HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

I noticed that the High School board has very little discussion about people telling others what their kid should do or people defending their own training decisions.

I can think of several possible reasons for this:

1. By HS, the parents have gained some perspective on this.

2. By HS, anyone involved in a really great training program does not want to share it with the competition.

3. HS parents are no longer insecure about their kids training programs, so they no longer feel the need to publicly defend them.

4. By HS, the kid really is the one who "100% makes the decision" where he is playing.

5. By HS, most parents understand that watching youth hockey for five years does not make them an expert on hockey development.

Any other theories out there?

The core problem is underlined in most your theories - parents

It is just a matter of what affects your personal comfort zone. For Youth/Association hockey, Minnesota Made and the Fire, etc happen to be the lightening rod for controversy.

On the HS board the lightening rod changes to Advanced camps, USHL, Private Schools, etc.

Similar issues, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent (or maybe the psychotic)

Cooper48 wrote:I noticed that the High School board has very little discussion about people telling others what their kid should do or people defending their own training decisions.

I can think of several possible reasons for this:

1. By HS, the parents have gained some perspective on this.

2. By HS, anyone involved in a really great training program does not want to share it with the competition.

3. HS parents are no longer insecure about their kids training programs, so they no longer feel the need to publicly defend them.

4. By HS, the kid really is the one who "100% makes the decision" where he is playing.

5. By HS, most parents understand that watching youth hockey for five years does not make them an expert on hockey development.

Any other theories out there?

My answers
1. I agree they have seen and, or made some mistakes and see more clearly today.

2. Most really great training programs are well known and not secret to anyone whose been around a while.
Also most realize that it's the extra work that's done on the players own, that has more impact then going to a training center. The trainer mostly helps what a player can do already but just needs someone to push them.
But if we're talking younger kids where techniques are still being developed, a trainer can be very valuable.
Also your really never done improving, and if you are, then your on the downslope.


3. Is covered in answer #2

4. Mehhh I wouldn't say that so much, a serious player wants input to where his efforts are going to be best spent but I'll say 90% it's their choice with some input from trusted and experienced sources, then parents.( if they have a clue)

5. Agree, but we can tell the good from the not so good players (when we take of the rose glasses) we can also see the difference in a top notch player and a political choice player
Most probably have also learned that there is always someone that knows more then we do!

Can't Never Tried wrote: Most probably have also learned that there is always someone that knows more than we do!

Would that be HOFam'r?

deserves a rim shot!

number one reason is by highschool most have figured out little johnny is not the next sidney crosby and that they can relax a bit and just let the kid play out his last few years.

Nicely put watchdog....

Could be "post of the Year" by watchdog...very simply put

You can only push a kid so much, the kid will eventually make his own decisions.

At the youth level size and genetics don't play nearly the impact they will come high school, puberty changes the playing field drastically. The best squirt usually isn't the best high school player.

In high school you have more outside influences; grades, attendance, friends, girls, money, etc. all effect what priorities a kid has and where he spends his free time. You can put a kid in AAA but if, as is often the case, at some point he decides hockey isn't really that important what can you do about it?

I have had 4 kids play hockey, 3 eventually quit to do other things. 2 went on to be darn good wrestlers, because that's what their friends did, 1 decided he would rather be pheasant hunting in November or ice fishing in December and January that at hockey practice. 2 played varsity hockey, my youngest quit after his junior year to be an outdoorsman. All did what they wanted to do, not what I wanted which is fine that's part of becoming an adult.

The bottom line is kids are kids and parents eventually realize that their hopes and dreams for their kids 99 times out of 100 aren't their kids hopes and dreams. Most kids don't quit playing hockey because they're not good enough, most quit because they'd rather be doing something else. I get a kick out of all the debate about Bernie, AAA, etc. after all most kids will quit prior to high school anyhow no matter what you do to give them an advantage.

Those of us who have or have had a high school player know, with a rare exception, that is the end of competitive sports for their kids and we just enjoy the ride because it ends all too fast.