Select Players

ATLien

Registered User
Apr 16, 2006
1,084
0
I need to pick your brains again:help:

My coaching partner and I are considering putting together a Mite(8U) select/tournament inline team comprised of kids in our rec league. We are currently polling other leagues in our area, but I thought this would also be a valuable place to ask as well. So if any of you with applicable experience would be kind enough to respond to the following questions it would be greatly appreciated.

1. Does your league/assn have an 8U select/tournament team?

2. Do the select players play rec as well?

3. How many players to your select team carry?

4. How often do you practice.

5. How many tournaments do you play a year?

6. What is the furthest distance you travel to play?

7. Do you lose players to "burnout"? If yes, how many?

For the coaches of 12U, 14U and up, the above questions as well as:

1. How many of your players have come up through the 8U and 10U select programs?

2. Do your players play Middle School/High School as well, or are the school programs and select programs associated?

3. How many players that have come up through the 8U, 10U select programs decide not to continue? What do you attribute this to?

Thanks in advance to any and all who respond.
 

Happy Pony

Registered User
Jan 17, 2006
2,659
0
Columbus
I have been involved in these leagues and teams as a player, coach, adminstrator and official. Hopefully these answers will help.

1. Two of the leagues I was associated with had 8 year old tournament teams.

2. One team (team A) encouraged this and kept the players on seperate teams to keep a fair balance in the house league. The other team (team B) held tryouts at the same time as house registration in the fall. Kids were selected from this pool for the team (B) and did not play in the league. However kids who played well in the house league were offered a chance to play on the travel team if they improved or someone was hurt.

3. 10-12 players. 4-5 forwards, 4-5 defenseman, 2 goalies.

4. Team A had league games and practice one night a week and a tournament on the weekend. If there was no tournament they had practice saturday morning. Team B practiced two nights a week and a tournament on the weekend. If there was no tournament they would try to find a game against another local team (house or travel) and a practice before or after.

5. There is no correct number. Some teams may financially be limited to 3-4 tournaments (including nationals) a year while others have no limitations. The best people to ask about this are the parents. When you present them with a schedule don't have a set schedule, have a list of tournaments. Invite the parents for a meeting, if they don't come then they can't complain about the dates.

6. Generally you don't want kids missing school. So the maximum distance you want to travel is close enough so that you can get there by 10-11 at night so the kids can get some good sleep the nights before.

7. Yes, this is inevitable. But if you make it fun for the kids then you will keep more.

To answer your other questions:

1. Both leagues/teams I was involved had tryouts for their team each year. The best players made the team, of course there was a degree of familiarity for the kids who had played on a younger version of the team and that comes with benefits, who will a coach choose, a player he has seen develop and play for 4-5 years or someone he has only seen for a few hours?

2. We don't have high school leagues here.

3. I can't place a definite number on this, but you are going to lose kids. The best way to keep them is to be honest, and produce teams that win and have fun. It is rough, parents can be rediculous at times but in the end if the kids are having fun, then it is worth it
 

ATLien

Registered User
Apr 16, 2006
1,084
0
Thanks, Man!! How supportive have youe leagues been of the 8U select teams?
 
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