WI Fire 97 not at Fargo?

[Messier]

I have heard and seen the Fire 97 team play and they look like a good team. Questions for someone that might have the answer to this. If the Fargo Squirt tournament is the best of the best why is the Fire 97 not in this tournament?

[nhl'er]

The Fire is considered a Tier 1 team which are not allowed in this tournament. The Fire would not be considered a top team in this tournament based on their play against other top teams this year.

[FLHRCI_03]

Like 2-0 over Edina, until they stopped the scrimmage and went to practice mode...

[boardmember]

The Fire is considered a Tier 1 team which are not allowed in this tournament. The Fire would not be considered a top team in this tournament based on their play against other top teams this year.

There are both Tier I and Tier II teams in this Tourney. The Fire is a Tier I team that effects Minnesota Hockey! Thats why they are not wanted!

Would they be a top team ? yes they would. Could they get to sweet 16? yes! Top Eight? Yes, Final 4? , maybe (luck of the draw) could they win it? No-way....Edina's the team to beat!

SQ A teams Fire defeated( from their website)

Johnson
Lakeville South
Fargo Fylers
Chaska
Lakeville South

SQ A teams that defeated the Fire
EP 2-1
Lakeville North 3-2 Shootout
Wayzata 3-2 Scrimmage


Tier II teams
Omaha Jr Lancers 98 Birthyear team
Phoenix Thunderbirds 97 birth year team(This club has Tier I at other birth years)
Texas Penguins plays a Tier I and Tier II Major Squirt Schedule
Des Moines Jr Buccaneers AA U10 Major squirt


Tier I
Raleigh Jr Hurricanes 97 Major Squirt AAA
Ontario Eagles, CA AAA Major Squirt

[Cornermukker]

This tournament is done by application and does not mean that technically the " best teams" that apply are in it.

Also, this is a ND tournament, not minnesota hockey so you can stop playing that lame card now.

Who gets in this tournament is purely up to the discretion of the Fargo International SQ Tourney board.

[hockey129]

Last time I checked this was a Fargo and Moorehead tournament. moorhead as you know is in minnesota, so they may have had something to do with it. Yes, Fargo is the main city, but quite a few of the games are played in Moorhead.

[Tenoverpar]

Aren't we done Fire bashing for the year. Some of you sound like grown idiots when talking about a group of 9 and 10 year olds (boardmember), which is the age group of the 97 Fire, seriously. Unless you have something nice to say about Squirt aged kids, keep it to yourself.

[Hnut61]

The "official" line is no AAA teams are considered for the tournament.

The best of the best association teams.

They try to select teams from as many USA districts as possible.

In many districts (southern) the only option is AA or AAA as

association hockey as we know it is non-existant. They look at win/loss

records of all these teams and if they are a "true" AAA calibre team, they

are not accepted.

Over the past many years, these aa/aaa teams have not fared

too well against the top northern association teams. (some exceptions-

Littleton comes to mind)

NO WAY are they going to let the top Tier 1 teams (Jr. Blues, Fire, Honey

Baked, etc) into this tournament.....

[Hnut61]

Last time I checked this was a Fargo and Moorehead tournament. moorhead as you know is in minnesota, so they may have had something to do with it. Yes, Fargo is the main city, but quite a few of the games are played in Moorhead.

This tournament is a Fargo Flyer tournament- NO involvement from Moorhead other than renting ice from them.

Every arena in Fargo, Mhd, West Fargo is used for this event.

[hockeyfantasy]

Would someone please help me understand the teams for Wis Fire? It is my understanding that the players for these teams come from other organizations. Example: I have a 10 year old playing on Edina squirt level, but I want him to play on the Fire team, so I get ahold of someone (whoever it may be) and ask if my kid can play on that team. Is this correct?

[5thgraders]

[quote="Hnut61"][quote="hockey129"]Last time I checked this was a Fargo and Moorehead tournament. moorhead as you know is in minnesota, so they may have had something to do with it. Yes, Fargo is the main city, but quite a few of the games are played in Moorhead.[/quote]


This tournament is a Fargo Flyer tournament- NO involvement from Moorhead other than renting ice from them.

