Who moved up to high school?

JoltDelivered · Post by **JoltDelivered** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:03 pm

Here's another wierd one. Johnny Austin, 8th grader from Edina PWA?, named to Blake varsity. Nice player but very small. Indication that Blake doesn't have much this year.

8th grader on a Pee Wee team? Pee Wees are usually 6th and 7th graders.

muckandgrind · Post by **muckandgrind** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:07 pm

JoltDelivered wrote:
Here's another wierd one. Johnny Austin, 8th grader from Edina PWA?, named to Blake varsity. Nice player but very small. Indication that Blake doesn't have much this year.
8th grader on a Pee Wee team? Pee Wees are usually 6th and 7th graders.

Maybe he mean he was a PWA player last season......or he was a July or August b-day and still could play PWA as an 8th grader, which is possible.

observer · Post by **observer** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:16 pm

Excuse me. Austin is listed on the Edina Bantam B1 Green team roster. Blake has him listed on the varsity roster. What's up with leaving one of the strongest youth associations? Bad move by all 4 in my opinion. You can never get that last year of Bantam play back.

JoltDelivered · Post by **JoltDelivered** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:32 pm

Well, I do know there is always disappointment in not making the A bantam team so often times kids will pull up stakes and head for high school. However, that's usually with the 2nd year kids that get cut to B1.

Now, if my son had the opportunity to choose, as an 8th grader, between B1's and varsity, I would strongly consider allowing my kid jumping to varsity. That's a pretty rare opportunity. Maybe the plan is to get noticed early in high school to open doors for other opportunities (i.e Ann Arbor, juniors, etc...).

If the situation is right and the kid can handle it, let him go. Holding kids back is not ALWAYS the right decision. But I can see both sides of the argument.

funnyguy · Post by **funnyguy** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:50 pm

Have you watched a District 6 Bantam game this year? Many of the players are talented, but the District policy on the refereeing standard makes the game unwatchable. Bantam A referees in District 6 are required to call games so tight that the better players have to hold back. We played at Centenniel with District 10 refs and the games were fast and fun.

District 6 Bantam A games are a let down, even from high-level 96 summer hockey. This is not because of the talent, but because the talented players have their hands tied. This is a district policy problem, not individual referees.

Even without the guys who jumped up, the Bantam A level in District 6 has plenty of talent. But they do not let them play hockey. If my District 6 kid has chance to play varsity as a ninth grader, he will do it. He will do it because it is frustrating and no fun when you are not allowed to play up to your ability.

Doglover · Post by **Doglover** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:07 pm

observer wrote:Excuse me. Austin is listed on the Edina Bantam B1 Green team roster. Blake has him listed on the varsity roster. What's up with leaving one of the strongest youth associations? Bad move by all 4 in my opinion. You can never get that last year of Bantam play back.

Are you really serious? Play Bantam B1's or Varsity? My guess is he probably didn't make the Bantam A team since he goes to a private school. Of course he should jump at the opportunity to play High School. Just to clarify - don't know the kid at all or the family. Just can't see how anyone would rather play Bantam B1 versus Varsity. I think you're reasoning is flawed and parents may be thrilled with the number of games in Bantams, but most kids just want to play with their friends and at the highest, most competitive level possible. Kids dream their whole life about playing on the Varsity for their high school, not playing Bantam B1, even in a strong association.

iwearmysunglassesatnight · Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:01 pm

[quote="Doglover"][quote="observer"]Excuse me. Austin is listed on the Edina Bantam B1 Green team roster. Blake has him listed on the varsity roster. What's up with leaving one of the strongest youth associations? Bad move by all 4 in my opinion. You can never get that last year of Bantam play back.[/quote]

Are you really serious? Play Bantam B1's or Varsity? My guess is he probably didn't make the Bantam A team since he goes to a private school. Of course he should jump at the opportunity to play High School. Just to clarify - don't know the kid at all or the family. Just can't see how [b]anyone[/b] would rather play Bantam B1 versus Varsity. I think you're reasoning is flawed and parents may be thrilled with the number of games in Bantams, but most kids just want to play with their friends and at the highest, most competitive level possible. Kids dream their whole life about playing on the Varsity for their high school, not playing Bantam B1, even in a strong association.[/quote]

If this is the case it is a little strange. Not good enough per the evaulations to make the bantam A team, but can make varsity at high school. So is possible the bantam A team can beat the high school team?

rudy · Post by **rudy** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:28 am

blake kid didnt skate in the bantam edina tryout and was placed on B1.

