MN Hockey Redistricting Effort

[mnhockeywatch]

Has anyone heard about (or seen a mark-up of) the MN Hockey District Directors recent meeting on the topic?

[TriedThat2]

All the metro teams are moving to District 16 so they can continue to play the Fire.

[SWPrez]

Let me try this. This does not show the exact "take aways"/"adds". I think this is well thought out and a long time coming. District 1 will be disbanded. Teams west of the Mississippi head west. Teams East of the Mississippi head east. Additional shuffles appear to have been made in outstate Districts that abutted the Twin Cities districts.

District 2
White Bear Lake
Stillwater
Roseville Area
Forest Lake
Tartan
Mounds View
North St Paul
Mahtomedi
Irondale
Como
Johnson
Edgcumbe
East Side


District 3
Wayzata
Osseo/Maple Grove
Armstrong/Cooper
Orono
North Metro
Hopkins
St Louis Park
Minneapolis (Washburn/Southwest)
City Of Lakes (formerly Edison)
Mound/Westonka
Crow River

District 4
New Ulm
St Peter
Marshall
Fairmont
Luverne
Windom
Redwood Falls
Sleepy Eye
Worthington


District 5

Buffalo
St Michael/Albertville
Sartell
Monticello
River Lakes
Hutchinson
Litchfield
Willmar
Becker
Sauk Rapids
St Cloud
Little Falls


District 6

Edina
Minnetonka
Eden Prairie
Chaska/Chanhassen
Burnsville
Prior Lake/Savage
Jefferson
Shakopee
Kennedy
Waconia
Richfield

District 8
Lakeville
Woodbury
Eagan
Cottage Grove
Farmington
Rosemount
Hastings
Sibley
Inver Grove Heights
South St Paul
Apple Valley
Eastview

District 9
Mankato
Faribault
New Prague
Owatonna
Albert Lea
Waseca
Austin
Montgomery
Rochester
Red Wing
Winona Area
Northfield
LaCrescent
Dodge County

District 10
Centennial
Anoka
Blaine
Andover
Elk River
Champlin Park
Coon Rapids
Rogers
Princeton
Spring Lake Park
St Francis
Chisago Lakes
Cambridge/Isanti
Pine City
North Branch
Mora
Hinckley

District 11
Duluth
Hermantown
Cloquet
Moose Lake
Proctor
Two Harbors
Silver Bay
Twig
Esko
Cook County
Carlton

District 12
Grand Rapids
Hibbing
International Falls
Eveleth/Gilbert
Virginia
Greenway
Mesabi East
Ely
Babbitt/Embarass
Chisholm

District 15
Grand Rapids
Hibbing
International Falls
Eveleth/Gilbert
Virginia
Greenway
Mesabi East
Ely
Babbitt/Embarass
Chisholm

District 16
Roseau
Thief River Falls
East Grand Forks
Bemidji
Warroad
Crookston
Lake Of The Woods
Red Lake Falls
Hallock
Bagley
Blackduck

[elliott70]

D15 would be a little different than what is here.

It appears D12 was copied by error into D15.

[elliott70]

Tim Timm, Rich Rakness, Mark Jacobs and others did a bunch of work on redistricting.

The directors were looking at it.

But now the Discernment Committee has started to look at it (MH president put them in charge at the Fall meeting). I believe (I hope) that they are taking the work done by the DD group as a starting point, but I don't know what direction they are going.

[elliott70]

This wsa an early version of what was being discussed with some notes.


DISTRICT 1
DINO MIGHTS
COMO
EAST SIDE
EDGCUMBE
EDISON
HIGHLAND/CENTRAL
IRONDALE
JOHNSON/HARDING
MARIUCCI INNER CITY
RICHFIELD
SOUTHWEST
TC WESSY'S BOYS
WASHBURN

DISTRICT 2
CHISAGO LAKES NOT A REAL GOOD FIT
FOREST LAKE
MAHTOMEDI
MOUNDSVIEW
N. ST PAUL
ROSEVILLE
STILLWATER
TARTAN
W BEAR LAKE

DISTRICT 3
ARMSTRONG/COOPER
NORTH METRO
HOPKINS
OSSEO/MAPLE GROVE
OSSEO/MG MITES
ST LOUIS PARK
WAYZATA

DISTRICT 4
LUVERNE
MANKATO
MARSHALL
MONTGOMERY
NEW ULM
REDWOOD FALLS
SLEEPY EYE
ST PETER
WASECA
WINDOM
WORTHINGTON

DISTRICT 5

ANNANDALE/M.L.
MONTICELLO
BUFFALO
COLD SPRING
CROW RIVER
HUTCHINSON
LITCHFIELD/D/C
MOUND WESTONKA
WACONIA
ST MICHEAL/ALB
ORONO

