Select 15's........politics?

[puckman22]

I was just wondering if i could get some input on what you think about Select 15's. I know some people should most definately not have made it to Saint Cloud from my area.

Puckman

[Hockeyguy_27]

For years I've shaken my head at the selections made at the 15's. The picks seem to make more sense at the 16's and 17's.

[the_truth]

for example kyle lutzka didnt make it and nate rich did. both are good players but the advantage definately goes to lutzka.

[breakout]

Hockey is a marathon not a sprint. Some kids are done growing and developing at 15. Others are still growing and on a path of continued development.

I believe there are also some reputation picks, or hyped (over-hyped players) that get picked because they are known.

Didn't I read Blake Wheeler never made advance teams?

[Dazed&Confused]

Blake Wheeler did not make any advance teams. I also remember an interview with Brett Heddigan (spell?) That he never made any select teams.
If you do some research you will find numerous articles on the adolescent growth spurt. Very interesting stuff.
As far as the political stuff goes, Its true it is. Just let it go and keep worrking hard. Dont give up. And dont worry about what team or what someone else is doing.

[breakout]

Blake Wheeler did not make any advance teams. I also remember an interview with Brett Heddigan (spell?) That he never made any select teams.
If you do some research you will find numerous articles on the adolescent growth spurt. Very interesting stuff.
As far as the political stuff goes, Its true it is. Just let it go and keep worrking hard. Dont give up. And dont worry about what team or what someone else is doing.

Right on

[animal1019]

for example kyle lutzka didnt make it and nate rich did. both are good players but the advantage definately goes to lutzka.


Rumor has it Nate Rich and Matt Bauer (both Marshall High School kids, Matt played Bantam B1's but goes to Marshall) made the team because the Coach on the bench rated them higher than other kids. The Coach on the bench is Marshalls JV Coach. politics... you betcha!!!

[gopherhockey33]

anyone that made the B1 team for their bantam program that made 102 doesnt deserve to be there.

[GR3343]

Look at who made it from the IR district, and look at who didn't even make their district team. Not sour grapes, but a wink and a handshake got some kids through to St. Cloud. Looking back at the whole process, none of it seemed above board. If that's an accurate statement about Wheeler not making any of the select teams, then what were they looking at? If he didn't make 17's, but then went as high as he did in the NHL draft, the question should be posed, "who's selecting these teams?" It's hard to believe that a kid wasn't considered a top 51 in his own state, but the following spring improved so dramatically that he was considered the 5th best player in the world. The Advanced program as a whole seems to leave a lot to be desired and one wonders how much is a fund raiser for USA and MN Hockey.

[gottago]

There appears to be no doubt that fundraising is one of the top priorities of Adv 15-17. The 15's start out with the original tryout, cut to 12 teams, and then cut to 102 for the festival. Just that process alone rakes in about $125,000 in gross revenue just from player entries. The 16's adn 17's have one less step so probably not as much. Still, I know ice time is expensive and you have to pay the coaches and evaluators but seems like there might be a little wiggle room there to cover expenses given a revenue stream that likely approaches a quarter million big ones between the 3 age groups.

[hockey59]

For years I've shaken my head at the selections made at the 15's. The picks seem to make more sense at the 16's and 17's.

Trivia question: Name 3 MN players who were not chosen for the Select 15 National Festival in 2005...and now are verbally committed to D1 schools?

Answer:

Danny Kristo of EP (North Dakota).
Derek Stepan of Hastings (Wisconsin)
John O'Neill of Anoka (Minnesota-Duluth)

and a 4th one, at some future date, will be Danny Mattson of AHA.

[Iceburg]

I'm pretty sure that Mattson was injured when the selection process was going on that year. Was Kristo living in the state back then?

[hockey59]

Yes, Kristo lived in MN and participated in the 102's in 2005..so did O'Neill...do did Mattson, and yes, Mattson did get nicked up during the try-out. Most suprisingly at the time, Stepan did not advance from the Spring Festival to the 102's that year.

My point is...not making the National Select 15's was disappointing for these players (at the time) but they bounced back and within 2 years, 3 of them have college committments...and Mattson will too...most players (sooner or later) experience bumps in the road..how they respond to them...is what counts.

[tpshockey30]

absoultely! no doubt, if a kid made it in 14's its pretty much a gaurentee that he will make it in 15's!

[rbkhockey]

Theres like a 50% difference in people that make the national camp one year and making it the next year.

[RLStars]

absoultely! no doubt, if a kid made it in 14's its pretty much a gaurentee that he will make it in 15's!

MN doesn't have 14's, what are you talking about?

[Can't Never Tried]

absoultely! no doubt, if a kid made it in 14's its pretty much a gaurentee that he will make it in 15's!

MN doesn't have 14's, what are you talking about?

That's what I was thinking

And yes, IMO it is a nice fundraiser, but that's about it.
They do capture some very talented players, but you also get some players in all these selects that IMO don't belong there especially in the early rounds of selection, Final 17's are much more accurate then the 15's
And boy those 14's who knows where they come from

[tpshockey30]

yea they do. . . i tried out for um last year

[3-2 ot]

Dear Dazed and Confused

Blake Wheeler made the District 3 Select 15 team and made the MN Camp. He also played on the Section 16 and 17 teams and played in the 52s. You are correct tha he did not make the the National camps.
More interesting are the players who made these teams at the National camps and are now playing low level D3 hockey.

[slapshot1222]

There are politics everywhere and in anything you just have to deal with them.

[Indians forever]

[quote="slapshot1222"]There are politics everywhere and in anything you just have to deal with them.[/quote]

agree just have to go with the flow!!!

[puckster27]

3-2 ot. . . . Whats low level D3? is that D3 jv or something?

[HOFam'r]

I was just wondering if i could get some input on what you think about Select 15's. I know some people should most definately not have made it to Saint Cloud from my area.

Puckman

the guys who pick at all levels are MOST certainly polictically influenced...if you want to get around that you need to make their choice easy...if your not good enough to make it easy for them to pick you..then it doesn't really matter anyway...keep working and having fun and possibly someone, someday will understand your talents...don't be discouraged by the dirty pool many of these idiots insist on playing to make themselves feel good or to satisfy their own agenda. It will be the same when you get a job at a company...life is not fair...keep working and someone with a shread of decency will respond.

Steering clear from the fray-

HOFam'r