What AA Bantam Teams for 2018-19?

[Strawman]

"Oh they will have a group as strong this year. "

Not from what I've seen and heard, not even close, unless they have a secret team in hiding.

[trans4761]

Keep hearing WW team is splitting up.  In talking to parents they are all in for next year.  Always a little turnover in every team but families are pretty tight knit ( alcohol welds).  Last year was the  building block for this year.  Families are all in. Goal in Artesia next year  is Nationals, not Prep school. 

Someone is a bit nervous.

Not as nervous as the families that have no idea where they are playing next year.

[A1Hockey Fan]

Keep hearing WW team is splitting up.  In talking to parents they are all in for next year.  Always a little turnover in every team but families are pretty tight knit ( alcohol welds).  Last year was the  building block for this year.  Families are all in. Goal in Artesia next year  is Nationals, not Prep school. 

Sounds like the goal of this years Bear team that's playing in nationals right now...

That's a realistic goal if you're good enough to get to nationals.  Otherwise, more like a pipe dream.

I think you misunderstand... The Goal he is saying is to go to Nationals.. Win CAHA= Advance to Nationals. That doesn't sound like a Pipe Dream for the WW.

I see your point -- I read it differently as saying WW's goal is nationals (realistic for them) as opposed to prep school (which seems to be the push at the Bears, but not realistic unless they have another group as strong as this year's team).

Oh they will have a group as strong this year.

There’s so much change and movement there that who knows...maybe competitive but as strong as this year is very doubtful. I have also heard the goalie movement.

[Nowhearthis]

I expect more movement than is being telegraphed.  To start with, the league 17/18 was heavily packed with 03's throughout who have moved on to 16U Munchkin level.  Only WW and
Kings 2 from last year can stay intact.  So there will be many opportunities to play closer to home or regroup with old friends around another coach if you are so inclined.  Teams with the most 04's will get Flight I status so coaches must collect them (you can see this happening now).  Compound this with the Prep School exodus (in T1 and T2) and those electing to join the ever improving High School scene and there will be a lot of openings for A players to move up.  The other scenario (less likely) is the concentration of the fewer players into fewer than last years 18 teams.  We all know there continues to be a handful of clubs that cannot field winning talent year after year.  It would be healthier for them to play in their letter bracket but obviously not all agree.  To each his own.


It's open season as usual.

[Pistonkev]

Keep hearing WW team is splitting up.  In talking to parents they are all in for next year.  Always a little turnover in every team but families are pretty tight knit ( alcohol welds).  Last year was the  building block for this year.  Families are all in. Goal in Artesia next year  is Nationals, not Prep school. 

Someone is a bit nervous.

Not as nervous as the families that have no idea where they are playing next year.

 

[Pistonkev]

"Oh they will have a group as strong this year. "

Not from what I've seen heard, not even close, unless they have a secret team in hiding.

I will be bumping this when you see their team They might have 2 AA teams in Bantams.

[Strawman]

"Oh they will have a group as strong this year. "

Not from what I've seen heard, not even close, unless they have a secret team in hiding.

I will be bumping this when you see their team They might have 2 AA teams in Bantams.

That's what I've heard they're telling people. Don't be surprised if one of those teams drops after tryouts are over and everyone has signed.


If the Bears will be such a juggernaut this year why aren't they letting their kids participate in any of the Memorial Day tournaments this spring, so they can see how they stack up against the competition before signing on the dotted line?  That doesn't add up.  People need to use their heads.

[WIPIH]

What teams and coaches will be out there next season?   I've heard that the Gold Rush will have a team but we don't know there coach or any of the others.    Who is recommended for development and fielding competitive teams?

I noticed a lot of people have strong opinions about which Bantam AA teams would be strong upcoming year. It reminds me of last year when most, including I, thought OC will be the team to beat. They had everything going for them all major year (03) players, big which in lot of people's mind equates to better, had lots of returning players some of whom had played for the same coach for many years. We all know how their season couldn't end soon enough. Ducks Bantam AA was claiming to be national bound as well. They didn't make it to states.


The teams that made it to states were all coached by very good seasoned coaches that have a pedigree to take their teams to play offs year after year.  Which brings me to the second part of your question DEVELOPMENT.


By far Peter at Bears and Brad at Empire, not in any particular order, rank as the top two coaches for player development. Brad seems to have a knack for taking combo teams to play offs year after year. I have seen his teams grow a lot by the time year ends which is what you want for your kid. I am sure similar great things can be said about Peter.


Some, rightfully so, would also vouch for Saints Bantam AA and Wave 2 Bantam AA coaches as well. They probably rank in the second tier of player development. I don't see anyone at OC that can help a Bantam AA level player grow.

Most of us have a faint heart. We want to play with friends that we know and do not want to leave club/coach due to loyalty. A high level coach gave me an example of how that can be detrimental to your kid's future if you want to make somewhere in hockey. Look at today's OHL draft and you'd notice a California kid, yes a California kid, made it. He has played for GSE, Kings. Pretty much every year he's had a different coach. He kept growing faster than other kids on the team and despite getting good coaching, he had no choice but to move teams. Fake loyalty to coaches or clubs and the desire to join teams that are already good may not be the best decision if development is important to you and your player. 


