HS Tryout Question

[Jrmom]

Just wondering, but do all High School hockey coaches split kids into a 'varsity' group and 'junior varsity' group. Then proceed to cut kids from each group, but not move kids down from varsity group to junior varsity. My son is a 10th grader and was put into the varsity group, then cut from the varsity group. Would he have made it through the junior varsity group, maybe, or maybe not. It just seems odd to cut from varsity and not let them move down to try out for junior varsity.

We will move on from here, but just wondering......

[HasNoMoves]

well that sounds interesting to say the least, i could understand if your son was a junior, to give him a crack at varsity or to cut him, but as a 10th grader if he was not ready for the varsity program he should have been put with the JV and given a year to see if he progresses enough to make the varsity squad as a junior, for all i know he played bantams last year as a 9th grader and this is his first and only taste of HS hockey...its not right, and you should question the coach, and if you are not satisfied with the answer i would take it up with school administators. good luck, and my sympathies to you and your son.

[CoachJ]

well that sounds interesting to say the least, i could understand if your son was a junior, to give him a crack at varsity or to cut him, but as a 10th grader if he was not ready for the varsity program he should have been put with the JV and given a year to see if he progresses enough to make the varsity squad as a junior, for all i know he played bantams last year as a 9th grader and this is his first and only taste of HS hockey...its not right, and you should question the coach, and if you are not satisfied with the answer i would take it up with school administators. good luck, and my sympathies to you and your son.

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

[wbmd]

well that sounds interesting to say the least, i could understand if your son was a junior, to give him a crack at varsity or to cut him, but as a 10th grader if he was not ready for the varsity program he should have been put with the JV and given a year to see if he progresses enough to make the varsity squad as a junior, for all i know he played bantams last year as a 9th grader and this is his first and only taste of HS hockey...its not right, and you should question the coach, and if you are not satisfied with the answer i would take it up with school administators. good luck, and my sympathies to you and your son.

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

Since when are sophomore's eligible for bantams?

Last I checked, they weren't.

[youngblood08]

well that sounds interesting to say the least, i could understand if your son was a junior, to give him a crack at varsity or to cut him, but as a 10th grader if he was not ready for the varsity program he should have been put with the JV and given a year to see if he progresses enough to make the varsity squad as a junior, for all i know he played bantams last year as a 9th grader and this is his first and only taste of HS hockey...its not right, and you should question the coach, and if you are not satisfied with the answer i would take it up with school administators. good luck, and my sympathies to you and your son.

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

Since when are sophomore's eligible for bantams?

Last I checked, they weren't.

If they were born after July 1st they can still play Bantams. So right now I believe it's after July 1st of 1993 for the current bantams

[CoachJ]

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

Since when are sophomore's eligible for bantams?

Last I checked, they weren't.

If they were born after July 1st they can still play Bantams. So right now I believe it's after July 1st of 1993 for the current bantams

Thanks for correcting him. I talked to JRMOM on youth page and thats how I knew he was still playing bantams. Some kids start school early and thats how they have options. It has nothing to do with grade.

[Bucky]

So is he still able to play on the Bantam team that he tried out for?

[BodyShots]

Since when are sophomore's eligible for bantams?

Last I checked, they weren't.

If they were born after July 1st they can still play Bantams. So right now I believe it's after July 1st of 1993 for the current bantams

Thanks for correcting him. I talked to JRMOM on youth page and thats how I knew he was still playing bantams. Some kids start school early and thats how they have options. It has nothing to do with grade.

It's not that kids start school early. The issue is Minnesota hockey chose to run their youth leagues on a calandar year that runs 7/1 - 6/30. Why they didn't match up with either school (9/1 - 8/31) or the calenar year 1/1 - 12/31) is beyond me. You look at bantam teams now, and the issues this creates in ridiculous. Bantam teams have been playing games for three weeks and all of a sudden some of their players tryout for HS teams and end up making them. Now the bantam teams have to scramble to bring kids up from B1 which causes them headaches. The whole thing is a mess.

[Goldy Gopher]

well that sounds interesting to say the least, i could understand if your son was a junior, to give him a crack at varsity or to cut him, but as a 10th grader if he was not ready for the varsity program he should have been put with the JV and given a year to see if he progresses enough to make the varsity squad as a junior, for all i know he played bantams last year as a 9th grader and this is his first and only taste of HS hockey...its not right, and you should question the coach, and if you are not satisfied with the answer i would take it up with school administators. good luck, and my sympathies to you and your son.

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

Since when are sophomore's eligible for bantams?

Last I checked, they weren't.

Goldy played Bantams as a Sophomore.

[iwearmysunglassesatnight]

look for MN Hockey to correct the age classification in the next 6 months, effective for 2009 season, and allow the kids to play with their peers.

Research, proposals, ideas, and outcome of their current age has been given to them... it is in the discernment committee now to correct.. it has been 11 years since they looked at their demographics..

[O-townClown]

look for MN Hockey to correct the age classification in the next 6 months, effective for 2009 season, and allow the kids to play with their peers.

Correct it how? Move to September 1st or go to calendar year like the rest of the country? It is my understanding that Minnesota wants 9th graders to be able to play Bantams, in which case calendar year fails. I'm sure they chose July 1st since so many July?August birthdays wait to start school. At least for boys.

