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Ok....we have three players that are going to miss a game in a major tourney this weekend. Their High School football team made it to finals, due to the fact they can expand the rosters, so this school is taking the whole 9th grade team to stand on the sidelines in uniform. Mind you they could play and still make it to the dome to watch the game.

What are your thoughts? I think it's complete crap! I could see if they've actually played a part in getting to the Dome to miss the game but to stand on the sideline and leave your team a line short is unacceptable at this level of hockey.

I completely disagree. Youth hockey tournaments come and go. They are a dime a dozen. However, the chance to celebrate a HS State Football Title with your team (who've you been sweating along side of since mid-August) and classmates, may only come around once in a lifetime.

So, even if they don't play, it's still worth missing a single game in a youth hockey tournament for.

Just my opinion.

muckandgrind wrote:I completely disagree. Youth hockey tournaments come and go. They are a dime a dozen. However, the chance to celebrate a HS State Football Title with your team (who've you been sweating along side of since mid-August) and classmates, may only come around once in a lifetime.

So, even if they don't play, it's still worth missing a single game in a youth hockey tournament for.

Just my opinion.

Completely AGREE with you. Kids are striving to play for their HS teams and it is a community celebration when the HS Team wins a STATE Championship (which do not come along very often). Part of youth sports is teaching them to be part of a community and being a good person first.

Push comes to shove not sure what we would've done, but like to thnk it would be football, but know it is a hard position to be in.

Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

InigoMontoya wrote:Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

It would be nice to know what school we are talking about here. But regardless, I don't think missing one game of a Bantam tournament is the end of the world.

Plus, by dressing at the State game, even if they don't play, they still letter in football. Which is probably more important than the first game in a Bantam tournament..

Agree with muck. Nothing wrong with a little balance.

muckandgrind wrote:
Plus, by dressing at the State game, even if they don't play, they still letter in football. Which is probably more important than the first game in a Bantam tournament..

I went to a large District 11 HS and I wasnt able to letter in any of the three sports I participated in until my senior year. I would've pushed the bus to school to have a letter jacket when I was in Junior High.

This was the late 80's, mind you, and the attitude towards school spirit like this may have changed now.

HockeyDad41 wrote:Agree with muck. Nothing wrong with a little balance.

Except the Blades/Machine Brick part....balance is good.

kopernicus wrote:

muckandgrind wrote:
Plus, by dressing at the State game, even if they don't play, they still letter in football. Which is probably more important than the first game in a Bantam tournament..

I went to a large District 11 HS and I wasnt able to letter in any of the three sports I participated in until my senior year. I would've pushed the bus to school to have a letter jacket when I was in Junior High.

This was the late 80's, mind you, and the attitude towards school spirit like this may have changed now.

I also went to a large District 11 HS, and 9th grade wasn't considered "high school" back then, so we didn't have the opportunity to play HS football until our sophmore year. Not sure if that was state-wide, or just us.

Times are different, 9th grade is considered high school in most schools, and I believe that most schools will letter a player if they dress for a state championship game, even if they don't play.

I not positive but I think Marty is refering to Lourdes.

Marty McSorely wrote:Ok....we have three players that are going to miss a game in a major tourney this weekend. Their High School football team made it to finals, due to the fact they can expand the rosters, so this school is taking the whole 9th grade team to stand on the sidelines in uniform. Mind you they could play and still make it to the dome to watch the game.

What are your thoughts? I think it's complete crap! I could see if they've actually played a part in getting to the Dome to miss the game but to stand on the sideline and leave your team a line short is unacceptable at this level of hockey.

Agree with Muck and others. Sounds like a class program with good community spirit to involve the 9th graders. Those kids probably look up to the varsity players, and have followed their games throughout the season and playoffs. Now, they get some of the best seats in the house for free. Great experience in my book versus one hockey game early in the season.

Also, this is the flip side of the coin for football teams that go without players during the end of their seasons when kids have to go to mandatory hockey tryouts. Nothing right or wrong about it. It's just part of the package when you have good multiple-sport athletes on your teams. I'll take a good two- or three-sport athlete on any of my kids' teams knowing they might miss a few practices or games. Especially at the youth level...

