Regionals, who made from your district.

[DMom]

I think if you have as many as 8-10 teams at a level the state or district should require you to field multiple A teams. And if you have three or more teams inhouse included you should have an A team. To many cities skate their teams at the B1 level as to make the parents happy, but it is not good for the kids in the long run. Look at the strength of the Wayzata Edina Maple Grove Etc teams dont tell me it wouldnt be better to have more of their B1 teams skating at the A level. Most of those teams are second year players anyway. How is this for a can of worms, Two Tiers for youth hockey?

A thread of it's own??

[Goaliedad]

I think if you have as many as 8-10 teams at a level the state or district should require you to field multiple A teams. And if you have three or more teams inhouse included you should have an A team. To many cities skate their teams at the B1 level as to make the parents happy, but it is not good for the kids in the long run. Look at the strength of the Wayzata Edina Maple Grove Etc teams dont tell me it wouldnt be better to have more of their B1 teams skating at the A level. Most of those teams are second year players anyway. How is this for a can of worms, Two Tiers for youth hockey?

A thread of it's own??

We are leaving for Regions can't wait for the response.

[tunavichy]

Bronc,
Thanks for the reply. Look at Little Falls yes they have had some good teams and our B Pee Wee team from Como went to there tournament this year and their teams were very strong. Talking to the president of Little Falls he explained this is the last of the good teams and next year other than Bantams all teams will be "B". So the talent pool continues to dry up. Fewer and fewer numbers are starting to be the norm not the exception. The metro suburban teams still have numbers but the rest are starting to decline.

[Bronc]

Bronc,
Thanks for the reply. Look at Little Falls yes they have had some good teams and our B Pee Wee team from Como went to there tournament this year and their teams were very strong. Talking to the president of Little Falls he explained this is the last of the good teams and next year other than Bantams all teams will be "B". So the talent pool continues to dry up. Fewer and fewer numbers are starting to be the norm not the exception. The metro suburban teams still have numbers but the rest are starting to decline.

Hockey is one of those sports (vs Football, soccer, etc) that seems to defy the huge #'s needed to be good. With that said I realize that some of the smaller associations cannot field teams at every level and match the big # associations, but what I have seen is when they properly place them (ie; 1 PWA and then B2, B1 vs A, etc) they are extremely competitive and well run.

Roseau has a very good A PW Team, Grand Rapids APW, Proctor B1 team vs A, etc. The Little Falls group is on track if they are putting their skaters next year at a level that will challenge them and give them a chance for success (B vs A) vs just staying at A (for the sake of it) and getting beatup (but then again you never know with move-ins and players development over the summer).

I believe a State Championship should be you beat the best of the best at the level you are playing regardless of where they are from.

The one thing for sure is we need to find ways to keep kids playing hockey and other sporting activities in the metro and outlying areas of our state.