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Edina just finished their tryouts for the Squirt level. An ex-NHLers son did not make the squirt A team and what happens, He and his wife blow up in the lobby of the arena. Yelling, screaming, swearing, going to sue the hockey board.

So here is the question, Can we fix this problem with parents or is it just part of Minnesota hockey?

By the way, I think his son should have made the team, but they took the "Child" of another favored son of Edina.

Welcome to youth hockey USA.

No matter where you live or how many kids play, there will players on that bubble between the "preferred" team and the underlings. That is how the parents see the teams.

If we left it up to the kids to pick teams, they would be 95% the same as with any decent system with adults selecting them. Shut the arena doors, send the parents and coaches out to their cars for 15 minutes, when you get back teams will be done and everyone will be fine with it.

Since that isn't a realistic practice as far as any parent or association is concerned, we will continue to have embarrassing parental activity during tryouts, practices, games, and around the bar area at tournaments.

That's destined to be part of youth hockey forever, or until the kids take over..

Are there any closed door community hockey tryouts? Frankly, I like that idea.

I remember a parent with a stop watch timing their Mite player. That made me shake my head as I walked by.

EP's tryouts were closed this year due to construction at their community center.

OnFrozenPond wrote:EP's tryouts were closed this year due to construction at their community center.

How did the parents handle it? Did things go well?


I have heard that other associations have closed doors to parents during tryouts.

Closing the doors only increases the perception of political interference.

I like inthestands approach, let the kids pick. They don't know who the board members are.

You know, I've often wondered what to do with people like this. I've come to this conclusion - show 'em the door. In other words, if you flip out publicly and make a spectacle of yourself after your child does not make the "right" team, your kid is done. Period.

I know this sounds harsh (especially for the kid who has no control over the parents), but do it once and see how many times it happens again. It will be zero.

Too much political correctness in the world today. We attempt to appease the squeeky wheel. Don't apply grease to the squeeky wheel, constantly trying to fix it - throw it in the freakin' garbage.

As the great Bob Utecht used to write in LPH - "Nuff Said!

I may be 1500 miles away, but I heard the story. Mindboggling, mainly because of the person in question. I've met him, and thought him to be a good guy. Obviously his child's development is important to him - nothing wrong with that.

The reason I'm left to scratch my head is that we're talking about a Squirt. I think a 9-year-old 4th grader. Trust me when I say the father has been there, done that. Not only did he play hockey at the highest level, he was a star that enjoyed a long career.

In my opinion, he should:

- know that where you are at age 9 is hardly a determinant of where you are when you are a teen or young adult

- not be trying to live vicariously through his kid - Dude, you've DONE it... there's nothing to prove to anyone

- hopefully have fond memories of his youth experience and not want to sour that for his son

If you don't get picked for March Madness, get your butt on the court and win the dang NIT. If the kid is real good he'll have a great season and everyone else will agree; it doesn't mean as much when a dad says his kid got the shaft. I can see crying over getting cut from the HS team if that was your dream and you were right on the cusp, but this is the very beginning of the journey.

Sorry to hear this happened. Nobody wins.

In a related story, word is that there are too many people placing winning at the Squirt level over development so they decided against having two Squirt A teams. There probably are enough players to field two very competitive teams. No guarantee, but maybe choosing to have two could have prevented this. (Of course, maybe the next rung of cut kids - ahem, parents - would have been just as upset.)

No doubt they could field two very competitive teams. And have you seen the coaches they have on their squirts teams? That is some serious experience and knowledge.

I can see it now.... "KID NATION"-hockey style.
Woodbury closed its tryouts this year. They polled the kids in the locker rooms, and overwhelmingly they were in favor. Parents on the other hand....not so much

The problem in todays world is "attorneys" PERIOD!!! They started this BS and now everyone wants to sue. Spill coffee on yourself "I'm going to sue". It's a gong show. If your kid doesn't make the "underwater basket weaving team" "I'm going to sue the team, the basket weaving board, the AD, the principal, the school board, my neighbor, etc. It's an absolute joke. What happened to the good old common sense life? The answer "$$$$$". And who started this? Answer "attorneys". (Agents). I would go out on a limb and say, if we sent all attorneys over seas to work in a chop stick factory for a year, nobody would miss them. I have personally seen a highschool kid walk by a janitor mopping the floor and spit on the floor, the janitor got on his case and the kid said "There's nothing you can do or I'll sue you". I know I'm getting off the subject, BUT what really irritated me was the parents comment of "We'll sue the hockey board". Like I said before; Every parent should have a brain scan before they can have kids>

