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Author Topic: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?  (Read 167635 times)

lcadad

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #105 on: September 14, 2019, 11:57:50 AM »
Quote
That strikes me as too low and as a slippery slope:  with every team added that standard drops and the division gets weaker. Just a couple weeks ago, the thread was up in arms over Top AA talent leaving California.  Well, who do you think you were talking about?  When you look for the next wave of top AA kids who are poised to leave, look no further than Bears 1 and the Saints.  Maybe instead of factoring them out of the analysis for flighting, we should have thought about doing everything we could do get them to stay.  I am pretty sure that the answer wasn’t adding more games against bubble teams.


The problem is that the 2 teams you are talking about are AAA teams playing AA.  This makes AA a division where Flight1 teams are teams that "can keep from getting beaten really badly by the top teams."  Sure there are occasions when the AA teams pull off a David slew Goliath type upset, but there always seems to be 1 or 2 AA teams that are out of reach of the rest of the pack.  Take one or 2 of those teams out of AA, and you have a very different experience for the rest of the teams

Bantam AA 2016-2017 (Pre Flight year)
Bears 21-1-0  GD: 129
Sharks 19-2-2 GD: 137


Bantam AA 2017-2018
Bears 22-0-1  GD: 126
GSE 2 13-7-5  GD: 4


Bantam AA 2018-2019
Bears(1) 19-3-0 GD: 91
Saints(1) 15-5-1 GD: 32
« Last Edit: September 14, 2019, 02:18:57 PM by lcadad »

RealDeal

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #106 on: September 14, 2019, 12:08:03 PM »
First the wave should be their 1. Second you have couches rating games. The same couch’s that draft teams and call them aa tear1. When they should be bb. How can you have a couch evaluate talent, When they can’t even draft a team for themselves that’s aa level.   I Think it time to clean house and vote all Caha and scaha members out.  If not maybe the irs should be called in to look into the money they receive from clubs that they don’t report as income.  That will get them out of office and maybe in jail. That’s what they deserve for hurting kids. They hurt the wave kids. 2 wins one lose one tie and made tier 2. Lol. And you say shot on goal are goals scored. Last nhl game I watch the score was 2-1 so are you telling me that they need to score more. Y’all are idiots if you rate a team that wins poorly because the score wasn’t 10-9.  Next going to Northern California to play hockey is a joke.  Divide California into two leagues. The top two from norther and southern Cali can play for a state tittle. Next the super teams in youth hockey are stupid.  If you want to fix that make people play at there home rinks.  Let say the rink must be within 30 miles of there home.  Do like back east you can only play for two clubs if you burn bridges than your out of hockey.  The kings have a good ex player  number 19 I vote for him to be the head of youth hockey in southern Cali. At least he has the kids best interest. He wants them to play for the love of the game. Not for the dream of nhl.  So irs please look into all board members I bet they don’t report any money paid to them. Again they are idiots who only do good things for the teams that pay them.  Ps wave tied oc had 3 players out. Broken wrist, broken toe,and a hip problem. And they still did not lose. I’m going to take my kid to the wave next year. They seam to get it done. To bad the league hates them.


One thing my mom used to tell me that made no sense at the time but that makes a lot of sense now that I’m older, is that “they” (corrupt/incompetent/bad people) don’t stop until they hit a wall.  Meaning that if CAHA personnel and board members are more interested in money and power than in developing hockey players, or even if they’re simply incompetent, they’re not going to change, even if parents complain nonstop.  Why?  Because we’re all still paying into the system, i.e. they haven’t hit a wall.  They may change a rule to appease a few people, or release a PR statement about listening to the parents blah blah blah,  but I do think that once an incompetent or greedy group of people goes down the road of chasing money and power, it’s very hard if not impossible to turn them around without extremely major personnel changes.I’m wondering if one way to fix California club hockey is to reapportion the board membership so that a majority of seats on the board are held by individual clubs other than the big three.  AND no club can have more than one member on the board. Also, the CAHA website should state in greater detail who these board members are, including what their specific relationship to hockey is, what club they are or have been associated with – whatever information is relevant to parents knowing what their biases might be.  But it's absolutely essential to have extremely major personnel changes on the board.  Nothing else will work. California hockey is broken, and the people who broke it should not be in charge.

