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What happens if a 9th grade Bantam tries out for the varsity and does not make it? Can he play J.V. or must he return to his Bantam team?

Also, can anyone "try out" or must they have an invitation from the Varsity coach?

mitchrapp wrote:What happens if a 9th grade Bantam tries out for the varsity and does not make it? Can he play J.V. or must he return to his Bantam team?

Also, can anyone "try out" or must they have an invitation from the Varsity coach?

If you are a 9th grader enrolled at that school, you can try-out for the varsity team. You don't need an invitation.

As for your first question, the answer is "it depends". Some coaches like to see the 9th graders who don't make the varsity team go back to their Bantam team....some would prefer to develop that player on their JV team. Each situation is different, you need to factor in the numbers they have trying out for the HS team and the quality of the bantam program the player is coming from.

Forest Lake coach won't allow it. Stay in Bantams...

Some coaches will actaully have a "no 9th graders" policy, unless they happen to be an "old" ninth grader without any remaining bantam eligibilty. If possible, encourage your player to try out- my guess is the coach will let him know what the coaches wishes are for him if he doesn't make the varsity team. Also some coaches claim that they will only take 9th graders if they make the first 2 lines (or get evaluated in the top 10 skaters).

old goalie85 wrote:Forest Lake coach won't allow it. Stay in Bantams...

My bet is that he would allow it if there was an extremely gifted 9th grader who would be one of the top players on his varsity team.

mitchrapp wrote:What happens if a 9th grade Bantam tries out for the varsity and does not make it? Can he play J.V. or must he return to his Bantam team?

Also, can anyone "try out" or must they have an invitation from the Varsity coach?

It's up to your athletic director if kids can try out or not and that's decided prior to tryouts, you wouldn't let a kid sign up then not let him tryout. The MSHSL requires the kid and parent to sign a sheet about MSHSL rules, have a physical at the very least, and once tryouts start if the kid even practices with his youth team he becomes ineligible for high school play.

My district lets them but then we need them to fill out JV rosters and I imagine that's the case in many places.

we need them to fill out JV rosters

No you don't. Let them play youth, that's where they belong.

But, you might want to get out and improve your mite recruiting or the same situation will repeat itself in the future.

Muck- you may be right. We just haven't had that type of kid since he was playing here. His dad was still coaching then and didn't move him up.[Even though he probably could have].

observer wrote:

we need them to fill out JV rosters

No you don't. Let them play youth, that's where they belong.

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It depends on what association you belong to and what HS you are going to. A kid might be better off playing for a quality JV squad than an average B1 Bantam team.

You need to consider the quality of the HS program vs the quality of the youth hockey. The 9th grader does not always "belong" in youth.

The kid might not "belong", but it might be better for the program. Then you get into do you do whats best for the kid? the program? I think you have to take this deal case by case.

old goalie85 wrote:The kid might not "belong", but it might be better for the program. Then you get into do you do whats best for the kid? the program? I think you have to take this deal case by case.

I don't disagree with you at all. Every situation is different, its not a "one size fits all" argument.

Some kids are better off staying in Bantam, some kids are better off moving up.

What I'm pointing out is if there are enough numbers in the pipeline it becomes unnecessary. It's not the youth associations responsibility to prop up the 2 team high school program but it is the youth association responsibility to have a pro-active recruiting effort so it happens with less frequency in the future.

observer wrote:What I'm pointing out is if there are enough numbers in the pipeline it becomes unnecessary. It's not the youth associations responsibility to prop up the 2 team high school program but it is the youth association responsibility to have a pro-active recruiting effort so it happens with less frequency in the future.

...and on the flip side, it's not the HS coach's job to prop up the bantam team. If he feels like a kid is better off playing on his HS team and the player and his parents agree, then that's where he should be.

