Changing Associations

hocmom · Post by **hocmom** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:48 pm

That makes it much clearer...

I was more wondering it you were thinking:

OH BOY! Another poor unfortunate A player screwed by the man...

OR...

OH BOY! Another goofy hockey parent convinced his son is the 2nd coming...

OR EVEN...

OH BOY! This should be interesting.

One of these?

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:11 pm

hocmom wrote:That makes it much clearer...

I was more wondering it you were thinking:

OH BOY! Another poor unfortunate A player screwed by the man...

OR...

OH BOY! Another goofy hockey parent convinced his son is the 2nd coming...

OR EVEN...

OH BOY! This should be interesting.

One of these?

Yes

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:13 pm

People who complain about the tryout process should get involved with the association board. That way they can be the ones to explain to the others: "Seriously, my being on the board has nothing to do with the fact that my obvious C player made the A team."

Just kidding - everyone knows that board members don't take advantage of their positions to further their own or their friend's kids interests.

flexiblefish · Post by **flexiblefish** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:22 pm

okay okay but I am going to put this story up with details only. My son went to tryouts with 21 other skaters. They ran 2 drills which he went through flawlessly. No big deal they weren't that hard. they split the kids up randomly and decided to let them scrimmage. My son started out in a defensive position and immediately I saw he was going to have a good day. He took the puck off of a kids stick drove down and dished it off to another kid who scored. He had one more assist during tryouts. He also had three goals one from about 10 feet out while he was being knocked to the ground, another off a rebound, and one he again took off another kids stick and skated half the ice and shot instead of passing it off. Thus completing his hat trick. His team scored about 10 goals and the other side scored a few less. He was fabulous. He is not the best kid on the teams I would put him at 4th or 5th but on this day he was the best and I don't care what others say. When I saw the list I would have been less surprised if I'd looked down at a powerball ticket and saw that I won. My son was hurt but took it well. He just plain thought they didn't want him on the team because they didn't like him. I was less calm to put it mildly. We (my wife and I) contacted an evaluator who showed us his score card. He had my kid in his top five. After that we have had nothing but trouble. I now have no problem with him being on the lower team. In fact I will never let him tryout again and just take a place on the lower team. I just want him to have fun again.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:54 pm

InigoMontoya: I will take a stab that you are not and have not served on a board of directors? I understand what you are saying, but to think that the Board really has that much to do with the outcome of all of the teams in their program is silly. In other words, are you going to tell me Edina has had tremendous Boards over the past 20 years and to just throw out a name, Richfield has not?

I served on our board for 7-8 years. When I joined the board, I assumed it was made up of people pulling strings for their kids and their buddies. I was wrong. I also saw the amount of work, actual time consuming work board members have to do, outside of raising their hand to vote on issues.

But in my time on the board, I nodded off to sleep several times hearing rants on how to reinvent the wheel from disgruntled people.

flexible fish's story happens. I can't explain why. Some coaches make bad picks. Some boards allow bad tryout processes. Some boards approve poor coaches. And some parents have unrealistic expectations.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:56 pm

And I would say the same to HD41. Obviously not on his local association board. And obviously has no clue what it takes to run an association.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:05 pm

Ugottobekiddingme: A cute analogy! I do get the concept of competition. But many don't have other hockey associations 50 feet away. I assume you are speaking of AAA where every program provides a better mousetrap?

But I do understand some programs can get hijacked into going down a dark path. But, my experience is most associations are run by good people with the right intentions. Make the program good for the kids and leave it in better shape than when the started.

Thankfully many associations do have long entrenched members that have seen it all. The enthusiasm of Mite and Squirt parents never gets old. Except when they try to explain just how good their little player is and the association is not doing the right things. When asked to fill a vacant board position, they never have time because their little player is skating 13 months of the year and there is no extra time in their complicated life.

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:21 pm

BadgerBob82 wrote:And I would say the same to HD41. Obviously not on his local association board. And obviously has no clue what it takes to run an association.

Why in the world would I serve on the board of an association that I won't even allow my kid to skate in?

If you were nodding off at the meetings like you say you were, then I rest my case. Board members who sleep or nod off when a constituent is trying to affect change to make things better need to get a clue and find a different hobby and or resume' enhancer.

If trotting out the same old tired crap for policies that are obviously outdated and proven ineffective is how it's done, then I guess I do have a clue of what it takes to run an association.

I never get tired of walking past the association trophy case and seeing those victories from the early 70's.

MrBoDangles · Post by **MrBoDangles** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:27 pm

flexiblefish wrote:okay okay but I am going to put this story up with details only. My son went to tryouts with 21 other skaters. They ran 2 drills which he went through flawlessly. No big deal they weren't that hard. they split the kids up randomly and decided to let them scrimmage. My son started out in a defensive position and immediately I saw he was going to have a good day. He took the puck off of a kids stick drove down and dished it off to another kid who scored. He had one more assist during tryouts. He also had three goals one from about 10 feet out while he was being knocked to the ground, another off a rebound, and one he again took off another kids stick and skated half the ice and shot instead of passing it off. Thus completing his hat trick. His team scored about 10 goals and the other side scored a few less. He was fabulous. He is not the best kid on the teams I would put him at 4th or 5th but on this day he was the best and I don't care what others say. When I saw the list I would have been less surprised if I'd looked down at a powerball ticket and saw that I won. My son was hurt but took it well. He just plain thought they didn't want him on the team because they didn't like him. I was less calm to put it mildly. We (my wife and I) contacted an evaluator who showed us his score card. He had my kid in his top five. After that we have had nothing but trouble. I now have no problem with him being on the lower team. In fact I will never let him tryout again and just take a place on the lower team. I just want him to have fun again.