Play your kid for a good coach that will help your kid develop. Don't go to a team that is already good. Your kid may not learn much by watching team mates on their loaded team from the bench. For the last two years we made the toughest, and the best, decision (s) to change club and coaches. Leaving friends wasn't easy for the kid and we know the families on a personal level so that was hard. Parents on our previous teams hated us but both years the same parents came back and told us you did the best thing for your kid. They wished they made the same decisions for their boys that our son made for himself.

Explain to your kid decision have consequences. Ask your child what matters to them and help them make the decision.

Good luck.

[lcadad]

By far Peter at Bears and Brad at Empire, not in any particular order, rank as the top two coaches for player development. Brad seems to have a knack for taking combo teams to play offs year after year. I have seen his teams grow a lot by the time year ends which is what you want for your kid. I am sure similar great things can be said about Peter.

There are plenty of other good coaches around. 

I have had plenty of opportunity to watch PT in action, and I would be happy to have my kid on his team, given the opportunity.  What seems to be glossed over, is that he coached the nucleus of his Bantam team since they were squirts.  Very few people get the chance to have their kids develop under the same coach for 5 years.  Based purely on the rumor mill, I wouldn't be surprised to see another strong Bantam AA Bear team this season, due to the dysfunctional CAHA AAA system.  Not unlike last season, some kids will come in and pick up some spots.  But it will not be the same type of PT team as last season, because the entire group will be getting PT for this season only.

What is also true is that there are going to be kids who have played at the Bears since they were mites, who will never have the opportunity to play on a PT coached team.  Some kids will have their only opportunity this season, and as we all know after that the Bears program ends.

[Nowhearthis]

CAHA's dysfunction may not be entirely their fault.  In AAA you have basically tournament teams that are built to need to regularly roam thousands of miles to get experience (and notice).  The education part (even so called homeschool or online) suffers dearly.   AA is not much better the way it is run (which is their fault) with completely unnecessary Nor Cal trips dominating the schedule.   Next year there will be even less of a reason to travel North for AA since they are fielding a 2nd AAA team, weakening what they had in AA.


IMO So Cal does not need CAHA in either AA or AAA to function.  Really, it is NorCAl that can't function without SoCal's subsidy.  I have found this lamenting discussion going on inside every team. The parents who fund and endure this are not dumb and it is a big part of the declining rosters locally as they age up.   To use Ben Franklin's parable, we learn sooner or later how much to give up for the whistle.

[Bear71]

"Some kids will have their only opportunity this season, and as we all know after that the Bears program ends."

We all don't know, so please share more of your "the end is near" story (unless tongue was firmly planted in cheek, as you've been known to do every now and again).

[MO-ICETIME]

"Some kids will have their only opportunity this season, and as we all know after that the Bears program ends."

We all don't know, so please share more of your "the end is near" story (unless tongue was firmly planted in cheek, as you've been known to do every now and again).

Lol!! I think he means after the Bantam program..... I've learned to translate Icedad language!!

[lcadad]

Yes, I mean that the Bears don't field teams beyond Bantam. 

[lcadad]

CAHA's dysfunction may not be entirely their fault.  In AAA you have basically tournament teams that are built to need to regularly roam thousands of miles to get experience (and notice).  The education part (even so called homeschool or online) suffers dearly.   AA is not much better the way it is run (which is their fault) with completely unnecessary Nor Cal trips dominating the schedule.   Next year there will be even less of a reason to travel North for AA since they are fielding a 2nd AAA team, weakening what they had in AA.

That is a great point.  What do Socal teams get from membership in CAHA?  Following the implementation of AA Flighting, CAHA dictated that Socal teams play the jamboree in SJ, then turn around in 2 of 3 divisions that didn't have a single Norcal team, and still play a CAHA weekend in Norcal. 


In regards to AAA, the CAHA franchise system is dysfunctional by ruleset.  Its purpose is to effectively limit AAA teams so that only a small percentage of players can or will participate.  It's particularly galling when the Norcal franchise hasn't been competitive in 95% of all the games in divisions where they did field a team.    Thanks to these rules, the Titans have to lose their longstanding AAA teams.  Other programs don't want to deal with the red tape, limited local competition, and extensive travel requirements, even when they have a team that could compete with local AAA teams.

[Nowhearthis]

That is a great point.  What do Socal teams get from membership in CAHA?

Well, they get to remove their children from classroom teaching, make hotel reservations and buy plane tickets and rent cars, and travel for 2 half days and restaurant out - all for themselves, parent(s) and the coaches while staying at places they would never go otherwise. [/size] Over and over again for 7-8 months!!  Genius !!          (Again, IMO we give up and spend too much for the whistle.)Then years later, you may decide to keep up the same routine in one of the many juniors leagues instead of heading off to College.  At least we'll be programmed for it.