This is a question I asked in my Facebook group - "Up My Hockey Parent Group" and it was interesting to read the responses. Find out what my 3 factors are when considering what's best for your player in this video.
I have both AAA and double AA players. I've coached and played (not at a high level), but this is brilliantly accurate. My AA changed positionsand was already a bottom player. He has great hands, shot and feet, but he lacks drive and hasn't discoveredhow to puah himselfyet. He might get there, he might not. I want him to love the game. This is very insightful. Thanks
First and foremost - LOVE the GAME! Find where they thrive. Everything starts there. If they want more, then try to provide the tools to help them be successful at the next level. If they don't want more, then that's fine too. Kids usually find a way to take what they need from the sport.
Not all AAA (or AA for that matter) is the same. I’ve seen AAA midget teams nationally ranked 30 or below get their clock cleaned by a top ranked AA team.
There is a lot more than what youve said in the video. Ive seen weak kids who are slow on AAA consistently rolled out and getting destroyed. Not sure how that would help. AAA is also just a name now. A name meant to grab cash and charge another few thousand for development. Teams dont get filled and they start adding learn to skates on the team. Coaching on AAA starting to look suspect these days.
I appreciate the comments, but the point of my video is about being in an challenging enviroment with a more limited role, versus being a lead player in a somewhat easier environment. There are abviously tons of dynamics and layers to each scenario, but this is the basic question parents have to ask themselves.
@@upmyhockeywithjasonpodolla8994 lead player, more puck touches, better life skills as a leader. Being a follower in a challenging environment is not good. This isn't the NHL and 99% of the kids go nowhere but beer league. Leading a bunch of learn to skates beats warming the bench and being bullied in some top tier team. Imagine being the bottom feeder on a top team, everyone on the bench knows you are the bottom feeding kid. Stupid parents always getting ahead of themselves thinking a challenging environment will get their kid somewhere.
@@upmyhockeywithjasonpodolla8994 my kids have been to a number of top teams, they tell me kids make fun of the third liners and bench warmers. Parents would make fun of those kids too. Let's not act innocent. I've heard first line players telling third liners to take a seat. This is a bunch of 8-11 year olds already creating a little clique because coaches think it is cool to label kids a plug and a superstar.
Hey potsy - the real issue is the following: Are you going to SKIP the AAA tryouts? I ask this because every team has a bottom 3 forwards, bottom 2 d. are you prepared to tryout and decline if selected? To my knowledge that has never happened. And if you don’t tryout - that can follow you. (Attitude/not committed enough etc) So it’s a very tough conundrum and hard to solve. I’ve always believed that if there is a close battle between a AA player and an incumbent AAA player, that decision should always favor the AA player. That way roles can change - the low end AAA player must learn to score again. And the AA player must be given the chance to score or become a role player at AAA. Thoughts?
Great question and good point. I actually had to deal with this topic this year with my 2009 born. He wanted to try out for regional AAA (his first opportunity). I didn't think he was ready physically as a first year, although I believed he would be close - a bottom 3 forward. I told my son, if he made it, there was a chance I wouldn't let him play anyways. My son ended up getting let go and he made the AA team, which is the perfect spot for him. However, there are many players that opted out of the AAA process and started at the AA level. Out here it is quite common at the u15 level for that to occur. At the u13 level and under, I'm not even sure if it is an option to opt out - I guess a parent would have to decline the top team invitation or advise the association at the outset that they would prefer the second team. In practical terms the question was more philosophical. Most players land where they land, and parents don't control where they land.