Our youth hockey association has held closed door tryouts for several years now. We try to have independent evaluators place players on the "A" team. The coaches for that team discuss any bubble kids and agree on the player that stays. This is where hard work and good sportsmanship can propel a bubble kid past some others.

hockeyfantasy wrote:The problem in todays world is "attorneys" PERIOD!!! They started this BS and now everyone wants to sue. Spill coffee on yourself "I'm going to sue". It's a gong show. If your kid doesn't make the "underwater basket weaving team" "I'm going to sue the team, the basket weaving board, the AD, the principal, the school board, my neighbor, etc. It's an absolute joke. What happened to the good old common sense life? The answer "$$$$$". And who started this? Answer "attorneys". (Agents). I would go out on a limb and say, if we sent all attorneys over seas to work in a chop stick factory for a year, nobody would miss them. I have personally seen a highschool kid walk by a janitor mopping the floor and spit on the floor, the janitor got on his case and the kid said "There's nothing you can do or I'll sue you". I know I'm getting off the subject, BUT what really irritated me was the parents comment of "We'll sue the hockey board". Like I said before; Every parent should have a brain scan before they can have kids>

Makes you want to be a hockey board member...............high pay, lots of glory

I believe USA hockey has insurance to protect board members personal assets and lawyers that step in if a lawsuit ever went forward. More than likely, the parent will cool down and move forward.

You are absolutely right "breakout". Parents are parents and most of them realize after they fly off the handle that they need a reality check.(Like I flew off the handle about attorneys)

puttinthefoilon wrote:No doubt they could field two very competitive teams. And have you seen the coaches they have on their squirts teams? That is some serious experience and knowledge.

Experience and knowledge do not equate into great coaching. Just ask last year's GR Bantam A team. While all that knowledge and experience is a huge plus, many other factors play into coaching kids.

GR3343 wrote:

puttinthefoilon wrote:No doubt they could field two very competitive teams. And have you seen the coaches they have on their squirts teams? That is some serious experience and knowledge.

Experience and knowledge do not equate into great coaching. Just ask last year's GR Bantam A team. While all that knowledge and experience is a huge plus, many other factors play into coaching kids.

To your point, I know of a couple of former pros that coach youth hockey. One is considered outstanding, while the other is not.

Our association fired a coach who was an "ex-NHL player" about 10 years ago for a variety of sportsmanship issues. As I started to write this I decided to verify his background on hockeydb.com and it turns out that he DID play for Calgary and Vancouver...but they were in the WHA and not the NHL. Hmmm, he didn't make it to the big show as a player or as a youth coach.

The reality of this is that it does exist and always will exist. I disagree that attournys have anything to do with it any more than gas attendants do. Reality is that every parent wants the best for their child, want their child to be happy. They want them to experience success, to be popular and to be in the lime light. Right wrong or indifferent,that is the reality. Inject into that the price and expense of hockey you increase the expectation of "Getting something" out of your money. And no in most cases friendship , participation and fun are not enough to satisfy that expectation. The biggest failing imo is that Hockey groups and organizations have failed to create an avenue of relief for this frustration.
A pro player on the outside is looked at as "Should know better" yet They want nothing more than you or I would want for our child. When there is no place to put something you get outbursts and and ruptures of emotion, even from those who should know better. What would a system look like I have no idea. But it is imo what is needed .

Rocket 78, back then the WHL was a pro league equal in principle with the NHL. A guy named Gretzky started with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHL

Coachk wrote:Rocket 78, back then the WHL was a pro league equal in principle with the NHL. A guy named Gretzky started with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHL

It was actually the World Hockey Association (WHA) not the WHL. The WHA would allow players to sign that where under 18, which Gretzky was. He was sold to the Edminton Oilers of the WHA which folded in 1979. The Oilers then joined the NHL with three other teams

RLStars wrote:

Coachk wrote:Rocket 78, back then the WHL was a pro league equal in principle with the NHL. A guy named Gretzky started with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHL

It was actually the World Hockey Association (WHA) not the WHL. The WHA would allow players to sign that where under 18, which Gretzky was. He was sold to the Edminton Oilers of the WHA which folded in 1979. The Oilers then joined the NHL with three other teams

Nicely done RL

I am so truly sorry I messed up on a Letter, please forgive me O forum Gods

Coachk wrote:I am so truly sorry I messed up on a Letter, please forgive me O forum Gods

We will consider your request for foregiveness.

Bellows?

elliott70 wrote:

Coachk wrote:I am so truly sorry I messed up on a Letter, please forgive me O forum Gods

We will consider your request for foregiveness.

Funny