InigoMontoya wrote:Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

Perfect analysis.....
What if one of the boys on the sidliines isn't paying and gets their legs taken out or something and gets hurt and is out for the remainder of the hockey season.......

Carl Racki wrote:

InigoMontoya wrote:Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

Perfect analysis.....
What if one of the boys on the sidliines isn't paying and gets their legs taken out or something and gets hurt and is out for the remainder of the hockey season.......

well, these are 9th graders. Has anyone asked them ???

And what happens if he is on his way to the hockey game and slips and brakes his ankle!!

Carl Racki wrote:

InigoMontoya wrote:Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

Perfect analysis.....
What if one of the boys on the sidliines isn't paying and gets their legs taken out or something and gets hurt and is out for the remainder of the hockey season.......

Well...Most would consider that a hockey related injury so that would be OK

no-fly-bys wrote:And what happens if he is on his way to the hockey game and slips and brakes his ankle!!

Carl Racki wrote:

InigoMontoya wrote:Very few 9th graders have been sweating next to the seniors and juniors, except the small school classes, especially for programs playing at the dome. Have the 9th graders been practicing since their last freshmen game back in mid October? If not, aren't they just being put in a costume as side line decoration? Personally, I think from a coach's viewpoint, it's nice to get the young kids a chance to be on the sidelines at the prep bowl, fun if they never make it back, and it'll take away some of the awe if they get back there as upper classmen. From a player standpoint, if I played exclusively on the 9th grade team and never suited up for a regular season varsity game, I don't think it would feel like "my team", and I'd want to be with "my team" at the hockey tournament.

Perfect analysis.....
What if one of the boys on the sidliines isn't paying and gets their legs taken out or something and gets hurt and is out for the remainder of the hockey season.......

No Political Connections wrote:

Pudda_Puck_In_Her_Ear wrote:well, these are 9th graders. Has anyone asked them ???

LOL, Everybody knows that it is always the parents who are the driving force behind everything and that the kids are just along for the ride. Ask most of these guys if they will let a kid decide if they want to play hockey year around and you will get smirks and responses that say it is you the parent that wants the kids to play not them.

Go to the football game, enjoy it. What is one game of bantam hockey in a season that probably has 50 or so games in it? Yeah, I know, 2%.....

I'm thinking that by the time the kids are in HS, they are starting to make a few decisions (like these) on their own.

Rocket78 wrote:I not positive but I think Marty is refering to Lourdes.

If it is Lourdes, that creates another dynamic. They are missing their community (Rochester) hockey game for a private school (Lourdes) event.

High School State Championship games are a big deal. This might be the only time -ever-that these kids get the chance to be on the sideline for one. They should grab it.

If this was the State Hockey tournament, there is no doubt that the kids would choose to suit up (even assuming no chance of playing) rather than playing an early season baseball or lacrosse tournament. They might miss their own game even just to watch the H.S. Championship hockey game from the stands.

No brainer...go to the football game.

In 10 years no kid will remember the hockey tournament, every kid will remember standing on the sidelines of the Metrodome and rooting for their school for the rest of their lives.

Opportunity few get to have or 1 youth Hockey game = NO BRAINER

State titles are won in March, not November. I wonder, if these are Rochester players, are they from the Rochester 'AAA' Bantam A's?

McSorley relax, it's only November. What are you like come playoff time?

And as for Cark Racki's analysis, what if they play in the hockey tournament and tear their ACL, or get slammed into the boards and suffer a concussion?

Just ask Justin Morneau or Pierre Marc Bouchard how hard it is to come back. Hockey is a great sport, but it's not the end of the world for missing one tournament game versus a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Football.... Not a 2nd thought about it.

Football. Nothing to think about.

Goldy, you hit the nail on the head. Most kids will never get the chance to experience being part of a state championship game. Take advantage of it, revel in it, even if you're a freshman who won't get a sniff of playing time.