Page 1 of 1
AAA - What's the point?
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:56 pm
by Orty
I have two kids that played in AAA tournaments over the weekend. Some teams they played against looked like all-star teams while others looked like they just got their equipment the day before. So my question is - why are people playing AAA hockey? To skate/train in the offseason before association hockey ramps up again or to assemble all-star teams to win tournaments with multiple locations and VERY bad officials?
Personally - we're there to train. If we win. Cool. If we lose, oh well. The two tournaments played over the weekend, it was either 6 wins and 0 Losses for the top teams scoring 60+ goals or 0 - 5 scoring 4 goals.
Orty
Re: AAA - What's the point?
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:18 pm
by bestpopcorn
I voted training, but the real reason for my kids was that they loved it. New friends, hotel, pizza. I enjoy that as well.
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:04 pm
by we're all crazy
Win hardware, obviously.
With the growing expansion of metro tournaments, it has become increasingly easier to find tournaments with 4-5 teams that are willing to offer cheap trophies to the top 2 places. Throw in a cheesy "player of the game" award for each of 5 games and you've got a real chance to come home with something!
The top programs now look outside the state for tournaments or they play up an age level, making it even easier for the rest of us to grab that hardware!
Some tricks I've found for securing those precious summer trophies:
1) Find a weekend when the "super teams" aren't scheduled. Call up a few of those kids and ride them like a rented mule. Don't worry, no one will notice those Blades and Machine stickers on their helmets and your paying customers won't mind watching their kids ride the pine!
2) Pull together a collection of kids from the "super teams" and enter a low level "Open" tournament at the next age level up. For good measure, sprinkle in a few "elite" players from the older level as well. Make sure to strut around the rink proclaiming your ability to win with "younger kids".
3) After entering a tournament, ask the director for a list of teams the day before schedules are posted. If you are not one of the top 2 teams, PULL OUT! Make up some phoney excuse and stop payment on the check. Don't worry, the chaos caused by this practice isn't your problem.
4) If your team is "overqualified" for a tournament, just enter with a different team name. Buy some cheap jerseys for your "new" team (pass that cost along to your customers, they're always looking for another jersey and set of socks). Don't worry, no one will notice the helmet stickers.
5) Work those refs!! Summer refs work hard to maintain their reputation as complete baffoons. Using them to your advantage is more art than science. Those who master the art win more hardware!
6) Get creative! There's ringers to be found everywhere...don't limit yourself to the metro....don't limit yourself to Minnesota. If the trophy is big enough, think outside the box! What about that one superstar down in Phoenix? Southwest flights are only $299 (roundtrip)!
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:52 pm
by DrGaf
we're all crazy wrote:Win hardware, obviously.
With the growing expansion of metro tournaments, it has become increasingly easier to find tournaments with 4-5 teams that are willing to offer cheap trophies to the top 2 places. Throw in a cheesy "player of the game" award for each of 5 games and you've got a real chance to come home with something!
The top programs now look outside the state for tournaments or they play up an age level, making it even easier for the rest of us to grab that hardware!
Some tricks I've found for securing those precious summer trophies:
1) Find a weekend when the "super teams" aren't scheduled. Call up a few of those kids and ride them like a rented mule. Don't worry, no one will notice those Blades and Machine stickers on their helmets and your paying customers won't mind watching their kids ride the pine!
2) Pull together a collection of kids from the "super teams" and enter a low level "Open" tournament at the next age level up. For good measure, sprinkle in a few "elite" players from the older level as well. Make sure to strut around the rink proclaiming your ability to win with "younger kids".
3) After entering a tournament, ask the director for a list of teams the day before schedules are posted. If you are not one of the top 2 teams, PULL OUT! Make up some phoney excuse and stop payment on the check. Don't worry, the chaos caused by this practice isn't your problem.
4) If your team is "overqualified" for a tournament, just enter with a different team name. Buy some cheap jerseys for your "new" team (pass that cost along to your customers, they're always looking for another jersey and set of socks). Don't worry, no one will notice the helmet stickers.
5) Work those refs!! Summer refs work hard to maintain their reputation as complete baffoons. Using them to your advantage is more art than science. Those who master the art win more hardware!
6) Get creative! There's ringers to be found everywhere...don't limit yourself to the metro....don't limit yourself to Minnesota. If the trophy is big enough, think outside the box! What about that one superstar down in Phoenix? Southwest flights are only $299 (roundtrip)!
It's funny cause it's true.
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:25 am
by barry_mcconnell
Tag up offsides
Re: AAA - What's the point?
