99.99999999999% of hockey coaches are parents. As they should be. There are enough talented coaches in NE.

There are no non parent coaches.

There certainly are. But that doesn't mean they are better for a kid or his development. I've seen kids get set back a season or two in the mental game because of a paid coach's ego and lack of teaching knowledge. It's not just knowing the game, it's knowing how to deal with kids. Don't tell me "it's about the kids" and then not hold the coach to that same standard. But there are parent coaches who do get "it". So you have to go out and find the coach that works best WITH your kid, regardless of how much they are paid.

Scores don't matter ? Not sure on that one.

Good list but actually for #9 central scouting starts paying attention around 12 years old to create folders on the elite players to rank them ongoing throughout their teen years.

If I could add 1- Start saving for college asap, you will need it.

Doing this for a living a can tell you that this is very misleading. While I hear names of younger players, we aren't seriously watching them until Bantam Major (and usually the 2nd half of that season). The reason is the number of players that we like coming out of Bantam, that we hate by December of their draft year. A lot changes between Bantam and Midget. Get good skill development up through Bantam, and don't worry about exposure.

My parent coach left our team to coach the Montreal Canadiens. You sound dumb.

05 parent here visiting for entertainment during boring zoom call.
As my kid is aging out- I cant agree more about this post. (except the parent coach thing- my kid had some good ones).
I don't remember any of the scores of the youth games- neither do the kids or any other parent. What wee remember are the good times and the friendships. The families who jumped from team to team don't develop those lifelong friendships (kids or parents). don't get too worked up if your kids a stud at mites because it all changed when they hit U14.

I'd just add one more:
11: Shut your mouth and stop yelling at the refs. you sound like an idiot

I don't think anyone remembers scores, but I think people remember how often they won or lost. If you're on a team losing most of the games I'd say that's a reason to jump ship.

Loyalty counts is NOT the truth. Look out for your kid and only your kid. As they get older there is zero, literally zero loyalty from programs. As they get older winning is much more important to the program than doing right by a kid.

No he's 100% right. Jumping all the time early on is a mistake but he's right that later winning is what draws more players, more revenue. No one cares about the individual. Give a **** about you and your kid. Coach being an irrational diqhead? Have the conversations to find out what to do to improve the situation. No progress? Move on.

12. Get to know your high school coaches asap.

If you goal is for junior to play HS hockey, play town/house hockey. Save your money. HS hockey is a joke anywhere outside MN.

Loyalty is an overused term. As they get older they don't care how long you have been there. Newer and fresh are the words. Honestly I dont think there has been 1 kid that has been an improvement on my kids team out of more than half the boys they replaced over the years.

The people who change teams every year look like idiots. They're out there.

People who jump teams every year do look like losers but make no mistake its not about loyalty. The orgs and coaches have 0 loyalty especially at the fed elite level. They will cut a kid in a heartbeat if they think another kid is slightly better. Also, there is no development unless you're the coach's kid and every practice is geared towards him and hes out there every PP/PK, only plays with the best kids, turns the puck over constantly and never passes but has nothing said to him while other kids get yelled at for doing the same thing. There really is no way to avoid daddy coaches but if you find one that cares more about developing the kids the right way than winning games stick with him. At the end of the day all these coaches that care about winning over developing hockey players are the real problem with hockey in Mass and why we'll continue to fall behind the midwest states.