South metro AAA

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:30 pm

Since a post was started on the East metro, how about South Metro. Does anyone have program costs for the Fusion, Predators, Ice Edge, Stealth, Red Bull, Warriors, or Magicians?

Thanks!

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:33 pm

Or comments on any of those programs regarding typical practice schedules, coaching, anything else a prospective family may want to know about?

SCBlueLiner · Post by **SCBlueLiner** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:17 pm

The team my kid is on has played against the Magicians, Predators, and Fusion this season. All are pretty decent organizations from what I could tell. I'm kind of partial to the Magicians. I really liked the way their team was coached and how they worked together on the ice the couple times we played them.

snyper12 · Post by **snyper12** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:45 am

EDGE from an elite point of view.

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:52 am

Thanks for the info, blueliner. Mine is an 01 playing for a Northland Hockey Group team. It's a newish team in the organization, and they had enough for an 01 team this year by adding in 4-5 02's. I thought NHG was well run, we were happy with the coach, and he had fun.

What we didn't like was the limited ice time and the lack of committment by some of the other parents--there would literally be almost half of the team missing at each practice. It's no wonder they only won just under half of their games. Kinda hard to be a team when you aren't a team, you know? I don't care about wins and losses, but my kid does. He's a kid. Even if the powers that be don't keep score, the kids do. It pissed him off. He knew he was on a low level AAA team, but he wants to climb the ladder, and he knows that no one is paying attention to a team that loses or a team that has kids that follow the puck around like a bunch of mites.

He was invited to play in the Midwest Selects tourney a couple weeks ago, and when he came off the ice there, he told me this was the kind of team he wanted to play on. One where kids play their position, pass the puck and don't hog it, and one that plays at a fast pace, not in super slow motion like his NHG team. I'll be quite honest. I let him play in that tournament because I thought it would be eye-opening for him to see that he's not as talented as he thinks he is. I figured he would learn a few things and see where his weaknesses are. He did that, all right, but it also gave him the confidence to want to try for a different team. He also totally blew my mind by how well he played. I had no idea he could hold his own on a team like that, or even get off some shots on goal. I would not have believed it was the same kid if I didn't see it for myself.

I told him at the beginning of this season that crazy talent doesn't come along all that often. Most of the guys who play college hockey or who play juniors or even in the NHL are there because they were willing to put in the work to get there. I can't do the work for him. He has to do it himself. He has to be the one to ask his coaches what he needs to work on and then go and do it. He has to be the one in the driveway shooting and stick handling. He has to be the one trying his best at every practice, being a good sport, being coachable. I told him coaches want to see him do the drills correctly and not being the first one to finish. The only thing I can do is support him, write the checks, and drive him to the ice. The rest is all on him, but I'm not willing to put him on a AAA team because he thinks he's going to play in the NHL. All kids his age think that way, and that isn't how it is. If he wants to play summer hockey to have fun, that's a whole different animal. I'm willing to do that, too, but that changes what I'm willing to pay for.

I am willing to let him try out for a couple "better" teams, but within reason. I'm a single mom, and I'm not driving a black Tahoe with my kitten heels with hair and nails perfectly done up every time I'm at the rink. I don't want to let him try out for a team I can't afford, but I am willing to make some small sacrifices to get him more face time with a good coach and more time on the ice. Some of these programs I've mentioned talk about a week at a camp or treadmill time, and I know that doesn't come cheap. I'd like to be able to make an informed decision, and hopefully before I even take him to tryouts.

DrGaf · Post by **DrGaf** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:06 am

boomerang wrote:I'm a single mom, and I'm not driving a black Tahoe with my kitten heels with hair and nails perfectly done up every time I'm at the rink.

huh ... uh, a spot just opened up on my kid's team! PM for details, be sure to include a photo.

