Edina PeeWee A Shenanigans (?)

[EdinaRumors]

Rumors are often no more than just rumors, but there is one going around Edina that needs to be put to rest. The rumor is that;

1.) The Edina PeeWee A Team has already been picked and that,

2.) The parents of the kids picked have already been notified, and that,

3.) The team has entered an out of state Tournament in Colorado in early october, and that,

4.) The parents of the players picked have already made travel plans for Colorado

My question to anyone who may be in the know ... is this true?

If it is true, who is responsible for these decisions?

Considering player registration is open till September 12th and PeeWee tryouts are 3-4 weeks away , is this fair? Is this ethical?

I also realize that rumors are often nothing more than that and I would be happy if someone in an authorative position could dispell the rumor(s) and put this to rest publicly.

Any light shed on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

[GoldenBear]

Go walk your poodle around Lake Harriott; buy a $10 Moka choka with a raspberry twist; don't forget to wear your birkenstocks and don't worry about it. If your kid wasn't selected in September to wear the hornet on his chest its no big deal....I guarantee you its just a rumor so get a life and enjoy football season.

GB

[EdinaRumors]

[quote="GoldenBear"]don't worry about it. If your kid wasn't selected in September to wear the hornet on his chest its no big deal....I guarantee you its just a rumor so get a life and enjoy football season.[/quote]

It's not a matter of worry. It's a matter of fact - is it true or not?

If it is true, then players aspiring to play peewee A hockey ought to know so they can get waivered and try out elsewhere instead of registering in Edina under a false pretense.

[U10Father]

Except Edina won't grant your waiver.

They like good B1 teams, good B2 teams, Lots of kids filling up their C teams helping to defray their costs...

[buttend]

I heard the team already had its first practice last Thursday at Breamar. To keep under the radar its advertised as a Fall Pee Wee Pre -Tryout Skate but we all know thats just a front.

[EdinaRumors]

[quote="buttend"]I heard the team already had its first practice last Thursday at Breamar. To keep under the radar its advertised as a Fall Pee Wee Pre -Tryout Skate but we all know thats just a front.[/quote]


Any idea who ran the skate? What adults were on the ice? Which kids were on the ice?

[EdinaRumors]

...

[C-dad]

I'm not "in the know" although I know some of the people involved, but I'd bet there is a tiny kernel of truth here surrounded by a lot of guesses and assumptions.

The EHA has scheduled most teams in the tournaments they will play already and they may very well have scheduled the PWA for this CO tourney. It's even possible some parents have booked rooms or flights on the assumption their kids will make the team. Maybe the second years who were on the team last year?

I know some of the parents of last year's SQA team have booked ice and been doing pre-tryout skates. Some of them probably expect their kids will make the PWA. I'd guess some of them will be disappointed.

I'd bet a large sum of money that the team is not yet picked. I'd also bet a smaller sum that some of the kids who will make this team are known to all involved and no one doubts they'll make the team. I'd bet another sum that there will be a couple surprises for spots 12-15 on this team's final roster.

[hockeymom1]

why all the worries about preseason skates. some kids do and some dont. it is what it is. Quality A coaches will pick the best kids at tryouts. let the kids performance speak for them. some kids are better than others with or without preskates. it goes both ways.
if returning families want to make reservations who cares... its prudent planning.

that being said if your kid is a bubble kid he may learn a lot more about leadership and have more fun playng as the top guy on a B or C team rather than the lower end kid on a A or B team. let the chips fall where they may and hopefully parents do what they are supposed to do when teams are announced - support decisions in a positive respecful manner and PARENT their kids. in fact hopefully the parenting has already been done so there are no life altering moments when a kid doesnt make A or B.

as far as the CO tourney - MN teams are virtually excluded from out of State tourneys due to the extra birth year at each level which is not in line with USA hockey in other States and other teams wont accept MN teams as opposition (WI exempt).
ex MN BTM team has '96, '95 and '94 kids. other USA States BTM teams do not have any '94's. THUS MN teams at PW and SQ will have same issue and if opposing teams in the tourney find out they wont be happy. most Tourney Directors are aware of this issue with MN teams and want nothing to do with them in tourneys.

