Girls Prep Hockey

[gotice]

In the Midwest/West, it is normal to play and/or practice hours away(sometimes plane rides-talk to Cal Select parents sometime!!), so that should make up the difference between all the extra time the prep girls have to put into therir studies (which as somebody else pointed out, isn't always the case). ....


Exactly, the pressure is all relative. Try playing in Texas, Some of those girls have to travel up to 10 hours just to practice twice a month. In the whole state of Texas there is only one 16U team, 2 14U team, 1 12U team, and one high school team, Not only do these girls have to travel just to practice, they have to travel to play any girls team. The next closest girls programs are Colorado. Try staying on top of your studies doing that kind of travel schedule. One thing is for sure the girls in these programs learn good time management skills early.

[BKDad]

Maybe the Polar Bears, Assabet Valley, and the Connecticut Stars (to name just a couple) would get slaughtered. Maybe not; these teams all seem to do well enough against the rest of the country at the U12 and U14 levels where the prep school factor is either minimal or non-existent. Even having seen teams from the MWEHL, I certainly couldn't accurately speculate as to the outcome if things got re-shuffled. If the MWEHL teams did dominate, at least for a while, is that necessarily a bad thing? Would that outcome be preferable to eastern teams winning? I guess it depends on whether you have a horse in the race or not.

My only point was and is that a lot of girls go to prep school because of hockey first and foremost (the details vary from kid to kid), and that opening up the ranks at the National level to everyone would be the fairest approach. It might even help develop girls' hockey; that part *is* speculation.

[Jferg325]

Joining the fray!

Anything that helps promote Girls Hockey nation wide is good for the sport! Couple of problems that arise:
1) Under USA Hockey Rules (no Canadian player can play in the USA Hockey Nationals unless they are a permanent resident and has not registered in the Canadian Youth Hockey Program). This would have an impact on the Prep schools that have Canadian players!

2) Conflict on dual registration on teams is also a factor: A player on both a Club and Prep roster would have to make her choice by December under USA Hockey rules. But we all know that it would be no choice at all because the school holds the power over the player!

3) There would have to be a change in the rules employed in the game and all have to play under the USA Hockey rules not NCAA rules.

To quote from 'gotice': "Perhaps the answer to the problem is to have a National tournament at the High School level, that would include prep schools and public schools and leave the club nationls to the clubs. But keep in mind that a player can only play for one National bound team, so this would eliminate two problems at once. No Dual Rostering, No before and after teams, and no high school teams at the club nationals." Seems like the best of all choices. Adding a HS TIER system to the National Tournament Program (U18 or U17). HS TIER I (Open to all schools (HS and Prep) that would be considered Division I) and HS TIER II (Open to all schools (HS and Prep) that would be considered Division II).

Like everything, just an oppinion! ;)

[BKDad]

Actually the rules on foreign participants are a little different. This is a quote from the USAHockey Annual Guide for this year:

"All girls’ national championship-bound teams are restricted to only two players that are non-U.S. citizens temporarily residing in the U.S. under any combination of the following immigration visa categories: F. Academic Students; J. U.S. Information and Exchange Act visitors; P. Athletes and Entertainers [excluding their spouses and children under visa category P-4]"

That would seem to limit the number of Canadians (or Siberians, or Australians, or Kenyans, or ...) to two per team.

But, this would be part of this totally hypothetical re-shuffling that will never remotely take place. The same would be true of a school holding power over a student joining a club team. In fact, unless the student was going to school on a scholarship to play hockey, or had otherwise committed to a hockey team, there would be no reason why a girl couldn't go to a prep school and play for a club team instead of the prep school's team. Again, if the primary purpose of a kid going to prep school is the academic aspect of that school, then this shouldn't be an issue to anyone.

[BKDad]

A little additional checking on the latest USAHockey legislative proposals turned up two things.

1. There is a proposal on the table to adjust the definition of a foreign player eligible for National Championship competition. It's some wording to include something to do with kids living with parents in the United States.

2. There's two more proposals on the table to institute a Division 1 girls high school and prep school national championship as well as a Division 2 boys championship. (I have no idea in the world what Division 2 boys means.) So, other people beyond the great minds here on this message board have been thinking along the same lines, I guess.

This all can be found on the USAHockey web page.

