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Hi - First time poster; long time lurker.

Does anyone know why Washburn and Richfield youth hockey decided to "share" players?

I've gotten one letter announcing the decision but it didn't give much info. I've sent a few emails but no response so far.

I have a son in the Washburn program. He's more enthusiastic about playing than I am but I'm getting there. I traded in my figure skates last winter! Anyway, I'm not an "insider" so I was just wondering how this will affect the kids.

I've learned a lot lurking here - thanks!

Looks like it is a two year co-op according to the Richfield Hockey site. How many teams have they said the combined organizations will have for 08-09?

http://richfield.pucksystems2.com/attac ... _Final.pdf

Trying to figure out how this benefits the two organizations. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to how this was sold to your membership.

Trying to figure out how this benefits the two organizations. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to how this was sold to your membership.

It's all about numbers. Last season, Richfield didn't field any A teams and Washburns numbers are down as well. By combining their kids, they can have more teams allowing the kids to be able to play at the level they should be playing at, instead of forcing A level players to play B (Richfield) and B level kids on the A team (Washburn).

Many "inside the beltway" area associations are struggling with numbers. Don't be surprised if you see Irondale and Mounds View merge back together to re-form Lake Region Hockey in a few years.

conditioningsucks wrote:Perhaps you could enlighten us as to how this was sold to your membership.

The link you gave was the same letter that went out to families this August. That's the first we had heard of the new plan... and that's all we've heard.

My son is still at the Mite level so maybe the older players have gotten more information. I called the few parents I know and we're all in the dark.

Is this how the Minneapolis/Park program started? What's the quality of their program like?

I wish Elliott was still around. Wouldn't the new group need an affiliate agreement with MN Hockey? If not, what is to prevent the sharing of players between associations to form basically an all-star traveling team?

I would like to hope that the D1 board has already taken care of this from the MN Hockey side as registration time is right around the corner.

This is a sign of the times in the Mpls area and hopefully it will work. Look at the Mpls City HS programs which are combined into East and West already.

On the St. Paul side, there really has been no mergers in awhile, just programs lost such as Westside and Harding.

This makes sense in order to let players play at the levels they belong, but I would think a more formal merger would be in line down the road. Best of luck with this season.

I think what we are seeing here are the last dying gasps of District 1 hockey. In my opinion, there are two options:

1) Disolve District 1 altogether and allow the teams to merge with other Districts., or

2) Merge District 3 and 1 together into one. Teams like Hopkins, Cooper, Highland, Johnson, Como, Irondale, North Metro could form a nice district with comparible strength of opponents. Although, many of these associations would get throttled in competition outside of the District (which is happening already).

If not, what is to prevent the sharing of players between associations to form basically an all-star traveling team?

That's what Mpls Park has done already.

It is true, the two associations are combining in a way. I am not sure, but I had heard that Richfield does not have enough kids to fill a bantam team so merging with Washburn will allow them to have their kids on a bantam team. I also heard long-time bantam coach Jake McCoy is now the Squirt coach. Not sure what really is happening, but I will know more in a couple of weeks. The association is having meetings.

This also is how the high school program goes. If Richfield does not have a bantam team, how can they field a high school team. It is pretty sad, but that is what is happening in the first ring suburbs. Times are tough and with a new election in a couple of months, it will onl;y get worse if the wrong people get elected.....

TriedThat2 wrote:I wish Elliott was still around. Wouldn't the new group need an affiliate agreement with MN Hockey? If not, what is to prevent the sharing of players between associations to form basically an all-star traveling team?

I am still around - resignation from the board is not yet effective....

This is just a form of waiver and is handled by the District.
Both associations have given a yues to the waivers necessary in advance.
If the DD agrees (and he does) the A level kids will play for Washburn (I believe) and the B1 kids at Richfield.