Commercialization ruining minor hockey

[jetsmooseice]

So I've seen an ad on Facebook for some "elite" spring team. I looked at it - they're based out of Tampa, Florida. There were comments along the lines of "there must be some mistake - I'm seeing this ad and I live in Canada" with replies of "oh no, the Facebook algorithim is working - we have 20 kids signed up from Canada".

Please don't tell me that the USA doesn't have the same issues that Canada has.

Man, there is clearly money to be made here... I feel like I should get in on this gold rush haha

 

[Yukon Joe]

Man, there is clearly money to be made here... I feel like I should get in on this gold rush haha

So I mean there is definitely money to be made. All these camps, and spring teams aren't doing this out of altruism.

But there's at least some value there to be had as well. My one kid's skating has definitely improved after just two months into a power skating program we signed him up for (and I signed up for an adult version of the same program, and people who don't even know I signed up for it are telling me how much better my skating has gotten).

Or take those hockey academies. I would never pay to put my kid into one - but you look at CHL drafts and the hockey academies do dominate, so they're at least doing something right. But someone's also definitely making money off of them as well.

 

[oldunclehue]

So I mean there is definitely money to be made. All these camps, and spring teams aren't doing this out of altruism.

But there's at least some value there to be had as well. My one kid's skating has definitely improved after just two months into a power skating program we signed him up for (and I signed up for an adult version of the same program, and people who don't even know I signed up for it are telling me how much better my skating has gotten).

Or take those hockey academies. I would never pay to put my kid into one - but you look at CHL drafts and the hockey academies do dominate, so they're at least doing something right. But someone's also definitely making money off of them as well.

I don't get you, you argue and fight over the whole point of this thread which is the Commercialization is killing hockey in Canada. But yet you agree with it in this post.

- I mean it is ruining it for the bulk of players in general. I'd say 90% of the players in minor hockey don't do extra. Don't go to camps/spring/skills coaches. Some because they don't want to because its just a fun sport to them. But there are some that can't afford it. They may be as good or better than the 10% that do, but its just not in the works. This is what I mean. As a coach, former player and involved in minor hockey decisions, I can see it from a young age. Hockey Canada has left the development of top skilled players in the hands of the private industry. Now if you want to make it to the CHL, pro, NCAA, USHL or NHL, you can't do it unless you have money. There is not ONE kid in my minor hockey system that has even made U15AAA without doing a bunch of extra private work.

I can afford it and put my kids in a few things extra, but I hate it. I hate that our national sport has turned into a you'll only go as far as money can take you sport. I don't care about comparing it to other sports in the world. What I care about is the fact Hockey Canada doesn't care to spend money on developing kids from a young age, they let parents who can afford it or are willing to go into debt do that.

For those middle class and poverty line people, they have no hope of making it and most end up out of the sport by 13-14 years old. That angers me.....

 

[Yukon Joe]

I don't get you, you argue and fight over the whole point of this thread which is the Commercialization is killing hockey in Canada. But yet you agree with it in this post.

I've always said I agree with what you're seeing out there. I just disagree that it's necessarily a problem.

Look, there are only two options to the commercialization of hockey as you call it. Either we somehow ban kids from doing anything above and beyond what the Hockey Canada-mandated program allows (almost certainly unconstitutional), or you try to subsidize hockey so that hockey camps, spring hockey, power skating and the like don't cost anything extra.

I don't think government money should be going towards developing minor hockey players.

There are two very separate benefits to playing hockey. One is the whole being part of a team, learning the value of hard work and discipline, that kind of thing. I fully believe that is a good thing, and it's good for society as a whole. But you don't need to be on the ice 5-6 times per week to get those benefits.

The other benefit is to the player themselves - maybe, just maybe, they can either get a pro career, or at least get a university education out of it. But the problem is that benefit goes exclusively to the kid themselves, and not society as a whole.

My oldest kid is on the ice for three freaking ice sessions today. It seems almost crazy to me, but he wants to do it. As his parents we have to pay the cost of that.

But there's plenty of other kids his exact same age who are playing rec hockey for fun. They get one practice and one game per week. And I don't see how the fact that my kid is playing way more hockey, and is developing more, in any ways ruins the hockey experience for these rec hockey kids.

 

[oldunclehue]

I've always said I agree with what you're seeing out there. I just disagree that it's necessarily a problem.

