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talkhockey wrote:Only a hand full truly have a meaningful impact on their team’s success. Last year McMillan (Breck) Curtis (ER), Illekainen (GR) Brandt (HM) Hanson (WBL) Leshomb (So. St. Paul). This year look for Cameranesi (Wayzata).

And Rooney from Buffalo!

When I saw all those 8th grade kids playing in the high school hockey tournament last spring (I think the kids were from Farmington) I about fell off from my chair. Is the girls programs around the state that depleted of numbers? To me 7th and 8th graders should still be playing youth hockey. Why are so many programs moving them up? I thought girls programs were supposed to be the fastest growing level in youth hockey in the nation? Where have the sophomore and freshman gone? Are they drummed out of program too soon at youth levels? Is the growth simply coming in at the early years of 8 U and 10 U?

northwoods oldtimer wrote:When I saw all those 8th grade kids playing in the high school hockey tournament last spring (I think the kids were from Farmington) I about fell off from my chair. Is the girls programs around the state that depleted of numbers? To me 7th and 8th graders should still be playing youth hockey. Why are so many programs moving them up? I thought girls programs were supposed to be the fastest growing level in youth hockey in the nation? Where have the sophomore and freshman gone? Are they drummed out of program too soon at youth levels? Is the growth simply coming in at the early years of 8 U and 10 U?

All good questions oldtimer and no one answer to them all. I think there's a number of reasons young girls are moving up. First of all, I think its a myth that girls hockey is growing. There are some programs growing, some shrinking and therefore overall girls hockey has been pretty flat for the last 10 years or so. Lack of numbers is probably the biggest reason for girls being moved up. Other reasons I think younger girls are playing are: (1) parents pressuring coaches to take their young player or face the possibility of the girl transferring to a place she can play immediately; (2) pressure on coaches to win so coaches will reach down to get a young phenom; (3) the anomaly that I have observed in girls hockey that sometimes girls are actually better when they are younger and their talent decreases as they get more mature; and (4) hockey for many girls is about having fun and when it is no longer fun they are more likely to quit than boys (I think girls are smarter and more well rounded than boys so they can take it or leave it more easily) which creates more openings for younger players.