C-dad · Post by **C-dad** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:38 am

His younger brother is on the Fire. I suspect the family is moving away from EHA hockey, not sure where the sister plays this season. And as others have said, he may just want to play with his buddies at school. BTW, I thought Johnnie played Bantam last year too, I think he's 2 years ahead of the younger boy who would be a first year PW this year.

hockeyfan13 · Post by **hockeyfan13** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:19 pm

I'll clear up the confusion with Austin. Johnny is in 8th grade, and was a first year Bantam. However, he would have been a second year, but because of his age, he was able to stay back a year in hockey and in school. Right now he is repeating 8th grade, and played 3 years of Peewee hockey. He didn't make the A team because he wasn't able to tryout, due to an injury. He was obviously hoping to make the A team, and that was probably the reason why he stayed back in Peewees, because he didn't want to make a B1 team again. So the logical thing for him to do was tryout for Blake Varsity.

There was also interesting movement between Edina B1 and A. Since the A team lost 3 players, they decided to move 2 people up from B1. They moved up 2 people from B1 Green, the same team that Johnny was on. B1 Green was then down 3 people, so one of the best kids from B1 White was moved to Green.

observer · Post by **observer** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:31 pm

Thanks for the insight.

Interesting they decided to move players around. I thought they'd just go with the remaining players as they had initially selected a fat roster of 18 that went to 15 which is a nice number of skaters.

nobama · Post by **nobama** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:35 pm

Because of his age he is repeating the 8th grade.

I have never heard of this before should I be doing this with my 4.0 child as well because his age is on the young side for his grade as well.

Toomuchtoosoon · Post by **Toomuchtoosoon** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:14 pm

Hmmm...why would someone repeat eighth grade? Maybe so they can delay entry into high school and won't be hit with a 1 year eligibility transfer penalty. Just a guess

Heard the old man is a bit over the top.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:35 am

Holding a kid back in the 8th grade is nothing new. It is done for football in FL, TX, PA, OH, etc.; for basketball in IN, KY, etc.; no surprise it would be done for hockey in MN - one year bigger, stronger, faster.

5thgraders · Post by **5thgraders** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:18 am

one year bigger stronger faster one year smarter as well :oops:when you need to play this card in the 8th grade you all but kill your chances at ever getting drafted by the NHL. The draft is based on birthdate unless he finds a way to change that he will never be drafted as his bad birthdate for his grade will be known by all in the know.

love2skate · Post by **love2skate** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:20 am

Give it a rest people. There is nothing wrong with his birthdate. He is still younger than other 8th graders. He is a great kid and the family made a decision that is best for them based on MANY factors. They just waited to make this decision now rather than in first grade. Let it go and move on.

Night Train · Post by **Night Train** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:30 am

"Who moved up to High School?"

A lot of JV players. It's crowded out there. A number of the JV teams are really strong and have a number of Bantam eligible players. The privates in particular have a number of kids that would be strong Bantam A players or varsity on other squads. Because of numbers some will never get a sniff of varsity. The move to high school seemed to be popular (mistake?) this year.

http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/activitypage.asp?actnum=410

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:07 am

Give it a rest people. There is nothing wrong with his birthdate. He is still younger than other 8th graders. He is a great kid and the family made a decision that is best for them based on MANY factors. They just waited to make this decision now rather than in first grade. Let it go and move on.

I don't think anyone is worked up about it; it's more matter-of-fact. It really is no different than putting your wife on bedrest through the month of June.

frederick61 · Post by **frederick61** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:49 pm

My vote for the most interesting move to high school is Little Falls Peewee A team that played in the 2008 State Peewee Tourney. Seven of the players on that 15 kid roster are listed now on the Little Falls Varsity Roster (5 on the Boys team, two on the Girls team). Little Falls made it to the state because of a solid defense. Now one year later, those kids will have a shot at being the solid defense for the high school team (not counting the forward who did well in the advance 15 tryouts this summer).

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Who moved up to high school?

Stay in bantams or move to high school?

high school

Johnny Austin