Every arena in Fargo, Mhd, West Fargo is used for this event.[/quote]

This tournament is overrated to call it the SQUIRT international and then
leave out all the good teams sounds like Fargo to me. It is a Far Go from
what good hockeytowns throughout the country do. To leave out all the
top Squirt teams in North America as they have because they can't win
the championship then. It is what I call hometown cookin not impressed
with touting of the Squirt international you may wan't to change it to the
Fargo Flyers selects. It would be a more accurate name to market itself
by if you do not have the best Squirt teams in the brackets 97 birth year
only # 1 ranked St Louis 42 - 3 -1 #2 ranked South Shore Kings 37-4-2
#3 ranked Long Island Gulls 61-2-2 these 3 teams of 97 birth year would
take the championship from Fargo Flyers so lets blackball those teams. We wouldn't want to have the best competition for the kids as possible.
Instead let in Raleigh Jr hurricanes who are far from the elite teams that
were listed previously. I am rooting for the Hurricane boys to win some
games as nothing could be finer than that. Go Hurricanes... Just get it that this is not the best of the best. Flyers , Edina , Ep have 96s on the roster ? and they wont play the 1997 kids cause they are labeled Tier1 instead of
AA it is wrong and drives the overall competition in a less than posative
way.

[DMom]

The Fargo Flyer website lists 47 A squirt teams. Seems to me they have an opening for one more A team and I think it was, three more B squirt teams. Does anyone know if any of these teams have tried and were turned away? Finding that out is not nearly as fun as bashing the Fire, but really, have the Fire even applied to go there?

[O-townClown]

This tournament is overrated to call it the SQUIRT international and then
leave out all the good teams sounds like Fargo to me. It is a Far Go from
what good hockeytowns throughout the country do. To leave out all the
top Squirt teams in North America as they have because they can't win
the championship then. It is what I call hometown cookin not impressed
with touting of the Squirt international you may wan't to change it to the
Fargo Flyers selects. It would be a more accurate name to market itself
by if you do not have the best Squirt teams in the brackets 97 birth year
only # 1 ranked St Louis 42 - 3 -1 #2 ranked South Shore Kings 37-4-2
#3 ranked Long Island Gulls 61-2-2 these 3 teams of 97 birth year would
take the championship from Fargo Flyers so lets blackball those teams. We wouldn't want to have the best competition for the kids as possible.
Instead let in Raleigh Jr hurricanes who are far from the elite teams that
were listed previously. I am rooting for the Hurricane boys to win some
games as nothing could be finer than that. Go Hurricanes... Just get it that this is not the best of the best. Flyers , Edina , Ep have 96s on the roster ? and they wont play the 1997 kids cause they are labeled Tier1 instead of
AA it is wrong and drives the overall competition in a less than posative
way.

When did Fargo ever say they were going to have a AAA Squirt national championship? This is a great tournament.

OF COURSE teams have 1996 birth-year players on their roster. They are Squirt age in Minnesota.

It is like you want Fargo to drive a shift away from community-based hockey in Minnesota.

[O-townClown]

Would someone please help me understand the teams for Wis Fire? It is my understanding that the players for these teams come from other organizations. Example: I have a 10 year old playing on Edina squirt level, but I want him to play on the Fire team, so I get ahold of someone (whoever it may be) and ask if my kid can play on that team. Is this correct?

I'm not sure what you mean by "other organizations".

The Fire are a Wisconsin-based hockey club that functions like programs in most of the United States. If you are asking if it is community-based the answer is no. It is not community based like the Minnesota model.

If you would like your son to play for them you should contact them. They have a fair website and it may even have tryout information.

[5thgraders]

[quote="O-townClown"][quote="hockeyfantasy"]Would someone please help me understand the teams for Wis Fire? It is my understanding that the players for these teams come from other organizations. Example: I have a 10 year old playing on Edina squirt level, but I want him to play on the Fire team, so I get ahold of someone (whoever it may be) and ask if my kid can play on that team. Is this correct?[/quote]

I'm not sure what you mean by "other organizations".

The Fire are a Wisconsin-based hockey club that functions like programs in most of the United States. If you are asking if it is community-based the answer is no. It is not community based like the Minnesota model.

If you would like your son to play for them you should contact them. They have a fair website and it may even have tryout information.[/quote]

They let in Omaha
They let in Raleigh
They let in Ojibway

It is the same deal as Tier 1 with a different label AA , AAA , Tier1
all the same depends on what part of the country you happen to
reside in as to what label you play under as it is all about playing
even competition. The 97 Fire lost to some Mn teams so let them In
is my point or take out Omaha , Dallas Penguins , Raleigh , Ojibway ,
ECT... ECT...

[GetaDayJob]

According to the Eden Praire website, the Wisconsin Fire 97 are in that tournament. It is in 2 weeks. There also is a team from Green Bay in the tournament. Someone said they could'nt play in Minn. tournaments. It looks to be a solid tournament with EP, Fire, GB, STMA, and maybe Rochester.

[O-townClown]

5th Graders:

Call me crazy, but I think the tournament organizers should be able to pick who they want in the tournament. After all... it's THEIR tournament.

I think it is even called an Invitational.

[5thgraders]

[quote="O-townClown"]5th Graders:

Call me crazy, but I think the tournament organizers should be able to pick who they want in the tournament. After all... it's THEIR tournament.

