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This year the 95 kids are eligible for the Advanced 15 Development program. Im curious to hear from folks that have been through the program before on a couple points.

First, is the program invitation only or can you lobby for a player? Second, it appears that a pretty wide net is cast allowing most 95's to participate in the District tryouts which may be a politcal play to satisfy parents. Is the tryout process more a formality, with the District coaches having a pretty good idea coming in who the top kids are? I am also looking for input on the overall experience for the kids.

Different districts have slightly different formats as to how many kids are sent to tryouts and how they're chosen. Yes, generally a fairly wide net, but it's all just a numbers thing. How many can the district accomodate? Our district allows the coach to nominate three players per team. Your coach, generally, chooses who he wants to send. The district may pair that number down some. You can lobby your coach. I doubt that lobbying the district would do much good.

Nothing is perfect. It's a quick tryout process. Kids are missed at each juncture. They do their best. If he's lucky enough to get to St. Cloud, yes, it's a great experience for them.

Not sure how other Districts did things last year, but this is how District 1 did it.

Coaches placed nominations for kids that were at the age level.

District Coach tried to get out and watch the players during playoffs. Letters sent out to those individuals who made the tryout.

District coach put together four teams (15 skaters/2 goalies per team), essentially cutting kids that just weren't going to compete prior to first sessions.

Couple of practices, and a one day District festival where each team played three games.

Final team picked.

Not a lot of politics involved. Like any tryout, the top 10 are easy to pick, the next 10-15 become a coin toss and there were kids that probably should have made it that didn't. Not politics....could have been a bad tryout or accidentally overlooked.

SWPrez wrote:Not sure how other Districts did things last year, but this is how District 1 did it.

Coaches placed nominations for kids that were at the age level.

District Coach tried to get out and watch the players during playoffs. Letters sent out to those individuals who made the tryout.

District coach put together four teams (15 skaters/2 goalies per team), essentially cutting kids that just weren't going to compete prior to first sessions.

Couple of practices, and a one day District festival where each team played three games.

Final team picked.

Not a lot of politics involved. Like any tryout, the top 10 are easy to pick, the next 10-15 become a coin toss and there were kids that probably should have made it that didn't. Not politics....could have been a bad tryout or accidentally overlooked.

District 1 was able to put together 4 teams last season?? From what I hear, this year there were only 44 kids (I assume this includes both skaters and goalies) who were asked to participate in the tryouts....definitely not enought to fill 4 separate teams. I wonder if that's due to a low # of 1995-born players?

I believe every District starts with 44. D1 may invite most every player while big Districts, like 8 or 10, are very selective with only 2-3 coming from a single association. They do like representation from every association I think so you get the 5-6 best player from the top team not invited to allow the best player from a weaker association an invite. They'll be some screaming because it's not a perfect process but I do think they do a good job getting most of the best players involved.

I think it has to do with when they were born in 95, I could be wrong but if you are before July 1 you have to play U16 Kids born after July 1 through july 1 of 96 are the kids that play U15 I think.

No. Advance 15 (95s)-16 (94s)-17 (93s) is totally based on birthyear.

Kind of tough for 1st year 95 Bantam's !

hockeydawg wrote:Kind of tough for 1st year 95 Bantam's !

Yeah, it is.....but it's a national tournament and they go by USA Hockey birthdates.

But my question still stands to SWPres...did they really invite enough District 1 1994-birth years last season to fill four teams for a district festival? This season, there is only a tryout to determine the top 20 of the 44 invited, then that top 20 play in the Bantam Festival in early May at New Hope Arena.

The 44 practiced in two different groups for a couple of weeks. Then on a Saturday they divided into 4 teams and played a long period against each of the other three teams. The District team was selected after that day and then they practiced a couple more weeks as the District team, played a couple of seeding games, and then the Advanced 15 Festival at New Hope.

muckandgrind wrote:

hockeydawg wrote:Kind of tough for 1st year 95 Bantam's !

Yeah, it is.....but it's a national tournament and they go by USA Hockey birthdates.

But my question still stands to SWPres...did they really invite enough District 1 1994-birth years last season to fill four teams for a district festival? This season, there is only a tryout to determine the top 20 of the 44 invited, then that top 20 play in the Bantam Festival in early May at New Hope Arena.

