HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

I read this article tonight that I saw on yahoo!'s front page tonight:
http://highschool.rivals.com/viewrankhs.asp?ra_key=819

It got me to think more about what constantly gets brought up on this forum; what states are the best at hockey (or specific sports in general).
Who's to say Wayzata isn't better than the 122nd best football team in the country? We always site MN as being better "top to bottom" but never really challenge other states having a good few teams that could compete with our top teams.

I make note that of the 24 games on the hub at the moment (21 listed, plus two in Schwan's and one against Shattuck) none are against non-MN teams. Whether that is a financial decision or a hockey one for one of multiple reasons, they have always been talked about for playing multiple out of state teams.

All that being said, what different logistical things go into scheduling these teams home and away? What commitments are required from the school/families? What does it take financially? What is the profit vs a good local team?
For anyone who knows, it would be interesting to hear.

Are you familiar with the state of HS-age hockey across the country?

A year or two ago, the MSHSL decided to bar teams from traveling over a certain distance (300 miles?) to play games. That effectively eliminated the home-and-home series a few MN teams had with east coast schools. I don't remember the details, but they are on this board somewhere.

I think MN schools still do a decent job of scheduling teams from border states like North Dakota and Wisconsin. The results from these games generally confirm the conventional wisdom.

Is that 300mi outside of MN or 300mi period? Roseau is 361mi from Mendota Heights...STA/Roseau is a scheduled game this year, just curious.

Do you know why that was?

I agree they do, and also have no doubts of my own of the "controversy". What goes into scheduling these games? What are the different pros and cons of doing it?

My opinion:
I don't know what goes into the scheduling of these games. I would, for example, prefer to see my alma mater add the likes of Roseau to their schedule as apposed to some random team out east no one here has ever heard of. I would love to make the drive to see that game. Much cooler to make in state statements than ones against random teams very few of us know of.

Is sta wanting to buy a private jet or something?

MrBoDangles wrote:Is sta wanting to buy a private jet or something?

You mean they don't have one already?

Not incredibly helpful, but here is the original thread:

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic. ... les+travel

Roseau is playing multiple Cities teams this year (all over 300 miles away), so either these games are easily approved or the rule does not apply to in-state games.

Most of the out of state games that do exist make sense geographically (ie. Duluth area teams play Superior, WI) or are part of tournments. There are a few WI teams in largely MN conferences, too.

karl(east) wrote:Not incredibly helpful, but here is the original thread:

http://www.ushsho.com/forums/viewtopic. ... les+travel

Roseau is playing multiple Cities teams this year (all over 300 miles away), so either these games are easily approved or the rule does not apply to in-state games.

Most of the out of state games that do exist make sense geographically (ie. Duluth area teams play Superior, WI) or are part of tournments. There are a few WI teams in largely MN conferences, too.

read your statement. OUT OF STATE. Last time I checked Roseau is IN STATE. So that means you cannot go to Minot.

Not sure, but I thought they repealed the 300-mile rule after the first year.

This discussion wasn't started to discuss specific schools. Nor is that, or private school banter before the season has even stated, the intent.

The questions I was asking are how the conversation goes, how it gets to that point, and what is discussed to make it happen. Is profit discussed? If a big TX team were to come play Wayzata, EP, CDH, etc in football I'm guessing MN fans would come from all around to see it and vise versa and much revenue could be generated on both ends. The same doesn't seem to be true with hockey; seems like those crowds are smaller than a big MSHSL opponent.

Found this at the end of the thread karl brought up. So it appears that ND, SD, IA, WI, Winnipeg, and Ontario are the only options. It reads to me that travel to any of those within 600mi round trip is fine. If it's within those and outside, it needs approval. What a pain for schools like Roseau and International Falls.
I think it's probably a good rule to make for everyone to limit situations where someone couldn't be part of a team because their parents can't afford a trip. Just a bummer that this has to happen instead of handling individual situations individually.

Does anyone know if there has been an exception made for specific extracurricular activities?

goldy313 wrote:

MNHockeyFan wrote:

karl(east) wrote:The wording from the article was this:

"There no longer will be out-of-state travel beyond bordering states and provinces. Roundtrips of more than 600 miles will not be allowed unless approved by the league."

If they really needed to do this, they should have just left off the second sentence.

Other than "bordering states and provinces", where could you go that isn't more than 600 miles roundtrip?

The second sentance stands alone, otherwise there would be a comma or a conjunction instead of a period. It reads to me that you can only travel to adjoining states. And roundtrips of more than 600 miles will have to be approved by the league. Just a hunch but travel to tournaments in Minnesota and adjoining states will be approved but single game trips to Missouri and Int. Falls heading to Albert Lea for 1 game won't be.

Watcher:

Football and Basketball are Varsity sports in every state. For hockey, that's not the case.

While you can find a great deal of HS hockey in Florida, Texas, and Illinois, those are all states where it is a club sport. That kind of hockey is under the USA Hockey umbrella. There is a National Championship.

For Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts, and a few others it is a Varsity sport. HS Hockey in Mass has been eroded by the 60 or so Prep Schools competing in the Northeast. Looking at Indiana, Culver has a Prep team like Shattuck. Their team beneath that wins the state tournament nearly every year.

There have been games with out of state teams. I remember some last year and I remember some from the 80s. I guess the real question is why? Playing for your public school is prestigious in Minnesota. In almost every other state it is an afterthought for strong players.