Look, there are only two options to the commercialization of hockey as you call it. Either we somehow ban kids from doing anything above and beyond what the Hockey Canada-mandated program allows (almost certainly unconstitutional), or you try to subsidize hockey so that hockey camps, spring hockey, power skating and the like don't cost anything extra.

I don't think government money should be going towards developing minor hockey players.

There are two very separate benefits to playing hockey. One is the whole being part of a team, learning the value of hard work and discipline, that kind of thing. I fully believe that is a good thing, and it's good for society as a whole. But you don't need to be on the ice 5-6 times per week to get those benefits.

The other benefit is to the player themselves - maybe, just maybe, they can either get a pro career, or at least get a university education out of it. But the problem is that benefit goes exclusively to the kid themselves, and not society as a whole.

My oldest kid is on the ice for three freaking ice sessions today. It seems almost crazy to me, but he wants to do it. As his parents we have to pay the cost of that.

But there's plenty of other kids his exact same age who are playing rec hockey for fun. They get one practice and one game per week. And I don't see how the fact that my kid is playing way more hockey, and is developing more, in any ways ruins the hockey experience for these rec hockey kids.

Minor hockey....not rec.

Rec is for those who play the sport for fun and won't end up playing much more than into their teams.


I am speaking of MINOR hockey....the stuff linked to Hockey Canada.

Commercialization is ruining it because of people like you willing to pay and put your kid on the ice 3 times a day because "he likes it". You do what you want but I've seen countless kids in that situation walk away from the sport in their later teens and early adult years because they "loved it" at the age or 12-14 years old but were burnt out by the time they were 16-18 years old.

I hope your kid(s) isn't like that, but at some point you will want to see a return on the thousands you've spent and the pressure will be felt by your kid.

Do as you please, but the kid who was just as good as your kid in U11 hockey who can't afford to go to the power skating and skills coach sits at home and knows he doesn't stand a chance moving forward. Thats whats ruining the sport....kids who are as good or better can't afford to make a run at it therefore they simply walk away from the sport. The best/wonder years of hockey was in the 90's and early 2000's. Those players who came from small town rural communities played hockey, baseball, football, farmed and enjoyed life. Not spend every night working at "getting better" so they can compete.

Kids aren't kids anymore in this sport....they are built to be robots and its now become a job more than anything.

I'll check in with you in a few years as to if your investment in all the extra skills stuff has turned out and your kid is a top tier player. (don't come at me with I don't care if he plays highschool I'm still paying for it no matter what).

 

[Yukon Joe]

I'll check in with you in a few years as to if your investment in all the extra skills stuff has turned out and your kid is a top tier player. (don't come at me with I don't care if he plays highschool I'm still paying for it no matter what).

Dude, I keep saying this but nobody seems to believe me. The only place I expect my kid to be playing in 5-10 years is beer league.

 

[oldunclehue]

Actions speak louder than words….you are putting your kid in a bunch of extra everything and spring and asking questions about private leagues and everything. That doesn’t say to me you think he will be in beer league by the time he’s 20. But if that’s what ya gotta tell yourself!

 

[Yukon Joe]

Actions speak louder than words….you are putting your kid in a bunch of extra everything and spring and asking questions about private leagues and everything. That doesn’t say to me you think he will be in beer league by the time he’s 20. But if that’s what ya gotta tell yourself!

I asked about private leagues because he was invited to play for one. I asked around and we declined.

I put him in extra stuff because he likes playing hockey and wants to get better. He doesn't want to go play baseball in the spring. He wants to go try to make his U15AAA team next year, which is obtainable.

And when he comes to play beer league hockey he'll be really good, unlike his old man.

And most of what we spend on our kids is not in terms of investments. When we get him a new XBox for Christmas, that's not an investment - that's just being a parent.

 

[swoopster]

Dude, I keep saying this but nobody seems to believe me. The only place I expect my kid to be playing in 5-10 years is beer league.

Then why? There are other sports, other interests... a life to prepare for. You seem to be the one not able to communicate this reality to your son. As a former good player who was given the opportunity to scout for a CHL club, and later an NCAA team, are you not aware of the % math involved to move up the line?

Its tough to tell a parent the fishbowl of available talent is huge, and your son may or may be not in it. Then I stress back to the % reality. What I hate to see is kids grinding out 2 more years of their life, wasting it, chasing an unattainable dream.

