Minnesota Article on Eden Prairie

[hockey59]

Agree with getting down to personal attacks on individuals. My main beef is influx of transfers and the gassing of kids who were developed through youth program. Families put in a sh#@ ton of hours lugging the state for hockey, volunteering,etc. Kids are pressured into mandatory off season work as well to the point of giving up a lot for a shot at making varsity at a high level program, only to be surpassed by the cherry picking transfer. Be interesting to see what the fall out will be for EP. Will kids leave early (bantam aged) for other programs, proactive move out by families? I'd be one fired up hombre if I was paying EP property tax, dotted every I, crossed every T the program had asked only to have the kid gassed by a transfer in the 12th hour (July, August "move ins") . These are the reasons I hope it is epic fail for the AD and coaching staff at EP. If I was a tax paying parent with a gaggle of hockey playing kids (or even one) in EPSD, I'd be one gone #@$%!! Vote with my feet, O-U-T!

Very valid points old timer and the parents/kids who lost spots to these transfers have every right to be triggered. It flat out sucks for these players. What’s especially garbage about the cut players/families situation is paying cash into the forced summer coaches camps for years. They aren’t forced in writing but we all know how that works so $800 to play pickup hockey at a summer HS coaches “camp” is
just a fundraiser for the coaches. It happens at every large program in the metro not just EP. What I find troubling is that it’s the 3rd/4th liners, especially seniors, as I don’t think they can play JV, that end up being the ones left off the squad. All this being said, what coaching staff is going to turn away superior talent? What would you have them do? As for the fallout there won’t be any, it’s not the top 10-13 kids that are being affected.

Good point edgeless2, none in the right mind would turn away top talent. I agree on the third and fourth line guys, some of those guys are the stud athlete baseball player or football player that just wanted to contribute a role on the hockey team and hang with guys they have been with for a very long time from squirt travel on up into HS. I do realize that folks are far more transient than generations from the past which also may contribute. My concern is that the trend may have potential to escalate in the future if success results in state championships. I know that EP has a pretty good open door policy for adding ringers. It is what it is this day in age, but I sure don't much like it to be honest. 'Times they are a changing'

This stuff has been going on since I played HS hockey in the mid 1970’s. It’s NOT a new development. 3rd & 4th line caliber Seniors have been getting pushed out the door for an occasional transfer or move in...or for talented sophomores (or on rare occasions freshman) for over 40 years, always have, always will. Is this “fair” ? No, but life isn’t fair, and everyone usually learn this (first hand) at some point in their life, some earlier than others. It’s how the individual responds to these type of setbacks, that will ultimately define how successful the particular individual becomes (in their life).

[FlinFlonBomber]

Cookster

A coach with strong character and integrity would have not allowed the goalie who quit a year ago to come back nor the kid that went to Colorado. This same goalie was planning on going to Holy Family two years ago and the kid who went to Colorado has been all over. Both these kids are on the varsity. A coach with character and integrity would have stopped this immediately.....to uphold the values of the program.

[InThePipes]

Cookster

A coach with strong character and integrity would have not allowed the goalie who quit a year ago to come back nor the kid that went to Colorado. This same goalie was planning on going to Holy Family two years ago and the kid who went to Colorado has been all over. Both these kids are on the varsity. A coach with character and integrity would have stopped this immediately.....to uphold the values of the program.

Something somewhat similar appeared to occur this year in Blaine with a very different outcome.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Very valid points old timer and the parents/kids who lost spots to these transfers have every right to be triggered. It flat out sucks for these players. What’s especially garbage about the cut players/families situation is paying cash into the forced summer coaches camps for years. They aren’t forced in writing but we all know how that works so $800 to play pickup hockey at a summer HS coaches “camp” is
just a fundraiser for the coaches. It happens at every large program in the metro not just EP. What I find troubling is that it’s the 3rd/4th liners, especially seniors, as I don’t think they can play JV, that end up being the ones left off the squad. All this being said, what coaching staff is going to turn away superior talent? What would you have them do? As for the fallout there won’t be any, it’s not the top 10-13 kids that are being affected.

Good point edgeless2, none in the right mind would turn away top talent. I agree on the third and fourth line guys, some of those guys are the stud athlete baseball player or football player that just wanted to contribute a role on the hockey team and hang with guys they have been with for a very long time from squirt travel on up into HS. I do realize that folks are far more transient than generations from the past which also may contribute. My concern is that the trend may have potential to escalate in the future if success results in state championships. I know that EP has a pretty good open door policy for adding ringers. It is what it is this day in age, but I sure don't much like it to be honest. 'Times they are a changing'

This stuff has been going on since I played HS hockey in the mid 1970’s. It’s NOT a new development. 3rd & 4th line caliber Seniors have been getting pushed out the door for an occasional transfer or move in...or for talented sophomores (or on rare occasions freshman) for over 40 years, always have, always will. Is this “fair” ? No, but life isn’t fair, and everyone usually learn this (first hand) at some point in their life, some earlier than others. It’s how the individual responds to these type of setbacks, that will ultimately define how successful the particular individual becomes (in their life).

Thanks for pointing out the obvious and would agree with you. For sure it is much easier to deal with at older ages after life has kicked you hard a few times, you got more perspective on dealing with setbacks. Pretty sure getting cut is tougher to take this day in age due to the increased financial commitments the sport requires and years of off season training that even the 3rd and 4th line guys have to put in to try win a spot, especially in the metro programs with the bigger numbers. There is expectations that come with that commit. I doubt those kids are poor me babies if the parents are squared away and turn a negative into a positive. Does not negate the fact with today's financial commitments just to play rope the parents in hard by nature of that beast. I'd understand the frustration and bitterness from the families perspective.

