Tier 1 program comparison

[Guest]

Looking to move my son to tier 1 next year as a squirt. Considering the closest options, can anyone give me some pros and cons for any of these programs? PBK, Jr Flyers, Little Flyers. Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Not what you want to hear but at squirt stay at tier2. Play AA and do privates at elite edge or something similar.

[Guest]

Previous poster 100% spot on. I've done AAA at squirt, it is not needed nor warranted. Do local tier2 and spend any extra money on lessons and do an "AAA" spring tourney if you need to scratch the the itch.

[Guest]

Previous poster 100% spot on. I've done AAA at squirt, it is not needed nor warranted. Do local tier2 and spend any extra money on lessons and do an "AAA" spring tourney if you need to scratch the the itch.

Any feedback on specific programs since you’ve been in aaa? Was it recently? Really just trying to find out about those programs.  not interested in tier 2 when most of the stronger players I know are going tier 1 for better or worse

[Guest]

dont follow the herd, see "lemmings"
let your kid have fun and grow in skill - pay for a skating coach instead.
or do you want to burn your kid out?
I can only tell you where not to go, and I did that already.

[Guest]

dont follow the herd, see "lemmings"
let your kid have fun and grow in skill - pay for a skating coach instead.
or do you want to burn your kid out?
I can only tell you where not to go, and I did that already.

Not all Tier 1 programs are equal and not all teams within a Tier 1 program are equal. Everything depends on the coaching. You can get a great skating coach or a taction hell bent on running a system. You can get a program that concentrates on skating and costs the same as Tier 2 with skating coach. One thing is certain, Tier 1 & Tier 2 all play crazy amount of games and travel is brutal for all teams, especially AAA & AA. There is not much difference between the levels for travel anymore, unless you get in a Tier 1 program that goes to Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit or other places.  You need to compare apples to apples though. You get way more for your tuition at Tier 1 but the cost is about 25-30% more. So at Tier 2 factor in tuition, extra skating lessons, private sessions, spring skates, summer camp, and off ice work. I guarantee Tier 1 is a better buy, but burnout is a problem. Most likely the best choice is PBK. Littler Flyers and Jr. Flyers probably have 95% of the team set. There might be 1 spot open. PBK should have 3-4 spots open. Good luck!

[Guest]

Avoid the teams that decide that they have to go get their butts kicked traveling to Boston, upstate NY, Michigan, etc when they can't even beat the teams within an hour of them. And in some cases they dont even play teams close to them

[Guest]

I third the "spend your money on a skating coach" recommendation. At squirt -- and even through peewee and bantam -- the best players are getting a lot of genetic benefit from being an "early bloomer." The window for learning skating skills closes for boys at about 12-13 years old. Yes, you can add some power and speed after that, but the fine motor skills you need to be a really great skater -- and the best AAA players in the best AAA leagues are all extraordinary skaters -- you cannot acquire after 13 years old for boys, about 11 years old for girls.

This is the same for the fine motor skills in stick handling. Play games for fun and play small area games as much as possible, but work on the fundamentals.

And watch this video
https://youtu.be/SKHNRQektck?si=uCyykpcWvcqYoKT0

[Guest]

I'd say two 30-minute lessons with a skating coach each week, and 2 hours of pure skating practice for each lesson.  And the practice needs to be done in an organized manner, not just bombing around on public ice. Watch the little figure skaters. They are spending a majority of time on learning edges and crossovers. You want a great skater? Put them through the first four levels of US Figure Skating Moves in the Field tests. No jumping. No spinning. Pure perfection of edges to pass to the next level.

[Guest]

Follow the coach not the club.