[O-townClown]

I know some of the parents of last year's SQA team have booked ice and been doing pre-tryout skates. Some of them probably expect their kids will make the PWA. I'd guess some of them will be disappointed.

I think you are right. Given the strength of this group of kids as Squirts two years ago it is an awfully hard team to make.

My guess is that there are a group of parents that are assuming their kids will make the team and they are right. If you have a boy that was a top player on the 40whaterver and 1 team two years ago and a very good B1 player as a first year and you can't name 10 Edina kids better than yours... well, you get my point.

I'm sure parents are smart enough to do the math and know that there are probably 25 kids "good enough" to make the 17-boy roster. I've heard the goaltending competition is very strong.

We shall see.

Hopefully people know that you can fail to make a Pee Wee A team and a) still have a blast, and b) still become an excellent player.

[Toomuchtoosoon]

This type of thing goes on a lot. A group of parents get the group of kids together who they think will make the "A" team. They start skating together in the summer, with parent coach dads taking the helm. People left out of this group eventually find out about it and start doing the math. Low and behold, most if not all the kids in that group make the "A" team.

Was the team really chosen early, or was it an educated guess who those kids were? The problem obviously is with the bubble kids who make it who were also part of this group. The perception by those on the outside is that it is predetermined, and their assumptions are probably based on what they observe.

Edina PeeWees this year are very deep. I do not know if there is a clear bottom 5, but the top 10 are probably obvious. Parents of kids in the bottom 5 may think the kid is top 10, so they may be making travel arrangements.

It will be interesting how it ends up-but if anyone tried to pick the team in August, I am sure there would be some major issues at the board. It may be worth the price of admission if it is anything like the former NHLer who went nuts at Braemar two years ago happens again.

[C-dad]

One other comment. The EHA started last year holding blocks of rooms for travel tourneys (this happened after some very long commutes for teams the year before, like Brainerd rooms for Breezy Point tourney) so I'm sure there are rooms blocked if there is an EHA team planning to play in CO.

[RUKidding]

This type of thing goes on a lot. A group of parents get the group of kids together who they think will make the "A" team. They start skating together in the summer, with parent coach dads taking the helm. People left out of this group eventually find out about it and start doing the math. Low and behold, most if not all the kids in that group make the "A" team.

I think you're absolutely correct. There are a bunch of parents assuming/betting their kid will make the team and are prematurely making plans. But get ready for the fireworks. Every year a few parents figure the team will basically look like the same high powered Squirt team. This is especially true if the coach has any interest in size. Once you can play the body, that highly skilled water bug can be neutralized and may not be on the team. You also see the kid that enters puberty ahead of his friends and starts developing the strength and more adult coordination, bumping out the water bug. The only thing that negates this is a Peewee A coach with a particular loyalty to that Squirt group of kids/parents. I believe the Edina Peewee A coach is a top end coach that will pick the right team regardless of parent influence.

Don't forget about those fireworks.

[Toomuchtoosoon]

Wayzata won PeeWee A in 2007 and Bantam A in 2009. There was a difference of 6 skaters and both goalies. Statistically, that is just under a 50% turnover in players. The B teams both years were very good, taking 1st and 2nd in peewees, and taking 2nd in Bantams. Only two kids on the PeeWee team left early to play Highschool (Both at Benilde). The core remained the same, but other kids came on and made the team.

Some PeeWee parents in Edina may want to get refundable tickets.

[buttend]

I heard the team already had its first practice last Thursday at Breamar. To keep under the radar its advertised as a Fall Pee Wee Pre -Tryout Skate but we all know thats just a front.

Any idea who ran the skate? What adults were on the ice? Which kids were on the ice?

Bantam A and PeeWee A coachs on the ice.

