Why is District 6 (D6) still going after MN Made Hockey?

[warmskin]

Player Commitment

Player Commitment
"The D6 one league rule has been replaced with a player commitment contracts that reads as follows -

COMMITMENT TO TEAM – Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an “excused absence” upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However, unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension...

[OnFrozenPond]

Player Commitment

Player Commitment
"The D6 one league rule has been replaced with a player commitment contracts that reads as follows -

COMMITMENT TO TEAM – Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an “excused absence” upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However, unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension...

Is it wrong to expect your players to show up? I see this as a different issue than telling players what they can or cannot do on their own time. Which is what the one league rule did.

[SnowedIn]

Player Commitment

Player Commitment
"The D6 one league rule has been replaced with a player commitment contracts that reads as follows -

COMMITMENT TO TEAM – Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an “excused absence” upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However, unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension...

Is it wrong to expect your players to show up? I see this as a different issue than telling players what they can or cannot do on their own time. Which is what the one league rule did.

Not wrong. This rule is right on. It is up to the coach/association to enforce this.

[OnFrozenPond]

Player Commitment

Player Commitment
"The D6 one league rule has been replaced with a player commitment contracts that reads as follows -

COMMITMENT TO TEAM – Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an “excused absence” upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However, unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension...

Is it wrong to expect your players to show up? I see this as a different issue than telling players what they can or cannot do on their own time. Which is what the one league rule did.

Not wrong. This rule is right on. It is up to the coach/association to enforce this.

I think this is the right place for it also.

[skipperj]

I don't see any mention to Made in the text. It was most likely written in because of them, but like the others say on here it is a resonable request. A team sport requires the participation of the whole team, not just those who don't have Made practice or game.

[edgeless2]

So if you refuse to sign contract, associations won't accept your $1000 bucks? Seems like it may push people to make a choice and not do both. If that is the reason for the contract it may work. Haven't seen many associations turn down checks though.

[skipperj]

I have to disagree with you Edgeless. It will make them make a choice, but it definately won't be either, it will be one or the other... and I'm guessing it would not be in associations favor. I have no issue if a kid wants to do both, but hockey is a team sport, and if you miss because you are on two teams, there should be penalties. Same if you had two jobs and was missing one for the other, you would get fired eventually.

[edgeless2]

I have to disagree with you Edgeless. It will make them make a choice, but it definately won't be either, it will be one or the other... and I'm guessing it would not be in associations favor. I have no issue if a kid wants to do both, but hockey is a team sport, and if you miss because you are on two teams, there should be penalties. Same if you had two jobs and was missing one for the other, you would get fired eventually.

I don't think we are in disagreement. I am not advocating for playing for two teams. I am merely suggesting that this contract will force people to choose association or choice league. I have had several kids go through mites and forced attendance does not seem to be the answer if you are trying to raise participation. On just about every mite team I was involved with attendance was spotty at best. More often than not it had nothing to do with playing on two teams. I believe it had more to do with the kids being 5-9 years old and not wanting to be forced to go. Or maybe they couldn't make it because of that second job they were holding down.

[Bluewhitefan]

So if you refuse to sign contract, associations won't accept your $1000 bucks? Seems like it may push people to make a choice and not do both. If that is the reason for the contract it may work. Haven't seen many associations turn down checks though.

Exactly - THEY SHOULDN'T DO BOTH!!!!!

If they can't fully commit to either, then they should pick one, and if they don't the coaches/associations are well withing their rights to play them or not play them accordingly.

[SnowedIn]

So if you refuse to sign contract, associations won't accept your $1000 bucks? Seems like it may push people to make a choice and not do both. If that is the reason for the contract it may work. Haven't seen many associations turn down checks though.

Exactly - THEY SHOULDN'T DO BOTH!!!!!

If they can't fully commit to either, then they should pick one, and if they don't the coaches/associations are well withing their rights to play them or not play them accordingly.

If MM has the same policy then you really need to pick one unless there is not much overlap and you work it out upfront somehow, which would be the fair way to do it.

The larger solution would be for the associations and their coaches to put together developmental program that includes a monster amount of skills training just like the ADM model, European and any world class hockey training program uses. This same model is used by top programs in other sports also. At the young ages you are MOSTLY developing fundamental skills, and just a LITTLE on breakouts and tactics. Common sense stuff for such a highly technical sport. Unfortunately traditions and egos are huge barriers to common sense. Associations that get it will retain most of their kids. Those that don't risk losing some kids for a few years until their parents decide its politically unfavorable to keep them out any longer.

[57special]

Traveling soccer and baseball have similar rules.

[JSR]

I can see where maybe I'd agree with this for Pee Wee's and Bantams but there is no way in the world you'd ever get me to sign something like this for Squirt or Mite age kids. I'm sorry but younger kids SHOULD be encouraged to try as many extra cirriculars as possible even if it means they overlap and sometimes you have to miss one for the other. Let's quit acting like a 7 or 8 year old "needs" to be specializing in one sport or activity at age 7. It's assinine at best. If that kid wants to be in the school play or whatever and there is some occasional conflict he or she should not be "punished" by his or her team or association or any other entity because he/she was at play rehearsal istead of a mite hockey practice. Get a grip people, it's youth sports for gosh sakes.