[Hckysk8tr8]

NAHA has not been allowed to declare for USA Hockey Nationals. The affiliate in Vermont has not allowed it because they require residency in Vermont as a qualification for a national-bound team and they do not consider the girls attendance at NAHA as residency. Therefore, NAHA can be a USA Hockey team/association but may not have an avenue to the National Championship. My daughter played on a national-bound club team during her first year at NAHA but found the time commitment to two teams and the amount of study time she wanted to achieve too much last year. I would say that being a USA Hockey registered team without being allowed an avenue to Nationals is much like being invited to play in a league but being told you can't make the playoffs even if you have the best record. However, small glitch for an organization (USA Hockey) that has provided so many opportunities for girls. Hopefully a way will be found to solve the issue for future players.

[gotice]

NAHA has not been allowed to declare for USA Hockey Nationals. The affiliate in Vermont has not allowed it because they require residency in Vermont as a qualification for a national-bound team and they do not consider the girls attendance at NAHA as residency. Therefore, NAHA can be a USA Hockey team/association but may not have an avenue to the National Championship. My daughter played on a national-bound club team during her first year at NAHA but found the time commitment to two teams and the amount of study time she wanted to achieve too much last year. I would say that being a USA Hockey registered team without being allowed an avenue to Nationals is much like being invited to play in a league but being told you can't make the playoffs even if you have the best record. However, small glitch for an organization (USA Hockey) that has provided so many opportunities for girls. Hopefully a way will be found to solve the issue for future players.

My understanding is that they have been approved for next year.

[whfan]

[QUOTE=gotice]after thinking more about the whole thing, the biggest difference between NAHA and the rest of the prep programs including Shattuck, is the full year program for academics. NAHA girls only attend NAHA during the hockey season. They continue to do their schoolwork through their home base school with the help of tutors. They remain enrolled in their primary school while attending NAHA for the most part. With regards to a hockey team, NAHA is more like a club program with tutors to assist in your academics. Shattuck and NSA on the other hand are high school programs with a full year hockey program.

Gotice, Your splitting hairs here. The fact is that they are teaching the girls their high school curriculum, making them just as much a high school as any prep or public school. My daughters have played for a number of club teams, and none of them have been remotely involved in teaching them their school work.

After all is said and done, I personally don't care if they allow high schools to be USA registered, thereby allowing them to compete for nationals. But USA hockey shouldn't be allowed to arbitrarily apply the rules to one high school and not another. If their going to let SSM or NAHA compete in nationals, then any high school should have the same right.

[hockeysb11]

In Cushing Tournament

Northwood School beat Cushing 3-2 in overtime last night. You can see 9 of the Northwood players playing for the Sound Shore Warriors in the Polar Bear Tournament at the 19UAA level.

[hockeyyfan]

. Hopefully a way will be found to solve the issue for future players.

I would hope USA hockey could develop an Open Division not tied to a region so the organizations or schools who draw from out of their area can participate without limiting other clubs abilities to compete. The sticking point in Vermont has been that since NAHA draws from all over the country and none of the other Vermont teams do that I'm aware of the Vermont clubs aren't on an even keel with teams in other regions who, theoretically, are also playing with "local" players. Actually an open division, defined as clubs with girls from outside their geographic area, might solve some issues like in the Mass District where some teams have kids from all over and some don't. But what a nightmare to administer.

[STOPPER130]

In Cushing Tournament

Northwood School beat Cushing 3-2 in overtime last night. You can see 9 of the Northwood players playing for the Sound Shore Warriors in the Polar Bear Tournament at the 19UAA level.

So, you saw this game?... What was your opinion of this game? I too saw this game and was very surprised at the pulling of Cushing's starting goalie. I have watched her for a couple of years now. Good player but alittle off that night. Was it just the play of this goalie or was the entire team off, and was coach Kennedy trying to wake up the team? Risky call on his part when winning the first game is important. It was the only game the entire tournament that was a shocker to me.

Northwood looked very strong all tournament. It seems that the talent is spreading out in the east and the teams are getting more competitive amongst each other.

Pomfret beating Nobles is another case in point. As players continue to get stronger at their game, so too has to be the coaching and all around play of the game. I personally think the fun is just getting started. Results are showing alot of single goal wins, should prove interesting at the end of the season.

[Icelady9]

Cushing tournament. Cushing goalie had an off gamen, but look for her to reboundn. Berkshire dominated most of the play 4-2 over Northwood in the chanmpionship game, the scoring was pretty spread out as well. I agree there will be parity in this year's prep league.

Any details on the Nobles / Pomfret 2-1 championship game?

[coolsports]

Results are showing alot of single goal wins, should prove interesting at the end of the season.

I agree. It looks to be a very close season for the preps.

I saw the Taft tournament and found all the teams to be close. Saw a couple close games by Taft enroute to winning it all 1-0 over Hotckiss.

