What is this tournament exactly? Is it worth being in? Like worth leaving a team to go be in a team that has been invited to this?

I'm not sure it's something to switch teams for. These are 11 year olds right ?

63 views and no responses. Hmm

I think they mean the Q

Which teams are going to the Q

Good teams go. But good luck joining a full-season winter team.

Can't you buy your way in ? It also seems to be about who the coach knows. I already know of a 2011 team that has a spot now thanks to daddy coach with connections.

And yes people leaving teams to try and get on teams going there.

Most fed elite teams take the main Q weekend off so that their players can try out for NE Prospects, LI Stars, or Adirondack Red Wings. Those teams exist only for the tournament, so kids don’t have to leave their teams to play.

The Q is a great tournament, and a great experience. It’s also a pain in the butt. The kid misses a lot of school. It costs a lot of money. It’s ridiculously cold up there. It’s pretty much a double elimination tournament, so you can be done quick or be there for 8 or 9 days. The non tourney games can be a lot of fun. The atmosphere is great. It will be your kids favorite youth hockey experience. But it’s not going to make him any better.

Definitely sounds like a pain in the butt if people are leaving teams to play for a tournament that is one weekend. Some parents really are obsessed. No kid cares that much about this. It's the parents. As usual.

This one of the most logical, accurate explanations about the Q experience I have seen.

Thanks for your meaningful response.

(PS no sarcasm intended in case you’re reading something into this.)

I wouldn’t switch teams just to go if you’re happy with the team you’re on. They’re not handing out any scholarships there. It’s nice to do well and play against teams from all over the world and the kids really enjoy it, but at the end of the day, it’s just another tournament that’s maybe a little more fun and special for the kids than the other hundred tournaments they go to. My kid went, but one of his teammates skipped it because it was too much money and too long, and a week or so later, everyone had forgotten and it was back to the grind. Supposedly if you make the finals, there are thousands of people there, but we were long gone by then.

As someone else pointed out, you can always buy your way on to a team.

Waste of time and money. Most parents admit after it wasn't worth it.

Only people saying “it wasn’t worth it” are ones doing this with a poorly run program.

Redwings and RK have been doing this for years. They put together the best team they can, run high level practices, and have many “exhibition” games pre-arranged with top AAA teams such as Czech Kinghts or Honeybaked because they have such a great re****tion. They play a game every day they are there and are very organized.

Go with a program trying to extort as much from FOMO parents as they can and you are likely to come back saying it wasn’t worth it.

Go with a professionally run program that is only looking to provide the kids with an unforgettable life experience and you will not find that being said by anyone.

The point is people leaving teams to find a team going a tournament like this. It's one tournament. That is FOMO. Nothing else. If you're already on a good team going then great. Scrambling to be on a team just because a tournament is weird. But I'm not obsessed the way some others are. My kid is also 7 so we're not near this but I can't imagine finding a new team to be on just because of one tournament. Anyone who thinks that is ok is weird.