I agree with WTF. I remember all the little superstars back in Mites and Squirts and how so many thought they were destined for the NHL. Those in the know laughed and said to wait and see. Sure enough, as the other boys grew, they caught up quickly and through hard work, passed those superstars. In the Bantam level, you see so many kids leave hockey. They don't like the hitting. But standby for midget....the hitting gets intense and only those who workout all year will excel. Size is a factor. Scouts drool over size, speed and stick handling. If you kid is a goalie, no matter how talented, scouts will look at the parents and see if they will be in the 6-2+ range. Many kids will continue to grow from 16-20. But all that being said, most will wind up in the beer league so don't sacrifice school for hockey. If you want the best of both worlds, prep school is likely the answer.