Tier 1 program comparison

[Guest]

Save your money and have your kid play another sport. Ice Hockey at any level is way more expensive than other sports. Soccer, Basketball and Lacrosse are all sports that can be practiced in the backyard or at field. You need a ball, a hoop, a stick/ball & a wall. In order for a kid to becomes very good, they must work on their own. Ice Hockey requires so much money to learn to skate that it is not for the middle-class. It is way too expensive. Other sports can be mastered alone and training videos are plentiful online. Stop the rat race, get you kid involved in another sport and put the money saved on Ice Hockey into a college fund. On top of the cost, the parents and kids in Ice Hockey are crazy. Never experienced such a sexist, macho, bullying environment as hockey. I have witnessed 8 & 9 year olds curse so much it would make a prison guard blush. No wonder the Hockey Canada scandal happened!

[Guest]

All of my kids played ice hockey at their entire youth career at the Tier 2 level. They took private skating lessons for 10 years and that was the biggest difference in their enjoyment of the game. They also played other sports until high school which helped with cross training and improving your on ice skills. More importantly, they did not burn out from too much hockey.

As a parent and hockey coach for the last 3 decades, I have watched dozens and dozens of kids burn out from hockey because of Tier 1.

Teach your child about hard work and the desire to improve through their own self motivation. If your child doesn’t practice stick handling, shooting, etc. on their own help them to find that drive. Don’t force them because they will hate the game of hockey and you.

It is a delicate balance.

[Guest]

Ah dangling the NAHL team ... play youth hockey for 13k/year, and you, too have the chance to "organically join the nahl team"

[Guest]

All of my kids played ice hockey at their entire youth career at the Tier 2 level. They took private skating lessons for 10 years and that was the biggest difference in their enjoyment of the game. They also played other sports until high school which helped with cross training and improving your on ice skills. More importantly, they did not burn out from too much hockey.

As a parent and hockey coach for the last 3 decades, I have watched dozens and dozens of kids burn out from hockey because of Tier 1.

Teach your child about hard work and the desire to improve through their own self motivation. If your child doesn’t practice stick handling, shooting, etc. on their own help them to find that drive. Don’t force them because they will hate the game of hockey and you.

It is a delicate balance.

I don't think it is Tier 1 that burns them out. Kids at Tier 1 or Tier 2 are all playing year round. Tryout Pre-Skates, Spring teams, Summer Camps, In Season Tournament teams and a fall/winter season that runs from mid-August to March. I take my Tier 1 kid off the ice in the spring to play lacrosse. Summer camps are soccer or lacrosse- no hockey. He plays soccer in the fall and if he misses a Tier 1 hockey game, the coach is fine. We only practice hockey 2 times a week from Sept to the end of soccer season. After that they go 3 days a week. My kid is 2013 so he has time to decide what sport will be his "specialty". Parents need to tell the Tier 1 teams what you will do and not the other way around. Remember we are the customer. My kid is good enough that the coach allows him to miss things. Once it gets to 14 or 15 age level, then the coach will make us decide. Until then have your kids play other sports to avoid burnout and take them off the ice for at least 2 months a year. My kid gets better because he plays other sports not because he is on the ice 12 months a year. Other sports make him a better athlete, give him a higher understanding of the game, keeps him in cadio shape and gets him stronger. Burnout comes from playing year round. Do your kids a favor and get them off the ice. You will be surprised at how much they improve both physically and mentally by not playing hockey year round!