Girls Prep Hockey

[Hockeydad4two]

The "16" team for Shattuck may be their JV team that plays in the MWEHL (http://www.pointstreak.com/players/players-division.html?divisionid=3706) as well. For the 19's, there are a couple of Minnesota teams that usually compete for the state title. These would include the Thoroughbreds and Shattuck. I may have missed some as well.

I think the Minnkota district has only had someone in the 19's bracket in the past. I suspect that it has to do with their highschool setup. I would like to hear from others on this.

[toots]

I will edit this post later (I should be working, not lurking :) ), but I agree with Hockeydad4two that S-SM jv team must be the only national-bound declared USA Hockey team from Minnkota District, so they are a lock to represent their District. The S-SM "prep" team, national title holders from last year, more than likely does have to qualify at a District tourney in order to represent Minnkota, and most likely they have to beat at least the Thoroughbreds, unless ND has a team or two declared. Or another MN team or two. Hard to know for sure at this point. And, yes, the MN high school system does not allow girls to play for their HS and a USA Hockey team, so there are very few teams competing for a USA Hockey title from a state with the best HS hockey around.

As far as Teresa Greene's question about other national-bound teams preparation for the national tournament, I do know that Assabet, should they represent Massachusetts at either 12, 14, 16 or 19 level, will not practice 5 days a week to prepare. Maybe a couple of extra ice times, but the girls travel to Concord from far away and , at the 16 & 19 level, have various March vacation schedules from the different prep schools to deal with.

Hockeydad4two, there was discussion either last year or the year before on why, lately, Minnkota has only sent a team at the 19 level. There were some stories about Minnkota serving some sort of penalty (for a long-ago rules violation? can't remember the details) that kept them from sending other age groups (edit: gotice helped me understand this with the above post. thx!)
and thus Massachusetts, as the District with the next highest registration numbers, would send two teams at 12, 14 and 16. In 2005, New England District got the second team at the 14 level, but it varies for each year who might get it, depending on registration numbers. If Minnkota has declared S-SM jv at 16 level, then each of the other eight USA Hockey districts will get one team, plus the host team gets a bye, making a ten-team tourney.

I am writing all this from memory and will double-check my numbers and information and will add any further clarification later tonight.

(edit: there are total of eleven regional districts, so the host team getting a bye makes it a tourney of 12. And, by looking at the schedules for the different age levels at this years nationals - http://www.usahockey.com/2006_nationals/girls/main/girls/ - we can see that Massachusetts is going to get a second representative at the 12 and 14 levels and that S-SM is already set at the 16 level. At 19, all Districts will have one rep plus the host.)


And NHDad, I'll look forward to saying "hi" to you, too, in person ;)

[biggest fan]

I know that Shattuck-St. Mary's has a U16 team this year that are a possible national bound team, as well as their "Prep" U19 team. The U19 team I believe plays the Throughobreds and another team to compete for the State Championship and to advance on the Nationals. They play a 60 some game season. It's obvious that the girls have bonded as a team. I have heard that they do practice 5 days a week, but as far as the other teams in the MWEHL (Midwest Elite Hockey League)..the Wild, Honeybaked, Little Caesars..etc. goes I believe it's up to their individual coaches on how much they practice per week.

[gotice]

...There were some stories about Minnkota serving some sort of penalty (for a long-ago rules violation? can't remember the details) that kept them from sending other age groups (and thus Massachusetts, as the District with the next highest registration numbers, would send two teams at 12, 14 and 16. In 2005, New England District got the second team at the 14 level, but it varies for each year who might get it, depending on registration numbers). If Minnkota has declared S-SM jv at 16 level, then each of the other eight USA Hockey districts will get one team, plus the host team gets a bye, making a ten-team tourney.

I am writing all this from memory and will double-check my numbers and information and will add any further clarification later tonight.

And NHDad, I'll look forward to saying "hi" to you, too, in person ;)

Minnesota can not qualify for Nationals at any age group other than 19U, with the exception of Shattuck St Mary, becuase of their age classification at the younger ages. The Minnitonka district uses the cut of date of June 30th for their age classifications instead of Dec 31. They choose to do this because of their strong high school programs. By allowing Bantam aged players or 16U girls to be a half a year older, it allows their players a place to play until they can play high school.

An example is this. My daughter and her youth team played against some Minnesota teams. All of her players were 14 years old under the Dec 31 cut off. Most of the players on the opposing team, although classified as Bantams, were 5 months older. Her team was all 1991 birth year and their team had the majority of 1990 birth year, which in the rest of the USA is classified as Midget Minor. The same would apply for a girls team playing as a 16U team, they may have players who's birth year is 1988 but born after June 30th, while the rest of the USA's 16U girls would be birth year 1989 and 1990.

Minnesota felt it was more important to support the high school system than to play at Nationals. North and South Dakota followed suit, because Minnesota is who they play and wanted to be on an equal playing field with them.

After the Birth year change, North Dakota did put a select team together at the Bantam major age group for one year and did compete at the Tier II level in the Youth division. I do not know if that has been done by any club team since.

So to answer the question, as long as Minnetonka uses the old age classification, only those teams that abide by the new USA rules will be allowed to compete. Shattuck St Mary and Thorourghbreds are the only two 19U teams that abide and the 16U Shattucks is the only 16U team to follow the new age classifications.

[moxie]

Does anyone out there have any more insight on...why NAHA or other programs do not??This was discussed recently and it was pointed out that NSA in Lake Placid is another prep school that is national tournament bound and NAHA has tried but has been thwarted by Vermont or the New England district. I've heard that NAHA was considering trying to register for nationals through another district but I don't have any knowledge of this.