DISTRICT 6
BURNSVILLE
CHASKA
EDEN PRAIRIE
EDINA
JEFFERSON
KENNEDY
MINNETONKA
PRIOR LAKE*
SHAKOPEE*


DISTRICT 8
COTTAGE GROVE EITHER 2 OR 8
APPLE VALLEY
EAGAN
FARMINGTON
HASTINGS
INVER GR HGHTS
EASTVIEW
LAKEVILLE SOUTH
LAKEVILLE NORTH
ROSEMOUNT
S ST PAUL EITHER 1 OR 8
WEST ST PAUL EITHER 1 OR 9
WOODBURY EITHER 2 OR 8

DISTRICT 9
ROCHESTER
WINONA/GOODVIEW
RED WING
LACRESCENT
DODGE COUNTY
NORTHFIELD
ALBERT LEA
AUSTIN
FAIRMOUNT
NEW PRAGUE
FARIBAULT
SHATTUCK.ST MARYS
OWATONNA



DISTRICT 10
ANDOVER
ANOKA
BLAINE
CAMBRIDGE/ISANTI
CENTENNIAL
CHAMPLIN PARK ?????????
COON RAPIDS
ELK RIVER
HINCKLEY ??????
MORA ????? to 14
NORTH BRANCH
PINE CITY ?????? to 14
PRINCETON
ROGERS
ZIMMERMAN remove from list
SPRING LAKE PARK
ST FRANCIS D2 but not a good fit
TOTALS

DISTRICT 11
CARLTON
CLOQUET
COOK COUNTY
DULUTH
ESKO
SANDSTONE* remove from list
HERMANTOWN
MOOSE LAKE
PROCTOR
SILVER BAY
TWIG
TWO HARBORS

DISTRICT12
BABBITT
CHISHOLM
ELY
EVELETH/GILBERT
GRAND RAPIDS
GREENWAY/NAS/KEW
HIBBING
INT'L FALLS
MESABI EAST
VIRGINA

DISTRICT 14
ST CLOUD
SAUK RAPIDS
LITTLE FALLS
SAUK CENTRE ??????
BECKER/BIG LAKE keep in 10
PAYNSEVILLE
SARTELL
WILMAR keep in 5
COLD SPRING ROCORRI
OR THE TEAMS IN THE SOUTH D15 PLAY
FOLEY No Assc.
MILACA No Assc.

DISTRICT 15
ALEXANDRIA
BENSON ??????
BRAINERD
CROSBY/IRONTON/A
DETROIT LAKES
FERGUS FALLS
LEECH LAKE AREA
LONG PRAIRIE ???????
MOORHEAD
MORRIS
PARK RAPIDS
PERHAM
PEQUOT LAKES
WADENA
TOTALS

DISTRICT 16
BAGLEY
BAUDETTE
BEMIDJI
BLACKDUCK
CROOKSTON
E.GRAND FORKS
HALLOCK
RED LAKE FALLS
ROSEAU
THIEF RIVER FALLS
WARROAD

[mnhockeywatch]

I've heard from people in the know the DD's have come to an agreement. Basically the plan is as SWPrez presented. SWPrez are you happy? I think its a very good plan and it was a long time in coming. When will this be formally endorsed by MN Hockey? I'm assuming the enactment date is for the 2010-11 season? D3 has MN Hockey coming to a District meeting on Wed night will this be discussed?

Let me know your thoughts.

[Mac15]

Has anyone thought about the startup problems involved in creating a new district (such as #9 as proposed). Where do you find experienced officers and board members? Where does the start up cash come from? This requires a Pres, DD, Registrar, Referee in Cheif, Coach in Chief, ACE director, Tourney Director, VPs (for bantams, peewees, squirts, girls), secretary, treasurer etc.

When was the last time a new district was created?

[F14]

Mound is playing with us in District 3 single round robin starting this year, they are happy to be back with Orono.

Is Crow River (Delano) coming to District 3 as well?

Also, Is St. Louis Park going it alone again?

I assume Southwest and Washburn are locked since Washburn and Richfield joined the Mpls Park Coop this season.

Anyone?

[youngblood08]

Same goes with D2, Como joined Johnson basically all St Paul teams are a Co-op also. So with that add Woobury and Cottage Grove to D2 (all teams north of Mississippi River. Then move Red Wing and Northfield back to D8, Imagine Red Wing driving to Mankato?

What about Highland?

Still need divison of power for Regionals, divide up the stronger programs. The way SWPrez has it has a couple of very strong, very large programs in the same district, regions would have more lopsided games then it does already.

