BRECK CLASS A CHAMPIONS

[MNHockeyFan]

People need to understand that STA decision to stay at class A or move up to AA is based on "all thier sports". While some of thier teams would be competitive at AA (ie. hockey, swimming) the others would not. There are many supporters with in the hockey program who would like to see them go AA.

The administration does not want the focus to be on one single sport when making this decision to move up and thier decision is based on what they feel is in the best interest of the school as a whole.

That's exactly what I've heard also from a couple of parents whose kids who attend STA. By playing at the class to which they are assigned by the MSHSL for each sport, they avoid the appearance of favoring any one at the expense of the others.

[deacon]

Just say "we stay in A because we want to win". People might not agree with that approach but at least it sounds reasonable. The other stuff sounds goofey..

People need to understand that STA decision to stay at class A or move up to AA is based on "all thier sports". While some of thier teams would be competitive at AA (ie. hockey, swimming) the others would not. There are many supporters with in the hockey program who would like to see them go AA.

The administration does not want the focus to be on one single sport when making this decision to move up and thier decision is based on what they feel is in the best interest of the school as a whole.

This is all true. The bottom line is STA plays in the class it assigned to play in. The swim has been the most dominant team in the state the last 10 years, they play in A. The hockey team, while not being dominant, has been good the last 5 years, they play in A. The golf team, which has not been to state in a very, very long time, plays in AA because that is where they are assigned to play. My head hurts from discussing this so much.

[deacon]

Donations to private schools come in many different forms, and with many different strings attatched. They are not all the same, nor does the school have complete control over where the money goes. Some donors do simply throw money at the school and say "use it for whatever," which the school obviously appreciates.

However, many donations do not take this form. Some are given specifically for athletics, some for a certain addition to the school, and some to reinforce part of a school's religious heritage or something like that. Heck, my college has a donor who gives money with the stipulation that it be spent on 3,000 new flower bulbs every year.

The ones that the STA administration is going to find most important are the academic-based ones, for obvious reasons. And if the people giving these ones say "STA must 'stick to its values' and not opt up," then that is exactly what the school is going to do, whether they want to or not. In effect, they can be and possibly are held hostage by these donors. They need this money to operate and can't say no. Nor should they, in my opinion. Not being allowed to play in a higher level is a minor sacrifice to pay for offering a high-quality education.

Sounds like a really wierd group of people to me..."Here is my money just please, please, please do not play AA hockey. It will be the end of us."

For what it is worth, all of the US MIlitary Academies play Division 1 Hockey at the collegiate level.

I hope this is the only time these young men are "held hostage."

Their football teams also play division I, whats your point?

[K Dope]

Just say "we stay in A because we want to win". People might not agree with that approach but at least it sounds reasonable. The other stuff sounds goofey..

People need to understand that STA decision to stay at class A or move up to AA is based on "all thier sports". While some of thier teams would be competitive at AA (ie. hockey, swimming) the others would not. There are many supporters with in the hockey program who would like to see them go AA.

The administration does not want the focus to be on one single sport when making this decision to move up and thier decision is based on what they feel is in the best interest of the school as a whole.

Ok, for the last time. It's about perception. It's not like they are afraid they wouldn't be able to maintain academic excellence. It's the fact that from an alumni perspective, donors perspective, and the board of trustees perspective, it signals that there is a shift in focus to athletics. Seeking out better competition (moving to AA would do this, it is undoubtedly better competition) because they have a good hockey program is a blatant shift in focus.

Do the US Military Academies have less of a focus on academics than STA? I think not. The produce the finest our country has to offer while playing at the highest level. "Shift in focus" is a cop out.

[DotaDangler]

People need to understand that STA decision to stay at class A or move up to AA is based on "all thier sports". While some of thier teams would be competitive at AA (ie. hockey, swimming) the others would not. There are many supporters with in the hockey program who would like to see them go AA.

The administration does not want the focus to be on one single sport when making this decision to move up and thier decision is based on what they feel is in the best interest of the school as a whole.

Ok, for the last time. It's about perception. It's not like they are afraid they wouldn't be able to maintain academic excellence. It's the fact that from an alumni perspective, donors perspective, and the board of trustees perspective, it signals that there is a shift in focus to athletics. Seeking out better competition (moving to AA would do this, it is undoubtedly better competition) because they have a good hockey program is a blatant shift in focus.

Do the US Military Academies have less of a focus on academics than STA? I think not. The produce the finest our country has to offer while playing at the highest level. "Shift in focus" is a cop out.