 

[Slats432]

Whether it comes off as disingenuous or not for Joe, my son went to I think it was 5 AJHL camps one spring? Joe doesn't say it publicly for the potential to be torn down, but when your kid is good enough to play club hockey, you start going with the flow. Trying to balance "the push" with being "pushy" which is what I always tried to do with mine.

You start saying instead of going to the show, get to the highest level they can. You open every door, and let them decide if they want to go through. Don't want to speak for you Joe, but from my own experience, every club hockey parent that I have known has at least a blueprint for where they are trying to go as a hockey family. No one puts $100K into developing a beer leaguer.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Whether it comes off as disingenuous or not for Joe, my son went to I think it was 5 AJHL camps one spring? Joe doesn't say it publicly for the potential to be torn down, but when your kid is good enough to play club hockey, you start going with the flow. Trying to balance "the push" with being "pushy" which is what I always tried to do with mine.

You start saying instead of going to the show, get to the highest level they can. You open every door, and let them decide if they want to go through. Don't want to speak for you Joe, but from my own experience, every club hockey parent that I have known has at least a blueprint for where they are trying to go as a hockey family. No one puts $100K into developing a beer leaguer.

It's that I don't want to push, but I want to make sure the door is open if he wants to go through it.

The only blueprint my son has is for next year to try and make AAA, and from there to make first pairing D. Maybe he'll form a further plan after that.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Then why? There are other sports, other interests... a life to prepare for. You seem to be the one not able to communicate this reality to your son. As a former good player who was given the opportunity to scout for a CHL club, and later an NCAA team, are you not aware of the % math involved to move up the line?

Its tough to tell a parent the fishbowl of available talent is huge, and your son may or may be not in it. Then I stress back to the % reality. What I hate to see is kids grinding out 2 more years of their life, wasting it, chasing an unattainable dream.

But is grinding it out "wasting it"?

I mean take yourself - is being a CHL scout, and later a NCAA scout, a waste?

I feel like if he really applies himself, makes that U15AAA team next year, but from there does only middling - was that a waste? I don't think so. He's still learned the value of hard work - but also learned that sometimes there are limits as well.

 

[golfortennis1]

This problem is even worse in the United States. It's a joke, honestly. Greed has destroyed a lot of youth hockey. Including the atmosphere around the rink, and general comradery of the sport.

There are coaches around the Chicago area making over a million dollars a year, just running skills clinics, that naive and uninformed parents with too much money, eagerly gobble up...

There is still affordable hockey to play, but soooo many parents pull their kids out of programs they are a good fit for. All because youth hockey is FULL of used car salesmen, selling them on the dream of their kid playing pro. Just because they once upon a time coached some kid that made it to a high level. Or that coach had a cup of coffee in the pros. Way too many failed professional hockey players looking for a grift, because they wasted a decade+ of their lives, and aren't employable in any other way... Hockey Directors making six figures to sit on their ass and more or less do nothing.

There's only a handful of honest coaches/programs out there that will tell it to you straight, and they suffer because of their honesty.

This is the thing that gets me. Genetics are such a huge part of making it to the highest levels, but people have been sold on the idea that "hard work will get you there." In business and many other areas of life, that is true, but not in sports. Whenever you hear an announcer talk about a guy who is "all hustle, no talent", don't buy it. Compared to the relative handful of athletes he is competing against, yeah maybe, but the guy has more talent in his left pinky than 98% or more of the general population. Unless he grew up in area absolutely loaded with talent, he was very likely among the best players right up until he reached the highest level.

There is a saying that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard," but talent doesn't have to work very hard to beat hard work. Talent has to work hard to beat other talent, yes, but put in some work and talent wins out. But as the last line states, there is no money in that.

Which brings me to another point: why do so many people assume that because someone had the talent to make it to a high level that means they can coach worth a crap? Especially in terms of improving a player? I don't know if it's a residual jock-sniffing mentality, but when you see what some of these guys call "coaching" it makes you shake your head. Say something to the parent(different sport but I have been in this exact situation), and you hear "I'm going to go with the guys who have been there before." Ok, but you're assigning a talent to them that you really don't know they possess.

But again, lots of money to be made this way.

