Summer hockey is a joke.. it's borderline " shinny" but go to a game and tell me that team ( 2010 Nat Elite) isn't LOADED with talented girls. Let's circle back in 5 years and see where some of these players end up.
There's plenty of winter hockey that's a joke as well. If you don't like it don't do it. Clearly people do summer hockey to keep up. If you have a kid that doesn't need to do any type of training or games all summer and comes back in the fall just fine then good for you.
I guess it depends on where you are playing your winter hockey.. I agree that the summer hockey craze is driven by mostly parents who feel like they need to play to keep up but not one player gets better playing on ANY of those teams. You would be far better off going to a top tier skill development program over the summer if the goal is to get better.
I guess it depends on where you are playing your winter hockey.. I agree that the summer hockey craze is driven by mostly parents who feel like they need to play to keep up but not one player gets better playing on ANY of those teams. You would be far better off going to a top tier skill development program over the summer if the goal is to get better.
Isn't that like saying kids don't get better at winter tournaments or games during the week ? I mean does anyone really get better at some of these winter tournaments? I think getting better is a combination of multiple factors. I don't see how you can so adamantly say that no one gets better at any summer tournament. If you say that then the same could be said about tournaments that take place in the fall/winter/spring.
I'm sure there might be some exceptions but playing 3 to 5 summer hockey tournaments with a team you have skated very little with under the guidance of a coach who knows little to nothing about you is not the roadmap to getting better. That would be the primary difference to playing in summer hockey tournament and a "in season" winter tournament. I guess the point I'm making is that summer hockey is great for the experience, making new friends and having fun.. its just not where most players "get better".
Team One is a nice program but without the goalie from Buffalo the 2010 group doesn't win a single tournament.. Also it doesn't cost $6k to play girls Junior Bruins.. not even close.
Teamone 2010 beat Wade East in Montreal Meltdown to win the tournament. TeamOne 2010 also beat the all mighty Jr Bruins National Elite in the finals of the Beantown last year. Keep paying 6x so you can tell your friends your kid plays on the bruins.
Team One lost to NA Elite 2010 this past summer at the Harrow Invite.
What are some good tournaments for youth players (U10/12/14)? What about at the U16/U19 level? Are any tournaments better for exposure to prep and/or college coaches?
Mostly find the younger girls doing the Summer teams. After U14 there isn't much value.
I asked the guy that runs the Vikings/militia about summer teams for an 09 and his reply was that at the 14+ age groups most kids who make national bound teams skate with that team at these various tournaments. I would imagine its similar for girls. So if you make a NB team you will enter tourneys with those kids. So no trying out for Team One, Wade, etc instead its assabet patriots (possibly playing under a different name) during the summer tournament season.
I asked the guy that runs the Vikings/militia about summer teams for an 09 and his reply was that at the 14+ age groups most kids who make national bound teams skate with that team at these various tournaments. I would imagine its similar for girls. So if you make a NB team you will enter tourneys with those kids. So no trying out for Team One, Wade, etc instead its assabet patriots (possibly playing under a different name) during the summer tournament season.
Play another sport and forget the Summer teams. It's just a cash grab and your kid needs rest. Work on their deficiencies and stay in shape playing other sports during the Summer. Do you think the Summer teams are going to make any difference for your kid who's already playing club and prep?
On this forum people seem to think no hockey should be played in the summer and pretty much any summer tournament gets made fun of. Clearly people enter the tournaments regardless. I don't see what the big deal is in playing in summer tournaments as long as you have fun. Youth hockey doesn't have to be challenging, elite and competitive all the time