quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
Here in Minnesota hockey is religion. Serious, religion. It is highly political from the Mites all the way through high school. Here if you are not in skates at three years old and don't go to all the summer camps you don't have a prayer. Often times it's not about how good your kid may be it's about who you know. We just recently had one of the best high school coaches of thirty plus years pull the plug citing parent pressures and pressures and influencing from school administrators.

Parents get heavily invested in their kids hockey and it gets uber competitive. Hell with the National Guard you need a crowd dispersed send in the hockey parents and tell them those people are responsible for their kid not getting ice time! Texas high school football has nothing on Minnesota high school hockey.

I'm happy my boys chose soccer and not hockey. Sorry I have no real answer for you and I'm not sure there is one. Best of luck to you.

You speak so much truth. My uncle is/was heavily involved in Minnesota Hockey. After decades of service he has finally stepped away…the stories he can tell.

From doing "jock stuff" in my limited way, later on, youth sports should be about:

Learning good behavior/character development
Conditioning/developing hand/eye coordination
Correcting structural imbalances. (Everyone has them.)

If hockey is fun for him, worry more about what kind of person is coaching him, than anything else.

IME, coaches are much greater moral instructors, than teachers, etc.

I wouldn't worry about having a "superstar" 9 year old.

I have seen, and met, exceptional athletes, who's build, poise, etc was apparent even as youths.

They are RARE. Phenomenally rare. It is even more rare for them to make it into the higher levels of athletics, as they have a tough time, once they are challenged.

Well... he's 9. That's a long way off from the NHL draft.

Use it as an opportunity. Let him play, let him be the best player on the team. Let him learn and then prove to the coaches he is the best player on the team. Then they can either move him up, or if not, you can find another team or a "select league" as they called in baseball that desires his talent.

At 9 years old, it youth sports SHOULD be about three things:

1. Teaching fundamentals

2. Teaching "sportsmanship" and "life skills"

3. Having fun. He's a kid, 9 years old.

If it is something that is a life goal, he will show it and get there. If it means college scholarships and the like, he will get there. If not, he's only 9 years old... He has PLENTY of time to hone his talents and abilities.

Don't stress about it.

Guys, I appreciate you chiming in, but im not sure the last 2 posts are getting my point:

it’s not about him being a superstar, it’s not about him being pulled into the NHL draft- it’s about how the adults in charge are handling another adult who believes his child is a superstar- knocking mine out of an opportunity in order to push his agenda for his child.. and how they’re treating my son in terms of it.

We will continue to play and will see how the season goes - and potentially look for other options next year. Yup, we are in Minnesota so this is our winter hobby.

Again, I appreciate the insights.

quote:

it’s not about him being a superstar, it’s not about him being pulled into the NHL draft- it’s about how the adults in charge are handling another adult who believes his child is a superstar- knocking mine out of an opportunity in order to push his agenda for his child.. and how they’re treating my son in terms of it.

^^^^^^^^^^
Been through the exact same thing. Just encourage your son. In time another kid from another team will knock him down a peg or two. I have seen it happen time and again.

I grew up in Chicago playing AA and AAA hockey until club ended at 19 years old. Won 3rd in nationals in 1994, wouldn't believe me if I told you.

A word on the MN teams, Rochester High School team MOPPED THE FLOOR with us. Ego check big time in MN. Rinks on almost every street corner. I picture heaven to be like that.

Anyway, at 9 here's what I would say. I started later than most but I was a good athlete and caught up. All the politics and clique stuff is right, it's big time in hockey and makes an already intimidating game that much more terrifying, or it can for a kid.

I was a kid that took the brunt of it. I was too good to play A, but the AA team had been together and was high performance as 12-13 year olds. Northwest Chargers. I was the last pick for the team and no question the worst player. I got humiliated and my ass chewed and it was dam hard, they were NOT nice to me. I rose to the top by the end of the year, starting center. When we won state I jumped into the coach's arms and he hugged me like I was his long lost son.

The take home message is this. If your kid really wants it, and he WILL need to be groomed and handled by his parents putting him in the right training and stuff, he will rise to whatever level he is capable of. No matter the politics. At 9 I would ignore the click stuff and focus on yourself/ himself and getting stronger. If he plays his cards right and progresses properly, then whoever is at the highest level will be begging him to play on their team, assuming he's earned it.

Getting on the team based on friends, politics, etc is a parallel for life. Might be easier, more fun, more glory and all that. But the kid who grinds it out and earns it is the one you want to be.

Many years ago my son was being screwed by the local town hockey system.

He left and played in another league.

The hockey was better and so were the parents.

Look around for other hockey development leagues.

My son was hardly getting any ice time.

It was run by a group of parents that looked out for each others kid.

In the end it worked out better and my son played through Junior hockey, till he left for college.