 

[Slats432]

But is grinding it out "wasting it"?

I mean take yourself - is being a CHL scout, and later a NCAA scout, a waste?

I feel like if he really applies himself, makes that U15AAA team next year, but from there does only middling - was that a waste? I don't think so. He's still learned the value of hard work - but also learned that sometimes there are limits as well.

I am on your side Joe. But there are conflicting sentiments coming out. If you put your kid in hockey academy (like Louis St. Laurent) or club hockey, attempt to help them develop, there is no shame and I support all of it. We are fortunate enough to be able to do it. (You and I both). The admission of "I am going to help him go as far as he can go and wherever that ends up, I am fine with it." will be good for your soul. If it was spending money knowing it was only to be a beer league, no one would do it.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I am on your side Joe. But there are conflicting sentiments coming out. If you put your kid in hockey academy (like Louis St. Laurent) or club hockey, attempt to help them develop, there is no shame and I support all of it. We are fortunate enough to be able to do it. (You and I both). The admission of "I am going to help him go as far as he can go and wherever that ends up, I am fine with it." will be good for your soul. If it was spending money knowing it was only to be a beer league, no one would do it.

Okay so:

1. Has it ever crossed my mind that it would be cool if my kid made the NHL? Sure. Hell same thing applies if he made WHL, or USports.

2. If I could go back in time and NOT put my kid into hockey when he was 5, given how much it has now cost me (I had no idea back then)? I don't think so, but that could easily be some kind of bias.

3. My budget is not unlimited. I have been clear he's not going to a CSSHL school. We did one US spring tournament last year, which was fun, but we're not doing that again - too much money. We don't have an unlimited equipment budget. We actually ruffled some feathers on his current team for questioning some of the team expenses (that we in turn have to pay for).

And most importantly...

4. At this point he's a Hockey Kid. His friends all play hockey. He knows most of the kids on teams he plays against. He wants to be as good or better then this friends. A lot of his social life is hockey-related. So when he asks to go to Louis St. Laurent, because a whole bunch of his friends go there, am I going to say no? When he asks to do extra sessions at 6:30 with a coach he likes, am I going to say no? If he wants to do some hockey camps in the summer am I going to say no? No, I am not.

5. My middle kid is looking at junior highs for next year. He does not show as much promise as his older brother and has generally played at a lower tier then his brother at the same age (but you never know what can happen). He seems to want to do the hockey program at LSL - because some of his friends are going to. Am I going to say no? No, I am not.

So yes - maybe my kid will beat the odds and go really, really far in hockey. That would be awesome. But I know what the odds are, and the money I spend on hockey is in no way an "investment" - it's just money I spend on my kid, or kids.

 

[jetsmooseice]

I can relate to @Yukon Joe here 100%. My son is a hockey kid too. He is generally very competent and plays at an upper tier, but is by no means some kind of standout. Yet I do continue to spend (not lavishly, mind you) on extras for things such as skills programs, summer camps, tryout camps, etc. Why is that? I can think of a few reasons.

The main reason is that he likes hockey and wants to get better. I want to support him in his sports journey and I think there are a lot of good life/character lessons in it for him even if doesn't ascend to the heights of the sport. And then of course there are the health benefits. Like any parent I do want to pull my kids away from the video games, etc. and sports are a good way to do that. It is also quite possible that he will switch to another sport down the road... hockey is a game people here start at 4 or 5, but other sports don't start pulling people in until they're much older. Having a good overall athletic ability will help in that regard.

Also, as Joe alluded, at this point my kid's social circles involve hockey. So if I need a summer program to send him to for a week while I work, a hockey camp is a great choice since he will have some friends there.

At this point it's pretty clear that he is not on some super-elite track. And that's fine. But I do think there are still things worth pursuing in the game. It is kind of interesting to ponder what the situation would be like if I had unlimited resources and I could spend a fortune on one-on-one training and all that. Where would he go then? But I guess we'll never know.

 

[MarotteMarauder]

When I say "failed professional hockey players" I'm talking about the guys that toiled around in the ECHL and lower leagues for a decade, chasing the dream. They aren't better directors or coaches than most of the other experienced people in youth hockey, but hockey parents are absolutely ENAMORED with guys who "played pros". So they get high paying jobs in youth hockey and drive the costs up.

