Good Place to Develop on a JV

[nutz4puck]

So this one's a little different. My kid's an 8th grader and has gotten some time with the varisty this year but really has not been developed as a player by her JV coaches (great guys but not good hockey coaches). She talked to me today about going to another metro area school (south/sw/w/se metro). My honest "hockey dad" opinion says she needs another year of JV but could get in the mix at the varsity level but who knows where she ends up...definitely not a D-I player but might someday be a D-III player. She just wants to compete at a high level and become the best player she can be. I want her to go somewhere and be coached at the JV level...not just coddled and have some meaningless JV hockey experience. She wants to play in a AA state tourney some day so we'd be looking at a AA school and she really does not care too much about college hockey. Just a good program with good, solid coaches...JV and varsity.<br><br>Anyone have any good suggestions. Please don't just pump up your own program but honestly bring up some coaches and programs that might work for her. She's currently a 1st line JV/3rd line varsity player in a AA school as an 8th grader and is willing to go elsewhere as her current varisty team probably will never get to state nor will she get good coaching/develop with the current coaches at the JV/varsity levels.<br><br>Oh yeah, happy new year everyone! <p></p><i></i>

[traveler]

So as an eighth grader she is playing JV and some Varsity. That most likely is above average progression. Next the JV coaches are great guys but you dont respect their hockey knowledge. Just what would the perfect coach look like or do? <br>In the end all you want is a AA state championship and a chance to play college hockey somewhere D-3 or D-1 will work. It will be fun to see who can promise you that.<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :eek --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eek.gif ALT=":eek"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

[JJhockeySS]

Nutz,<br><br>I would recommend that you make your school choice based on academics, and not activities. I know sports are very important to families, but I would say that if any coach/program tells you that they can get your kid to that level ....beware. There are plenty of off-season opportunities that can help your student/athelete get better at hockey. Use those opportunities to give her different experiences, and help her develop. If she works hard, and commits to getting better she can see growth both in and out of season.<br><br>A small portion of her HS career will be spent with the HS hockey team, not worth pulling her away from her friends and community for, she has to be happy with her teachers, school, friends, and enjoy her HS years.<br><br>just my 2 cents. <p></p><i></i>

[hockeydad]

<br>For Christ's sake, the kid's only an eighth grader, and she's playing some varsity. Let her develop, and her teammates develop. Keep her at home. <p></p><i></i>

[hockeywild711]

She should stay where she is at and play with her friends. Have fun, enjoy her experience. If she really wants to improve as a player she should take it upon herself to do that not lay it on a coach. Does she do any training on her own? Shooting, stickhandling? You are putting to much emphasis on what the coaches can or cant do for her. Dont get me wrong I think coaches can help by giving players ways to improve but ultimately the player has to take it upon themselves to do it. Going to another program can have lots of negatives in it also especially if she isnt a top line player.<br>Take hockeydads advice. <p></p><i></i>

[nutz4puck]

Ok, so before I get ripped even more...or maybe I'll get ripped more for clarifying my original statement.<br><br>She's at a school where the program is most likely not going to win. The players, parents, and especially coaches around there do not seem interested in doing so. There is no off-season program run by the coaches and many players do nothing. She does not have college hockey as her main goal. Her goal is to play high school hockey at a school where she will be given a chance to compete with players who also want to compete and have an opportunity to win. She is not a superstar and is not part of the high-level off-season developmental programs that are available. <br><br>While I know this might be difficult to believe, she approached me about leaving and going somewhere else because of her desire to compete. Losing by many, many goals everynight is not what she wants and I was looking for a program where she might be coached/challeged to be a better player and where her peers would care too...currently no one (actually very very few) care about the status of the program.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[hockeygymnast]

Lot of different factors regarding this decision. First, the academic side has to be the number one factor. When your daughter is done with her HS career, the most important things that will help her in the next step to success will be her grades, her ACT/SAT scores, reputation of the HS, and teacher recommendations (assuming she wants to go to college). Unless your daughter is one of the very few that will receive consideration for an athletic scholarship, college admission people will not care one bit how many goals she scores or how many state titles her HS wins. So, the most important thing she will have from HS is her academic performance. <br><br>Secondly, enrolling in a top notch hockey HS does not guarantee that she will have much playing time or even make the varsity. EP and BSM come to mind. Now you are in another dilemna. <br><br>Third, I don't think yours is the only HS without a formal off season training program. There are lots of options for off season training and many AAA teams and tournaments available without HS involvement.<br><br>Fourth, college coaches have ways of finding top players that don't necessarily play for the top teams.<br><br>With that said, however, if your daughter is really not happy with the HS for reasons in addition to hockey, then perhaps a switch would make sense.<br><br>Good luck and keep us posted - there probably are other parents/players in similar situations. <p></p><i></i>

