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How do you expect 5 and 6 year olds to want to move to play hockey?Most of them would rather play on the playground or play dress up. At that age it would be sick to try and recruit kids.<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /laugh.gif ALT=":lol"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

power92, I agree that it is easier to do well academically at a private school because they have a lot more personal attention with the students and won't let you fail. But you can get a great education at a public school as well, it just takes a lot more dedication by the student to want to do well.<br>I went to both off an on, and that is my take on it, that's all. <p>AHA 2002 & 2005 State Champions!<br></p><i></i>

Thanks for making the point. Kids are leaving many good programs for reasons other than hockey. They just happens to be good hockey players. Some programs do lose players for hockey reasons and I am sure it wouldn't be the ones you just mentioned. Those programs need to improve if they want to stop the out going players. <p></p><i></i>

I went to a private mainly because it was the best alternative to the MPLS public schools. The education there was great because there were no distractions in the classroom. Teachers werent afraid to punish kids if they were a distraction (and no, not in the ruler slap to the wrist kinda way.) I went to publics before 7th grade and found the private education to be much better and more focused. Now I dont know if all hockey players come to the schools for the education, but if they have the chance I dont see why not. <p>________________________________________________________________<br><br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

In response to Elliott70's original post about recruiting young kids. As usual, Elliott hits it on the head about getting kids young. Hastings built their program by offering mites free equipment to use. I understand Eastview will start doing that too. It's imperative to suck kids in early, especially the good athletes. With numbers will come a modicum of success. And success <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>breeds</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> success.<br><br>Oh and way to suck em in with the topic title Elliott! <p></p><i></i>

That is a great idea, giving away free equipment at young ages, who knows how much talent is missing out there because of the high cost of playing. However, what happens when the mite who cant afford equipment falls in love with the game but cant progress when they reach higher levels due to costs? <p>________________________________________________________________<br><br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

If we hook them early and hard, somehow the finances get taken care of. <br>There are so many ways to make it happen financially. <br><br>We have pulltabs and other fundraising that cuts the cost initially for everyone. Then there are pizza sales and wreath sales that can get the cost down on an individual player basis. <br><br>If a family needs further financial help we will get it to them. <br><br>Cost issues can be dealt with. <br><br>What really keeps a lot of people away is the life style.<br><br>Oct thru middle of March for some teams. Travel all over the state, especially the outstate programs. Weekend tournamnets that suck up your time. <br><br>Its a real commitment and some shy away from it. <p></p><i></i>

elliot70,<br>I hear you loud and clear the tough nut to crack is how to overcome parents perception of hockey travel and also the big thing is the cost involved. It is getting to be such a costly sport to play as so much of hockey has moved indoors. Indoor ice time adds up to a healty bill at the end of the year. This is the toughest cost to crack. But I agree totally the better athletes need to play hockey NOT basketball. So many kids get out too early at squirt and pee wee age and some never start to begin with. We have many smug parents in our community who just flat out shirk at the very comment of hockey so the mispercption is huge. I know of kids in basketball and in wrestling who play longer seasons yet do not get the bad wrap hockey does. It is the greatest of sport and I do think that at some point large benefactors of the program need to help assist in the cost of sustaining a healthy youth program. The wild have done that this strike season raising money for Minnesota youth hockey (in Greenway, Grand Rapids, Duluth and Richfield). That is a great start and credit to the guys who did such important work in fundraising. I would like to hear more on creative ways to help kids get involved. <p></p><i></i>

if ya didn't hafe enuff waater un yourn well, wouldja go to da nayboars and steel hez<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :evil --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /devil.gif ALT=":evil"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ore woulddja start two digya a knew well<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> doez da sonday dimmer taaste bedder at grandmum houze <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :b --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... tongue.gif ALT=":b"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ore atda fokeses<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> sportz ais a bout cum pete un wich yourn chyldhood pales<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> takin suckcess aun frailure in dastride. tis lifves less ons<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 8) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... lasses.gif ALT="8)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> two wind awl da tyme tis un natchural<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :\ --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... ohwell.gif ALT=":\"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

Lbow7 - "Please put the crack pipe down..."<br><br>CG - keeper of the lights.<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :hat --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/pimp.gif ALT=":hat"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

bluesbuddy wannabee ^ ^ <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :smokin --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... smokin.gif ALT=":smokin"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p>________________________________________________________________<br><br><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></p><i></i>

dats bloozebuddie und know krack undis pipe<br> <p></p><i></i>

Hastings when they won had transfers. <br>Moorhead = Transfers.<br>Look at where the large youth programs are and you will see a pattern of good High schools. Kids want to play for winners.<br>My son isn't going to play for the local high school, mainly because the current coaching staff isn't very good. The current class of graduates approached the school board and told them no other kids should have to play for them. It isn't just on-ice problems. It's the off-ice stuff that is bad.<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