96 Machine, Deuce and Stealth Edina players
97 Machine, Deuce, Blades, Synergy and Stealth Edina players

Where kids invited to the Pre-skate? Yes
Is the team picked? No! Tryouts have not been held.
Do the coaches, parents and players know who are the top 20 players? Yes, and that can be said in any Association
Is there any competition in this tryout? Yes, spots 11-15 are up for grabs, probably 10-12 really good players competing for those spots. Again same in any association.
Edina A teams are the toughest teams to make due to the number of players. Edina should have 2 PeeWee "A" teams. Last year their PeeWee B1 Teams were in the top 5 all year. It will be the same again this year.

Estimated PeeWee Teams in D6

Edina 9-11
EP 7-8
Burnsville 5
PL 4-5
Shakopee 3
AV 4
Eastview 4-5
Minnetonka 6
Waconia 4
Bloom Kenn 3
Bloom Jeff 4-5
Chaska 5-6

Edina will have almost twice the number of teams over most of the other Associations in D6.

EdinaRumors,

Your beef should not be "I heard the team was picked" we hear that cry every year here. Your beef should be "Why are we not having 2 A teams to give more kids a chance to compete at the PeeWee A level in D6" In reality, if you were not invited to the pre-skate you skater is probably outside of the top 22 players.

[buttend]

I know some of the parents of last year's SQA team have booked ice and been doing pre-tryout skates. Some of them probably expect their kids will make the PWA. I'd guess some of them will be disappointed.

I think you are right. Given the strength of this group of kids as Squirts two years ago it is an awfully hard team to make.

My guess is that there are a group of parents that are assuming their kids will make the team and they are right. If you have a boy that was a top player on the 40whaterver and 1 team two years ago and a very good B1 player as a first year and you can't name 10 Edina kids better than yours... well, you get my point.

I'm sure parents are smart enough to do the math and know that there are probably 25 kids "good enough" to make the 17-boy roster. I've heard the goaltending competition is very strong.

We shall see.

Hopefully people know that you can fail to make a Pee Wee A team and a) still have a blast, and b) still become an excellent player.

Welcome back O-Town, you have been MIA for the summer.

[RUKidding]

Wayzata won PeeWee A in 2007 and Bantam A in 2009. There was a difference of 6 skaters and both goalies. Statistically, that is just under a 50% turnover in players. The B teams both years were very good, taking 1st and 2nd in peewees, and taking 2nd in Bantams. Only two kids on the PeeWee team left early to play Highschool (Both at Benilde). The core remained the same, but other kids came on and made the team.

Some PeeWee parents in Edina may want to get refundable tickets.

Excellent example. I'll bet the turnover/success at the Squirt level was even more different. Individual success at the Squirt level is no indicator of future success.

[O-townClown]

Buttend,

I've lurked. No posts probably. Too far away.

But.... today watched a bunch of games and still had dinner on the Gulf of Mexico!

Saw some crazy stuff. Team of all roller kids played their first hockey games yesterday and were winning today! I don't know if it is just their program or if all roller kids spread and pass this well. Fun to watch.

Lightning GM sighting too.

[C-dad]

Lightning GM sighting too.

Did Brian's kid find a good place to play down there?

[Lily Braden]

I heard the team already had its first practice last Thursday at Breamar. To keep under the radar its advertised as a Fall Pee Wee Pre -Tryout Skate but we all know thats just a front.

Any idea who ran the skate? What adults were on the ice? Which kids were on the ice?

Bantam A and PeeWee A coachs on the ice.

96 Machine, Deuce and Stealth Edina players
97 Machine, Deuce, Blades, Synergy and Stealth Edina players

Where kids invited to the Pre-skate? Yes
Is the team picked? No! Tryouts have not been held.
Do the coaches, parents and players know who are the top 20 players? Yes, and that can be said in any Association
Is there any competition in this tryout? Yes, spots 11-15 are up for grabs, probably 10-12 really good players competing for those spots. Again same in any association.
Edina A teams are the toughest teams to make due to the number of players. Edina should have 2 PeeWee "A" teams. Last year their PeeWee B1 Teams were in the top 5 all year. It will be the same again this year.

