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The Minnesota Blades are excited to announce the first tryouts for our 2004 team will take place on June 1st & 2nd. Registration opens May 1st.

Jeff Sorem is the head coach of the 2004 Blades. Jeff played 4 years at Edina High School, 4 years at Yale University, and 1 year in Germany. Jeff has also coached in Edina Hockey association. Scott Steffen and Greg Clark will also staff the 2004 team.

The Minnesota Blades have the strongest tradition in Minnesota AAA hockey. Over 300 Blades players have played D1 hockey. More than 25 currently play in the NHL. In this year's State High School championship, 20 players were former Blades. Members of the 94 Blades scored all the goals in that game.

This tryout is for players born in the 2004 birth year. The season starts in 2013.

We encourage all players who think they are strong enough to attend the tryout. Registration opens May 1, 2012 at www.Minnesotablades.com.

Tryout details are below and can be found online.

• The first tryout will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at Bloomington Ice Garden. There will be 2 sessions (6:00-7:00 PM & 7:15-8:15 PM).....players will be assigned a session prior to the tryout.
• A 2 hour session will be held on Saturday, June 2nd 11:30 AM-1:30 PM at Bloomington Ice Garden. Not all players will return for the Saturday skate.
• Tryout fee is $30

terrymoore1717 wrote: Registration opens May 1st.

The season starts in 2013.

Kids will be in good hands with coach Sorem.

I agree that Sorem will be a good coach, he is patient with the kids and has a lot of knowledge to share I'm sure...but the bigger problem is the Blades program as a whole. Why not just call it the Hornets and a few friends? They already have 7-10 kids locked in with most, if not all from Edina. Good luck and beware to prospective 04's because there ain't much room on team and there are kids that probably don't deserve to be on there.

[quote="Napalm187"]I agree that Sorem will be a good coach, he is patient with the kids and has a lot of knowledge to share I'm sure...but the bigger problem is the Blades program as a whole. Why not just call it the Hornets and a few friends? They already have 7-10 kids locked in with most, if not all from Edina. And some of them are very suspect for an "Elite AAA team". How do you pick a coach, who's kid would struggle to make open teams from around the metro? In the Choice league last year Jr. Sore wasn't even one of the best 9-10 players on his own team! If your a parent-coach, it either has to be the kid is one of the top guys, but you can't be afraid to short your kid ice time or whatnot...or if he's at bottom, you have to do what's best for the team...I can't see that happening after witnessing his team last winter. Good luck and beware to prospective 04's because there ain't much room on team and there are kids that probably don't deserve to be on there.[/quote]


Ouch, the kid is what, 9?

We're talking about 7-8 year olds here.

Napalm:

It looks you are fairly new to the forum. FYI, its is not protocol to comment on specific kids. You might consider editing out that part of your post.

As to the comments on the team being picked before tryouts or being half Edina guys, I will just refer you the Blades history. That's not how we operate.

Duly noted Terry. I just went and made the changes. It was probably best left for private conversations, instead of in this forum. I was trying to provide some information that if I had an 04 kid, I would probably want to know about if he were trying out. I am a parent of an older blade and I have been frustrated with some of the goings-on with some of the younger blades teams and coaching hires. I could've worded my sentiments a little better and been a little less frank.

terrymoore1717 wrote:Napalm:

It looks you are fairly new to the forum. FYI, its is not protocol to comment on specific kids. You might consider editing out that part of your post.

As to the comments on the team being picked before tryouts or being half Edina guys, I will just refer you the Blades history. That's not how we operate.

Ahh the vaunted Blades revisionist history! Sorry for the shot Blades rubes, but that one was teed up to high to pass up.

terrymoore1717 wrote:Napalm:

It looks you are fairly new to the forum. FYI, its is not protocol to comment on specific kids. You might consider editing out that part of your post.

As to the comments on the team being picked before tryouts or being half Edina guys, I will just refer you the Blades history. That's not how we operate.

97 coach has rarely taken Edina kids. Draw your own conclusions.