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:19 am

Dr Graf, maybe you misread.....I'm NOT a "hot hockey mom" by any stretch. I'm chubby, usually dressed in hockey t-shirts and sweat pants and my tennis shoes with pink skulls all over them. I usually roll out of bed, brush my teeth, and throw on whatever's clean to head to the rink. LOL You know those sacrifices I was talking about so my kid can play hockey? Yep! Those are it. No fancy hairdos or manicures for me. LOL

black sheep · Post by **black sheep** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:31 am

if he is an 01, now is the time to start looking, most 01's will be entering there 4th year of AAA now and the turnover will start as people are looking for new scenery.

there will be tryouts upcoming for a lot of teams, best bet is to contact the teams you'd be interested in and see if they fit your goals.

find the best team your player can be a contributor on, that is the right fit for development.

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:38 am

That's just it, black sheep. I don't know which teams we're interested in. And what I'm interested in and what my kid is interested in and what my bank account is interested in are not always one and the same. I'm looking for some idea of costs of these programs. Don't worry....I won't hold anyone to it. Even if your kid played two years ago and you only have that cost, that would help.

SCBlueLiner · Post by **SCBlueLiner** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:02 am

Curious as to which NHG team. Our team has played a few of those teams in open tournaments, some are pretty decent. Since you are looking for a team based in the metro I am assuming it was the Renegades.

Of the groups you mentioned I am most familiar with the Magicians having played them a few times. I think the kids get pretty good coaching and the team we played against had pretty decent talent. They go hard in April, May, and August but do take the months of June and July off so kids can play other sports. Cost is about a grand give or take a few hundred depending on which team. You should google them and check out their site for more info.

SCBlueLiner · Post by **SCBlueLiner** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:08 am

Here, I did the work for you http://www.minnesotamagicians.com/page/ ... gistration

Price range is from $900 to $1200. $900 is for the Magicians Red which is only at the 2002 level. So you're looking at $1200 for 70+ hrs of on-ice practice and games, 4 tournaments, and some other perks.

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:32 am

We do not live in the metro area, which is another concern--if practices for some of these teams are at 5 on a weeknight, that isn't going to be doable. I am leaning towards the Magicians, as is my son, and he will probably try out for the Edge, too, but I was talking to some local parents whose kids play for the Machine, and they were saying that one costs $3000. Uh.....not happening, kid. If the Edge has a similar cost, I'd rather not even have him try out. Fifteen hundred bucks is doable, but much more than that, and you really have to convince me. Or waive the fees, and the reality is, while he's a good player, he's not waive the fees good. He'll work hard and listen, but he's a "work hard to get there" player and not a just plain talented player.

And I have googled these teams. There just isn't much info on them which is why I'm asking here.

savagegopher · Post by **savagegopher** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:47 pm

If there practice schedule is online, why dont you go watch a fee practices you will get a better feel how things are run.

agate · Post by **agate** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:51 pm

boomerang wrote:We do not live in the metro area, which is another concern--if practices for some of these teams are at 5 on a weeknight, that isn't going to be doable. I am leaning towards the Magicians, as is my son, and he will probably try out for the Edge, too, but I was talking to some local parents whose kids play for the Machine, and they were saying that one costs $3000. Uh.....not happening, kid. If the Edge has a similar cost, I'd rather not even have him try out. Fifteen hundred bucks is doable, but much more than that, and you really have to convince me. Or waive the fees, and the reality is, while he's a good player, he's not waive the fees good. He'll work hard and listen, but he's a "work hard to get there" player and not a just plain talented player.

And I have googled these teams. There just isn't much info on them which is why I'm asking here.

Sent you PM.

boomerang · Post by **boomerang** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:56 pm

Anyone have any input on Red Bull or Bauer Vapor? Looks like the Easton Stealth and Predators have weeknight early evening practices that we wouldn't be able to make because of the drive. At least they say no weekends.

I really appreciate this. I'm finding they aren't as expensive as I've heard, which is a relief!

Irish · Post by **Irish** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 2:40 pm

Try Northern Edge. They have a great program.