Tier 1 too soon

[Guest]

Just wondering who is paying over 3400 for peewee tier 2 hockey, that's 1200 more than what we pay for 16u tier 2 and we get 2.5 hrs of on ice plus 40min with a personal trainer per week plus some extra preseason ice time . I felt we paid a lot until now, our peewee is 1600-1700 and they get what we get minus the extra 30min of ice time.

[Guest]

I have been around a long time and never heard or seen a Tier 1 team stick to a 2 hour travel limit.  Even the teams in Detroit and Boston travel further than 2 hours.   Good luck!!

[Guest]

A lot of rinks cost that or more for even squirts, at least BB rinks.

[Guest]

Just wondering who is paying over 3400 for peewee tier 2 hockey, that's 1200 more than what we pay for 16u tier 2 and we get 2.5 hrs of on ice plus 40min with a personal trainer per week plus some extra preseason ice time . I felt we paid a lot until now, our peewee is 1600-1700 and they get what we get minus the extra 30min of ice time.

Black Bear rinks are expensive! Jaguars 2022-23 Season Information

[Guest]

I'm up in Canada-Ottawa area, and there were several great posts made so far!  My son is 16, playing in his second year of U18AAA.  We never took him to AAA tryouts until he was U16-he made it first try.  For us, AAA doesn't start until U12, even then this was the first year this young for U12.  I think that the US is making better strides in hockey development than in Canada, here, everyone is an expert, most dads of played, excepted they're all stuck in the late 80's or 90's ways of coaching!    #1, keep it fun, don't make it a job.  they play hockey, don't "work" hockey.  #2, in the end, the best overall athlete will be the best hockey player.  This is hard to stick to, as we see the huge participation in year round play.  We never did this-not once.  My kid played a full season of football, a full season of LAX and mostly Academy level soccer.  In the beginning the kids on the ice 12 months a year pulled ahead slightly, but it's all even now!

I figure my son has about 3-4 full hockey seasons "less" hockey than other players, and he's better than most.  Sure we had a couple first round OHL picks come through our team, but those guys were man sized at 15.  Physical development is another thing out of your control, and IF your son has a chance this will come when it does-keep him passionate!

I completely agree that skating and skills are paramount!  We are fortunate to have LOTS of private options, and the money I saved staying AA I put in to development, mostly in the spring when we are between sports.  It's paid off huge on his skating!  We have a PEP private rink not far, and practically live there.  Massive for skill development with the puck in tight areas.

As for the remaining skills, a $4 wooden ball, used at home, almost everyday, is what has made my son have crazy fast hands!  Shooting, well I live rural, and have a big shooting area set up.  He has an OHL level(maybe even better) shot, and it wasn't from some private coach, it was from shooting EVERYDAY!  When he was really young, he would go out for the bus early and shoot while he waited for the bus-EVERYDAY.  Now he's out there at different times, only from just now, until about mid October, otherwise it's to cold.  It's the snap shot and quick release with no cocking of the stick which is key.  Self learnt, I practice to sometimes, and video.  Very cheap, no travel, do  on your own time.  Moral of the story, not everything requires $$$.  He also owns his own commitment and it's not another session that dad drives him to.

I see people doing dryland workouts-unless you're getting in 3 a week, they're worthless.  I'm fortunate to have very well equipped home gym, so no travel, and he can use it twice a week(at best) in season.  That being said for 2 offseasons now, he's a gym rat, and last season from 15-16-he went from 145 lbs to 175 lbs.  That was working out 1 to 1.5 hrs. 5 days a week, off season only.  He also hit puberty!  Working out once a week when you're younger, in season, does nothing other than take time, and make the game feel like work.  My son loves working out on top of hockey now, and he again is responsible for doing his own workouts, not me taking to a trainer.  He gets assessed twice in off season, and given a workout he does on his own.

Keep it fun, focus on skating and skills young, keep travel down(if possible), play other sports, be patient, leave working out until off season when they are older. 

IMHO

[Guest]

Hello, sir I have read your reply and seems like you have so much experiences on youth hockey due to your sons.
I have 11 yr old kid and 8 yr old kid in Georgia which is a southern state, they have played roller hockey for little over 2 year and pretty ok and recently I put them on a cross ice program and Learn to skate program and they look ok and getting better. do you think these ages too late for playing hockey and considering college?  if their ages are still ok, what are the cost of playing hockey consider to be tier 1 or 2. I don't think Georgia state has Tier 1 but 2.