Some of the propositions I have heard Mom's make in the furthering of little Johnny are absolutely disgusting.

Others who overlook some of the coaches tactics with their young kids is almost criminal.

It is WAAAAAAY out of hand IMO.

 

[MarotteMarauder]

Which brings me to another point: why do so many people assume that because someone had the talent to make it to a high level that means they can coach worth a crap? Especially in terms of improving a player? I don't know if it's a residual jock-sniffing mentality, but when you see what some of these guys call "coaching" it makes you shake your head. Say something to the parent(different sport but I have been in this exact situation), and you hear "I'm going to go with the guys who have been there before." Ok, but you're assigning a talent to them that you really don't know they possess.

But again, lots of money to be made this way.

Also a lot of this problem is caused by Mom and Dad living through their kids. They love to chit chat around the water cooler with their sports talk about their kids.

RE: coaching, they would be better served to see if a guy/gal can actually communicate with and teach young players. The parents can't distinguish between good and bad coaching so they gravitate toward the "name" coach.

When you have parents willing to spend it is an easy business selling the dream.

 

[FrankieC]

This is a very interesting thread and I commend all the posters who have shared theirs thoughts.

As someone who played at relatively high level, has coached and now has kids going through the process in G, I also have observed the commercialization of minor hockey and the excessive $ that is being spent on little Timmy's development. Minor sports and minor hockey specifically is not a meritocracy..

I think most of this stems from a few things

1) low interest rates. Don't be fooled. Many hockey parents are borrowing/ refinancing for their child's hockey
2) smaller families.. much easier to be obsessed when you only have 1 kid and they're the families one shot at glory.
3) hockey parents are insecure and know that by spending more on early development they are cheating the athletic curve. The fact is that hockey is such a specialized sport that if you get a head start on learning the skills you will get a leg up on the kid who is athletically superior but, lacks financial resources or is a late bloomer.

 

[jetsmooseice]

3) hockey parents are insecure and know that by spending more on early development they are cheating the athletic curve. The fact is that hockey is such a specialized sport that if you get a head start on learning the skills you will get a leg up on the kid who is athletically superior but, lacks financial resources or is a late bloomer.

I know you know this, but you could say the same for any sport.

I know a legitimately wealthy guy who sends his 10 year old swimmer kid to the US for training sessions with US Olympic Team coaches (I'm in Canada as you can probably guess)... No hockey parent I know even comes close to matching that level of commitment.

Not surprisingly that kid dominates when he comes back home and swims in local meets. At some point I'm sure things will even out as natural talent catches up with intense coaching. But we are seeing this everywhere, and kids with the resources have a huge leg up on everyone else.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Fascinating read - not about hockey, but about football programs in Canada. Yet it really could be about hockey.

Broken football dreams: Canada's spectacular fumbles at schooling young prospects

The field of elite high school football programs has been cut, dimming the chances of scholarships and a future in the game.

nationalpost.com

 

[BruinDust]

Which brings me to another point: why do so many people assume that because someone had the talent to make it to a high level that means they can coach worth a crap? Especially in terms of improving a player? I don't know if it's a residual jock-sniffing mentality, but when you see what some of these guys call "coaching" it makes you shake your head. Say something to the parent(different sport but I have been in this exact situation), and you hear "I'm going to go with the guys who have been there before." Ok, but you're assigning a talent to them that you really don't know they possess.

But again, lots of money to be made this way.

I only had two coaches in my minor hockey days who played at what I would call a "high level" One played Canadian University and the other NCAA Div. 1.

And there were unquestionably the worst coaches I encountered during my minor hockey career. Like it's not even close. Without getting into details, neither guy had the personality for it. But the local executive just assumed that because of where they played, they'd make capable coaches but they were wrong and both were out of coaching within a couple years.

 

[Faceboner]

I am at my wits end with how much the commercialization of kids hockey has ruined the sport in Canada for the average family/kid and how parents are willing to do ANYTHING to give their kids some form of advancement.

Background: I played QMJHL hockey and had offers to go minor pro but decided to pursue my current career (no regrets). But as a parent and coach in our minor hockey system I am blown away at what the "business" of kids hockey is doing to this sport for kids and families. I have coached minor hockey for the past 9 years and up until last year enjoyed it a ton. But the desperation of parents has ruined the environment for me and many others.

