Proposal for Three Class System
Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:32 am
Sources inside the MSHSL office have confirmed that it recently received a proposal to move to a three class system in Boys Ice Hockey. The idea would be to "give more opportunities to the little programs".
And who is the "little program" that is spearheading this effort? Well it is Hermantown and their long time coach Bruce Plante, who retired two seasons ago after the Hawks last championship in 2017. Asked for his reasoning behind the proposal "well just look at the past two seasons: I mean how are we supposed to complete with the Alexandria's and Greenway's of the world? You saw what kind of talent they had. It's not fair really to ask us to compete at that kind of level. We feel it would be best if there was more classes so those programs could then be moved up a level."
Plante says he just the voice for the community, as the real push for this change is coming from the parents in the Hermantown area. Said one parent: "I schedule vacation days for the first week of March every year so I can go watch the team play in St Paul. And then they lose in the sectionals last year. What was I supposed to do? It was too late to switch my vacation days at that point."
Said another parent: "ever since my kid transferred here in 7th grade, it's been his dream of going to state as a Hawk. What if we don't make it out of the section tournament again? That wouldn't be right."
A third added: "two years without a state championship......the MSHSL has to do something. It's only right"
Plante finished by saying "we recruit......errrrrrrr I mean bring in kids from all over the area. So when we win state, its like the whole Northeast part of Minnesota wins state too."
The proposed alignment would have Hermantown as the only team in it's section.
No word from the MSHSL on if or when this proposal will come up for a vote.
And who is the "little program" that is spearheading this effort? Well it is Hermantown and their long time coach Bruce Plante, who retired two seasons ago after the Hawks last championship in 2017. Asked for his reasoning behind the proposal "well just look at the past two seasons: I mean how are we supposed to complete with the Alexandria's and Greenway's of the world? You saw what kind of talent they had. It's not fair really to ask us to compete at that kind of level. We feel it would be best if there was more classes so those programs could then be moved up a level."
Plante says he just the voice for the community, as the real push for this change is coming from the parents in the Hermantown area. Said one parent: "I schedule vacation days for the first week of March every year so I can go watch the team play in St Paul. And then they lose in the sectionals last year. What was I supposed to do? It was too late to switch my vacation days at that point."
Said another parent: "ever since my kid transferred here in 7th grade, it's been his dream of going to state as a Hawk. What if we don't make it out of the section tournament again? That wouldn't be right."
A third added: "two years without a state championship......the MSHSL has to do something. It's only right"
Plante finished by saying "we recruit......errrrrrrr I mean bring in kids from all over the area. So when we win state, its like the whole Northeast part of Minnesota wins state too."
The proposed alignment would have Hermantown as the only team in it's section.
No word from the MSHSL on if or when this proposal will come up for a vote.