Hockey sophist

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #107 on: September 14, 2019, 03:25:25 PM »

"One thing my mom used to tell me that made no sense at the time but that makes a lot of sense now that I’m older, is that “they” (corrupt/incompetent/bad people) don’t stop until they hit a wall.  Meaning that if CAHA personnel and board members are more interested in money and power than in developing hockey players, or even if they’re simply incompetent, they’re not going to change, even if parents complain nonstop.  Why?  Because we’re all still paying into the system, i.e. they haven’t hit a wall.  They may change a rule to appease a few people, or release a PR statement about listening to the parents blah blah blah,  but I do think that once an incompetent or greedy group of people goes down the road of chasing money and power, it’s very hard if not impossible to turn them around without extremely major personnel changes.I’m wondering if one way to fix California club hockey is to reapportion the board membership so that a majority of seats on the board are held by individual clubs other than the big three.  AND no club can have more than one member on the board. Also, the CAHA website should state in greater detail who these board members are, including what their specific relationship to hockey is, what club they are or have been associated with – whatever information is relevant to parents knowing what their biases might be.  But it's absolutely essential to have extremely major personnel changes on the board.  Nothing else will work. California hockey is broken, and the people who broke it should not be in charge."
We gave up on California club hockey.   Not sure I could say it is only about money and power; perhaps it about imposing one's vision of hockey correctness, a kissing cousin of political correctness.

If one cannot influence the system, then one needs to seek out other alternatives if your son loves ice hockey.
There is another alternative to Prep School or accepting the dysfunctions of CAHA hockey and that is playing HS Division 1 as a 9th grader or Bantam major.    It is a lot cheaper than AAA and a little less money than AA.  It fits into a commitment to academics far better than either tier1 or 2 hockey.   There is a lot less time wasted on freeways, which is import once homework increases and becomes critical to university admissions.  Varsity level of play offers more, faster. and perhaps better competition than Flight 1 of BNAA.  There are more games and more competitive games during a season.  An unexpected bonus is our son had 7 real games on Labor Day weekend; we did not have to drive to N. California for a bad imitation of hockey that is the Jamboree and the varsity games are 17 minute periods, which means a lot more ice time.   Last weekend there were 4 exhibition games.  11 games in two weekends!  Another bonus is that practices are maybe the best in 8 years of playing hockey.   Div 1 and Div 2 are attracting the best coaches in So. California. 

This is an option that AA Bantam majors should consider and it might be a good fit and an alternative for even some AAA players who value academics over hockey.  Just as nearly all roads lead to the "beer league" eventually, the most likely road leads to HS over club hockey for most but the most affluent and talented hockey players by Midget.   Why not start a year early as a Bantam major?

Nowhearthis

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #108 on: September 16, 2019, 08:30:47 AM »
Sooo True HS.  We have one that decided to quit for other sport and one in AD High School system.  It has been SUCH an improvement in experience (on every issue) and that is why it continues to blossom.  Back to true developing and having fun.  And never look back, except to confirm our decision and shake our heads as to why folks continue on the train.   Like staying in a bad job.

Fowlmood

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #109 on: September 16, 2019, 09:50:23 AM »
Disagree.  High School hockey is goonery with few skilled players.  This has been my consistent,  proven experience even with Division 1 So Cal HS Hockey.  High School players who also play club play the same glaring way.  Don't waste your time. 

SkatingDad

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #110 on: September 16, 2019, 03:14:28 PM »
Disagree.  High School hockey is goonery with few skilled players.  This has been my consistent,  proven experience even with Division 1 So Cal HS Hockey.  High School players who also play club play the same glaring way.  Don't waste your time.


As a rule, the less skilled a player is, the more of a goon they are because they have nothing else.  HS is full of less skilled players...

GriffinsTendy

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #111 on: September 17, 2019, 11:11:24 AM »
Does anyone know or heard of any teams getting relegated from tier 2 down to "A"? I just watched the Bears 1 vs. Empire 06'.......painful to say the least.

Hockey sophist

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #112 on: September 17, 2019, 11:53:29 AM »
Disagree.  High School hockey is goonery with few skilled players.  This has been my consistent,  proven experience even with Division 1 So Cal HS Hockey.  High School players who also play club play the same glaring way.  Don't waste your time.
Don't know for sure you are responding to my advocacy of D-1 HS as an option over CAHA or prep school but the "goonery" comment is somewhat subjective.   At last season's SCAHA or CAHA Selects camp, a parent complained to me about the "goonery" of a AA player directed at his son, a AAA player, who was hurt.  I have observed both players and both are excellent players; both made Pacific Selects.   I remember the play in question and it was not "goonery."  It was a hard competitive play.    If anything it was a sense of entitlement of some SoCal AAA parents.  Implicit:  How dare my son be checked hard!   And by a AA player!   

My preliminary observation is that D-1 is faster and slightly less skilled than the best of AA Bantams, AAA, or Selects.   D-1 may be more physical but that has more to do with the fact that a 14 year old is playing with and against 15-18 year olds.  My initial observation is not the play of other players but the inconsistency of how fouls are called but that is a problem at all age groups and levels of play.   

