Will Spring Lake Park Have A U14 Team?

hockeylover17 · Post by **hockeylover17** » Mon May 24, 2010 9:03 pm

I'm beginning to wonder when they will have one, in a way it seems unfair to have them play on U12 than have them play on the high school team. Seems like a hard transition to make because the girls are older and more skilled, not to mention the game is totally different. So my question to you is when do you predict they will have a U14 team and do you think they will be good or will they have to start with the basics?

observer · Post by **observer** » Tue May 25, 2010 7:21 am

Start recruiting mite girls right now. I'll guess you need to have at least three girls teams at 10 and 12 before the youth program is delivering enough girls to the varsity program where the coach won't need to take any of the 14s. The coach still might take the best 2-3 14s but otherwise will have enough skaters to fill both JV and Varsity with 10-12 graders and can leave the 9th graders to play 14U. My guess is you aren't close. Get involved with the recruiting right now. There's not much more rewarding than growing your association because numbers lead to stronger teams.

30 new Mite girls this fall is the goal. Use summer and fall soccer games as your recruiting grounds. Start today.

redarmydad · Post by **redarmydad** » Tue May 25, 2010 9:06 am

COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!! But remember to build your program from within, and don't recruit from outside your association. SLP should be able to drum up the numbers to keep them in 14U level.

observer · Post by **observer** » Tue May 25, 2010 10:08 am

I'd like to add something though.

14U is like bantam C in that the numbers are never exactly right. After a 14U A team is selected it's extremely rare that you'll have 15 skaters and 2 goalies remaining to form a 14U B team. Maybe you have 22 skaters and that's another discussion. Most end up with some small number of girls left over.

The best solution is to have a good relationship with all neighboring associations so the 14U B team is co-op'd with surrounding associations. Beyond neighboring associations on occassion a District can form a co-op team for the girls without a place to play. That can depend on the size of the District and it's geographic boundries.

But, freedom of player movement is only for the remaining 3-5-7 kids. It doesn't, or shouldn't, mean the top 6 can leave and join a neighboring A team so the remaining 15 can have a 14U B team. Each association needs to have the goal of forming A teams with their own members and then helping their members without a team to find a home for the season. Co-op teams at 14U B. A co-ops only where required.