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I am sure most of you are aware of the potential birth date change that Minnesota Hockey is considering. It would move the cut off date from July 1st to June 1st. After reading several posts on the boy’s side, I would like to know what the parents of daughters are thinking.

As for my daughter, she would be directly affected by this change. She has an early June birthday and if this change was to take place, she would end up playing 4 years at 12U and would not be eligible for 14U until she was already 14. The reasoning that is currently being debated is that more players would be allowed to play with their class mates. This is not the case for my daughter. I did not hold off or wait a year to start her in school. She started early and if this passes, she would rarely get to play with her class mates. She would be 13 playing with 10 year olds. I know this is the case for some kids already with the rule as it is, I am not saying one way or the other is better.

I understand what they are trying to do, but would only add this. If the change is to take place, leave the option for the players this change does affect, to play where they want to. Or maybe institute the change at the Mite level or Initiation. Then those future players can grow up with the rule and the existing players the change applies to can choose for them selves. IMHO of course.

There is no easy or right answer as players are being affected by the existing rule, just looking for some opinions on the subject.

THIS POLE ISN'T COMPLETE. It's ommitting a common association rule.

In general I'm not in favor of an age change. If one were to occur I feel a solution to Red Army's situation (June birthday and in many cases July) is one in which most associations have adopted.

Sign up for you age. If however you want to play "UP" with your grade, no problem. Once the decision has been made to play up with your grade then you must remain at that level for your entire association career.

If all associations adopted this policy including MN Hockey then I think there isn't a reason for June and July birthdays to be concerned.

I think where it helps is the June and July birthdays (older kids in their grades) also get to play down with their piers at the same grade. In this respect I understand and have seen first hand where this kids drop out of hockey. I've seen some of these kids often times premi's, smaller in stature but not necessarily drop out as they are older yet smaller.

So in that respect, as I'm typing here...I think I've changed my tune as long as the young kids also get to play up with their grade!

5th option:

June 1st Cutt off BUT ALLOW younger kids in all situations to play up with their peers/grade as well. Once decision is made, they must remain playing up.

MNHCP I agree. Should have added that. Thanks.

mnhcp wrote:5th option:

June 1st Cutt off BUT ALLOW younger kids in all situations to play up with their peers/grade as well. Once decision is made, they must remain playing up.

The ability to allow kids to opt up has already been addressed. According to MN Hockey, there were only a few associations that did not have the opt up provision. These assiociations have been contacted by the committee researching the proposed age change. From what I understand, if June 1 becomes the registration date (which would benefit many families with little/no negative impact on the rest), then kids who want to opt up to remain with their preference group will be allowed to do so.

The District Directors will be contacting the associations for their input and I would encourage people to contact their associations and encourage them to support this change.

2 of my kids have June birthdates. They started school in September after they turned 5. My nephew is also a June birthday but he started school when he was 6.

No matter where you move the age cutoff there will be families on either side of the cutoff date that will want to be on the other side.