HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

iseepalms wrote:How can Minnesota Hockey have a Tournament Of Champions when half the teams are Runner-Ups and all districts are not included. They say it is a pilot program thing but only for District 3,5,6 and 10 Hugh! Where is district 2 and 8 they are right in the middle of these. Again it looks fishy thst only certain districts get to play. At least you could have had all Champions instead of taking care of the Runner-Ups. No wonder Minnesota Hockey is losing players to "AAA". Elliot what are you thoughts.
Tournament OF Champions and Losers.
And don't forget they get 4 more games.

iseepalms wrote:You must be part of the Minnesota Hockey people that allowed this, Great Job!
This could have been corrected three weeks ago to include just Champions not sister kissers. again Great Job!

iseepalms wrote:This is exactly what was expected. Thank You all for your time, never to post again.

iseepalms wrote:This is exactly what was expected. Thank You all for your time, never to post again.

iseepalms wrote:This is exactly what was expected. Thank You all for your time, never to post again.

zooomx wrote:Ok... we are talking about Squirt Hockey right? 9 and 10 year olds. Do we really need to crown kings and queens at this age group? They will have 7... count them 7 more seasons after Squirts to worry about chasing the big trophies.

Squirts is a great transition level in which our skaters go from Mite games THAT JUST DONT MATTER to playing more meaningful games were goals do count and result in wins and losses. Let's worry about Champions at Pee Wees, Bantams and beyond.

At Squirts the kids really just want to finally play in real games. They don't need the added pressure of standings and championships. Coaches do not need additional pressure to shorten the bench either. Just let them play.

knights58 wrote:Geeze...sounds like a soccer mom forum. So should we get rid of tournaments all together for the little bittie squirts? Or..have the games and not keep score? Or...just let them play the tournament and give them all a participation medal? Sometimes I think it's the parents that don't want any "pressure"...most the kids do just fine with the "pressure". I do agree that anyone shortening their bench to win at squirts is silly. Let them all play in pressure situations at all times as this will help their overall development.

MrBoDangles wrote:

knights58 wrote:Geeze...sounds like a soccer mom forum. So should we get rid of tournaments all together for the little bittie squirts? Or..have the games and not keep score? Or...just let them play the tournament and give them all a participation medal? Sometimes I think it's the parents that don't want any "pressure"...most the kids do just fine with the "pressure". I do agree that anyone shortening their bench to win at squirts is silly. Let them all play in pressure situations at all times as this will help their overall development.

Absolutely. The kids love it and there is no added pressure whatsoever. They get upset after a loss just like anyone else, but ten minutes later they're thinking about what they're off to do next. Our U8 Mite team played in their first ever full ice tournament last weekend. Score, Penalties, Standings, Trophies, Champion, the whole ball of wax. It was the best experience every one of those kids has had thus far in their hockey career.

Froggy Richards wrote:

MrBoDangles wrote:

knights58 wrote:Geeze...sounds like a soccer mom forum. So should we get rid of tournaments all together for the little bittie squirts? Or..have the games and not keep score? Or...just let them play the tournament and give them all a participation medal? Sometimes I think it's the parents that don't want any "pressure"...most the kids do just fine with the "pressure". I do agree that anyone shortening their bench to win at squirts is silly. Let them all play in pressure situations at all times as this will help their overall development.

Absolutely. The kids love it and there is no added pressure whatsoever. They get upset after a loss just like anyone else, but ten minutes later they're thinking about what they're off to do next. Our U8 Mite team played in their first ever full ice tournament last weekend. Score, Penalties, Standings, Trophies, Champion, the whole ball of wax. It was the best experience every one of those kids has had thus far in their hockey career.

Yes, Mites get a taste of true completion at the end the season. Squirts play real games and play in real tournaments and it ratchets up a bit. I agree it is great to challenge them and test their skills. I just don't get all the rage about not being able to play for a state championship.

Johnsonpres wrote:I see on Youth Hockey Hub they rank Squirts and I also heard that Minnesota Hockey next year will have a tournament champions for all districts. Yes Squirt hockey is a stepping stone to Pee Wee's and Bantams but if you look there are alot more Squirt teams than the other levels, I think Minnesota Hockey is doing the right thing by having this tournament but I disagree starting with some districts but not all. Here at Johnson Como we have the #1 ranked "B" Squirt team and we are not in the tournament until hopefully next year. Good Luck to the teams that get to participate this year and it has to start somewhere.
"GOOD LUCK"

Johnsonpres wrote:InigoMontoya,
I know where your headed but we have a total of 35 Squirts. We returned 4 forwards back from our "B" team last year and we did consider going "A" but only had one goalie at this level and 1 returning defenseman. No we don't have an "A" team we have 12 total players on our "B" team, 12 players on one "C" team and 11 on the other"C" team.
But I would tell you I coach the "B" team and am very proud that our kids can a least compete where if we would have went "A" we would be losing by double digits so what do you purpose we do? Compete our get so overwhelmed the kids don't learn anything. I notice that know one ever posts where they are from. I am from Johnson Como and proud of it and developement and keeping hockey alive in the inter-city is getting harder every year. Most associations water down their teams by having 4 or 5 "B" teams we don't have those numbers. It would be nice once in a while to get some positive feedback after we keep pulling ourselves off the canvas.

Johnsonpres wrote:InigoMontoya,
I know where your headed but we have a total of 35 Squirts. We returned 4 forwards back from our "B" team last year and we did consider going "A" but only had one goalie at this level and 1 returning defenseman. No we don't have an "A" team we have 12 total players on our "B" team, 12 players on one "C" team and 11 on the other"C" team.
But I would tell you I coach the "B" team and am very proud that our kids can a least compete where if we would have went "A" we would be losing by double digits so what do you purpose we do? Compete our get so overwhelmed the kids don't learn anything. I notice that know one ever posts where they are from. I am from Johnson Como and proud of it and developement and keeping hockey alive in the inter-city is getting harder every year. Most associations water down their teams by having 4 or 5 "B" teams we don't have those numbers. It would be nice once in a while to get some positive feedback after we keep pulling ourselves off the canvas.

Johnsonpres wrote:I really appreciate some of the input but we have to designate before tryouts and schedules are even made before tryouts are done. Again we have 12 total players and part of the issue is we have two lines so our first line is playing other teams third line every other time. There is no way we ever expected this team to do this well but we challenge them all the time in practice to be better than anyone and be positive to motivate them to over achieve. We talk to a lot of coaches and some like Roseville and Sibley for examples say they should have never fielded "A" teams. We went to the Virginia tournament and everyone we played don't field "A" teams anymore just "B", they include Virginia, International Falls and a lot of the Duluth teams at the Squirt level. Look at areas like Osseo Maple Grove has 1 "A" team that is #1 and three teams in the top 5 in "B" maybe they should have had two "A" Squirt teams see it goes on and on and don't even look at Edina. I am still very proud of what we are doing. I use to coach the "A" Pee Wee team and I have seen what happens when you get in over your head and players can't develop.