Estimated PeeWee Teams in D6

Edina 9-11
EP 7-8
Burnsville 5
PL 4-5
Shakopee 3
AV 4
Eastview 4-5
Minnetonka 6
Waconia 4
Bloom Kenn 3
Bloom Jeff 4-5
Chaska 5-6

Edina will have almost twice the number of teams over most of the other Associations in D6.

EdinaRumors,

Your beef should not be "I heard the team was picked" we hear that cry every year here. Your beef should be "Why are we not having 2 A teams to give more kids a chance to compete at the PeeWee A level in D6" In reality, if you were not invited to the pre-skate you skater is probably outside of the top 22 players.

I heard Edina was adding a team, but it's not clear which team. Rumors are either a B1 or a C team. Anyone know? And who benefits or gets hurt with those scenerios?
They will not be adding an A team.

[O-townClown]

Did Brian's kid find a good place to play down there?

Youth hockey in Florida is like other areas where the better players seem to 'bubble up' to strong teams. A -> AA -> AAA

The only downside to a AAA team in Florida is that you don't have much local competition and are traveling a lot. I don't mean Minnetonka to Mahtomedi, I mean Miami to Montreal. Planes.

At many birth years there are AAA teams for the Jr. Everblades and Jr. Panthers. Some odds and ends like Storm '98 or Lightning '96 give the state 2 or 3 AAA teams at each age.

I think his kids are AA and AAA players.

[C-dad]

I heard Edina was adding a team, but it's not clear which team. Rumors are either a B1 or a C team. Anyone know? And who benefits or gets hurt with those scenerios?
They will not be adding an A team.

I would hope they are adding at least a team. They show 9 right now for PW. The same cohort of kids had 12 teams when there were over 190 out for squirts 2 years ago and last year when there were over 170 out for squirts there were 11 teams. I know there'll be some attrition but I'd be surprised if there are not enough kids for 10 or 11 teams this year. Each of the past 2 years the board has been surprised that there was less attrition than projected with this group (and so was I).

[PoniesDad45]

Go walk your poodle around Lake Harriott; buy a $10 Moka choka with a raspberry twist; don't forget to wear your birkenstocks and don't worry about it. If your kid wasn't selected in September to wear the hornet on his chest its no big deal....I guarantee you its just a rumor so get a life and enjoy football season.

GB

LMAO!!!

E---Every
D--Day
I--I
N--Need
A--Attention

[jancze5]

I sorta like what EDINA is doing, taking there team out of state to play in what will be a field filled with good teams.

I'll go out on a limb and say that Edina PW A this year goes about
40-2 and outscores its opponents by at least 140 goals and goes deep into
if not wins the state title.

Of those 42 games, they will play no more than 8 or 10 that the other team is even on the ice with them, so if they choose to go out of state to play games, then good for them as long as they aren't breaking any MNHOCK rules.

I concur with others, they need 2 A teams, I know they had 2 B1's last year that went a combined like 100-4 or something crazy like that (not looking up the specifics)

[ThePuckStopsHere]

I sorta like what EDINA is doing, taking there team out of state to play in what will be a field filled with good teams.

I'll go out on a limb and say that Edina PW A this year goes about
40-2 and outscores its opponents by at least 140 goals and goes deep into
if not wins the state title.

Of those 42 games, they will play no more than 8 or 10 that the other team is even on the ice with them, so if they choose to go out of state to play games, then good for them as long as they aren't breaking any MNHOCK rules.

I concur with others, they need 2 A teams, I know they had 2 B1's last year that went a combined like 100-4 or something crazy like that (not looking up the specifics)

Funny, I don't believe either Edina Pee Wee B1 team last year won the state tournament?? Also if I'm correct didn't Edina have two A Squirt teams last year and the lesser of the two teams pretty much lost every game??

It's amazing on the affect of a VERY LARGE EGO will do in judging hockey talent.