Moving advice

[Puckstopper81]

Greetings! My company may be moving me to Minnesota next spring and I was wondering if anybody had advice on where a good place to move in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Most likely going to rent for the 1st year, but looking at homes around the $200 - $300K area. My son will be a 1st year Bantam (98 Birth Year) next season and tends goal. Has played AAA hockey since he was a 1st Squirt and shouldn't have a problem making a Bantam A team, hopefully. Any suggestions on great housing areas with good schools and hockey to match would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[getoveryourbadself]

What state are you moving from? We were in a similar situation in the last 5 years. It's good that you are asking questions, particularly since the goalie position can be problematic when trying to gain footing in a new organization.

[Daaden]

If you are looking for a place on the East side of the twin cities (close to St. Paul) I would recommend Woodbury. The schools are as good as any you will find. The hockey program is very strong with good numbers (current Bantam A state champs).

There is abundant housing available so even if you plan on renting for a while until you find "the" house at least here you will have a lot to choose from so you may not be stuck renting as long. Woodbury was the leading city in building permits through the housing boom so most of the houses you have to choose from are newer. Given the current state of the economy there has never been a better time to buy and you can find some very nice homes under 300k, which wasn't the case here a few years ago.

If you'd like to know more about the hockey program send me a private message. I have a son in the late 97/early 98 age group (2nd yr PW in MN) and can give you some specifics.

Good luck in your search!

[Goalie Dude]

What part of town will you be working in? The traffic up here can be pretty rough. You wouldn't want to drive across town everyday because you picked a city for hockey. Give us an idea what part of the cities you'll be working in and then narrow it down from there.
Moving a goalie in at that age can be tough, but if he's good enough it should work out. He'll have to prove himself 10 times more than the other kids!
Good Luck.

[Puckstopper81]

Thanks for the great information so far. To answer a few of the questions, I work from home, but I travel roughly two weeks out of a month so I will need to be somewhat close to the airport. I would like to stay within a half hour drive of the airport. I would rather not say what state we are coming from at this time since people we know surf this BB all the time and news would travel fast, however we do live in the Midwest and my son plays AAA in the winter. We wouldn't be moving until next spring and my son would be a 1st year Bantam next season.

[hockey_is_a_choice]

Puckstopper 81,

Given that your son is a '98 and by the time you move to Minnesota he will be a first-year Bantam, my unsolicited advice would be that, in addition to considering the strength of a hockey association, you consider the strengths of the local high schools' academic and athletic programs.

The metro area has some strong public and private high schools that also have strong hockey programs. Within a 30-minute drive of MSP Airport, you have numerous public high schools to choose from, including Eden Prairie High School (very large and very strong in hockey; academics are okay), Minnetonka High School (large and recently has established itself as a contender; academics are strong), Edina High School (current State champs in the large school division and very strong academically, but good luck finding a house in Edina that you would want to live in under $300,000), Woodbury High School (large and becoming a contender; academically strong), Lakeville North and Lakeville South (large and improving; academics good), Blaine (very large with a strong hockey program; academics are so-so), Centennial (large with a strong hockey program; like Blaine, the academics are so-so). Stillwater, Bloomington Jefferson, Apple Valley, Eagan, and a few others I'm sure I missed also have decent academics and decent hockey programs. (I purposefully left off Wayzata and Maple Grove because it frequently takes more than 30 minutes to drive to the airport from those locations, although both schools are strong academically and Wayzata produces competitive hockey players.) A school you might want to consider is Mahtomedi, which is a smaller high school in the metro with great academics and a hockey program that is on the rise. (No, I don't live in Mahtomedi.)


As for the private schools, the larger Catholic high schools, Cretin-Durham, Hill Murray and Benilde-St. Margaret's, all play in the big leagues and all have strong hockey programs. The academic programs at HM and BSM are strong. The tuition at all three schools is roughly in the range of $11,500 per year.

Two smaller privates, Breck and St. Thomas Academy, are very strong academically and historically have dominated small school high hockey. Breck is the current small school champion. The tuition at Breck is roughly $21,000; your son will need to be a good and serious student. STA's tuition is roughly $17,000; your son will need to determine if he wants to go to an all boys' school and wear military uniforms daily. Both schools are highly regarded and both send kids to the best colleges.

Blake and St. Paul Academy are, in my humble opinion, the two top prep schools in the metro area. The tuition is steep, roughly $23,000 per year and the students are serious about their academics. Former Gopher and NHL player Joe Dziedzic was recently named the new head boys' hockey coach at SPA, which in recent years has struggled to offer a competitive hockey program. The fact the SPA adminstration hired Dziedzic means the school is serious about turning their hockey program around, but you don't go to SPA (or Blake) for hockey--you go for the academics.


Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield is a Catholic school, has a great hockey program and decent academics. The tuition is roughly $11,000 per year. You can buy a very nice home for $300,000 in Richfield and you're only 10 minutes from the airport (of course, you will have planes flying a few hundred feet over your house).

