My bender plays on a top Fed team which I thought was the TOP youth league in the country. Now I'm learning the Fed is 4th or 5th at best?? There's no way he's getting the exposure we need to get to the next level. Are tryouts over for those other leagues you mentioned? He's going into his squirt minor year this year, is a natural goal scorer who easily lead his team in goals last year. Any help would be appreciated.
Only two MA kids for 2003 were selected for USA Hockey National Team Development Program Evaluation out of the 46 that were chosen. This is not to say that MA doesn't have top notch hockey players from the 2003 birth year, including some who are already D1 commits, but it's definitely an eye opener if you think that because your kid plays in the EHF he's playing against the best competition. https://www.usahockeyntdp.com/news_article/show/1003409
But USA Hockey knows New England kids are generally Mamma's Boys raised by some of the most provincial people in America and the odds of them cutting their apron cords and becoming serious about committing to the hockey life in the Midwest are pretty slim. They let them dangle here in their little universe of "well I got the mountains in the winter, the ocean in the summer and prep hockey is some of the best hockey on the globe so why should my kid go outside of the 495 loop...unless it's a tournament in Marlboro." Historically the hockey parents in this region have cut their own throats when it comes to developing players. The USHL knows it, Canadian junior hockey knows it and USA Hockey knows it. . . now back to prep hockey.
The reason the EHF and the other leagues in the area aren't at the top is the number of true tier 1 teams which waters down competition. There are 15 bantam minor teams classified as Tier 1 in MA. That's roughly 220 skaters and 30 goalies seen as the "elite". Now for example take Michigan on the other hand which population is 3 million higher only has 8. It all comes back to supply, demand and money. There wouldn't be this many clubs if there weren't demand and parents ready to pull the check book out.
Should USA Hockey have a meeting of the mines and consolidate these league to get a bigger pool of players in USNDTP. I look at Team Canada and they have a several layers. (Team West & East).
Just a thought! But couldn't you do a Team New England 1 & 2 Team Mass 1 & 2 Team Atlantic 1 & 2 Etc etc.
Should USA Hockey have a meeting of the mines and consolidate these league to get a bigger pool of players in USNDTP. I look at Team Canada and they have a several layers. (Team West & East).
Just a thought! But couldn't you do a Team New England 1 & 2 Team Mass 1 & 2 Team Atlantic 1 & 2 Etc etc.
I'm sure a meeting of the mines might get a little explosive .
Should USA Hockey have a meeting of the mines and consolidate these league to get a bigger pool of players in USNDTP. I look at Team Canada and they have a several layers. (Team West & East).
Just a thought! But couldn't you do a Team New England 1 & 2 Team Mass 1 & 2 Team Atlantic 1 & 2 Etc etc.
Should they is different than could they. I honestly don't see how USA Hockey can change a thing without two things happening:
1) Lawsuits: Look at what is going on in MN as they are trying to force out the club teams. You would most likely see a consolidated lawsuit coming from dozens of owners & rink operators vs just one guy making lives miserable in MN. It would be a nightmare for USA & Mass Hockey and a fight they aren't likely to win.
2) Self insured leagues. Just take 2 minutes to look around and you will quickly realize that USA Hockey-MA Hockey has little control over the chaos here. "Mites have to play X-ICE" No the don't, we'll form our own league and self insure against injury. "You can't have a sanctioned Tier-II Junior league" Not a problem, we'll form our own league and self insure against injury. Costs would simply go up a bit but with all the money involved, G & G would simply do their own thing & we would follow like lemmings.
The only thing that MIGHT work is if USA Hockey formed regional teams in New England that they owned and managed with enough games that it would be difficult for a kid to play for another team & I don't think that is likely to happen. It wouldn't kill off the club teams but if it could draw the actual elite, it might improve the development of those players.