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...