Interesting Read.

[youngblood08]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/2 ... ccess.html

[Tenoverpar]

Lucky for us we live in Minnesota where our teams are made up of 3 birth years and our high school teams sometimes up to 5. It's definately not our pure numbers that breed success, it's our system!

[greybeard58]

I wonder if those pushing for Tier I and with it the Jan 1 birthday and single year levels are aware of this? This is also a good argument for keeping the Mn Hockey age groups as they are.

[frederick61]

Lucky for us we live in Minnesota where our teams are made up of 3 birth years and our high school teams sometimes up to 5. It's definately not our pure numbers that breed success, it's our system!

The system in Minnesota essentially allows all kids to be the older skater at each level. The major obervation in the article is that kids born early in the year have an advantage over kids born later in the year. The reason is under current Canadian (and USA Hockey) age regulations, each kid plays against the same kids every year as they progress from peewee minors to peewee majors to bantam minors to bantam majors. The author bases this age advantage of 6 months or so as be proven because the most talented players at higher levels in Canada all have birthdays in the early months of their year they were borne.

A good question would be how do the better players produced by the "year" system compare to those produced by the Minnesota Hockey's approach. But the article's writer was bothered by the fact that there were kids dropping out of hockey under the "year" system. A better question would be "does the Minnesota system keep more kids interested in playing the sport?". I believe so because it allows all kids at all levels to be able to form a team and find a place to compete with an opportunity to have fun.

[Judgeandjury]

My son is a late July birthdate. I feel there is some truth to this article even though I'm still in favor of AAA hockey and playing by birth year. We all know there's plenty of kids born late in the year that are just as good or better than anyone else they play with. I think this effects the younger kids versus the older kids. As the kids get older talent does take over. When the kids are younger it's all about who's getting more ice time.

Let me ask this. What age do you really think kids should start checking? A lot of people say because of size kids should start checking in squirts.

[Titan2020]

I wonder if those pushing for Tier I and with it the Jan 1 birthday and single year levels are aware of this? This is also a good argument for keeping the Mn Hockey age groups as they are.

I am not for nor against Tier 1 hockey - although the age argument could probably be made in the MN hockey system as well by our cut-off of June 30.
Take a June 30, 1997 - 1st year PeeWee...if born 1 day later, he or she would be a 2nd year Squirt.

The Outliers is a very good read and looks at gifted programs in schools as well. The same argument is made and argues that many schools are confusing ability with maturity. The book references a study completed that indicates a student can score 4-12% higher than another student based simply on his or her age (early birth date vs. later birth date). 4-12% may not sound like a big difference, but that could be the difference of a child getting placed in a gifted program.

[youngblood08]

Lucky for us we live in Minnesota where our teams are made up of 3 birth years and our high school teams sometimes up to 5. It's definately not our pure numbers that breed success, it's our system!

Sorry but this system has just as big of an effect on our boys also. It happens with the Advanced 15s,16s and 17s. and lord knows if you aren't on those lists you aren't even playing hockey. This is where you see a Senior come out of the wood work and everyone asks where he came from, except he's always been there he just wasn't the right age.

[iwearmysunglassesatnight]

Star Tribune had a article this past week about how MN schools are spending millions of dollars on kids that are not prepared for kindergarten.
In fact some states have raised their minimum age to when a child may start kindergarten.
The trend of kids entering kindergarten at a later age will continue to rise..thus more summer birthdays starting school at age of 6. MN Hockey would benefit to look to adjust their current age guidelines with the demographical trend.

[muckandgrind]

Let me ask this. What age do you really think kids should start checking? A lot of people say because of size kids should start checking in squirts.

I say Squirts. If not in games, they should at least start TEACHING the proper checking techniques. I've seen plenty of 1st year PeeWees injured because they don't know who to give (or take) a proper check and because they are bigger and stronger, the chance for injury is greater.