Wow this is one of the dumbest posts I have read in a while. Why are you bringing up colleges? STA relies on donor money, while the US military academies are Federally funded and can do whatever they want.

[High Flyer]

Ok, for the last time. It's about perception. It's not like they are afraid they wouldn't be able to maintain academic excellence. It's the fact that from an alumni perspective, donors perspective, and the board of trustees perspective, it signals that there is a shift in focus to athletics. Seeking out better competition (moving to AA would do this, it is undoubtedly better competition) because they have a good hockey program is a blatant shift in focus.

Do the US Military Academies have less of a focus on academics than STA? I think not. The produce the finest our country has to offer while playing at the highest level. "Shift in focus" is a cop out.

Wow this is one of the dumbest posts I have read in a while. Why are you bringing up colleges? STA relies on donor money, while the US military academies are Federally funded and can do whatever they want.

we've kind of got off subject, should move on (me included).

Congratulatons Breck on your state championship title

[Goldy Gopher]

Donations to private schools come in many different forms, and with many different strings attatched. They are not all the same, nor does the school have complete control over where the money goes. Some donors do simply throw money at the school and say "use it for whatever," which the school obviously appreciates.

However, many donations do not take this form. Some are given specifically for athletics, some for a certain addition to the school, and some to reinforce part of a school's religious heritage or something like that. Heck, my college has a donor who gives money with the stipulation that it be spent on 3,000 new flower bulbs every year.

The ones that the STA administration is going to find most important are the academic-based ones, for obvious reasons. And if the people giving these ones say "STA must 'stick to its values' and not opt up," then that is exactly what the school is going to do, whether they want to or not. In effect, they can be and possibly are held hostage by these donors. They need this money to operate and can't say no. Nor should they, in my opinion. Not being allowed to play in a higher level is a minor sacrifice to pay for offering a high-quality education.

Sounds like a really wierd group of people to me..."Here is my money just please, please, please do not play AA hockey. It will be the end of us."

For what it is worth, all of the US MIlitary Academies play Division 1 Hockey at the collegiate level.

I hope this is the only time these young men are "held hostage."

Navy?

[K Dope]

Donations to private schools come in many different forms, and with many different strings attatched. They are not all the same, nor does the school have complete control over where the money goes. Some donors do simply throw money at the school and say "use it for whatever," which the school obviously appreciates.

However, many donations do not take this form. Some are given specifically for athletics, some for a certain addition to the school, and some to reinforce part of a school's religious heritage or something like that. Heck, my college has a donor who gives money with the stipulation that it be spent on 3,000 new flower bulbs every year.

The ones that the STA administration is going to find most important are the academic-based ones, for obvious reasons. And if the people giving these ones say "STA must 'stick to its values' and not opt up," then that is exactly what the school is going to do, whether they want to or not. In effect, they can be and possibly are held hostage by these donors. They need this money to operate and can't say no. Nor should they, in my opinion. Not being allowed to play in a higher level is a minor sacrifice to pay for offering a high-quality education.

Sounds like a really wierd group of people to me..."Here is my money just please, please, please do not play AA hockey. It will be the end of us."

For what it is worth, all of the US MIlitary Academies play Division 1 Hockey at the collegiate level.

I hope this is the only time these young men are "held hostage."

Navy?

Got me - nice research. I contacted the Navy and they said they didn't want to shift their focus like the other academies.

[bluelineenvy]

we've kind of got off subject, should move on (me included).

Congratulatons Breck on your state championship title[/quote]

I agree, we got way off the whole purpose of this thread, Congrats to BRECK! They are one of the best teams in the state this year...

[Goldy Gopher]

Sounds like a really wierd group of people to me..."Here is my money just please, please, please do not play AA hockey. It will be the end of us."

For what it is worth, all of the US MIlitary Academies play Division 1 Hockey at the collegiate level.

I hope this is the only time these young men are "held hostage."

Navy?

Got me - nice research. I contacted the Navy and they said they didn't want to shift their focus like the other academies.

No reasearch, just common sense.

[Fangirl]

Never would at the beginning of the season that they would win

they started off the year beating duluth marshall 5-1 and sta, im not sure what the score was in that game. but breck easily was the best team in class a this year. congratulations breck

STA beat Breck 7-2 at the beginning of the year.

That was a coaches loss, not the teams loss. STA is the best coached team in their class, no competition.