But maybe the key point is that D-1 and D-2 havd many of the best coaches in So Cal; coaches who do not teach goon hockey.   Teen athletes an be emotional and intense on the field of play whether that is a rink, a soccer field, or a football field.
 

Fowlmood

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #113 on: September 17, 2019, 12:21:23 PM »
I am not talking about one observation.  I am talking about several observations, as in a trend.  I don't have an issue with checking at all.  It is the consistency with which ckecking is done not to take the puck at all and if a check can be administered with the opposition in a vulnerable position, then all the more it seems to be done.  The AA player you mentioned probably plays high school hockey too.

TopCornzzz

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #114 on: September 17, 2019, 03:08:01 PM »
Is there any truth that some current California AA teams are either beating or at least competitive with California AAA teams at the bantam level? If this is the case I am not sure why AAA parents would be surprised by the skill level, toughness, or competitiveness of AA kids. 

Strawman

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #115 on: September 17, 2019, 06:50:36 PM »
Is there any truth that some current California AA teams are either beating or at least competitive with California AAA teams at the bantam level? If this is the case I am not sure why AAA parents would be surprised by the skill level, toughness, or competitiveness of AA kids.


Most AAA parents literally never watch a AA game after their little McDavid turns 10 and becomes one of the anointed, so it's inconceivable to them that there could be any good AA players. That said, every year there’s talk among AA parents about this or that AA team “really” being a AAA team and the hype is rarely true. The last one I can remember that was a legit AAA team was Bears 03.

Clue12345

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #116 on: September 17, 2019, 07:02:16 PM »
Does anyone know or heard of any teams getting relegated from tier 2 down to "A"? I just watched the Bears 1 vs. Empire 06'.......painful to say the least.
I think that they have already done that. Empire was not dropped but made flight 2.

JackBender

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #117 on: September 17, 2019, 08:48:41 PM »
Is there any truth that some current California AA teams are either beating or at least competitive with California AAA teams at the bantam level? If this is the case I am not sure why AAA parents would be surprised by the skill level, toughness, or competitiveness of AA kids.


Most AAA parents literally never watch a AA game after their little McDavid turns 10 and becomes one of the anointed, so it's inconceivable to them that there could be any good AA players. That said, every year there’s talk among AA parents about this or that AA team “really” being a AAA team and the hype is rarely true. The last one I can remember that was a legit AAA team was Bears 03.


Guess rarely is every other year because Bears(1) beat Ducks 06AAA 8-2 two weeks ago and then beat Ducks 05AAA 4-2 this past weekend. Oh, and they're not even the best AA team in the state as the Saints tied Bears(1) at the Jamboree 2-2 and then beat them in the first preseason game 4-1. Both teams are loaded with AAA talent and will make a serious run at Nationals.   
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lcadad

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #118 on: September 17, 2019, 10:47:11 PM »
I wasn't going to write anything about this, but I've been expecting a tipping point where my predictions about the way the AAA and AA divisions have effected the youth hockey scene, and the scarcity of AAA opportunity would eventually take us to the place we are at, where there are 2 AA teams that can beat 2 of the 3 California AAA teams AT AGE GROUP, and possibly even beat all 3. 


Kids in AA don't have it easy when they play AA in their minor year, and there are an awful lot of kids in AA who have done that.   There's also an awful lot of defections.  Everyone knows there are kids in AA who could make their way onto a AAA roster if they showed up for a tryout.  Conversely, you have an awful lot of AAA families deciding to play AA now even down into the U12 division, as they question the travel and expense of the AAA system here. 




Hockey sophist

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Re: What Bantam AA Teams for 2019-2020?
« Reply #119 on: September 18, 2019, 06:54:10 AM »
Is there any truth that some current California AA teams are either beating or at least competitive with California AAA teams at the bantam level? If this is the case I am not sure why AAA parents would be surprised by the skill level, toughness, or competitiveness of AA kids.


Most AAA parents literally never watch a AA game after their little McDavid turns 10 and becomes one of the anointed, so it's inconceivable to them that there could be any good AA players. That said, every year there’s talk among AA parents about this or that AA team “really” being a AAA team and the hype is rarely true. The last one I can remember that was a legit AAA team was Bears 03.


Guess rarely is every other year because Bears(1) beat Ducks 06AAA 8-2 two weeks ago and then beat Ducks 05AAA 4-2 this past weekend. Oh, and they're not even the best AA team in the state as the Saints tied Bears(1) at the Jamboree 2-2 and then beat them in the first preseason game 4-1. Both teams are loaded with AAA talent and will make a serious run at Nationals.
Another factor in addition to the talent on the BNAA Bears I and Saints is the high quality of the coaching.    Like their players, the coaches are as good or better than their AAA counterparts.