Good for SPA that they are having an up year. Good for them if they got new girls in (legally) that are having a positive impact. I have to say this cuz it's been bugging the h-e-double hockey sticks out of me.
When I've watched United this year (twice) they started two 9th graders as wings with #7, their not only D1 but Ivy League bound awesome senior. Their roster lists 3 seniors, and the parent I sat next to a few weeks back said her senior daughter was going to Vanderbilt (not playing hockey.) No idea where the third senior is going or even who she is but I'm 99.9999% sure it's a dang good college.
Consider how many "elite" players this year in the metro alone who were out for a game or a month or a season due to mono or strep or flu or hip or knee or head or depression (who knows why? It's not the NFL. Teams don't proclaim their injured list on ESPN.) It seems unnecessary to state the obvious that regardless of where kids go to play hockey, injuries are all too common and uncertain. Its simply CRAZY to say these first line freshman went to SPA or Visitation simply for the unbeatable state tourney proven D1 feeder famous coach #1 hockey team! It wasn't that at the beginning of the year and unfortunately it still isn't now - although closer! I don't know a lot about this school other than it has an amazing academic record. It is def on the short list for my own daughter in four years, so Ive done a lot of research. The college placements are one of the best in the state. The extra-curriculars are proven across the board to be award winners in their own right. Perhaps these crazy hockey parents enrolled their kids there so they can be doctors or journalists or engineers, not D1 hockey players. Although CLEARLY that's possible too! Isn't one if their juniors going D1 to HARVARD?
AA is new. No track record for college admissions or scholarships or test scores or ANYTHING other than an impressive first hockey season. I'm definitely not taking that away from them or the work they've put in to get there. HOWEVER... Nobody went there for the school. Maybe the academic side will garner its own bragging rights in the years to come. But this year, this team - they went there for CP and hockey and a unique skating program which undoubtedly will carry with some of the girls to college. But nobody knows. I'm not ready to throw the AA baby (online school intensive hockey model) out with the cheating bath water (since the allegations, though troubling, are as yet unproven.) But to compare incoming freshman on United who picked Visitation or SPA due to religious beliefs, the award winning school newspaper, the college list on the website their graduates are attending, or because the barber pole hockey jerseys are cool - to incoming 7 8 9 10 11 12th grade young women signing up at AA because the on ice and dryland and coach and teammates and novelty and online flexibility of the actual school were alluring to them? Nope. Seriously can't be compared. Lots of both public and private schools all over the metro have all of these components to greater and lesser degrees. Girls and families pick among them based on the individual needs (and monetary and geographic constraints) for their individual child. Hockey FOR SURE is considered.
But AA in its current first year unproven and new structure? Well hockey is the only issue at play. I believe the NE/AA girls can and will be just as successful as students. But they picked this school as athletes first. I don't know the kids or families who transferred into the United schools this year either, but at least today, based on the existing models and curriculum, they are as much or more STUDENT athletes.
When my son was an incoming freshman, he toured 3 publics and 3 privates. He sat in on band, art, student council, debate, photography, yearbook, and some activities I prob don't remember. I have always said on these boards that the more opportunities for girls hockey in MN the better for the sport. For some kids the non-hockey extra-curriculars are meaningless. For some kids college hockey is the ultimate goal be it Mankato or St. Cloud or Harvard or Dartmouth. My son and my daughter are so incredibly different and I know they will most likely choose different high schools. The entire population of girls hockey players in MN have different goals, priorities, skill levels, financial means, alumni legacies, religions, and may be introverted or extremely social. A program like AA is probably ideal for some girls. So is BSM, or Blake, or Blaine, or East. Maybe even Marshall! Again, when it comes to hockey teams the more the merrier (nevertoomuchhockey!) As long as everyone is playing by the rules, as long as our kids can play the game they love and move on to successful careers and futures, there is an academic and hockey program appropriate for each of our daughters and families.
I started on these boards to become more familiar with the girls hockey teams at the varsity levels in a way which wasn't really possible just from "traditional" research. Almost wish I'd had this resource when my oldest was making his decision. (ALMOST.) Still a couple years away from her choice, but we definitely learn something from all of you and your positive and negative experiences and STRONG opinions. OUR experience and MY opinion is that the primary draw of AA this year was the coach and the hockey program and the girls. The draw for girls coming into United and most other private and public metro schools (this is not a slam against north or south. It's just geography people) is their proven record(s) of test scores, college admissions, academic and arts curriculum, and outstanding foreign languages , sciences, math, history, literature.... And I'd be remiss without pointing out the absolutely amazing faculty and administration our kids are blessed with. Online instruction certainly has its place and value for some, but great teachers can change lives. (So can great coaches and teammates.) It's a free country! Minnesota has many incredible schools and many great hockey programs. Many have both. Maybe someday soon NE/AA will "achieve" this too. Thanks for reading this to the end.