[Fangirl]

1st line
Born - Orono (Breck lifer), Rehkamp - Wayzata, R. Borer - Brooklyn Park

2nd
Morin - Armstrong, Fulton - Champlin, Traina - Chaska

3rd
Iverson - SLP/SW, Nystedt - Wayzata, C. Borer - BP

Defense
Herd - Alex, Ziedler - Shakopee, Mooney - EP (Lifer)
Crowe - Edina (lifer), Gislason - Burnsville, Rudnick - Champlin

Goalie

Russell - Champlin

Thanks, Great info! I not sure about Warroad, but here's LF's/

1st line - Hanowski - LF Hirsch - LF Waytashek - LF
2nd line - Moll - LF Nelson - LF Dougherty - LF
3rd line - Suska - LF Hanowski - LF Martin - LF

Defense Berlund - LF Kalis - LF Rydeen - LF Gosiak - LF
Goalie - Sperl - LF

Congrats to Breck, they were no doubt the best A school and probably woud have beat most AA schools. I would love to see them play EP. If the junior class comes back next year they will easily repeat, sorry STA!!

I had no idea that Breck had such a far reaching roster. I think it is a bit disingenuous to classify a private school as Class A, when they are casting such a WIDE net to pull hockey kids in. Obviously, Little Falls had far fewer candidates from which to draw. Heck, most AA high schools in the state tourney have far fewer.

Even so, EP would mop the rink with Breck. Breck did manage to beat a couple of AA schools, but they also lost to Wayzata. If they played a decent AA schedule, I think they are a .500 team at best.

The parents at Breck/Blake are pretty sick of the recruiting also. What everyone fails to talk about is the displacement of the kids who spend their life at the school hoping to represent it on the ice only to be displaced by other programs stars. Blake has cut the recruiting, it will be interesting to see how their next few years go. As for Breck, I hear that the recruiter and the coach are bff's (can we say conflict of interest?), so the home-growns have been screwed over to make the recruit families happy. There has been a lot of unhappiness at both schools over the recruiting problem. At least Blake doesn't bring in Russians!

[Fangirl]

I have many close family ties at STA, and the reason STA doesn't opt up to AA has nothing to do with being trophy chasers or wanting to make the state tournament more often..... The reason they don't opt up is because the donors and board of directors(the people behind the money) want STA to stay academic and tradition focused, and moving to AA signals a shift in focus and priorities..

Agreed with Jack.
You cannot possibly say this with a straight face.
Hockey is a HUGE priority at STA.

Hockey is also a HUGE priority at Breck. Would you contend that their focus or priority is NOT on hockey, because THEY play in Class A?

The "donors and board of directors" want STA to succeed. Hockey success gets them a lot of time in the limelight, which is good and cheap advertising. If the focus and priorities were fully "academic and tradition focused" they wouldn't participate in sports at all. Hockey is a priority, alright. And it's a BIG one.

I have to disagree with you. In the rather incestuous relationship between Blake/Breck a lot of talk goes back and forth. From what I understand Breck is in the process of taking their program apart and bringing the the focus back to academics and a more equal representation of all programs. There is a contingency at both of these schools who are absolutely fighting the recruiting practices that go on. Breck sliced the head off their program by passing on high profile, high quality candidates vying for the head coach position to hire low level, unqualified coaches in the past two years. Their current coach has never coached high school hockey and has very tense relationships within the program with players and parents, I understand that the recruits are heavily favored and this has not gone over well. Here at Blake we have a good coach, not without issues, but he has good relationships with the players. There was a big dust up a couple of years ago about recruiting though and so it will be interesting to see what we can do without that component as strong as it was.
So, the priority seems to be to take the focus OFF hockey. We'll see. As I have stated, Breck has a very active recruiter who, from what hear, basically calls the shots in the program. I see this program imploding at some point. Sad for the kids, good for the competition.
Anyone know how they got such a great girl's coach? I've heard unconfirmed rumors, but won't repeat because it was third hand.

[the_second_coming]

sorry got hacked,..
edina not a bend show

[flatontheice]

Thanks, Great info! I not sure about Warroad, but here's LF's/

1st line - Hanowski - LF Hirsch - LF Waytashek - LF
2nd line - Moll - LF Nelson - LF Dougherty - LF
3rd line - Suska - LF Hanowski - LF Martin - LF

Defense Berlund - LF Kalis - LF Rydeen - LF Gosiak - LF
Goalie - Sperl - LF

Congrats to Breck, they were no doubt the best A school and probably woud have beat most AA schools. I would love to see them play EP. If the junior class comes back next year they will easily repeat, sorry STA!!