[seek & destroy]

I Think your son wasn't moved to JV Squad, since your son is able to still play bantams 1 more year. I think the coach is letting you know he thinks your son should play bantams instead of JV. I think your coach showed a lot of respect for your son in how he handled him. Finish strong in Bantams and show the coach your ready next year. Good Luck

Yet another example of how, when you hear the WHOLE story, it all makes sense. A kid who is Bantam eligible in 10th grade should either make the Varsity team or play Bantams. He'll get more game time and experience in a season of Bantams then he would playing on a JV team. Your coach did the absolute right thing. I just find it humerous how I find myself agreeing one minute with the initial issue and then when you get further details, you realize that it all makes sense...go figure.

Thanks Coach J for shedding a little light on it.

[Jrmom]

NO objection at all with my man returning to Bantams. i much prefer that schedule and the rink is closer to home. I just didn't really understand the logic for cutting him from V, but not giving him a shot at JV. I have a much better understanding of it now, thanks to all the responses. Which is why I asked here...

thanks again.

[hockeyblitz]

It is a wrongful perception that people actually believe that youth hockey and high school hockey have any correlation whatsoever. They are two entirely different entities within themselves. Minnesota high school rules say that the athletic programs are a 7th thru 12th grade eligible program throughout the state. The high school coach has the ability to cut the bantam eligible student from the varsity level, however he would be on shaky ground if the student is actually more talented than other players that made the varsity. In essence the player would still be able to play JV unless however the JV roster is full and the student didn't make the grade there as well. If the roster(JV) isn't full the player has the right to play JV over bantams as there is no rules that apply to having to have to play bantams before high school. Especially if the student is already currently in high school (9th grade). The reason the bantam season already has two to three games under there belt at the conclusion of the high school tryouts is because there is no recognizable correlation between the two besides the age verification which is only for the youth hockey piece. We get into to much of a habit trying to establish a correlation between the two and forget about the rules that apply to both entities.

[eagle4life9]

If the coaches decision was really to let the kid play bantams again thats just fine. I have nothing wrong with that. In fact most high school coaches tell kids that if you're trying out and still eligible for bantams that you will have to make the varsity team or else we will cut you.

The problem I have is that if the coach wanted this kid to play bantams again, why didnt he tell him that when he cut him. Coaches need to be honest with kids when they cut them. Its not that big of a deal for a coach to sit down individually with each kid cut and let them know why.

[Dazed&Confused]

I have a great concept Lets have every coach write a letter or expose on why you are special. Bull ITY^(^ get over it your kid got cut tellhi to work harder and try again!!!!!!

[Doglover]

I think it's great if the HS coaches actually do sit down and tell the players why they were cut. Does that happen anywhere?

JV is considerably cheaper than Bantams. If a player is Bantam eligible but in 9th grade and tries out for Varsity - I think they have every right to play JV if they are better than the other players. I agree with the "shaky ground" stand, but unfortunately, what can you really do about it? Nothing. You have to try out for the same coach next year again, so is it really worth it to fight it? Probably not. I think it's terribly wrong though if the coach is not straightforward about his "rules" and placement philosophy.

Sometimes I think the power and control gets a bit over the top. These are kids and this is a big deal to them - even though it's just a sport. Lots of kids work their whole lives to make their HS Varsity Hockey team. I know many of the coaches agonize over these decisions - knowing they are destroying kids' dreams. It's tough for everyone. Well, except the ones who make it

[hockeyblitz]

This certainly is an interesting converstation. Eagleforlife, in regards to your comments on the coach letting the kids know they need to play bantams there are ways the coaches need to handle this tactfully. One, the coach needs to encourage the kids to play bantams if the coach has this philosophy due to the high school rule that this is a 7-12 program in which the kid has the right to play high school hockey9. Now I know I am sounding repetitive but most of these coaches live and die by what Doglover referred to as "HIS RULES" (referring to the coaches). Most do get away with this regardless of the actual rules that apply that are handed down by the minnesota high school league. Doglover, You made the comment that "is this worth fighting for". Well different circumstances can be a cause for different measures that we take. However remember your child has only one four year experience in high school and then it is done. I myself would make it worth the while if deemed necessary. I have stated in my last two messages alot of the rules that apply but have not given my stance on the matter. I don't feel 7-8 graders are physically capable of handling the varsity and possibly the JV level in which I have not made an arguement for. However with this whole topic I have a problem not allowing a high school age kid (9th grade) participate with his peers whether it be JV or Varsity regardless of philosophies. Alot of this comes down to money (youth hockey) and not what by rule the kid is able to do. Not allowing a high school kid to participate in high school sports brings up an enormous legaility issue that an administration of a school would not touch with rob blake's stick. But again most people don't fight these battles and they are won by the coach with "His Rules".

[bananastick]

I have a great concept Lets have every coach write a letter or expose on why you are special. Bull ITY^(^ get over it your kid got cut tellhi to work harder and try again!!!!!!

You really have exposed your ignorance with your comment. Is it asking too much for a coach to have a 2 minute conversation with a player to inform him why he didn't make it? Coaches are usually teachers, teachers should be good communicators, atleast one would think so. It would be interesting to know how many players and their parents think their coach is a good communicator. I would be surprised if many said they were. My sons coach several years ago was terrible and he was a teacher.

[Jrmom]

Where my son tried out there is no conversation after a child is cut. The names of the kids who are to come the next day are posted on the glass for about 5 minutes. At that point, the asst. coach comes and removes it. The HC is long gone when the names are posted.

Might I repeat that my son is happy on his Bantam team, we are all good with it. But for the coach to make a blanket statement that he will not take kids with Bantam eligibility is not really 'fair', the state says they are eligible.

The best part about it is that he knew going in that he was going to be cut, he probably had the best tryout he has ever had, there was no pressure on him.

In the end coach took 2 players with a Bantam year left, so you just move on.