[DMom]

Same goes with D2, Como joined Johnson basically all St Paul teams are a Co-op also. So with that add Woobury and Cottage Grove to D2 (all teams north of Mississippi River. Then move Red Wing and Northfield back to D8, Imagine Red Wing driving to Mankato?

What about Highland?

Still need divison of power for Regionals, divide up the stronger programs. The way SWPrez has it has a couple of very strong, very large programs in the same district, regions would have more lopsided games then it does already.

It's a 45 minute drive from Forest Lake to Cottage Grove, on a Saturday morning at 6am, driving back across the city to Cottage Grove during rush hour and you are up to an hour and fifteen minutes and Bielenberg is just as bad, it would be even harder for them to come north for anything earlier than a 7 o'clock game. Centennial is 15 minutes from the Forest Lake sports center. Blaine is just as close. I know those times are nothing to outstate people, but in the cities, at least follow the main arteries, like 494 and 694, not a river.

[youngblood08]

Try Lakeville on a Tuesday night. or Rochester for an 8pm Bantam game.


What way are you taking to either if it takes you 45 minutes to CG and 1.25 to Woodbury??

[SWPrez]

Mound is playing with us in District 3 single round robin starting this year, they are happy to be back with Orono.

Is Crow River (Delano) coming to District 3 as well?

Also, Is St. Louis Park going it alone again?

I assume Southwest and Washburn are locked since Washburn and Richfield joined the Mpls Park Coop this season.

Anyone?

Saint Louis Park is going it alone at the squirt level this year and have indicated they want to sunset out of the Storm co-op over time on the boys side. SW and WAHA will most likely combine into one association in the next year (we are 100% combined this year with 600+ players). Because our programs lose so many players to weaker high school programs or a half dozen privates, we will probably always be together with SLP at Bantams.

We have approximately 15 Richfield kids. Under the participation rule, their President left for Highland, and their VP went to Kennedy. We have let Richfield parents know that we will always be a place to play for their kids if they want to play in our program.

[elliott70]

I've heard from people in the know the DD's have come to an agreement. Basically the plan is as SWPrez presented. SWPrez are you happy? I think its a very good plan and it was a long time in coming. When will this be formally endorsed by MN Hockey? I'm assuming the enactment date is for the 2010-11 season? D3 has MN Hockey coming to a District meeting on Wed night will this be discussed?

Let me know your thoughts.

Well, from people I know the DD's are not in agreement as a final plan has never been put in front of them. Some DD's are happy or can live with some of what SW presented, but the DD's are not the ones in control nor the ones working on the subject.

[elliott70]

Let me try this. This does not show the exact "take aways"/"adds". I think this is well thought out and a long time coming. District 1 will be disbanded. Teams west of the Mississippi head west. Teams East of the Mississippi head east. Additional shuffles appear to have been made in outstate Districts that abutted the Twin Cities districts.

District 2
White Bear Lake
Stillwater
Roseville Area
Forest Lake
Tartan
Mounds View
North St Paul
Mahtomedi
Irondale
Como
Johnson
Edgcumbe
East Side


District 3
Wayzata
Osseo/Maple Grove
Armstrong/Cooper
Orono
North Metro
Hopkins
St Louis Park
Minneapolis (Washburn/Southwest)
City Of Lakes (formerly Edison)
Mound/Westonka
Crow River

District 4
New Ulm
St Peter
Marshall
Fairmont
Luverne
Windom
Redwood Falls
Sleepy Eye
Worthington


District 5

Buffalo
St Michael/Albertville
Sartell
Monticello
River Lakes
Hutchinson
Litchfield
Willmar
Becker
Sauk Rapids
St Cloud
Little Falls


District 6

Edina
Minnetonka
Eden Prairie
Chaska/Chanhassen
Burnsville
Prior Lake/Savage
Jefferson
Shakopee
Kennedy
Waconia
Richfield

District 8
Lakeville
Woodbury
Eagan
Cottage Grove
Farmington
Rosemount
Hastings
Sibley
Inver Grove Heights
South St Paul
Apple Valley
Eastview

District 9
Mankato
Faribault
New Prague
Owatonna
Albert Lea
Waseca
Austin
Montgomery
Rochester
Red Wing
Winona Area
Northfield
LaCrescent
Dodge County

District 10
Centennial
Anoka
Blaine
Andover
Elk River
Champlin Park
Coon Rapids
Rogers
Princeton
Spring Lake Park
St Francis
Chisago Lakes
Cambridge/Isanti
Pine City
North Branch
Mora
Hinckley

District 11
Duluth
Hermantown
Cloquet
Moose Lake
Proctor
Two Harbors
Silver Bay
Twig
Esko
Cook County
Carlton