One thing you should be aware of is that when your son enters ninth grade in two years he cannot change high schools without forfeiting his eligibility to play varsity hockey for one year, unless he physically moves to a different residence. This is a Minnesota State High School League rule.

Now, I'm sure my post will generate the usual public versus private school discussion, but that wasn't my intent in passing the information on to you. The fact is the metro area has some very good public and private schools that also have excellent hockey programs. I suggest you send your son to some camps and clinics in the metro area and start asking parents at those rinks about the different high schools. You should ask how many kids tried out for the high school team. There are some really good boys who played AAA hockey who didn't make their high school teams because those teams have the luxury of numbers. Finally, when you settle into your new community, you should send your son to his chosen high school's Summer Training Program (STP), so the coach gets to know your son.

Good luck to you.

[getoveryourbadself]

I agree with Woodbury. Also decent options would be Stillwater (East), Blaine, Centennial (North East), Apple Valley (find out the pros and cons of the two high schools there), Lakeville (South), Maple Grove (West - Osseo-Maple Grove have combined). You have tons of great options.

I would be careful of the MEGA-associations (no offense meant, Edina) - I fear a newcomer at the goalie position might get lost in the numbers. Also, I think you need to be registered/rostered by Dec 31st.

Oh, and I wouldn't expect to be welcomed with open arms (sad to say)....Minnesota-nice doesn't often apply to goalie parents (whose kids have been jockeying for the A teams for many consecutive years and are well established). All of the association board members will be happy to talk to you and recruit you. I would be sure to ask what their goalie numbers are at the level you are interested in. I can tell you, SOMETIMES, it doesn't matter how good your goalie is.....it's an often overlooked, misunderstood position.....everyone SAYS they want the best goalie......but it doesn't always work out that way, politically and especially for newcomers. There are VERY GOOD goalies in the cities programs....all have access to excellent training programs (Goalcrease, Prohybrid, GDI, etc.) and take full advantage of it. Often the differences between the A and B goalies are subtle, at best.

[O-townClown]

I would be careful of the MEGA-associations.

This is good advice.

I've gotta ask, though, what is your goal? Is it to play Bantams in the best place to have a good youth hockey experience, or are you looking to be at the right spot for HS hockey? Or do you even look beyond and want to make sure your son is in the right spot to possibly play in college...on scholarship?

My guess is you will see a large difference in philosophy and expectations between your AAA families and what you'll find in the Minnesota community for you live. Most people take it as a given that every boy's dream is to play in the state HS tournament, on TV, in front of 17,000 or so. If you want your son to play in college or go to a New England Prep school, this almost universal Minnesotan goal isn't necessarily one you'll share.

Because the goalie position is somewhat unique, it might be prudent to seek a program that has a "hole" in their teams where they can really use a solid netminder. My hunch is that the best place for your son is not a community where their youth teams are ranked Top 10.

Good luck with it.

[getoveryourbadself]

Because the goalie position is somewhat unique, it might be prudent to seek a program that has a "hole" in their teams where they can really use a solid netminder. My hunch is that the best place for your son is not a community where their youth teams are ranked Top 10.

Well said. Having moved to MN in a similar situation nearly 5 years ago, I would say your best bet is a smaller organization with a documented need for a goaltender, because, no matter how good you think yours is, oftentimes you cannot overcome the established history in an organization (heck, even goalies that have made vast improvements over the years cannot overcome the impressions that have formed over the squirt, peewee, and bantam years ("he's always been our A goalie"). And for newcomers, it is easier to figure out who is connected to who and how (ie., fishing buddies).

[blueblood]

Ok - who's gonna admit that their son is not a "great" goalie and recommend to this family to move into thier community? Anyone.....

[Puckstopper81]

Again, thanks for the input. I agree, due to politics and the such, that moving to a Top 10 hockey community is probably not the wisest choice. However, I do believe competition is essential for my kid's development. My son's goal in hockey is to play as far as his talent will take him. College hockey in Minnesota or elsewhere is an achievable goal of my kid and most kids that play hockey. Our first and foremost goal is to find a great community to live in with great people and schools for my children. Second, would be find a great hockey organization that has a history of developing goaltenders. However, it would be nice to find a place where they are lacking in the goaltending position. My philosophy is that the creme will eventually rise to the top. Thanks for information - please keep it coming.

[F14]

I have a HS goalie, I would suggest looking at teams that aren't as good where you are going to get plenty of shots in games. He can always continue training in summer and fall with Elite 2, AAA, or a plethora of goalie coaches. Some of the best goalies aren't from the best schools.

Practices aren't as strong but if you pick a HS with great academics and just ok hockey in a decent conference, he will get a lof of reps.

[stopthepuck]

I would suggest looking at teams that aren't as good where you are going to get plenty of shots in games. He can always continue training in summer and fall with Elite 2, AAA, or a plethora of goalie coaches.

I admire how you look at this. The best way to do this is to play Bantam B in a small organization. If your kid's head can handle 30-50 shots a game, he will be much improved by the end of the season. It's difficult to really develop a goalie behind a superstar defense and only 15-20 shots a game. The parents of those goalies love to brag up the win-loss record and boast of their trips to regions, etc., but don't often end up with the best goalies in the state.