I think it is even called an Invitational.[/quote]

Otown I don't call you crazy I just know you are doing to
much thinking on all of this it should be the best teams that
submit the payment the quickest not to blackball good teams.

I KNOW it is called the Squirt International has been for the
last five years or so. Why I do not Know , they must think it
makes it sound better than it really is would be my guess....

[My_Kid_Loves_Hockey]

5thgraders, do you know that the '97 Fire were not allowed to play in the tournament. You're spouting like you do, does your son play on the team and you know 1st hand?

Does anybody else know definitively that they were not allowed to play in this tournament?

Who knows if all these other top teams wanted to go to Fargo ( it is a fun town......GO BISON)

[O-townClown]

5th Graders:

I'll let you start the tournament and invite who you want. Makes more sense than railing against the best Squirt tournament anywhere.

Hard for me to believe what I'm reading. Someone criticizing how Fargo is run. I would LOVE for my son to have a chance to play in it someday. If his team didn't get in because it wasn't what they are looking for I don't see how you can find fault.

It is their tournament.

[egf hockey1]

Before you guys rip on Fargo for not letting the Fire in, did they even apply for the tournament. The Flyers have to turn down just as many teams, as they let in. My guess is that the Fire didn't apply therefore would not be in the tournament.

[GoldenBear]

If 97 Fire were in the tournament.. lets just say tournament started last night. I was told the 97 Fire lost to Wayzata 5-0 last night, so end of conversation. I've been to this tournament for four years and its the best thing going for Squirts. Quit bashing this tournament.

[Hnut61]

The Fargo Flyer website lists 47 A squirt teams. Seems to me they have an opening for one more A team and I think it was, three more B squirt teams. Does anyone know if any of these teams have tried and were turned away? Finding that out is not nearly as fun as bashing the Fire, but really, have the Fire even applied to go there?

They are full...the tournament actually expanded to 90 teams this year in an effort to accomodate more kids. The number of applicants far exceeds the number spots every year.

This is the 24th year for the Squirt International. It's called the International because every year there are several Canadian teams entered.

[hockeyfantasy]

Thanks "townclown" for helping me understand the Wisc Fire teams. I think I have a better handle on it. No, I don't have a 10 year old kid on Edina squirts (I was just using it as an example). Now, the big question: Why would you have your kid play for the Fire when he's already in an organization? For instance,, why would I move my kid from Edina (wherever) squirt(bantam etc.) from my organization to Fire?

[DMom]

because of past Fire team's registration issues, there are districts within Minnesota Hockey that will not allow teams to play against Tier one teams. Just in case it comes to light that the team is not legally registered with USA Hockey. This issue has been debated and debated and debated, but the fact is it's better to be safe than sorry. We can all debate whether or not it should be, but it is what it is. The same is true for a sanctioned tournament, isn't it? I don't know. They may have reasons, but again I would ask if anyone knows for sure that the Fire have been turned away.

they are full. you are right, their font on their website is different making it appear at first glance like there are only 47 teams.
Squirt 'A'
1. Alexandria, MN
2. Armstrong, MN
3. Arvada CO - Storm
4. Baudette - Lake-of-the-Woods, MN
5. Bismarck, ND - Winterhawks
6. Bloomington Jefferson, MN
7. Brainerd, MN
8. Burnsville, MN
9. Chaska, MN
10. Crookston, MN
11. Dallas, TX - Penquins
12. Des Moines, IA - Jr. Buccaneers
13. Devils Lake, ND - Flames
14. Eagan, MN
15. East Grand Forks, MN
16. Eden Prairie, MN
17. Edina, MN
18. Fargo, ND - Angels
19. Fargo, ND - Flyers
20. Fargo, ND Flyers - Gold
21. Fargo North, ND - Raiders
22. Fergus Falls, MN
23. Foothills Flyers - CO
24. Front Range, CO- Panthers
25. Hyland Hills, CO- Jaguars
26. Grand Forks, ND Blues
27. Grand Forks, ND - Supras
28. Lakeville, MN- South
29. Littleton, CO- Hawks
30. Mandan, ND
31. Maple Grove, MN
32. Moorhead, MN
33. Omaha, NE - Jr. Mavericks
34. Ontario, CA - Eagles
35. Orono, MN
36. Phoenix, AZ- Firebirds
37. Prior Lake, MN - Lakers
38. Raliegh, NC - - Junior Hurricanes
39. Roseau MN
40. Rosemount, MN
41. Superior, WI
42. Thunder Bay, ONT-West End Bruins
43. Thunder Bay, ONT-Westfort Rangers
44. Warroad, MN
45. Wayzata, MN
46. West Fargo, ND
47. White Bear Lake, MN
48. Woodbury, MN

Now, my biggest question is where do they get that many refs??????