District 12
Grand Rapids
Hibbing
International Falls
Eveleth/Gilbert
Virginia
Greenway
Mesabi East
Ely
Babbitt/Embarass
Chisholm

District 15
Alex
Benson
Brainerd
Crosby
Detroit Lakes
Little Falls (moved to D5)
Long Prairie
Moorhead
Morris
Park Rapids
Pequot Lakes
Perham
Sauk Centre
Wadena
Walker

District 16
Roseau
Thief River Falls
East Grand Forks
Bemidji
Warroad
Crookston
Lake Of The Woods
Red Lake Falls
Hallock
Bagley
Blackduck

Re-did District 15 (showing Litle Falls as a move to D5)

[elliott70]

This from SW is what discernment has come up with so far. They are still meeting.

[SWPrez]

I've heard from people in the know the DD's have come to an agreement. Basically the plan is as SWPrez presented. SWPrez are you happy? I think its a very good plan and it was a long time in coming. When will this be formally endorsed by MN Hockey? I'm assuming the enactment date is for the 2010-11 season? D3 has MN Hockey coming to a District meeting on Wed night will this be discussed?

Let me know your thoughts.

Yes, I am happy with this. Holding on to District 1 was just not going to work. Tom Mickus, our DD is the greatest and has worked hard to keep our District viable. With consolidations - Minneapolis (WAHA/SWHA plus we are absorbing Edison kids) and St. Paul (Johnson/Como) it becomes inevitable - either teams needed to be moved in or we needed to be split out.

Moving teams into District 1 is a political impossibility (we all know this) so moving our kids out so they have a viable league and competition is the way to go. Minneapolis will be a 600+ kid program and should be a viable competitor with most District 3 associations....maybe taking an occasional regional spot or two. I believe this is also a good thing for District 3.

[mnhockeywatch]

SWPrez I appreciate your thoughts. Based on the realities before the city district Tom Mickus navigated a course that puts kids playing hockey at the forefront. I think the MN Hockey Board and the Discernment Committee understand a proposal has to come to the board and a positive vote must occur or the membership will question the long term viability of the MN Hockey model.

Having sat through this video before to no avail....I have a high degree of confidence this time its going to happen!

[elliott70]

SWPrez I appreciate your thoughts. Based on the realities before the city district Tom Mickus navigated a course that puts kids playing hockey at the forefront. I think the MN Hockey Board and the Discernment Committee understand a proposal has to come to the board and a positive vote must occur or the membership will question the long term viability of the MN Hockey model.

Having sat through this video before to no avail....I have a high degree of confidence this time its going to happen!

There definetly will be a change...
exact format is still being discussed but a proposal or two proposals will come up for a vote and there is a high degree of cerrtainty that something will change.

[elliott70]

Tom Mickus is a great DD and a heck of a guy.

[sorno82]

District 3
Wayzata
Osseo/Maple Grove
Armstrong/Cooper
Orono
North Metro
Hopkins
St Louis Park
Minneapolis (Washburn/Southwest)
City Of Lakes (formerly Edison)
Mound/Westonka
Crow River


Now there will by 9 associations that cannot compete with OMG and Wayzata on a consistant basis. Too many wasted games. We need these smaller associations to combine to become competitive.

[InigoMontoya]

Maybe instead of combining associations all around the state there should be a Plymouth Youth Hockey Association?

[sorno82]

Maybe instead of combining associations all around the state there should be a Plymouth Youth Hockey Association?.

Wayzata actually has parts of 8 towns feeding into it, with Medina and Southern Maple Grove having lot of the players in the system. Osseo probably should have merged with North Metro. Maybe split Wayzata up into east/west. Many options that no one will consider for whatever reason.

Personally, I would be in favor of a Western Suburb in-house league. You could ensure consistant competition and not have to apologize for playing keep away for two periods. It would never fly, but it would be what I would prefer.

[mnhockeywatch]

I'm with Elliott...When not if!

Once a realignment finally takes place and precedence is established to adjust territories.

MN Hockey is going mandate a rule that states...'if' an association has 5 teams at a given level they must have at least 2 'A' teams. The stupidity of not allowing more kids to play at an 'elite' (albeit less elite) level at younger ages is ridiculous. Imagine what Wayzata would be like today at the HS level if they ran two equal 'A' teams as apposed to 1 in youth hockey.

To maintain its foothold MN Hockey must broaden the opportunities at the base or we'll lose more kids at younger and younger ages because there are so many other choices...unlike the old days when I was a kid.

To have communities like Wayzata/Plymouth settle for only 1 'A' Team tells you more about the adults than the geography.