These posts about buyers and sellers and parents pompously jumping ship from team to team every year is everything that is wrong with CAHA and hockey in California. Shame on those clubs and people. Funniest part is simple: not all of the best players in CA play AAA or AA because they are happy playing hockey where they are. Don't kid yourselves, "the best players in CA" don't all play Tier 1 hockey.
How do you know this Blades? Does your son or daughter go to AAA spring clinics and then tryouts? Does he go the Select tryouts? It takes a really good eye to compare players across A, AA, and AAA when the overall speed of play is different at each level. That is why Selects put all the kids on the ice at the same time. My guess is that it is impossible without having direct competition across levels. A forward might have dazzling moves playing A but lose the puck easily to a AAA defender who is just quicker and faster. A defender may be big and strong playing A and overwhelm smaller and slow forwards but be made to look silly against a AAA forward with quickness.
It might happen with a kid who is a first or second year A player because their game may evolve super fast.
My observation has been that most AAA players started out ahead of their peers and stay ahead because better coaching, better practices, more private stick times, and better competition. The same is true of AA players with more variation because financial costs and willingness to travel sometimes separate AA from AAA.
I appreciate your faith in the coaching and reputation of selects and clinics at the highest levels, but I am of the ilk that believes most of it to be a money maker where the coaches already have their rosters and favorites.
As for the speed of the game, I see it all the time - the super goal scorer who gets 10 breakaways a game at lower levels and his parents immediately think he should be playing AAA. That same player would never make "my roster" because most of the time they are not a complete player. The speed you speak of is a new trendy shift in the desire and design of today's hockey game. In reality, the puck will always move faster than the fastest skaters in the world. Start looking at players for hockey sense and their ability to move the puck because they have hockey sense, awareness, and vision. I am finding more and more that the players that do not belong on the ice at higher levels have good edges, speed, but a complete lack of understanding hockey situations on the ice.
I often wonder how much is hockey and hockey culture a part of these players lives. Do they watch hockey every day? Do they play hockey on video games? Do they watch highlights every morning before going to school? Are they participating in a fantasy hockey league (thereby giving them a deeper knowledge by studying the game)? Are they out back, in the driveway, or in the garage working on their craft on their own on a daily basis? Answering 'YES' to all of these questions will provide your hockey player (even at age 10-12) with true "hockey sense" and at a higher success rate when compared to clinics and "better coaching." I am of the opinion that most of the youth hockey players in CA answer 'NO' to most of those questions even at the highest levels.
Good and insightful response Blades. Some points for exploration. 1. The fact that hockey especially in CA is about money is a separate and distinct argument from the quality of AAA or AA players.
2. The kind of personal commitment you describe in terms of being obsessed by hockey may or may not be related to success. It may relate to making it to the NHL or Div 1 but some data would be interesting. But what about a commitment to education just in case that dream doesn't work out? One of the things I admire about Coach Torsson of the CA Bears is that he promotes quality prep schools so that players have more life options. Someone on these pages a few months ago described a AAA/juniors player who could not qualify for a good university although he did all the "right" things in terms of hockey preparation. Furthermore, if a kid of obsessed by hockey, when will they play another sport and get that cross-training muscle development?
3. I am not sure that playing hockey video games (my son did that for several years) makes for a better player. Maybe/maybe not.
Agree, that hockey sense is as important as speed, edges, etc. There is probably a better chance to develop hockey sense at a higher level of play and coaching. I get your point. Coaching 12 and Under soccer, I would ask on the first day of practice, who was the fastest player? Someone would always speak up and then I would challenge him to a race. Except he ran against a ball that I kicked. A puck moves a lot faster. I do wonder how much good passing is valued at youth hockey. Can't remember a coach complimenting a player for their passing but maybe dome coach or parents can respond on this.
My general point is that it is dubious an A player, especially if as obsessed with developing his or her game as you describe, is a hidden gem better than AAA or AA player. Let me take it a step further, if that A player is not practicing with and playing against the best possible competition, they will NOT develop at an optimal pace. Where parents may differ is how much they are willing to pay for that development and what other life values (education, other sports) they are willing to give up to get there.
