why JRG ??
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, karl(east)
why JRG ??
I am looking for past and present JRG players to list why they play or played JRG and what they liked and disliked about it.
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tmacjrgold
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:20 am
why JRG?
I can speak for two players, (as they are both my sons).
My oldest son has played Junior Gold for three years, he attended a private school that didn't offer hockey as a sport. I believe even if he had attended a public high school, he would still have played in the Junior Gold program. Simply put; he really enjoyed it. He had some good buddies that played on the team as well, and not being the kind of kid that was die hard hockey 24/7, the schedule allowed him the freedom to do other things. If high school hockey would have been the only option, he may not have continued playing hockey after Bantams.......
My younger son also played Junior Gold last year, skipping his final year of Bantam to do so. He wanted the opportunity to play one season on the same team as his older brother, but also wanted to use the year in Junior Gold to gain experience playing at a higher level, with a faster pace, in order to prepare for high school hockey. He got bounced around a little bit at first but he loved it, and gained some great experience along the way.
So two thumbs up for the Junior Gold program from the McLaughlin family.
My oldest son has played Junior Gold for three years, he attended a private school that didn't offer hockey as a sport. I believe even if he had attended a public high school, he would still have played in the Junior Gold program. Simply put; he really enjoyed it. He had some good buddies that played on the team as well, and not being the kind of kid that was die hard hockey 24/7, the schedule allowed him the freedom to do other things. If high school hockey would have been the only option, he may not have continued playing hockey after Bantams.......
My younger son also played Junior Gold last year, skipping his final year of Bantam to do so. He wanted the opportunity to play one season on the same team as his older brother, but also wanted to use the year in Junior Gold to gain experience playing at a higher level, with a faster pace, in order to prepare for high school hockey. He got bounced around a little bit at first but he loved it, and gained some great experience along the way.
So two thumbs up for the Junior Gold program from the McLaughlin family.
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MooseJawGuy
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:42 pm
As a former player... this is going to be the easiest question to answer!
I played HS for 3 years, and was cut my senior year. Almost quit all together but most of my friends also were cut, and we all decided to play JG. And to this day, I don't regret it for one second. I had more fun playing JG then I ever did in HS... and probably my whole youth hockey career. I only got to play one season, and will remember it for the rest of my life! I'm 2 years removed and still play as much as I can... and am not afraid to admit I played JG to anyone. The only ones who crack jokes are the players that made the HS team that year... but its easily refuted because they (the HS) only won a total of maybe 5-6 games that season, while we (IGH) took 3rd at state that year, only losing two games and tying a few more.
I would put a hefty sum on the fact that you could ask just about any HS player turned JG player, if they would go back to HS; the answer would be NO!
You just can't go wrong IMHO! If your starting this thread because you, or someone you know is trying to make a decision which to play... I would say play JG, and every player like I, who played both HS and JG would probably agree!
Hope this helps!
I played HS for 3 years, and was cut my senior year. Almost quit all together but most of my friends also were cut, and we all decided to play JG. And to this day, I don't regret it for one second. I had more fun playing JG then I ever did in HS... and probably my whole youth hockey career. I only got to play one season, and will remember it for the rest of my life! I'm 2 years removed and still play as much as I can... and am not afraid to admit I played JG to anyone. The only ones who crack jokes are the players that made the HS team that year... but its easily refuted because they (the HS) only won a total of maybe 5-6 games that season, while we (IGH) took 3rd at state that year, only losing two games and tying a few more.
I would put a hefty sum on the fact that you could ask just about any HS player turned JG player, if they would go back to HS; the answer would be NO!
You just can't go wrong IMHO! If your starting this thread because you, or someone you know is trying to make a decision which to play... I would say play JG, and every player like I, who played both HS and JG would probably agree!
Hope this helps!
Moosejawguy quote"
''I would put a hefty sum on the fact that you could ask just about any HS player turned JG player, if they would go back to HS; the answer would be NO!
You just can't go wrong IMHO! If your starting this thread because you, or someone you know is trying to make a decision which to play... I would say play JG, and every player like I, who played both HS and JG would probably agree! "
I coach JG and my son played for 3 years also.