[iceicebb]

Nutz...not here to rip you, just tell you my experience and offer some advice. My daughter played U12A as a sixth grader. In 7th grade, she made Varsity for our high school; a school that maybe one three games, one by forefeit, in the five years she played for them. Is it fair to say the coaches were the reason for the success/failure of this team? Was it the parent's fault? The player? Not entirely. As a parent, I discovered there were many parents who wanted to help, but didn't really know what to do. Some of them were new to the sport, having limited knowledge of the game. Hold a parents meeting, tell each other how you feel, and find ways to support and encourage your daughters. Be open to suggestions, offer to help the coaches; and remember that hockey is a game that should be fun. If the fun is gone, then your daughter is playing for the wrong reasons. However, it seems your daughter is passionate about hockey; but as an eighth grader, she is not as experienced in the high school dynamics of hockey. As parents, we have to look at the big picture, which is academics. Our team never did anything in the off season. In fact, they rarely even did anything socially at all. In her Junior year, my daughter left the high school program; but not her friends, activities and community; for a U19 experience. It helped her realize many things about life in general. The hockey was fabulous, and the girls were all passionate about hockey. But something was missing. She went back to finish her final year at her high school and although it was a very trying season, (our goalie had 1000+ shots for the season) she had the best year of her life. Now, as a first year player at Augsburg, she is playing a game she loves, and can look back on those high school years as experiences that have helped her become who she is today. Your daughter's desire to compete could be just what your current program is in need of. My daughter was in her shoes, I know the position you are in and how your daughter feels. Encourage her to be a leader on her team, and in school. Give her encouragement and support and find her other hockey options besides a new school. There are alot of girls in your daughter's position. Find them, skate with them, make friends with them. They will support each other through good times and bad. There are many spring/summer/fall leagues, camps and clinics that will provide opportunities for your daughter to be competitive with herself. If she challenges herself, her teammates will take notice, her coaches will take notice, and she will notice. Rewards do not have to come in the form of a high school championship. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ceicebb</A> at: 1/3/06 6:15 am<br></i>

[PAMESH]

if she approached you about switching schools maybe she has a school in mind. Let her choose that way she is responsible for the choice and must live with the decision. Obviously you need to set some guidlines about what schools will fit into your life style but she can still feel responsible if she has choices. The education will take care of itself if she is happy, and safe in her environment. That is both on and off the ice.<br><br>Good Luck and don't let anyone make you feel like your being ridiculous for choosing a school based on hockey. If it is the motivational factor in them working hard in school it is as good a motivator as any. <p></p><i></i>

[keepitreal]

Is she really ready to leave her friends behind and deal with all the pressures of a new school just to be on the winning side of a few H.S. hockey games? If she admitedly isn't an elite level talent and goes to a more successful program will she be able to contribute or just hold a roster spot? No offense, but I think you're both looking out of the wrong end of the telescope. Sure, I feel for any competitive kid who senses she is being challenged, but is she first accepting the personal challenge of trying to improve herself and become a leader on her team? One unrelenting leader might be all it takes to inspire the younger ones coming up behind her. And then you know what? You're suddenly competitive and your daughter is the H.S. captain.<br><br>I'd rather lead on a losing team than follow on a winning one.<br><br>The most valuable lessons she will learn in H.S. sports are the concepts of team, of dedication, of leadership--not winning a few games that will be soon forgotten. If she can persevere in the face of that kind of struggle, she will take away far more than you or she can imagine. <br><br>For now, get her out there and train, train, train. Do hard dryland. Go to schools that stress overspeed skating and stickhandling. If she wants, earn that offseason AAA team spot (there's so many now, almost anyone with some degree of skill and dedication can find a home) to experience a few wins and a higher level there. Then go back and just see if she can make a difference during the winter. <p></p><i></i>

[iblade06]

i disagree, she plays hockey, hockey is a very respected sport in high school, she would do just fine where ever she went. <p></p><i></i>

[tnt99]

I couldn't not agree more with hockeygymnast. Well said and point definitely well taken. Don't forget what is most important. Where do you want to be long after high school and college? Well educated, someone with strong morals and values, etc. Athletics is so important in teaching those values such as winning and losing, sportsmanship, drive, and determination. She will learn these where ever she goes and where ever she plays. The deciding factor is going to be her. She could step up and take her team she is on now to new levels and be a strong leader and encourage her co-athletes to follow. There is so much she could do if she choses. <p></p><i></i>