HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Quick question for all you Minnesotans out there about your Mite programs.

Do you split up all your Mites and make traveling teams or create one traveling team and then in-house teams or just have all in-house Mite teams with no traveling.

Our association does entirely in-house mites. The kids get broken into groups (3) based on skill level for practices and then games pit each teams "first" and "second" lines against each other. System works well and keeps you from having tryouts at the mite level.

The push for traveling mites usually comes from the overzelous parents that think their kid's D1 scholarship rests on playing "at the next level" as a 7-8 yr old. Gimmee a break, and trust those that have been through it - the makeup of kids that are at the top in Bantams in 5-6 yrs will be vastly different than what you see at the mite level today. Why discourage a kid that young by telling him he's not good enough? There just aren't enough good reasons to do it.

Define your meaning of traveling as MN Hockey does not allow mites to play other teams outside of their association's district without the approval of the District Director.

They are traveling teams, go to different cities and play thier mite teams. No one has to give permission. Basically the same as a Squirt, Pee Wee and Bantam traveling team...state tourney, the whole ball of wax. I always thought this was ridiculous, but I wanted to get some fodder to prove my point, cause I say have a in-house mite league with no traveling and people look at me like I am crazy and that no other asscociation in the universe does this.

How big is your association?

i believe or association does all in house and one traveling or just all in house i think its the second one but im not sure