[gitter]

Good point edgeless2, none in the right mind would turn away top talent. I agree on the third and fourth line guys, some of those guys are the stud athlete baseball player or football player that just wanted to contribute a role on the hockey team and hang with guys they have been with for a very long time from squirt travel on up into HS. I do realize that folks are far more transient than generations from the past which also may contribute. My concern is that the trend may have potential to escalate in the future if success results in state championships. I know that EP has a pretty good open door policy for adding ringers. It is what it is this day in age, but I sure don't much like it to be honest. 'Times they are a changing'

This stuff has been going on since I played HS hockey in the mid 1970’s. It’s NOT a new development. 3rd & 4th line caliber Seniors have been getting pushed out the door for an occasional transfer or move in...or for talented sophomores (or on rare occasions freshman) for over 40 years, always have, always will. Is this “fair” ? No, but life isn’t fair, and everyone usually learn this (first hand) at some point in their life, some earlier than others. It’s how the individual responds to these type of setbacks, that will ultimately define how successful the particular individual becomes (in their life).

Thanks for pointing out the obvious and would agree with you. For sure it is much easier to deal with at older ages after life has kicked you hard a few times, you got more perspective on dealing with setbacks. Pretty sure getting cut is tougher to take this day in age due to the increased financial commitments the sport requires and years of off season training that even the 3rd and 4th line guys have to put in to try win a spot, especially in the metro programs with the bigger numbers. There is expectations that come with that commit. I doubt those kids are poor me babies if the parents are squared away and turn a negative into a positive. Does not negate the fact with today's financial commitments just to play rope the parents in hard by nature of that beast. I'd understand the frustration and bitterness from the families perspective.

Let's not forget...for every transfer that moves in to a new team...he just opened a spot on his old team for the very kids you are talking about also. It's a complex issue, and one where there is no perfect solution.

[FlinFlonBomber]

Amen! "In The Pipes"! The young coach up in Blaine has some BALLS!!

[hockey59]

Good point edgeless2, none in the right mind would turn away top talent. I agree on the third and fourth line guys, some of those guys are the stud athlete baseball player or football player that just wanted to contribute a role on the hockey team and hang with guys they have been with for a very long time from squirt travel on up into HS. I do realize that folks are far more transient than generations from the past which also may contribute. My concern is that the trend may have potential to escalate in the future if success results in state championships. I know that EP has a pretty good open door policy for adding ringers. It is what it is this day in age, but I sure don't much like it to be honest. 'Times they are a changing'

This stuff has been going on since I played HS hockey in the mid 1970’s. It’s NOT a new development. 3rd & 4th line caliber Seniors have been getting pushed out the door for an occasional transfer or move in...or for talented sophomores (or on rare occasions freshman) for over 40 years, always have, always will. Is this “fair” ? No, but life isn’t fair, and everyone usually learn this (first hand) at some point in their life, some earlier than others. It’s how the individual responds to these type of setbacks, that will ultimately define how successful the particular individual becomes (in their life).

Thanks for pointing out the obvious and would agree with you. For sure it is much easier to deal with at older ages after life has kicked you hard a few times, you got more perspective on dealing with setbacks. Pretty sure getting cut is tougher to take this day in age due to the increased financial commitments the sport requires and years of off season training that even the 3rd and 4th line guys have to put in to try win a spot, especially in the metro programs with the bigger numbers. There is expectations that come with that commit. I doubt those kids are poor me babies if the parents are squared away and turn a negative into a positive. Does not negate the fact with today's financial commitments just to play rope the parents in hard by nature of that beast. I'd understand the frustration and bitterness from the families perspective.

It’s not that I’m not sympathetic to seniors who get cut (for whatever reason, fair or unfair). I am. And it SUCKS. But if the worst thing that ever happens in your first 30-40 years or so...is getting cut from the hockey team, well, you’re probably doing pretty well as a young man.

[northwoods oldtimer]

This stuff has been going on since I played HS hockey in the mid 1970’s. It’s NOT a new development. 3rd & 4th line caliber Seniors have been getting pushed out the door for an occasional transfer or move in...or for talented sophomores (or on rare occasions freshman) for over 40 years, always have, always will. Is this “fair” ? No, but life isn’t fair, and everyone usually learn this (first hand) at some point in their life, some earlier than others. It’s how the individual responds to these type of setbacks, that will ultimately define how successful the particular individual becomes (in their life).

Thanks for pointing out the obvious and would agree with you. For sure it is much easier to deal with at older ages after life has kicked you hard a few times, you got more perspective on dealing with setbacks. Pretty sure getting cut is tougher to take this day in age due to the increased financial commitments the sport requires and years of off season training that even the 3rd and 4th line guys have to put in to try win a spot, especially in the metro programs with the bigger numbers. There is expectations that come with that commit. I doubt those kids are poor me babies if the parents are squared away and turn a negative into a positive. Does not negate the fact with today's financial commitments just to play rope the parents in hard by nature of that beast. I'd understand the frustration and bitterness from the families perspective.

It’s not that I’m not sympathetic to seniors who get cut (for whatever reason, fair or unfair). I am. And it SUCKS. But if the worst thing that ever happens in your first 30-40 years or so...is getting cut from the hockey team, well, you’re probably doing pretty well as a young man.

No doubt about that hockey59