Muck,

This is my recollection from last year, they divided into four teams (and now that I think about it more, it was 10 skaters and 1 goalie per team). They had four full team of skaters and were short one goalie. The goalies rotated into that extra open spot when not playing for their assigned team.

Night Train is correct. They separated into two groups of twenty plus goalies and had two practices. Then, they had the District Festival (one day of scrimmages per the format above), and then selected the 20 for the 15 Festival at New Hope following the District Festival.

SWPrez wrote:

muckandgrind wrote:

hockeydawg wrote:Kind of tough for 1st year 95 Bantam's !

Yeah, it is.....but it's a national tournament and they go by USA Hockey birthdates.

But my question still stands to SWPres...did they really invite enough District 1 1994-birth years last season to fill four teams for a district festival? This season, there is only a tryout to determine the top 20 of the 44 invited, then that top 20 play in the Bantam Festival in early May at New Hope Arena.

Muck,

This is my recollection from last year, they divided into four teams (and now that I think about it more, it was 10 skaters and 1 goalie per team). They had four full team of skaters and were short one goalie. The goalies rotated into that extra open spot when not playing for their assigned team.

Night Train is correct. They separated into two groups of twenty plus goalies and had two practices. Then, they had the District Festival (one day of scrimmages per the format above), and then selected the 20 for the 15 Festival at New Hope following the District Festival.

Thanks...that makes sense....I'm wondering if they'll do the same this year.

So from what I have been reading. If you are not on the Blades stay home.

My son got a letter on Wednesday and they are having a three day tryout to get down to 30 players after Wednesday the 24th. Then those 30 practice for 2-3 weeks before they whittle down to the final 20.

It sounds like the 30 are divided into two teams at some point and they have a full scrimmage before the Last 20 are named.

I think we have at least 44 players (if not more) starting out although I have no idea who else is going through the tryouts.

pantherfan wrote:So from what I have been reading. If you are not on the Blades stay home.

If your kid doesn't get a letter, stay home.

Cooper go to the Bantam A players that stick out to me thread and read some of the posts. you will see what I am talking about.

As the kids get into high school, most (not all) of the best players end up playing for the Blades. This is because the Blades take teams to the tournaments that USHL/college scouts go to. The Blades are the team that organizations around North America think of for Minnesota Hockey players

For example Jake Gardiner played years for the icemen then went to Toronto with the Blades.

The 95 team that comes out of the St. Cloud festival will have plenty of Blades kids on it but there is also plenty of room for other good players. Its about your performance in the games.

Trojanhorse wrote:As the kids get into high school, most (not all) of the best players end up playing for the Blades. This is because the Blades take teams to the tournaments that USHL/college scouts go to. The Blades are the team that organizations around North America think of for Minnesota Hockey players

For example Jake Gardiner played years for the icemen then went to Toronto with the Blades.

The 95 team that comes out of the St. Cloud festival will have plenty of Blades kids on it but there is also plenty of room for other good players. Its about your performance in the games.

I agree, for the most part, but you need to remember that there are also some pretty good S-SM players who's schedule didn't allow them to play for the Blades.

D6 is holding closed tryouts. Is that consistent with other districts?

Any predictions who will make it for D6? F/D/G ?

Trojanhorse: you need to stay away from the alcohol prior to posting on the site...........Although your post IS hillarioius!!!

nahc wrote:Trojanhorse: you need to stay away from the alcohol prior to posting on the site...........Although your post IS hillarioius!!!

What's so funny about it?

hockey relic wrote:Any predictions who will make it for D6? F/D/G ?

To hard to narrow down to the 20. Might be easier after the first cut. I don't know of any 95 goalies from d6 either, care to help me out?

First Night of Tryouts Concluded tonight at New Hope.

39 Skaters and 5 goalies. #19 from Shattuck Varsity was impressive.

Goes on the next two nights from 8-9:30 pm.

They scrimmaged for nearly 80 minutes tonight!

For District 3 Skaters that is!

Plenty of Wayzata, OMG, 5 North Metro, Several Hopkins, 3 Blake, 3-4 Orono, a few from SLP, a varsity player from Breck out of the 44.