Pros and cons discussed numerous times. Try the search utility and if you still have questions come back.

Your instincts are correct.

Is the answer different if it's a Main Camp vs Exposure Camp? And how do they even get your kid's name?

Main Camp is the actual "try-out" camp for the team. Kids names and emails are sold all the time, so you must have signed up for something and it was sold to them, most likely from USA Hockey Registration. Remember they just had the draft and didnt pick your kid then so probably not going to pick him now. Just the truth.

No it isn’t. Every time your kid hits the ice and coaches are watching it‘s a “tryout.” Open camp, main camp, training camp - doesn’t matter.

Draft picks and tenders have the inside track but if an unstaffed kid is better, they won’t hesitate.

The key here being "better". USHL caliber kids are the real deal and honestly most parents over rate their kids ability.

Well, read for yourself. To me they all say, we dont think your good enough to draft but spend your money so we can confirm that.


Team 1: We invite you to attend our 2020 Main Camp. Entry into the camp is by invitation only and is not advertised on our website or on USHL.com. You are being invited because you have either been identified as a USHL-prospect by our national scouting staff or because you have expressed an interest in our program throughout the season.

Team 2: As a top prospective player, it is my pleasure to inform you that you are one of a select group of talented
young men being invited to attend the Omaha Lancers Annual Tryout Camp to be held at Ralston
Arena in Omaha, Nebraska from Sunday, August 9 th through Thursday, August 13 th .  This is our main
Tryout Camp this summer, and it is by invitation only.


Team 3: We are happy to inform you that you have been selected as an invitee for the Youngstown Phantoms USHL Hockey
Club’s 2020 Final Selection Camp for Skaters (July 29th through August 2nd) / 2020 Goaltender Camp (July 28th
through August 2nd) ROSTERS WILL BE TRIMMED BASED ON PERFORMANCE AFTER BOTH THE GOALTENDING
PORTION OF CAMP AND AFTER THE FIRST 3 GAMES OF MAIN CAMP.
Please note this is the official USHL Team Tryout for the Youngstown Phantoms and the camp will take place at the
Printscape Arena in Canonsburg, PA (near Pittsburgh).

Team 4: You have been selected to participate in the 2020 USHL Des Moines Buccaneers Tryout Exposure Camp!! Having just finished our draft, we are excited to start planning for the season ahead.

Access to our 2020 Tryout Exposure Camp is invitation-only, to ensure that only the top talent will be competing for available spots. The main objective of this camp is to identify the best players from the 2004-2000 birth years. As part of this process, these players will be competing for a spot at our final training camp, held late summer of 2020. With many of our current players having moved onto their College teams, there are multiple spots on the 2020-2021 Buccaneers roster yet to be determined.

Team 5: You have been selected to participate in the 2020 USHL Lincoln Stars Exposure Camp! Having just finished our draft, we are now excited to start planning for the season ahead.

Our 2020 Exposure Camp is Invite Only to ensure that the best talent will be competing for available spots. The goal of this camp is to identify top 2004 - 2000 Birth year players. These players will move through the process working towards the final destination being our training camp leading into the start of the USHL 2020-21 season. With several players having moved onto prospective College teams there are many spots on the 2020-2021 Stars roster yet to be determined.

Team 6: My name is Andy Johnson and I'm the General Manager for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). On behalf of our organization, I would like to invite you to attend our 2020 Main Camp. You have been identified by our staff as a high-priority free agent target and we would be thrilled for you to join us at camp this July.

Goaltenders will report for camp on Monday, July 20 at 5:00 PM with skaters checking in on Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 PM. Rosters will be reduced after the second ice session on Thursday, July 23. Camp will conclude on Saturday, July 25.

This is an extremely high-level, competitive camp. Every year since our staff has been in place in Sioux City we have had free agents from this camp make our final roster for the upcoming season and we expect the same this year as well.

I don’t know what your point was in regurgitating all of that. If you think every draft pick was heavily scouted, you’re wrong. Most don’t make the team.