I agree but that's not what we're usually talking about. We've been hearing about JV teams snagging bantam eligible players to fill out rosters. It's always the player and families decision as to where's the right place but with big numbers in the pipeline it never comes up.

observer wrote:What I'm pointing out is if there are enough numbers in the pipeline it becomes unnecessary. It's not the youth associations responsibility to prop up the 2 team high school program but it is the youth association responsibility to have a pro-active recruiting effort so it happens with less frequency in the future.

How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

Ok...Now put a twist on things how about Associations that fielded an "A" team last year, but decided not to this year. I know within our District there are at 3 that have decided to do this. Doing so puts the returning "A" Bantams to a lower level that they were playing at last year. Yes, you can make the arguement should they have been there last year and there are reasons why the Association decided not to field an "A" team this year. Put in perspective there are a few players that will not benefit or advance/improve there ability if they are held back to play at the B1 level even though they will see ice. Now these players take spots from other players that have the ability to play at the B1 level, but now are forced to the B2 level. Basically, ending up to be a domino effect

urban iceman wrote:

observer wrote:What I'm pointing out is if there are enough numbers in the pipeline it becomes unnecessary. It's not the youth associations responsibility to prop up the 2 team high school program but it is the youth association responsibility to have a pro-active recruiting effort so it happens with less frequency in the future.

How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

What Conference as I assume you don't want to divulge the High School

They should have to try-out like the rest. In forest lake even returning All-conference kids have to try out.

How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

That seems unusual. I'm not sure I even buy that one.

observer wrote:

How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

That seems unusual. I'm not sure I even buy that one.

I agree. Sounds very unlikely to me.

Nobodyonya wrote:

urban iceman wrote:

observer wrote:What I'm pointing out is if there are enough numbers in the pipeline it becomes unnecessary. It's not the youth associations responsibility to prop up the 2 team high school program but it is the youth association responsibility to have a pro-active recruiting effort so it happens with less frequency in the future.

How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

What Conference as I assume you don't want to divulge the High School

Missota, and believe it or not Observer, it's true!!!

That's nuts. I've heard of coaches doing whatever they want but that takes the cake. If I'm a parent of a decent skating junior or senior, and you're saying there are plenty of them, I'm pretty pissed. I feel terrible for the players not being given a chance. I still think the bantam eligible familes should decline the invitation but of course bantam teams are already up and running. Did the players attend bantam tryouts? Are they on the bantam team now? Crazy. Totally selfish decision by one of these coaches.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/page/show/206054-missota

These are not small programs!! What is really going on. I don't agree with this coach.

urban iceman wrote:

Nobodyonya wrote:

urban iceman wrote: How about a HS coach who puts 4 bantams on the Varsity without a tryout. They were notified via email that they would be skating with the Varsity this season. #'s are good at this particular HS already!!

What Conference as I assume you don't want to divulge the High School

Missota, and believe it or not Observer, it's true!!!

Unless the kids are going to make a difference at the High School level, I'm a believer to let them play Bantams. If it's the program that I think it is, it forced the association not to field a Bantam A team this year and play B1. They are in a new district this year with tougher competition and if those 4 kids would have stayed you could have fielded an A team and gave the entire team a chance to play against better competition.

And as far as High School tryouts go, it's not right but most coaches have their teams picked after the June/July STP sessions.

observer wrote:That's nuts. I've heard of coaches doing whatever they want but that takes the cake. If I'm a parent of a decent skating junior or senior, and you're saying there are plenty of them, I'm pretty pissed. I feel terrible for the players not being given a chance. I still think the bantam eligible familes should decline the invitation but of course bantam teams are already up and running. Did the players attend bantam tryouts? Are they on the bantam team now? Crazy. Totally selfish decision by one of these coaches.

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/page/show/206054-missota

They did not tryout with the bantams. I thought the summer skate and tourney's were not considered as tryout'S according to the AD of this particular school. Could of had a pretty good BA team if they left them as they were. Two of them are 96's and two are 95's. Don't get the thinking here!!