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:19 pm
by Froggy Richards
Orty wrote:I have two kids that played in AAA tournaments over the weekend. Some teams they played against looked like all-star teams while others looked like they just got their equipment the day before. So my question is - why are people playing AAA hockey? To skate/train in the offseason before association hockey ramps up again or to assemble all-star teams to win tournaments with multiple locations and VERY bad officials?
Personally - we're there to train. If we win. Cool. If we lose, oh well. The two tournaments played over the weekend, it was either 6 wins and 0 Losses for the top teams scoring 60+ goals or 0 - 5 scoring 4 goals.
Orty
You need a third option which is to have fun. That's why my kid played this year. He has a skills camp for most of the offseason to train. AAA was purely for fun and to reward him with games. He met a lot of new friends that he will see around the rinks and other sports for many years. Overall it was a great experience for him, but I do sometimes worry about too much hockey at a young age.
It can be tough to match up your team's skill level at tournaments. From year to year you don't have much idea of how good the other teams are. So you have to be prepared to take your lumps in some games. The beauty of it as that the kids forget within 5 minutes when they realize they're heading back to the hotel to go swimming.
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:17 am
by old goalie85
for the kids that do map,aaa tounys are a way to get some games in.
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:00 pm
by MrBoDangles
we're all crazy wrote:Win hardware, obviously.
With the growing expansion of metro tournaments, it has become increasingly easier to find tournaments with 4-5 teams that are willing to offer cheap trophies to the top 2 places. Throw in a cheesy "player of the game" award for each of 5 games and you've got a real chance to come home with something!
The top programs now look outside the state for tournaments or they play up an age level, making it even easier for the rest of us to grab that hardware!
Some tricks I've found for securing those precious summer trophies:
1) Find a weekend when the "super teams" aren't scheduled. Call up a few of those kids and ride them like a rented mule. Don't worry, no one will notice those Blades and Machine stickers on their helmets and your paying customers won't mind watching their kids ride the pine!
2) Pull together a collection of kids from the "super teams" and enter a low level "Open" tournament at the next age level up. For good measure, sprinkle in a few "elite" players from the older level as well. Make sure to strut around the rink proclaiming your ability to win with "younger kids".
3) After entering a tournament, ask the director for a list of teams the day before schedules are posted. If you are not one of the top 2 teams, PULL OUT! Make up some phoney excuse and stop payment on the check. Don't worry, the chaos caused by this practice isn't your problem.
4) If your team is "overqualified" for a tournament, just enter with a different team name. Buy some cheap jerseys for your "new" team (pass that cost along to your customers, they're always looking for another jersey and set of socks). Don't worry, no one will notice the helmet stickers.
5) Work those refs!! Summer refs work hard to maintain their reputation as complete baffoons. Using them to your advantage is more art than science. Those who master the art win more hardware!
6) Get creative! There's ringers to be found everywhere...don't limit yourself to the metro....don't limit yourself to Minnesota. If the trophy is big enough, think outside the box! What about that one superstar down in Phoenix? Southwest flights are only $299 (roundtrip)!
Too funny because it is so true.
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:11 pm
by Swish
we're all crazy wrote:Win hardware, obviously.
With the growing expansion of metro tournaments, it has become increasingly easier to find tournaments with 4-5 teams that are willing to offer cheap trophies to the top 2 places. Throw in a cheesy "player of the game" award for each of 5 games and you've got a real chance to come home with something!
The top programs now look outside the state for tournaments or they play up an age level, making it even easier for the rest of us to grab that hardware!
Some tricks I've found for securing those precious summer trophies:
1) Find a weekend when the "super teams" aren't scheduled. Call up a few of those kids and ride them like a rented mule. Don't worry, no one will notice those Blades and Machine stickers on their helmets and your paying customers won't mind watching their kids ride the pine!
2) Pull together a collection of kids from the "super teams" and enter a low level "Open" tournament at the next age level up. For good measure, sprinkle in a few "elite" players from the older level as well. Make sure to strut around the rink proclaiming your ability to win with "younger kids".
3) After entering a tournament, ask the director for a list of teams the day before schedules are posted. If you are not one of the top 2 teams, PULL OUT! Make up some phoney excuse and stop payment on the check. Don't worry, the chaos caused by this practice isn't your problem.
4) If your team is "overqualified" for a tournament, just enter with a different team name. Buy some cheap jerseys for your "new" team (pass that cost along to your customers, they're always looking for another jersey and set of socks). Don't worry, no one will notice the helmet stickers.
5) Work those refs!! Summer refs work hard to maintain their reputation as complete baffoons. Using them to your advantage is more art than science. Those who master the art win more hardware!
6) Get creative! There's ringers to be found everywhere...don't limit yourself to the metro....don't limit yourself to Minnesota. If the trophy is big enough, think outside the box! What about that one superstar down in Phoenix? Southwest flights are only $299 (roundtrip)!