Napalm: A program like the Blades with 15 7-8 year olds on the team, and you're already calling for the coach to shorten the bench? Do what's right for the team? Good grief. I expect this coming from most AAA pyscho parents, but not from a Blades parent.

BadgerBob82 wrote:Napalm: A program like the Blades with 15 7-8 year olds on the team, and you're already calling for the coach to shorten the bench? Do what's right for the team? Good grief. I expect this coming from most AAA pyscho parents, but not from a Blades parent.

Yeah, cuz everyone knows that blades parents never get out of line.

BadgerBob82 wrote:Napalm: A program like the Blades with 15 7-8 year olds on the team, and you're already calling for the coach to shorten the bench? Do what's right for the team? Good grief. I expect this coming from most AAA pyscho parents, but not from a Blades parent.

Looks like Bob is kissing some Blades behind after the weekend Hmmm. Maybe not that good of a showing for Bob jr.
From Napalm previous post before revision ,he stated that Blades are forming teams from kids at the Made. I guess you put a coach in at mite choice to form the next Blades team.

2112 wrote:

BadgerBob82 wrote:Napalm: A program like the Blades with 15 7-8 year olds on the team, and you're already calling for the coach to shorten the bench? Do what's right for the team? Good grief. I expect this coming from most AAA pyscho parents, but not from a Blades parent.

Looks like Bob is kissing some Blades behind after the weekend Hmmm. Maybe not that good of a showing for Bob jr.
From Napalm previous post before revision ,he stated that Blades are forming teams from kids at the Made. I guess you put a coach in at mite choice to form the next Blades team.

Talking about shortening bench, saw a blades team play in the star and stripes tournament over the weekend, one player saw less than 2 min ice in one 20min period. Good luck to the kid and his parents touring Canada in the summer!

My point is the hiring process. Blades are predominantly run by Edina people, i.e. Terry Moore and Dornbach. If Sorem is from Minneapolis and did not star in "Pond Hockey" does he get the gig?? And it seems in watching the other threads and talking to people at the rink that the Machine teams are a lot more receptive to hosting the Blades (Bernie inviting the 02 Blades into Stars & Stripes) and the Choice leagues are filled with kids who are on the Blades and who will be future Blades. But the Blades people want nothing to do with the Machine teams, by not inviting them to the Walleye. I think you hear a lot more vitriol from the Blade side to the Machine, while most of the Machine parents are bemused by the vitriol.

On a side note about the Brick...here is an easy solution if you truly want to get the best Mn kids there, why not canvas the MN Wild to help sponsor the team like their is the Detroit Jr. Red Wings, Jr. Jets, Jr. Bruins etc. and get a scout or insider from them to help pick the team along with someone like Dornbach, Bernie and some other outsiders, pick a great area HS coach to coach them so it can be impartial?? Sounds easy enough eh? From what I saw at S & S over the weekend after seeing both 02 Blade and Machine teams there is a lot of talent on both teams. The Blades have little "hockey" players, while the Machine have big, long "athletes". The Blades have 4-5 guys that can really play and the rest are competent enough, while the Machine have 9-10 guys that look good now, but are going to look unbelievable in the coming years.

Napalm187 wrote:My point is the hiring process. Blades are predominantly run by Edina people, i.e. Terry Moore and Dornbach.

Gotta run things to make sure your kid is on the team. Not much different than the Made really.

Mnhockeys wrote:

2112 wrote:

BadgerBob82 wrote:Napalm: A program like the Blades with 15 7-8 year olds on the team, and you're already calling for the coach to shorten the bench? Do what's right for the team? Good grief. I expect this coming from most AAA pyscho parents, but not from a Blades parent.

Looks like Bob is kissing some Blades behind after the weekend Hmmm. Maybe not that good of a showing for Bob jr.
From Napalm previous post before revision ,he stated that Blades are forming teams from kids at the Made. I guess you put a coach in at mite choice to form the next Blades team.

Talking about shortening bench, saw a blades team play in the star and stripes tournament over the weekend, one player saw less than 2 min ice in one 20min period. Good luck to the kid and his parents touring Canada in the summer!

AAA teams hold tryouts. Pick their players. Parents pay up to $1500 just to be part of a team. Not counting travel, apparel, gas, food, hotels.