I think there are a lot of kids & parents that are uneducated about the JG
program and I thought it would help for former and current players to list
things they like and dislike about JG.
MOST 1st year JG players don't have a clue on what to expect for the season. Most parents think it's a hack league because all they hear is
the bad stuff.
I think the Metro League and teams state wide have come a long way in
making JG a viable option from HS.
If guys like you list the pros and cons about the league it may help educate more people and help in there desiding where to play.
Also as a coach it helps to know what the players think about the league
and what they like and dislike.
the players I have asked this question to have told me they like the ability to just go play without being over coached. They like that I DON'T
shove systems down there throats and feel they can be more creative
without worrying about making mistakes.
my son said this after his first year in JG " THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT
THE TEAM WAS THE PLAYERS TEAM AND NOT ABOUT THE COACHES"
as a coach it was kind of an eye opener and my style has changed a bit
since then.
anyway thanks for your input and I'm glad you had a great JG experiance.
''I would put a hefty sum on the fact that you could ask just about any HS player turned JG player, if they would go back to HS; the answer would be NO!
You just can't go wrong IMHO! If your starting this thread because you, or someone you know is trying to make a decision which to play... I would say play JG, and every player like I, who played both HS and JG would probably agree! "
I coach JG and my son played for 3 years also.
I think there are a lot of kids & parents that are uneducated about the JG
program and I thought it would help for former and current players to list
things they like and dislike about JG.
MOST 1st year JG players don't have a clue on what to expect for the season. Most parents think it's a hack league because all they hear is
the bad stuff.
I think the Metro League and teams state wide have come a long way in
making JG a viable option from HS.
If guys like you list the pros and cons about the league it may help educate more people and help in there desiding where to play.
Also as a coach it helps to know what the players think about the league
and what they like and dislike.
the players I have asked this question to have told me they like the ability to just go play without being over coached. They like that I DON'T
shove systems down there throats and feel they can be more creative
without worrying about making mistakes.
my son said this after his first year in JG " THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FELT
THE TEAM WAS THE PLAYERS TEAM AND NOT ABOUT THE COACHES"
as a coach it was kind of an eye opener and my style has changed a bit
since then.
anyway thanks for your input and I'm glad you had a great JG experiance.
Jr Gold is a great breeding ground for high school teams that are overcrowded. The smarter coaches around the state use Jr gold either U16 or A&B as a breeding grounds for their younger players as it is more physical and faster than Bantams.
From a players view it is fun. You get to play hockey for what it is, a game. Usually your friends on the team have the same reason for not playing HS whether its lack of time or not wanting to commit their entire year towards it. Also, the drop in talent from HS to Jr Gold is not as considerable as most believe it to be. While you wont see Patrick White, the overall drop off in talent is not as considerable. This makes it competitive without being over competitive.
One con of playing Jr Gold is that it is tougher to get looked at by Jr teams and colleges. Not nearly as many scouts come to games (although last year there were scouts in the stands for the Jr Gold B state tournament) but if you are a standout you may still be seen. That would be my only real complaint from a playing aspect.
The Jr Gold program has really taken off. The coaches and officials of he MHL have done a great job making the league respectable and competitive as well as fun for everyone involved. I hope it continues to move in that direction.
From a players view it is fun. You get to play hockey for what it is, a game. Usually your friends on the team have the same reason for not playing HS whether its lack of time or not wanting to commit their entire year towards it. Also, the drop in talent from HS to Jr Gold is not as considerable as most believe it to be. While you wont see Patrick White, the overall drop off in talent is not as considerable. This makes it competitive without being over competitive.
One con of playing Jr Gold is that it is tougher to get looked at by Jr teams and colleges. Not nearly as many scouts come to games (although last year there were scouts in the stands for the Jr Gold B state tournament) but if you are a standout you may still be seen. That would be my only real complaint from a playing aspect.
The Jr Gold program has really taken off. The coaches and officials of he MHL have done a great job making the league respectable and competitive as well as fun for everyone involved. I hope it continues to move in that direction.