Forum > General Youth Hockey Info
Youth Hockey Tournaments A Total Waste Of Money
Youth Hockey Info:
It's another season and the team manager has announced the tournament itinerary, which means it's time to discuss team dues.
We're going to need $400 from each family in order to register us for 4 different tournaments.
That's $400 more than the initial financial obligation for the season. Compared to the overall cost to participate in all of the tournaments that's a drop in the bucket. We're a New Jersey regional team and we've been registered to play in Boston during the Veteran's day holiday, we're going to Chicago over the Thanksgiving holiday, Buffalo for President's day and Toronto for St. Patricks day.
Awesome!
No, not really.
Now all we have to do is figure out how we're going to come up with $4,000.00 to ensure our kid plays in these tournaments. What do you mean $4,000? Do the math, 3 to 4 days in a hotel at $135 per night, gas, food and whatever pre/post game arrangements have been scheduled for "team bonding". Which normally means you're going to visit local attractions. All said and done, you're looking at about $1,000 for each tournament.
Is it a vacation or are you there to play hockey?
Keep in mind, tournaments are optional, they're not mandatory. God forbid you choose to opt out, as that is essentially a death sentence for your kids playing time and he or she instantly becomes "odd man" out.
Are tournaments about playing hockey or are they more about where coach likes to take small vacations on your dime? Most of the parents spend the nights sucking up to the coach drinking and partying into early morning, while the kids run around unattended. Forget about early morning games, parents look like zombies and the kids play like they've never held a hockey stick before.
Youth hockey tournaments are nothing but a money grab run by companies who have no interest in the how they turn out. It's a split between families who are there for their kid to play and who wants to go on sight seeing adventures.
This news segment says it all about hockey tournaments.
Guest:
Sorry, but I enjoy the travel tournaments. I like watching the kids having fun at the hotel, hanging out, playing knee hockey. It’s fun getting to play against teams from other parts of the country.
Yes, it’s an extra expense, but that is what you signed up for when you chose to play TRAVEL hockey, and you should be factoring that in with your budget planning in addition to tuition, uniforms, etc.
Actually prefer tournaments where we stay in a hotel and get to enjoy the full experience than the local tournaments where nobody stays at a hotel and everyone drives back and forth. It’s the responsibility of the parents and the coaches to make sure the kids are prepared to play in the morning.
You forgot to add in the requisite tournament t-shirts or sweatshirt and photos.
Guest:
The biggest gripe I have with the tournaments is the parity of the teams in the divisions. All too often I’ve seen tournaments where they don’t have enough teams signed up and the tournament organizers bring in another team that should be playing in a higher division that just rolls over everyone - not fair for the kids who are B players having to play against A teams, or A teams who have to play against AAA/AA teams.
Youth Hockey Info:
Tournaments are not mandatory participation. They are voluntary. Its assumed all will participate.
Guest:
I like to have a mix - two local and two travel. That keeps the cost a bit lower and gives the kids a chance to play in some more games. With our league schedule that’s pretty much the most that you can do during the season (excluding any off-season tourneys)
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