1. I live in a rural city area in western Canada. We have a strong minor hockey system but are far away from larger city centers and the "Hockey Academys" are taking our best players out of the system and parents are willing to re-mortgage homes, taken on second jobs and drained savings to chase their kids "dreams".

2. Our AAA program is at risk of folding because 7 of the top players have left for Hockey Academies at a cost of $30,000 plus. The program has had success and has a great coaching staff (not me). But yet all of these kids pay "advisors" who sell the academy life to the parents and now its at risk of ruining the program for many many others.

3. Hockey camps/skills coaches: - Many kids don't have a summer or time away from the rink anymore. Many parents are willing to pay thousands of dollars upon thousands to take their kids to camps and hire skills coach (at the age of 10).

4. 10-11 year olds having a trainer, nutritionist, skating coach and advisor is WILD but happening all over the place. If you have the money these people will take it and sell you a story of how much your KID is going to be the best thing since Crosby.

Parents willing to step on anyone friend or foe to try and get their kid to a certain level is AMAZING as well.

The worst has to be parents that have never played a competitive level of the sport. They have ruined the rink atmosphere and its sickening.

Anyone else worried about where our sport is going in Canada? With multiple hockey academies popping up anywhere and everywhere, commercial (non-sanctioned) AAA leagues in many Provinces and the copious amounts of "skills" coaches all offering extra this and that....the average family can't keep up and just end up leaving the sport. It's sad. But I predict we won't see a middle income or lower kid make it anymore.

Sad.

There is something about hockey where all theses problems are real it mainly applies to the sport of hockey it's magical

 

[jetsmooseice]

Fascinating read - not about hockey, but about football programs in Canada. Yet it really could be about hockey.

Broken football dreams: Canada's spectacular fumbles at schooling young prospects

The field of elite high school football programs has been cut, dimming the chances of scholarships and a future in the game.

nationalpost.com

Very interesting article.

I think Kamau Peterson's take probably sums up the feelings of more than a few of us on this topic:

“The exception I take is you’re selling parents on the dream even though you know their kid is beyond a long shot,” said former CFL receiver and U Sports coach Kamau Peterson, who trains high-performance athletes in Toronto. “A lot of kids on these teams have no business paying this money to pretend they’re prospects.”


He was looking into prep programs as a potential destination for his teenaged son, so he knew about West Toronto Prep long before it hit the headlines. As soon as Peterson discovered the program wasn’t affiliated with a bricks-and-mortar academic institution, he was no longer interested. He has counselled other parents through the process.


“There is not a great understanding of how many tremendous athletes there are (in the U.S.) who are your age, your speed, your height, your weight, who you’re going to have to outdo. Just playing a season against some Buffalo schools or Ohio schools isn’t necessarily going to do it. You’re going to have to be special. And if you’re that special, you shouldn’t be paying $20,000 to go anywhere.


“If you’re a dominant player, these schools are designed to come and get you to help their profile. That’s my first red flag to parents. If you’re that good, they’re going to want you, it’s not going to have to be the other way around,” said Peterson.


“You’ve got a ton of athletes with talent, and they’re close enough to the border, they can smell it, the opportunity to go down south. But there’s not a lot of guidance for them and their parents in terms of what’s real and what’s not. Unfortunately, some kids have been taken advantage of here. I’m trying to help with that.”

I guess that sums up the issue here. The idea that a lot of expensive programs are primarily in the business of selling unrealistic dreams to people.

Here in Winnipeg the local hockey academy loves to put pictures of the couple guys they have sent to the NHL on their social media posts, but they don't show the hundreds of kids whose parents paid steep bills over the years and they ended up in more or less the same place from a hockey standpoint that they would have through the conventional minor hockey/AA/AAA system.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Here in Winnipeg the local hockey academy loves to put pictures of the couple guys they have sent to the NHL on their social media posts, but they don't show the hundreds of kids whose parents paid steep bills over the years and they ended up in more or less the same place from a hockey standpoint that they would have through the conventional minor hockey/AA/AAA system.

I don’t know of a single minor hockey club in Canada or U.S. that doesn’t do this. Typically it’s a page on the website showing all the NHL, AHL, CHL and NCAA D1 players that passed through. Basically “if they could do it, you can too”

Of course those guys probably would have gotten there regardless of where they had played as kids. Just as long as they had somewhere to play.