[scorekeeper]

I'm sorry but younger kids SHOULD be encouraged to try as many extra cirriculars as possible even if it means they overlap and sometimes you have to miss one for the other. Let's quit acting like a 7 or 8 year old "needs" to be specializing in one sport or activity at age 7. It's assinine at best. If that kid wants to be in the school play or whatever and there is some occasional conflict he or she should not be "punished" by his or her team or association or any other entity because he/she was at play rehearsal istead of a mite hockey practice. Get a grip people, it's youth sports for gosh sakes.

bingo!

[SnowedIn]

I can see where maybe I'd agree with this for Pee Wee's and Bantams but there is no way in the world you'd ever get me to sign something like this for Squirt or Mite age kids. I'm sorry but younger kids SHOULD be encouraged to try as many extra cirriculars as possible even if it means they overlap and sometimes you have to miss one for the other. Let's quit acting like a 7 or 8 year old "needs" to be specializing in one sport or activity at age 7. It's assinine at best. If that kid wants to be in the school play or whatever and there is some occasional conflict he or she should not be "punished" by his or her team or association or any other entity because he/she was at play rehearsal istead of a mite hockey practice. Get a grip people, it's youth sports for gosh sakes.

The discussion here, I think, is whether kids should commit to a MM Choice league team and their association team. If both teams have a policy of no unexcuses absenses and there is a lot of overlap, how do you commit to both teams? Not talking about an "occasional" conflict, extra curriculars or multiple sports. Those would probably be excused absenses??

[edgeless2]

The more I read this policy the funnier it gets. It really reeks of an attempt by D6 to save face after taking a beating in court at the hands of MM. Who in D6 is in the know as to how much this legal action actually cost the paying members? I am sure it is not something that D6 is advertising. It sure seems like they are hanging on too tight. Let it go. No one is going to suspend a mite playing cross ice hockey for any reason.

[JoltDelivered]

This sort of rule is commonplace in our associaition and has been for years and years. However, we don't need a signed contract to accomplish the goal.

Simply, each coach covers this in the opening parent meeting after teams are selected and it's always rule #1: Show up for all practices and games and you play. Skip here or there and you sit. Excused abscences are school functions, sickness or church functions. Anything else is unacceptable. This is not out of the ordinary.

My question would be: Why hasn't this been in place at the associaition level for the last 30 years?

[Irish]

Player Commitment

Player Commitment
"The D6 one league rule has been replaced with a player commitment contracts that reads as follows -

COMMITMENT TO TEAM – Players are expected to participate in all team activities (practices, games, tournaments, etc). An allowance for an “excused absence” upon notice that is reasonable under the circumstances may be established by teams and associations. However, unexcused absence is grounds for consequence to a player, as determined by the team or association, up to and including suspension...

Looks pretty fair to me.

[InigoMontoya]

I don't think the question is whether it's fair; the question is why is the district creating any policy that states that a team or association is allowed to create a policy regarding XYZ. In order for a peewee B team to expect that the last kid out of the locker room shuts off the lights, does the district need to publish a policy regarding energy conservation?

[old goalie85]

What about the coaches need to wear clothes while @ the rink ??

[StopTheMadness]

Welcome to the Soviet Union... Wait...They no longer exist!
D6 may want to take note.

[hockeymannorth]

Mnmade has 100s of kids paying big bucks and still can't play on a A team so doesn't that tell you it's talent that makes you good.and most Machine players would still be top players without MNmade and for MNMADE to claim they made them good is hog wash why have tryouts for Machice teams?just take 17 kids and make them a top team. why cut kids and pick up news ones? Mnmade cuts you if you don't show up why can't D6

[old goalie85]

This can't still be going on. Can it? Mites should be able to stip hockey [Bernie/D6] for X-mas concerts/sking w/the family/water polo and what ever else the parents want them to TRY !!! Two hockey teams NO Way. Come on , common sense here. Don't "turn off" the mite parents. They should however understand that one or the other is enough.

[old goalie85]

I meant skip hockey . not strip. Not sure what I was thinking.

[Sweet Dreams]

Mnmade cuts you if you don't show up why can't D6


I have no problem with the rule, but with MN Made Machine, you have a Choice to play or not play with them. With ASSociation YOU Do NOT and Have To Play with your Home association NO matter what. Have D6 Grant any Waiver and it may be different. BTW the Choice program does not have an attendance policy. It is your money and your Choice to attend and the coaches can not reprimand a kid for missing every practice and only showing up for games. I think it is crazy to miss many for the money they are paying but to each their own. D6 leave it up to the Coach of the team to decide what he or she feels is excused or not. Every absence is different and only that coach can decide if a punishment is required.

[hockeymannorth]

who gives a rats .ss about MNmade if you love them so much go there no one is stopping you.sounds like you like what D6 does or you wouldn't want to play their games