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Eden Prairie Captains Named??????

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 7:42 pm
by welikehockey231
I hear that Eden Prairie has a history of naming their captains for the next year at the banquet for the end of the year. Anyone have any idea who they might be: i have a pretty good idea like= Molenarr and Kyle Rau, but who are the others

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 7:54 pm
by breakout
Why would any coach(es) name Captains before the season? IMO, dumb idea!

Someone named Captain early could depart for Jr. , etc.

Young Rau may follow his older brother's footsteps and leave early. All that does is leave egg on the coaches face.

Better idea, name captains when the cuts are done and the teams are formed.

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:01 pm
by old goalie85
For leadership during the off-season.

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:05 pm
by breakout
old goalie85 wrote:For leadership during the off-season.

Will Rau be able to lead from Sioux Falls while playing for the Stampede?

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:53 pm
by old goalie85
Can only comment on programs-teams I know. Forest Lakes captains are involved with the Captains practice ice, the STP programs [ with coaches] , Golf tourny, and other blue line club projects.

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:58 pm
by starmvp
Most teams that I know of chose captain right after season...

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:12 pm
by knowitall
Most teams do it at the end of the season. Reason being coaches need the captains parents to start helping out with fundraising and planning way before the season starts.

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:49 pm
by starmvp
knowitall wrote:Most teams do it at the end of the season. Reason being coaches need the captains parents to start helping out with fundraising and planning way before the season starts.
Exactly, and I don't see this being a problem at all...

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:32 am
by watchdog
they do it to help persuade top end players to stay with the program!! hello people thats an easy one...

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:04 am
by Goldfishdude
Welllllllll.. there's another logical reason.

It's so that the captain's parents can start organizing all the fund raising. That's how it's done in beautiful White Bear Lake...

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:44 am
by StillAnEagle
breakout wrote:
old goalie85 wrote:For leadership during the off-season.

Will Rau be able to lead from Sioux Falls while playing for the Stampede?
He won't leave. Rau doesn't need to play juniors in order to play at the D1 level in '12. He knows it, so do D1 coaches. As a 5'7" 135 pound Sophmore he tallied 25 goals/26 helpers.... and co-led his team to a State Championship.

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 12:30 pm
by boardguy1998
StillAnEagle wrote:
breakout wrote:
old goalie85 wrote:For leadership during the off-season.

Will Rau be able to lead from Sioux Falls while playing for the Stampede?
He won't leave. Rau doesn't need to play juniors in order to play at the D1 level in '12. He knows it, so do D1 coaches. As a 5'7" 135 pound Sophmore he tallied 25 goals/26 helpers.... and co-led his team to a State Championship.
Your correct, but it will be '11 when plays D1. And to answer the question that started this, Capts, Rau, Rau, Molinaar.

Prior EP Captain's

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:07 am
by Lakeviewing
Yes, I think EP has always named their captains and assistants way too early. Two years ago, they named a junior being Ericson as a captain and a senior being Alec Rush. This lead to kids like Jason Clark and Blake Thompson to leave the program and Alec Rush left to play at the USHAL level. I agree. True leaders step up and get the underclassmen to practice hard during the off season. True leaders step up during the offseason practices and lead on an off the ice. Leddy was the definition of a true leader. Naming captains too early has downfalls, especially if the player doesn't live up to expectations.
breakout wrote:Why would any coach(es) name Captains before the season? IMO, dumb idea!

Someone named Captain early could depart for Jr. , etc.

Young Rau may follow his older brother's footsteps and leave early. All that does is leave egg on the coaches face.

Better idea, name captains when the cuts are done and the teams are formed.

Re: Prior EP Captain's

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:34 am
by FREDFLINTSTONE
Lakeviewing wrote:Yes, I think EP has always named their captains and assistants way too early. Two years ago, they named a junior being Ericson as a captain and a senior being Alec Rush. This lead to kids like Jason Clark and Blake Thompson to leave the program and Alec Rush left to play at the USHAL level. I agree. True leaders step up and get the underclassmen to practice hard during the off season. True leaders step up during the offseason practices and lead on an off the ice. Leddy was the definition of a true leader. Naming captains too early has downfalls, especially if the player doesn't live up to expectations.
breakout wrote:Why would any coach(es) name Captains before the season? IMO, dumb idea!

Someone named Captain early could depart for Jr. , etc.

Young Rau may follow his older brother's footsteps and leave early. All that does is leave egg on the coaches face.

Better idea, name captains when the cuts are done and the teams are formed.
How can you use two years ago as an example of naming captains too early. They were state champs. Maybe the defection of kids who don't want to play for their high school is a good thing. The players you mentioned above were "me" players, not "team" players. As Herbie said, it's not the best players, it's the right players.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:55 am
by Doglover
My educated guess is Fred's real last name is either Rau or Molenaur! A bit low to take shots at Clark and Thompson though. They made different choices than to stay at EP. Not really fair to target them for them.

I think knowitall and goldfishdude are right and the real reason coaches name captains early is to have the parents begin the fundraising necessary to support these teams. There may also be some truth to trying to keep certain key players in their program. Kids can be leaders on the team with or without a C or an A though. I do wish as those leaders emerge during a season, they could be recognized and added to the group of captains. Not all captains are the best choice to lead the team but the kids are the ones who really know. Some get the honor due to their last names or parents' relationship/importance to the coach.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:02 am
by StillAnEagle
boardguy1998 wrote:
StillAnEagle wrote:
breakout wrote:
Will Rau be able to lead from Sioux Falls while playing for the Stampede?
He won't leave. Rau doesn't need to play juniors in order to play at the D1 level in '12. He knows it, so do D1 coaches. As a 5'7" 135 pound Sophmore he tallied 25 goals/26 helpers.... and co-led his team to a State Championship.
Your correct, but it will be '11 when plays D1. And to answer the question that started this, Capts, Rau, Rau, Molinaar.
Righty there... '11/'12... but he'll be ready - we both agree. There are some people who can compete because their natural talent makes up (in some cases, more than makes up) for their smaller stature. Rau has more than proven that this is he.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:02 am
by FREDFLINTSTONE
Doglover wrote:My educated guess is Fred's real last name is either Rau or Molenaur! A bit low to take shots at Clark and Thompson though. They made different choices than to stay at EP. Not really fair to target them for them.

I think knowitall and goldfishdude are right and the real reason coaches name captains early is to have the parents begin the fundraising necessary to support these teams. There may also be some truth to trying to keep certain key players in their program. Kids can be leaders on the team with or without a C or an A though. I do wish as those leaders emerge during a season, they could be recognized and added to the group of captains. Not all captains are the best choice to lead the team but the kids are the ones who really know. Some get the honor due to their last names or parents' relationship/importance to the coach.
Not taking shots at any of the kids, and I think Clark made a great choice in going to Shattuck. He has all the skill, and Shattuck showed him all about puck movement. He will be a very good D1 hockey player.

Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:10 pm
by OnFrozenPond
breakout wrote:Why would any coach(es) name Captains before the season? IMO, dumb idea!

Someone named Captain early could depart for Jr. , etc.

Young Rau may follow his older brother's footsteps and leave early. All that does is leave egg on the coaches face.

Better idea, name captains when the cuts are done and the teams are formed.
Is this REALLY that unusual? My oldest played played 3 sports in HS (including hockey) and all of them announced the captains for the following season at the banquet.

The captains and their parents play a big role in helping the coaches set the tone for a successful season...helping with off season training, captains practices, fundraising, general admin, organizing travel plans, etc.

Sure you could you get burned every once in a while but I think the pros outweigh the cons.