Sorry that happened to ya..... On the bright side there is Summer Hockey to have the possibility of a fair shake....

Hope this fuels the "Fire" for your boy.

hocmom · Post by **hocmom** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:29 pm

Many people are far to busy doing far much more important things than joining a hockey board. At the same time they are much smarter than the average board member.

They brim with brand new ideas that have never been tried before. They have a solid grasp of how hockey is too expensive and too much is asked of parents.

Also included is a "sixth sense" that can sniff out conspiracy a mile away. I am always amazed at their ability to recall every small bit of evidence proving conspiracy year after year, yet they can't remember when they signed up for the concession stand.

Their memorys brim with the good old days back when they played, the golden years.

At least this is what I have learned during my 18 years on the board.

Are we off topic? I missed this board during the summer...

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:35 pm

hocmom wrote:Many people are far to busy doing far much more important things than joining a hockey board. At the same time they are much smarter than the average board member.

They brim with brand new ideas that have never been tried before. They have a solid grasp of how hockey is too expensive and too much is asked of parents.

Also included is a "sixth sense" that can sniff out conspiracy a mile away. I am always amazed at their ability to recall every small bit of evidence proving conspiracy year after year, yet they can't remember when they signed up for the concession stand.

Their memorys brim with the good old days back when they played, the golden years.

At least this is what I have learned during my 18 years on the board.

Are we off topic? I missed this board during the summer...

I think the topic is "Changing Associations" and clearly we should all change to BadgerBob's. If nothing else we know their "bored" members are well rested.

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:42 pm

HD41: Hey, I paid attention for the first 5-6 times I heard the same rant from a guy like you. But after hearing mite parents provide the secrets to hockey grows very old! And trust me, I have seen guys like you come and go. And actually had a heart felt talk with one recently that admitted how screwed up he was when his kid was a super-star mite/squirt and wishes he could have done things differently. But, that isn't to say his kid wasn't going to end up on drugs and dead by age 19 either way. I'm sure you're more level headed and your little guy will do just fine.

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:11 pm

BadgerBob82 wrote:HD41: Hey, I paid attention for the first 5-6 times I heard the same rant from a guy like you. But after hearing mite parents provide the secrets to hockey grows very old! And trust me, I have seen guys like you come and go. And actually had a heart felt talk with one recently that admitted how screwed up he was when his kid was a super-star mite/squirt and wishes he could have done things differently. But, that isn't to say his kid wasn't going to end up on drugs and dead by age 19 either way. I'm sure you're more level headed and your little guy will do just fine.

You've never met a guy like me before. Those who do know me know that I have worked very hard to change things before it's too late. Eventually my kid may end up playing with some of these kids in HS so I am concerned.

Your attitude is like most bored members. Too busy to listen because you think you know it all. Too blind to see what is going on in the real world outside of the little association. The my way or the highway mentality.

It's guys like you that are blasting open the door for private companies to come in and take over. The association I am referring to is on the fast track to becoming a glorified rec-league. Anyone who aspires to more than mediocrity is leaving because of your kind of attitude.

I have to believe your little guy is/was probably C player and you just don't understand any other perspective.

hocmom · Post by **hocmom** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:17 pm

HD41 - Still in Mites...right?

BadgerBob82 · Post by **BadgerBob82** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:18 pm

HD41: I met many like you! I for your information, our association made so many changes that impacted the "elite to rec" player in our association. There had a been a time that only the elite level mattered and the rest were just helping pay to offset the A team fees. My kids played B's then A's all the way through and enjoyed success in high school.

Heck I'll go out on a limb here. I picture you as never even having played hockey?

MrBoDangles · Post by **MrBoDangles** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:40 pm

BadgerBob82 wrote:HD41: I met many like you! I for your information, our association made so many changes that impacted the "elite to rec" player in our association. There had a been a time that only the elite level mattered and the rest were just helping pay to offset the A team fees. My kids played B's then A's all the way through and enjoyed success in high school.

Heck I'll go out on a limb here. I picture you as never even having played hockey?

Did your dad play Hockey? Your Grandfather? Great Grandfather? Did one of them have no idea what they were talking about because they never took a puck to the face? Which one didn't have a clue?

Did the stand up goalie of the 80's have everything figured out? Should they be coaching today's kids?

Heck, I'll go out on a limb here.... I picture you lacking where it counts.

hocmom · Post by **hocmom** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:50 pm

I picture you lacking where it counts.

Illegal curve?

HockeyDad41 · Post by **HockeyDad41** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:57 pm

BadgerBob82 wrote:HD41: I met many like you! I for your information, our association made so many changes that impacted the "elite to rec" player in our association. There had a been a time that only the elite level mattered and the rest were just helping pay to offset the A team fees. My kids played B's then A's all the way through and enjoyed success in high school.

Heck I'll go out on a limb here. I picture you as never even having played hockey?

Did you really just pull out the "I bet you never even played hockey" garbage? If this were a baseball board would you tell me I throw like a girl?

Well seeing as your kids are done and gone from youth hockey, I'll file this and any other posts of yours under "wishing for the good ol days" and just move on.