Peewee AA 2017-2018

[6607]

Great post, Icadad.

So many problems with the new system. It seems to me that it is very important for those of us who do not like the new system to do more than vent on this board.  Call and email your club and CAHA. Perhaps its not too late to save CAHA from itself or at least tweak the system.

[MO-ICETIME]

Great post, Icadad.

So many problems with the new system. It seems to me that it is very important for those of us who do not like the new system to do more than vent on this board.  Call and email your club and CAHA. Perhaps its not too late to save CAHA from itself or at least tweak the system.

[size=78%]It's not too late and I heard that the details of this proposal still have to be worked out. But I "think" as Icedad wrote, it's not the right one.[/size]

[Hockey sophist]

Great post Icadad.   Yes, parents are trying to balance many factors in making a choice about a team and its level of play.  It can be a difficult and stressful process. 

As you correctly point out, the one problem club seems to have learned something and moved some of its teams down last season and with good results.   I know some parents on their AA team that moved to A and they were delighted about their season and they just missed the playoffs.   Moving them to an Aa division would have been negative because they would have had no incentive to chase a playoff spot.  One parent told me that the chase helped inspire kids and parents alike.     

[Icelife]

At this age, it is critical kids learn how to win with grace and lose with dignity! Having a team a sure in to a championship is not teaching them anything! If an 8th place seed beats a 1st place seed in playoffs, it teaches those kids that they have to work hard regardless of their rank. It teaches them anyone can win on any given day depending on which teams wants it more and pushes hard! It teaches that 8th place seed to not give up! So many life lessons in youth sports and not just pertaining to hockey. Just like everyone gets a trophy syndrome! What are we teaching our children that already are feeling "privileged"!

[trans4761]

At this age, it is critical kids learn how to win with grace and lose with dignity! Having a team a sure in to a championship is not teaching them anything! If an 8th place seed beats a 1st place seed in playoffs, it teaches those kids that they have to work hard regardless of their rank. It teaches them anyone can win on any given day depending on which teams wants it more and pushes hard! It teaches that 8th place seed to not give up! So many life lessons in youth sports and not just pertaining to hockey. Just like everyone gets a trophy syndrome! What are we teaching our children that already are feeling "privileged"!

How can we expect the kids to lose with dignity  when the parents can't ?

[skates]

Yes... That's exactly what I was thinking too! If they base off early season play, those teams that have been together for years will take a big advantage because typically, it takes time for teams that are not already formed to get in the groove of things. Last year, prime example! OC2 and Eagles weren't really part of early discussions of taking playoff spots. However, it's clear they put the extra effort/ice time/ lessons... to get better and better and they were the top 2. Just say'in it seems like the "super teams" will prevail here!

What do you mean OC 2 and Eagles were not mentioned to be in the playoffs early on? I had predicted OC2 to be one of the top 4 spots and that was just from looking at pre season stats. Still wish I had placed money on it. Hey they even ended up as number 1. SCAHA champs!

[Landshark]

ICADad is indeed a beacon of wisdom. But if I may:


 I think that Peewee, Bantam and squirt should all have a five-game tournament for each level at the beginning of the season.  All of the declared teams are invited at each level. After five games, look at the goal differential. The bottom two teams in each class are relegated to the level below their declaration. I would not instate a rule that the largest goal differential in the plus column should automatically go up. It sometimes costs more money and I don't think this issue can be fixed by a tournament. I do think the bottom of each league could be identified and the entire group more competitive. This is an imperfect solution, but the ideas they're spinning at the home base seem even less desirable.

[Pistonkev]

So just to add to the craziness. What if your kids team is a solid top 8 team, however the San Jose draw they get 3 of the top 5 teams and lose 3 or 4 games. will they drop them?  Will the big clubs like the Kings or Sharks get an easy draw?  The system is so flawed.

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[size=0.85em][/size]

[Landshark]

That's why I was looking at goal differential rather than win loss.


Point taken though.

[chpNsk8]

I wonder how many upset parents will ask for releases if their boys get pushed to AA(B)

[station26]

Yes... That's exactly what I was thinking too! If they base off early season play, those teams that have been together for years will take a big advantage because typically, it takes time for teams that are not already formed to get in the groove of things. Last year, prime example! OC2 and Eagles weren't really part of early discussions of taking playoff spots. However, it's clear they put the extra effort/ice time/ lessons... to get better and better and they were the top 2. Just say'in it seems like the "super teams" will prevail here!