[Hockeydad4two]

" ...but as far as the other teams in the MWEHL (Midwest Elite Hockey League)..the Wild, Honeybaked, Little Caesars..etc. goes I believe it's up to their individual coaches on how much they practice per week."

Since my daughter plays for Team Illinois, I can give "some" information here. Her team practices twice a week for 1h 20min or so depending on the coaches. We have one sheet on Sunday mornings for 1h 2Omin that is used primarily for games. Most of the other teams that I'm familiar with have a similar schedule.

That twice a week schedule will be modified by the coaches depending on the previous weekend's schedule. For instance, this week's Monday practice was cancelled to let the girls recoup from the Polar Bear Tourney. We practice tonight, then on to Culver Academy Saturday/Sunday.

[coolsports]

[QUOTE=teresa greene]

Do the powerhouses of Team Illinois, Wisconsin Wild, Syracuse Stars, Polar Bears, Assabet - do they all practice 5 days a week together to prepare for the Nationals?? Most of the girls do play high school with different teams and different players; different clubs have different "systems" I don't think its the same team bonding experience as Shattuck St. Mary's.
QUOTE]


To my knowledge the Polar Bears practice only once a week if they are lucky. Mostly with only half a team. Some weeks they do not practice. I often wonder what they would look like if they practice and played 5 days a week?

[coolsports]

This was discussed recently and it was pointed out that NSA in Lake Placid is another prep school that is national tournament bound and NAHA has tried but has been thwarted by Vermont or the New England district. I've heard that NAHA was considering trying to register for nationals through another district but I don't have any knowledge of this.

I have also heard that NAHA was trying to register with another district, I believe it was the southeast but not 100% sure. If this is true then the barn door is wide open. IMO this is will be a mess in the making for USA hockey.

[ref11]

I have also heard that NAHA was trying to register with another district, I believe it was the southeast but not 100% sure. If this is true then the barn door is wide open. IMO this is will be a mess in the making for USA hockey.

Agreed. On simliar note, different slant, I asked a boys prep coach; What Juniors has done to his program? "Killing it" was the reply. 18 year old juniors at school leaving to play 2 years of Junior A/B hockey with the hope of making a D1 program. No mens D1 program wants a 18/19 year old freshmen. They all want 20 year old freshmen. He'd like to see colleges go back to freshmen teams.

On the girls front, "venue" shopping as eluded to by cools sports would not, IMHO, be good for the sport. Its all about the education opportunites, not becoming a semi pro program. :cool:

[whfan]

Do the powerhouses of Team Illinois, Wisconsin Wild, Syracuse Stars, Polar Bears, Assabet - do they all practice 5 days a week together to prepare for the Nationals?? Most of the girls do play high school with different teams and different players; different clubs have different "systems" I don't think its the same team bonding experience as Shattuck St. Mary's.

Honeybaked and Caesars practice 3 times a week, the Polar Bears once a week - I'm not positive about Assabet or the Wild.

[OhiohockeyDad]

Minnekota can now finally have teams at the other levels at Nats, if they wish- they were suspended due to the 12U team not going to Alaska several years ago- the suspension filtered into the 14U/16U brackets as the ages changed the next year, and the length of time would carry the 12 year olds into 16U- apparently only the 16U SSM team (which is the JV team) has declared this year- so they are listed at Nats- it happens some times, in various districts, its a shame in a hockey rich district like that!!
BTW- in MidAm, the Flames practice on average 2-3 times a week, so that seems to put them on par with most of the MWEHL teams

[glitter]

Both the SSM U-16 and U-19 Girls' teams are competing towards Nationals. The U-16 team may have a bye as there are no other teams who have declared toward Nationals. The U-19 team will play the Minnesota Thoroughbreds 3/17/2006-3/19/2006 at the Minnkota District Playoffs to determine who advances to Nationals.

[futurestar]

Does this mean that the Massachusetts and New England districts only get to send one team?

[NHDad]

Does this mean that the Massachusetts and New England districts only get to send one team?

YUP :(

[hockeyhands]

Honeybaked and Caesars practice 3 times a week, the Polar Bears once a week - I'm not positive about Assabet or the Wild.


Assabet practices once a week with a game the same day, usually sundays. U19 are off now until the end of feb with school hockey keeping them busy. Will get back together end of feb for state playoffs then nationals in march.

[xk1]

There are 2 other U19 teams from Minnkota, The MN Rapids and Walser Blue. There are no U16 teams in MN other than SSM. There are U16 teams that play a Before and after schedule but MM Hockey won't allow them to register for Nationals, only the U19 teams may do this. The U16 teams that were formed for B&A did follow the USA Hockey age rather than MN Hockey.

[teresa greene]

Does this mean that the Massachusetts and New England districts only get to send one team?
Actually, its yes and no. The u12 and u14 schedules each have two Mass teams on the Nationals schedule. Only the u16 and u19 schedules each have only one Mass team slot on the USA Hockey website

[NHDad]

Actually, its yes and no. The u12 and u14 schedules each have two Mass teams on the Nationals schedule. Only the u16 and u19 schedules each have only one Mass team slot on the USA Hockey website

My bad....I assumed we were talking about U16 & U19 only....

[teresa greene]

good point! we were talking about the 16 and 19 only. Thanks for the help about the 16 Shattuck SM - does anybody know anything else about them?? Were they at the PB tourney or any other Xmas tourneys out here?? How do they match up with Team Illinois U16??

[xk1]

See for yourself...
http://www.s-sm.org/middle/athletics/team.asp?teamid=31826+%7C+Middle+School+-+Athletics+-+Girls+U16+Hockey&yearid=2005+-+2006