I think playing club and team seems like a big commitment especially as kids get older. Feels like you have to make a choice at some point even if it's hard. If hockey is the kids main sport maybe do club hockey and town soccer or lacrosse.
I don't understand this practice at all, where I am from you would NEVER leave your club to play high school. Actually, the only reason to play high school at all is if you couldn't make a club team. I could MAYBE see leaving to play prep, but public school???? Why is this a thing??? We haven't seen public school hockey, but from what we understand it's not very good. That makes me question this even further, it just doesn't make sense to me. Please help me understand
FULL STOP... you want to understand what you have not seen --- "never seen a game", seriously?
AND where are you from that HS (public, private, prep) is not considered the goal (v club), certainly not MA or MN.
There is nothing to understand. What is the kids goal and how good are they? If it's to play in college then they need to play club and usually club and prep. If not then play high school. More friends, shorter season. Hockey is lousy but depends what the kid wants.
This is 100% spot on - not everyone has the same goals.
The area I think that warrants a larger discussion is around the talented 7th/8th grader playing up? In our area 7th/8th graders have the option to get a waiver to play for the HS. The parents need to evaluate the HS coach - does their philosophy and coaching style help further the development of that young player? I would say that in all but the very rare cases, the answer is no and that player is better off playing full season club.
I mean this statement: "Please help me understand"? Why? Who gives a cr-p? If this is what keeps you up at night, please seek psychiatric help immediately' could probably be used as a macro on this forum.
I don't understand this practice at all, where I am from you would NEVER leave your club to play high school. Actually, the only reason to play high school at all is if you couldn't make a club team. I could MAYBE see leaving to play prep, but public school???? Why is this a thing??? We haven't seen public school hockey, but from what we understand it's not very good. That makes me question this even further, it just doesn't make sense to me. Please help me understand
Three reasons for my kid: First, reuniting with his friends who all went off to different clubs from U10 to U16. Second, hearing the cheers from the crowd at their home games. The crowd at his school's Senior Night last season was crazy and he absolutely loved it. Third, understanding that hockey is not going to be his career, he would prefer to get the most enjoyment (fun!) out of these final few years before he goes off to college and plays club/beer league.
As freshman why wouldn't you want to play for your high school? At a minimum, unless the team is completely terrible (maybe the OP's is?) a freshman will be challenged by the older kids the same way he is on his club team. But even more likely is that the upperclassmen will be both bigger and faster than his club teammates and he will get to practice with them every day.
I don't understand this practice at all, where I am from you would NEVER leave your club to play high school. Actually, the only reason to play high school at all is if you couldn't make a club team. I could MAYBE see leaving to play prep, but public school???? Why is this a thing??? We haven't seen public school hockey, but from what we understand it's not very good. That makes me question this even further, it just doesn't make sense to me. Please help me understand
I don't understand this practice at all, where I am from you would NEVER leave your club to play high school. Actually, the only reason to play high school at all is if you couldn't make a club team. I could MAYBE see leaving to play prep, but public school???? Why is this a thing??? We haven't seen public school hockey, but from what we understand it's not very good. That makes me question this even further, it just doesn't make sense to me. Please help me understand
Doesn’t really matter. Probably seems weird when you look at how bad some high school teams are. My kid gave up full season to play high school. Then gave up a chance for prep to stay at high school knowing it was as awful hockey. H ease miserable at the hockey but loved the crowds, the status and the focus being on him from local media. School and opposing teams.
It really hampered his development and he knew it. Spent the summer working no. Stop. Did a PG prep year and then juniors. Things worked out and at the and of the day it didn’t matter.
After u14, girls club teams don't compare to a good HS team.
Other than NAHA (which is now homeless) and other special clubs (Winchendon Girls, etc), the decent girls do not play full-year clubs after 14. The good players are in prep schools and play half-season fall. The full-season u16/19 teams are not very good at all. I would not let anyone I know play there unless they are looking to dump cash...