As with most prep tournament's this time of the year, it was well attended by over 39 colleges. In the stands was coach Mac from UNH. I wonder who he was checking out for the soon to be number one team!!

[Jferg325]

On Division II Notes:

St. Paul's Tournament (12/17-12/18)
The Final was Groton (3) vs Proctor (1). It was a hard fought game closer than the score reflects! Great Goaltending from Groton's goalie Ashleigh Corvi who stopped the Proctor attacks! Overall, Proctor showed its strength in the tournament ( Win over Southfield HS (6-2); Win over St. Pauls (6-2)). Proctor's Goalie Melanie Spears played strong in front of the pipes. Proctor's Forward #11 Sara Paulshock, scored 5 goals against St. Pauls and Forward #8 Carla Little had a hat trick against Southfield HS. Proctor's penalty unit was outstanding in the past four games, as it has allowed only 2 PP Goals in 38 penalty kill situations. Also Freshman #15 Nikki Fernandez was selected as one of the top five defensemen in the St. Paul's tournament.

Proctor is looking to turn some heads this season as it goes into the winter break, 8-1-0!
Best Holiday Wishes to everyone in this forum!
:cool:

[STOPPER130]

I agree. It looks to be a very close season for the preps.

I saw the Taft tournament and found all the teams to be close. Saw a couple close games by Taft enroute to winning it all 1-0 over Hotckiss.

As with most prep tournament's this time of the year, it was well attended by over 39 colleges. In the stands was coach Mac from UNH. I wonder who he was checking out for the soon to be number one team!!


It's always interesting to see which colleges coaches are in the stands at these tournys. Most, I would suspect are looking at the juniors and maybe, a last look at some seniors that haven't made a commitment yet.
I wonder too, but with so many tournaments taking place over that particular weekend the scouting looks for the frosh/soph must get a little spread thin.

In the case of Cushing goalie Lauren Arsenault, maybe being a little off that one night during the tournament won't hurt as she's only a sophomore. But, with the team strengths so close I would imagine not one goalie can afford to have too many "off" games as this entire season could rest on the likes of Kylie Stephens/Nobles Lauren Arsenault/Cushing Lizzie Muse/Lawrence Jackie Snickeris/Taft (or is she still injured), etc. etc. I'm looking too, to see how much the game play itself steps up in the next few weeks, and if these goaltenders will show some amazing talents they have hidden.

[whfan]

But, with the team strengths so close I would imagine not one goalie can afford to have too many "off" games as this entire season could rest on the likes of Kylie Stephens/Nobles Lauren Arsenault/Cushing Lizzie Muse/Lawrence Jackie Snickeris/Taft (or is she still injured), etc. etc.

Snickeris is still out due to injury. (probably for the season).

[coolsports]

Snickeris is still out due to injury. (probably for the season).


Sounds like it.

I was still impressed by how the Taft team and freshman goalie stepped up their play. It really looks like a very competitive year at the prep level.

[NHDad]

Don't you think they gave themselves an unfair advantage by playing every game on their big ice surface?

I believe they were the only team to do so....

Don't get me wrong, they're a very good team. I especially like the tenacity with which they forecheck.

[coolsports]

I use to think that the large sheet would give the home team an advantage. I'm not sure anymore. I talked a little to coach Mac about this and he feels the "Wit" give his team an advantage but --- I think a team that is good and in condition works over this challenge.

Where I think it may help the home team is pressuring the other team on their breakouts. You can slide into the passing lanes easier to trap a team. And at the prep level you will find the girls are a little slower to adapt to the longer pass.

Either case, it was an eye opener for me to see the Taft team come out on top.

[Radar3535]

It's always interesting to see which colleges coaches are in the stands at these tournys. Most, I would suspect are looking at the juniors and maybe, a last look at some seniors that haven't made a commitment yet.
I wonder too, but with so many tournaments taking place over that particular weekend the scouting looks for the frosh/soph must get a little spread thin.

In the case of Cushing goalie Lauren Arsenault, maybe being a little off that one night during the tournament won't hurt as she's only a sophomore. But, with the team strengths so close I would imagine not one goalie can afford to have too many "off" games as this entire season could rest on the likes of Kylie Stephens/Nobles Lauren Arsenault/Cushing Lizzie Muse/Lawrence Jackie Snickeris/Taft (or is she still injured), etc. etc. I'm looking too, to see how much the game play itself steps up in the next few weeks, and if these goaltenders will show some amazing talents they have hidden.How many prep goalies so far this season have GAA less than 1?