I'm not sure Goalie Utopia exists in any one association (unaware of any associations that have a history of developing goaltenders) - most parents of goalies end up having to shell out the $$$$ to training programs on the side.

It will be interesting to read your posts once you have been in MN for a couple of years...........keep us updated. Good luck with your search.

[Puckstopper81]

Stopthepuck - I totally agree with you. My son has played on AAA teams where he only got 10 - 15 shots (most were not even quality shots) in a game. I have found that it didn't help his development one bit except for the fact that it did teach him to be alert and ready for a shot at all times. Yes, MOST goalie parents would rather have their son/daughter play on a team that doesn't allow many shots. They can't and don't handle the stress that well, but I like it when my son gets 30 or 40 shots in a game regardless of the score. We do not care about Wins-Losses and Championships too much (have enough medals and trophies as it is - dust collectors my wife call them), but also do not want to be on a team that gets killed every game either. I guess there really isn't a totally perfect situation, but looking forward to the challenge.

[O-townClown]

College hockey in Minnesota or elsewhere is an achievable goal of my kid and most kids that play hockey.

I dreamed of playing college hockey and on the US Olympic team too. I'm never one to discourage a kid from dreaming big, but let's make sure we keep our feet on the ground while our heads are in the clouds.

College hockey (if you mean NCAA) is not an achievable goal for 'most kids' that play hockey. Not even close.

There are about 60 NCAA Division I programs and about the same for Division III. While DI schools can offer scholarships, not all do. (Yale and Union were Top 10 teams this past season, neither offers athletic scholarships. Ditto RIT, and they were in the Frozen Four.)

Complicating matters is that many of the D3 schools cost about $40,000 annually. "Hey, we want your son!" Gee thanks.

There are about 40 goalies per birth year that have what it takes to be NCAA Div I. Some are Canadian.

Your son is only 11 or 12. It is very unlikely anyone can tell that your son is a 'likely' college player. I think by age 14 you'll be able to correctly peg about 75% of the remaining youth players as having no chance. Goalies included.

If your definition of college hockey includes ACHA, yes. Everyone can play ACHA.

[getoveryourbadself]

Starting to wonder if this is a joke................NOBODY can be that confident in a 11-12 year old goalie. If so...."I'll have what he's having"

Might want to consider the AAA Wolfpack

[Benito Juarez]

Warroad is always looking for a good goalie.

[Puckstopper81]

getoveryourbadself - No, this is not a joke. It's not that we are THAT confident in our child. My family has been involved in hockey for a very long time and we have learned to roll with the punches. I know this saying is used waaaay too much, but I'll say it anyway. Hockey is a not a sprint, but a marathon.

[imaloserbaby]

getoveryourbadself - No, this is not a joke. It's not that we are THAT confident in our child. My family has been involved in hockey for a very long time and we have learned to roll with the punches. I know this saying is used waaaay too much, but I'll say it anyway. Hockey is a not a sprint, but a marathon.

Welcome to the MNYouthHockeyForum. You will soon become a cynic and will fall into the mind trap that your only path to mental wellness is to randomly disparage parents, coaches and 10 year old kids on various AAA teams. It is a lot of fun!

[keepmeoutofit]

Puckstopper81. Your just getting a taste of assoc/high school hockey in minnesota.
We moved here around 95 we have a son playing goal in high school.
theres a lot of truth in the posts in this thread but it can get kind of confusing.

age requirements are different in minnesota you've probably got that figured out.

one post suggest a small assoc and play bantam b. in Minnesota there are really big assoc and really small and a whole lot in between. We're in a "small" assoc and all we have is one bantam team with 3 goalies. Everyone plays every one makes the team.

our goalie has played against AAA teams from other states and i feel the minnesota goalies probably match up pretty well. There does seem to be more in the way of goalie training here than most places.

someone mentioned playing for a weaker team and getting mare shots. theres some truth to that. i saw a very good goalie at a juniors tryout last summer. He came from Meadow Creek Chrisitan. His technique was probably in the middle of the pack but he stopped a lot of good shots. i think his high school team lost more than 20 games.

this is the home of walter mondale and hubert humphrey not to mention jesse ventura. be ready for some real strange politics

[stopthepuck]

You forgot Al Franken

[hockey_is_a_choice]

Add Mark Dayton and Michelle Bachmann to the list . . .

[thespellchecker]

"My company maybe moving? I work out of my home?"

Are you coming to MN for the hockey? We do have a good thing here.

[getoveryourbadself]

getoveryourbadself - No, this is not a joke. It's not that we are THAT confident in our child. My family has been involved in hockey for a very long time and we have learned to roll with the punches.

Sorry, it's just that when someone rolls int from out of state declaring his 11-12 year old goaltender should "have no problem making a Bantam A team" and fully expects to be playing college hockey (esp Div I) in the future, it's bound to raise a few eyebrows.

[InigoMontoya]

Which eyebrows are going to raise? Within an hours drive of where you're sitting right now there are parents of a half dozen 11-12 year old goalies that think exactly the same thing.