I am kind of surprised that no one has brought up the select tourneys and all the different "all star" teams that get put together during the summer and fall. Watching this site when ever anyone brings up the "R" word the first defense is usually they play summer hockey with these kids and are good friends. While these camps and select teams help develop hockey players do they also develop stronger programs? <p></p><i></i>

In today's world there are so many summer programs that it is hard to tell. Some are all about making moneyand some are legit. Anyone with a few hundred dollars can play summer hockey somewhere and friends will be made. Are they better programs ? You be the judge. Money is such a huge issue today its hard to tell. It is ice time tho. <p></p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>But is the increase in success of the private school programs bad for hockey?</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><br><br>Yes! <p></p><i></i>

How is the increasing success of private schools bad for hockey?<br><br>AND<br><br>This subject is old and tired, give it a rest already <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :rolleyes --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> . <p></p><i></i>

play in your own damn league...it's not good for HS Hockey....I don't see how leaving your youth program for a class school like breck or blake is beneficial...at least play AA hockey and like most kids stay in their own youth programs and don't bail out for hockey reasons...yes, i know this happens and moorhead had a few kids but the majority of those kids all grew up together and that is what high school hockey is about...nobody gives a rats a$$ about breck, hill-murray, holy angels, and the rest of them..... <p></p><i></i>

Hmmmm, nobody cares about those schools. Right? And that is why holy angels has many people go D-1. I dont even go there and I am backing them in this one and the rest of the private schools. Let the kids do what they want. Maybe people go for education also for their parents. Ever think of that? <p></p><i></i>

This isn't a topic to discuss private schools, (Moorhead) _____________ (put in whatever public school you wish in the blank) attracting kids to their schools, or other bashing topics.<br><br>The point of question is how do you make your local team (or all of hockey) better in terms of quality of players.<br><br>The original point of this thread is to start at the beginning - attract as many young boys and girls you can into HOCKEY - whether its in IFalls, Winona or somewhere in between.<br><br>The more the better, and in that effort you will get better athletes.<br><br>Then the next steps can take place -<br>get them on the ice alot (indoor - outdoor)<br>get them a skating coach<br>get them quality hockey coaches <br>get them quality games with good officiating, good fan support<br><br>then try to keep them home<br><br>but if they leave (private, other public, juniors) - we still have quality hockey players from Minnesota.<br><br>That if we all do the effort in our back yard, then we can all be proud of them - even if they grew up in Grand Rapids, played high school for a year in Duluth East, played somewhere in the USHL when they were 17 & 18, and then won the NCAA championship for BC.<br><br>Then some chump like me in Bemidji can still cheer for him and say he's a Minnesota kid. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p074.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... liott70</A> at: 3/23/05 11:01 pm<br></i>

warroad is the worst team for recrutting... now they are starting to do the same thing in gurls hockey...they are bring in two SIX GRADERS from edina and morah.. i mean come on there in 6th grade! and than they say that they just move there... no i talked to ppl from warroad and they get offerd jobs and everything if they play hockey for them.. and ppl in warroad hockey dont want to go out now... warroad gurls hockey has very low numbers and i talked to ppl from warroad and they just dont want to go out becuz they know that they will bring in someone from a differnt town and they will lose there spot to them.. so why even go out if ur not an all star becuz there will be someone moving in and takeing ur spot <p></p><i></i>

By having kids leave to go and play at private schools, it has allowed a great many more kids the opportunity to play for the public school teams. for every kid that leaves, another opportunity arises for those who might not have otherwise made the team. <p></p><i></i>

The bad thing is the old adage of go out and have some fun hardly pertains anymore. Now it is win,win,win. I know these kids wining state titles are having fun but what percentage is that?? <p></p><i></i>

Warroad does not recruit! <br><br> People just automatically want to uproot their family and improve their way of life and work for the Marvins. Oddly, its only hockey families that make the "quality of life" move. <p></p><i></i>

warroad does to recruit i have friends that have recieved letters to play for roseau and they were offerd jobs at marvins... u cannot say that isnt recruting if u offer there parents a job to play for ur town!! <p></p><i></i>