our role was to lay out all of the alternatives and the plusses and minuses of all choices. We acted as "devil's advocate" - making sure she realized how difficult it would be to transition to a new school. We asked her to consider how she would feel if she tried out for Varsity at the new school and did not make it, as there were certainly no guarantees. Once she decided what she wanted to do, our role became one of supporters of that decision. In the end, she did make the Varsity team and had a very successful season as an 8th grader, which helps. For her, it also helped that she made this move with one of her best friends, also an 8th grader that ended up playing Varsity as well. With regard to the question of "how hard" to push their daughter in the off-season, again, I would say to let the daughter decide with one exception. We have a daughter that wants to say "Yes" to every opportunity. It is important to make sure NOT to over-extend to avoid burn-out. However, the question we often ask our children is "How Good Do You Want To Be?" (Which is a question we think applies to anything you choose to do in life.) Your daughter is the only one that can answer this question. How hard she chooses to work in the off season is the answer to that question. As parents we need to support this decision. There is a lot you can do to make yourself better in hockey without enrolling in expensive camps...We wish our daughter would spend more time shooting pucks, but we don't ever force her to do so.

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:32 pm

Well said. May I add that rarely are AAA teams vehicles for skill development unless the program is focused on this in part of their mission and purpose. As I say to parents who ask me about the off-season: Please remember that all of this is 100% OPTIONAL. *** The off-season is essentially broken up into three parts by season: Spring (Mar-May), Summer (June -Early Aug), and Fall (Aug-Oct). There will be many opportunities in all three parts, but doing something in each is better than a lot in just one part (or nothing at all). ***NOTE: ALWAYS STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETES & TOP ACADEMICS! Never should participation in off-season activities adversely affect participation in another sport that's "in season," or have a negative impact on a player's grades/academic performance! Also, players have to balance their participation in "off-season" for multiple sports simultaneously obviously...*** Always encourage all players to follow these PRIORITIES: 1) Life Health 2) Faith & Family 3) Education 4) Sport "In Season" 5) Everything Else *** Other Spring Hockey Skill Development Training instead of (or in addition to) leagues is highly beneficial too - but there aren't as many "Clinics" or "Camps" in the Spring season. The best opportunities in the Spring to do Skill Development Training are through local training centers like Total Hockey (<a href="http://www.totalhockeyusa.com/)">www.totalhockeyusa.com/)</a> and Acceleration Minnesota (<a href="http://www.accelerationmn.com/).">www.accelerationmn.com/).</a> Participation in these programs gives players the best chance to elevate their game greatly over the off-season and they allow for extended programs (most beneficial) instead of short compact contact. This is another reason why these programs may be more beneficial than a one week camp or brief clinic. The longer the duration (i.e. weeks vs. days) the better typically. *** A note about off-season "AAA" or "Elite" teams... These organizations/teams do serve a purpose. These programs offer games against high-level competition and some college recruitment visibility to players more than anything else. Rarely are these programs about skill development unfortunately beyond that which is gained from high level competition in games. Typically these organizations can be highly political (about who you know) and expensive (much travel, high tourney fees, etc.) based on what group you're affiliated with. This money is likely better spent other ways - specifically on Skill Development Training. As of today, only 20 players from Minnesota are currently going on from HS to play D1 college next season. I can tell you that AAA/Elite teams alone didn't make these players great hockey players. Instead, these AAA/Elite teams typically simply help showcase their talent. ALL of these players likley participate in year round Skill Development Training. If a player had to choose between AAA/Elite teams or Skill Development Training, they should always choose the Skill Development Training. Similarly, always choose to do Skill Development Training before a League, but a league is better than nothing at all. *** Obviously there are no guarantees that a player will play more/varsity next season even if they do off-season hockey, but it gives them the best shot through continued improvement and being in top form coming into next season. Essentially, if they do this, and another player doesn't, this improves their chances over that of the other player more than likely as they will be better prepared for next season/tryouts/etc. Participating in these opportunities will make a player the best player they can be. As a result this should give them the best shot at competing for varsity playing time next season through their off-season work. Please remember that all of this is 100% OPTIONAL. I also encourage parents to not let their kids choose to do too much hockey, and not to push them to do any beyond a preliminary conversation. Let the kid decide, but you still need to police the decision to do too much obviously...

KnottHymn · Post by **KnottHymn** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 7:29 pm

I agree with most of what has been posted. However......I do NOT agree that an eighth grader should be the one making this decision. They are just kids......we are the parents!

ghshockeyfan · Post by **ghshockeyfan** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:20 pm

Adults need to police decisions, I agree with that. If you're talking about transfering schools, that's at a whole other level than deciding to do off-season hockey I believe. I drove the process as an 8th grader as far as my open enrollment goes, and I can remember touring schools, meeting with pricipals, talking over the pros & cons, etc. It was the best decision I ever made, but with these things you just never know... it can also backfire.

hockeyparent1 · Post by **hockeyparent1** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 pm

You seem to be very up to speed on the game of hockey and I don't mean on the ice. I have not read all of the posts, but I can tell you from a lot of experience, that the worst thing you can do is try and keep up with the jones, because the jones are only out for their kid. Hockey may be a team sport, but it is made up of individuals that are out for themselves. You know your child best, so sit back and do what is in the best interest for her and her teammates. I have seen a lot of kids burn out, quit other sports just for hockey not to even make the varsity team. Public/Private what's your guarantee she will play if you leave. From my experience and from others if you are good enough they will find you, no matter where you are or how good of a team you play for. Now to make a defensemen better you don't want strong forwards, because they don't get any action. I have seen girls that were unbelievable when they were younger and ended up playing for all the best teams and by the time they were a senior they had disappeared. Also with goaltenders, you only get better the more shots you get, if youhave a strong team in front of you, you don't get the shots. Bottom line this is a very cut throat sport, just remember to watch your back, but most importantly do what is best and ethically, and morally right for your daughter.

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

guiding young players through the hockey maze

guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Re: guiding young players through the hockey maze

Avoid the hockey traps