Each program sells parents on development. My question.

Why do some coaches find it neccessary to shorten the bench?

I think we can all agree if they do it for power plays or penalty kills why not? Down by a goal at the end why not?
But throughout the entire game? Not acceptable. If the program is for development why aren't the kids developed? Don't the weaker kids deserve the chance to gain development through playing in games? Better yet, are the coaches explaining to the kids and parents why the kids are sitting?

How about the programs that claim they're going to keep a group of kids together and develop them all the way through only to replace weaker players with stronger players year after year?

Who or what AAA organization are you referring to? Machine will let you know up front by what color you put on playing time ect. Can't speak for the Blades but from what I have been told the teams are already picked before tryouts. Why hold tryout if you know the team . 30.00 a player. Come on. 20 man bench . Money grab.
Although I still think the development takes place in practice not games.

MNM JMH wrote:Who or what AAA organization are you referring to? Machine will let you know up front by what color you put on playing time ect. Can't speak for the Blades but from what I have been told the teams are already picked before tryouts. Why hold tryout if you know the team . 30.00 a player. Come on. 20 man bench . Money grab.
Although I still think the development takes place in practice not games.

I'm sorry. I'm not refering to any specific team or age group. Not taking shots at Minnesota made or Blades. Both are respectable programs.

If a program is charging money for tryouts and the rosters are set that is flat out wrong.
I agree the kids do develop more in practice versus games.

Napalm: Some of your facts are wrong. I will respond to a few of them here:


[quote="Napalm187"]My point is the hiring process. Blades are predominantly run by Edina people, i.e. Terry Moore and Dornbach.

TM response: My kids go to BSM, but I am from Edina.

Blades head coaches:98 Zach Sikich (my kids team); 99 Ed Zepeda succeeds Jerry Anderson, 00 Scott Brokaw; 01 Lance Pitlick; 02 Dornbach, o3 Billy Hengen; 04 Sorem. Only Dornbach and Sorem are Edina guys.


If Sorem is from Minneapolis and did not star in "Pond Hockey" does he get the gig??

TM Response: yes. I never knew he was in Pond Hockey until after we offered the gig

And it seems in watching the other threads and talking to people at the rink that the Machine teams are a lot more receptive to hosting the Blades (Bernie inviting the 02 Blades into Stars & Stripes)

TM Response: Machine was invoted to Walleye at all levels and declined. Ask Steve Mularcky.


and the Choice leagues are filled with kids who are on the Blades and who will be future Blades.

TM Response: Sorem and Clark were kicked out of Choice league for next year when they took the Blades job.


But the Blades people want nothing to do with the Machine teams, by not inviting them to the Walleye.

TM Response: We did invite them.

I think you hear a lot more vitriol from the Blade side to the Machine, while most of the Machine parents are bemused by the vitriol.

TM Response: Read threads on this forum. I disagree wiht your assessment.

On a side note about the Brick...here is an easy solution if you truly want to get the best Mn kids there, why not canvas the MN Wild to help sponsor the team like their is the Detroit Jr. Red Wings, Jr. Jets, Jr. Bruins etc.

Tm Response: We have. Thye do not want to single out suport for one Minnesota organization.


and get a scout or insider from them to help pick the team along with someone like Dornbach, Bernie and some other outsiders, pick a great area HS coach to coach them so it can be impartial??

TM Response: Huge advantage to be a repeat coach at the Brick. It is a unique experience. Dornbach is the best youth coach I know. He does a great job.


We have invited Machine players to the Brick every year since they started and they decline.

Serious issues people. I would love to meet all the people that actually think Sorem is not fit for the job. Anybody that has the nerve to write crap like this should be beaten. Jeff is hands down the most competitive individual you will ever meet and I have full confidence Jeff and Greg will select the best players to compete on this team. the D-BAG who made comments about his son, classless man and you are a PUNK! If I were a betting man, most of the people that get caught up in this crap either sucked at all sports or never even played. If you are someone that has athletic ability or competed at a high level I have lost all respect for you. Good luck to all and enjoy your limited success.