I had no idea that Breck had such a far reaching roster. I think it is a bit disingenuous to classify a private school as Class A, when they are casting such a WIDE net to pull hockey kids in. Obviously, Little Falls had far fewer candidates from which to draw. Heck, most AA high schools in the state tourney have far fewer.

Even so, EP would mop the rink with Breck. Breck did manage to beat a couple of AA schools, but they also lost to Wayzata. If they played a decent AA schedule, I think they are a .500 team at best.

The parents at Breck/Blake are pretty sick of the recruiting also. What everyone fails to talk about is the displacement of the kids who spend their life at the school hoping to represent it on the ice only to be displaced by other programs stars. Blake has cut the recruiting, it will be interesting to see how their next few years go. As for Breck, I hear that the recruiter and the coach are bff's (can we say conflict of interest?), so the home-growns have been screwed over to make the recruit families happy. There has been a lot of unhappiness at both schools over the recruiting problem. At least Blake doesn't bring in Russians!

#1.) Blake has not cut the recruiting. #2.) You are from Breck #3.) If your kid wants to play more, tell him to get better.

[Mite-dad]

st thomas and Breck would have no chance in AA

If I remember correctly, they handily beat two of the AA teams in the state tourny during the regular season. They would have competed just fine in AA and, as was stated earlier, I'd have loved to have seen them play Eden Prairie.

[Fangirl]

I had no idea that Breck had such a far reaching roster. I think it is a bit disingenuous to classify a private school as Class A, when they are casting such a WIDE net to pull hockey kids in. Obviously, Little Falls had far fewer candidates from which to draw. Heck, most AA high schools in the state tourney have far fewer.

Even so, EP would mop the rink with Breck. Breck did manage to beat a couple of AA schools, but they also lost to Wayzata. If they played a decent AA schedule, I think they are a .500 team at best.

The parents at Breck/Blake are pretty sick of the recruiting also. What everyone fails to talk about is the displacement of the kids who spend their life at the school hoping to represent it on the ice only to be displaced by other programs stars. Blake has cut the recruiting, it will be interesting to see how their next few years go. As for Breck, I hear that the recruiter and the coach are bff's (can we say conflict of interest?), so the home-growns have been screwed over to make the recruit families happy. There has been a lot of unhappiness at both schools over the recruiting problem. At least Blake doesn't bring in Russians!

#1.) Blake has not cut the recruiting. #2.) You are from Breck #3.) If your kid wants to play more, tell him to get better.

Haha. #1) I'm not from Breck. #2) I GO TO Blake. When I have kids, I'll keep that in mind. Blake has cut their recruiting while Breck has stepped theirs up. That is a fact.

[power92]

Can someone tell me how these schools "recruit" these kids? Do they give them cars? A place to live? What?

[Fangirl]

Can someone tell me how these schools "recruit" these kids? Do they give them cars? A place to live? What?

Sometimes a place to live. There are "benefactor" families who pay tuitions, also. They get their names on ice arenas too, the benefactors, lol, not the players obviously.

[eagle8]

well atleast breck is smart enough to bring in kids that win them state championships

[Fangirl]

well atleast breck is smart enough to bring in kids that win them state championships

Not for long.

[flatontheice]

well atleast breck is smart enough to bring in kids that win them state championships

Not for long.

Fangirl: You are making stuff up. IF you are a student there, I am sure the administration has not included you in their strategic discussions on recruiting.

[orlo4457]

Great team what else can I say.

[Fangirl]

well atleast breck is smart enough to bring in kids that win them state championships

Not for long.

Fangirl: You are making stuff up. IF you are a student there, I am sure the administration has not included you in their strategic discussions on recruiting.

No, you are right they haven't. But if you think that EVERYONE doesn't know what goes on, you don't know much. I don't know why you have such an issue about a student speaking their mind, surely someone who has friends or family actually affected by the stuff all you bored dads come on here and talk about is more aware of what the feelings are about this. I am only saying what I have heard from MANY people, including people who actually go to Breck. You seem to be such an expert, I think you are connected to Breck otherwise what do you care? I have no reason to make anything up anyway. Yeah I am making up the facts that everyone knows, I mean, if I know it's no secret is it? I think it's strange that you think it's weird for us to be on here speaking our minds about a subject we probably are a lot closer to than you since we are affected on a more personal level than you are.

[Fangirl]

Great team what else can I say.

They are. And a couple of them are my friends. Just saying that recruiting effects more than the State Tournament and the way parents feel about it.