If you think it’s a stretch for an undrafted player to leapfrog over a 20th round draft pick, you’re wrong again.

And if you think the main camp is still the “actual try-out,” you’re wrong yet again. It’s changed over the last couple of years. These “main camps” are huge revenue sources. Teams are FAR more lenient in how many attend “by invitation only.”

Like the prior poster said, be realistic about your kid. Tell him to expect to be cut, even if he plays his butt off. That doesn’t mean it was a failure or a waste of time. These camps are also attended by other teams, Tier II teams and colleges.

But, if money is tight and it’s going to pinch your wallet, there are better places to spend your money. The USHL is the real deal.

Would you send your kid to any of these? Whats the positive of it. There was a draft, my kid was not picked, why go to this, they obviously didn't want him 2 weeks ago, why would they consider now?

What level juinors are they inviting players from top d3 and d2?

Buses of locals being chartered and heading to Dubuque and Des Moines. Not special

Not special ? Trying to find out what level player they are inviting

If you have to ask, you / your player are not at the level they are seeking. Save your hard earned money.

Many very good and talented 2002 and 2003 have been invited to camps this year (Mainly Prep 02/03, Full Season 03's)

You get hand make sure you bring. $500 in us currency

Hiccups
^ youbetcha, make sure to bring $500

Teams now have their returning players, usually around 12-15. They have their 19 man protected list and all of their phase 2 draft picks so that's around 50 players. These camps will have around 200 total players so basically 150 "free agents". After the camp they need a 30 man roster so do the math on your chances of making the 30 man roster let alone the 23 man roster in September.

If you have the money, don't care about spending it and want to see what it's like then go but that's the only reason to go.

Ok I did the math. So basically, they only need 15-18 players to make the 30 man team. If you take those only from their 35 man protected/draft list that equates to 43%-51% meaning that almost half the kids they "wanted" don't make it. If all things were equal, taking 15-18 players from the 185 that show up gives you a 8%-10% chance of making the team. Thank you for giving us the numbers so we can all understand the reality.

Your reality is inflated. It's nowhere near 10%.

As I said before, the "main camp" isn't the only tryout. Those 15 - 18 don't necessarily come from the 200.

I would say the more accurate odds would be 2 - 3 "free agents" go to Training Camp. So, call it 1%.

And, that's just Training Camp. Not everyone makes the team.

And, making the team is no guarantee of playing time, or of being rostered for the year. The Chicago Steel dressed 32 players last year. Te Des Moines Buccaneers dressed 41.

Anyone thinking junior is fun and games is crazy. Wait till your kid gets there. Doesn't matter, Tier I / II / III. It's a zoo.

Your math skills are lacking. Most of the players making the 30 man cut come from drafted pool. Also making the 30 man cut is not making the team. The final roster is 23. The 7 cut need to find another place to play.

Also when you look at teams rosters on the USHL web site, yes the number of kids dressing ends up being much more than the 23 final roster. That's due to affiliates playing in games during holiday weeks, trades, injuries etc. So there are transactions that happen during the year that increase the posted roster but so what. That doesn't impact your kids chance of making a USHL final 23 man roster as a walk on.

Guys, the BCHL is a much better option. Kid just goes and plays, its that simple. No trades to worry about, just development.

Wait, what?

Coquitlam Express dressed 46 players last season and the entire coaching staff walked in April after finishing in 1st place. Head coach went to the NAHL.

If the BCHL were on a par with the USHL, wouldn't that have been a natural landing spot?

And you'd better have a good Canadian agent or your card will be assigned to SJHL for $8,000.

BCHL is below the USHL. Not as good at getting guys ready for NCAA. Good for padding stats, though.

Ok, don't go to Coquitlam Express..better than getting traded and ALL the other fears people have about the USHL. By the way, the player obviously has to be good.

I picked Coquitlam based on knowing the coach. Pick another team, tell me how many players dressed.

I don't get why you think CJHL players don't get traded. If anything USA Hockey gives players greater control, not less.

Why did they leave tho

Yeah it's that simple. Dope.