What do you mean OC 2 and Eagles were not mentioned to be in the playoffs early on? I had predicted OC2 to be one of the top 4 spots and that was just from looking at pre season stats. Still wish I had placed money on it. Hey they even ended up as number 1. SCAHA champs!

Lord have mercy.. How much longer are you going to pat yourself on the back for your smarts and prediction abilities in tandem with your stat sheet??

[lcadad]

I agree 7 levels? That's crazy. Why not go back to just A and B? B should be current A, bb, and b combined. And A should be the current aaa, aa. After all they are only the 12 year olds. Then nobody has to chase the extra A.  🤣 I don't believe they have all these levels back east. Either your kid is an A or B. Too many levels to choose from. Can anyone really break down what skills are needed for each level?

Skates,

On the east coast they have AAA, AA, A & B.  With that said, due to the unnatural compression of teams at AAA, many kids who would otherwise be playing AAA are playing AA here.  This is somewhat due to geography, and I suppose the number of players available at each age group.    On the east coast, most of the AAA clubs have full birth year teams at every level they serve, although it's not 100%.

The main difference between AAA here and back east, is the reliance and exorbitant cost of travel.  Since there are more AAA teams in the local area, and because you can travel by car or bus to play teams in other cities, teams back east tend to play more games with far less cost attached.  Depending on the locale, they also have tryouts and start their practice season much earlier than we do here. 

Check out for example, this AAA league:    They have 18 member clubs, and divisions will have from 10-16 teams.

Below AAA is run separately by an entirely different league, and it seems that most of those clubs employ the Titans/Mariners model of having 2 different organizations which may or may not have anything to do with each other, for participation in these leagues.  I don't know what is involved in moving kids between the leagues, or how frequently that happens, but as far as I know, in that region which covers 5 different states, there just isn't any attempt at continuity, nor is AAA and AA part of the same league.

In the "tier hockey" there is only AAA.  In "club hockey" there is AA, A, B.  Nobody is doing BB.  And nobody sure as hell is doing anything as absurd as what is being suggested by CAHA for this year in AA.

[Nowhearthis]

Your post seems to suggest that by providing for (not mandating) another local AAA team opportunity (or two) would motivate more kids to rise to that level and provide the impetus for the current Non AAA clubs to develop/group more AAA players.   Not everyone will agree, but we all know some great coaches out there that can do it.  If you believe in the growth and future of SoCal Hockey, why not step into it and give it a try instead of knocking down 1/2 of a functioning league.

[Maverick]

Rumor Alert...


Jr Gulls wont have AAA PW next season, so this will add in my opinion to the PW levels in SD and push kids down that maybe shouldn't be AA to A if those AA slots are filled by what would have been AAA.  Maybe now San Diego can have some more competitive teams at PWA and AA next season.  I dont see the depth down here to sustain AAA at all levels which depletes the AA and so on...

[skates]

I agree 7 levels? That's crazy. Why not go back to just A and B? B should be current A, bb, and b combined. And A should be the current aaa, aa. After all they are only the 12 year olds. Then nobody has to chase the extra A.  🤣 I don't believe they have all these levels back east. Either your kid is an A or B. Too many levels to choose from. Can anyone really break down what skills are needed for each level?

Skates,

On the east coast they have AAA, AA, A & B.  With that said, due to the unnatural compression of teams at AAA, many kids who would otherwise be playing AAA are playing AA here.  This is somewhat due to geography, and I suppose the number of players available at each age group.    On the east coast, most of the AAA clubs have full birth year teams at every level they serve, although it's not 100%.

The main difference between AAA here and back east, is the reliance and exorbitant cost of travel.  Since there are more AAA teams in the local area, and because you can travel by car or bus to play teams in other cities, teams back east tend to play more games with far less cost attached.  Depending on the locale, they also have tryouts and start their practice season much earlier than we do here. 

Check out for example, this AAA league:    They have 18 member clubs, and divisions will have from 10-16 teams.

Below AAA is run separately by an entirely different league, and it seems that most of those clubs employ the Titans/Mariners model of having 2 different organizations which may or may not have anything to do with each other, for participation in these leagues.  I don't know what is involved in moving kids between the leagues, or how frequently that happens, but as far as I know, in that region which covers 5 different states, there just isn't any attempt at continuity, nor is AAA and AA part of the same league.

In the "tier hockey" there is only AAA.  In "club hockey" there is AA, A, B.  Nobody is doing BB.  And nobody sure as hell is doing anything as absurd as what is being suggested by CAHA for this year in AA.

Thanks. I did not know that.