Advice: I've just been cut...twice

[abeard14]

So I'm a 17-year-old going into my midget major year of hockey. I just tried out for my local AAA program that I've played for two years. I got cut. Not really surprised as I had an awful tryout. I decided to take the two-hour drive to a neighboring city to try out (in the same city as an NHL team). I had the greatest try out of my life. In the All-Star game, my team lost 7-2 but I scored the only two goals. Now I know the game of hockey is much more than goals. I won 90% of my faceoffs. I was physical. I moved the puck well and created scoring chances. And most importantly, I played a 200-foot game. When I got home from school today, I got the call that I had been the very last cut. What's very frustrating about all of this is that I know for a fact that there were politics involved. People who have been in the program for so long (no matter their skill level), practically can't get cut.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, what the heck do I do. I'm beyond devastated and am so tired of being cut when I know damn well I could fit right in with that team. It's just frustrating knowing that this has nothing to do with skill and effort. Please help. Maybe there is something I'm no getting.

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[Mighty Makar]

Sounds like politics to me. How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

 

[WolfgangPuck]

If you are determined I'm sure you be able to play for a competitive team
Look at Dustin Penner's story, got cut many times by his local junior teams

 

[abeard14]

Sounds like politics to me. How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

I'm 5'11" 165 lbs. Still looking to gain weight in muscle

 

[abeard14]

If you are determined I'm sure you be able to play for a competitive team
Look at Dustin Penner's story, got cut many times by his local junior teams

yea you're right. Just devastaed

 

[MonyontheMoney]

I got cut from my local midget AAA team as a 16 year old, not long after making it to main camp with a WHL team. I know I had a terrible camp when I came back, but I was, as you put it, devastated. There were 17 year olds that made the team on D who weren't able to go on to play anything over Jr. B.

I went on to make my local midget AA team, while playing roughly 10 as an affiliate with the AAA team, though I will admit it wasn't a year I enjoyed much at all. There were times I was pretty much ready to be done with hockey altogether. After I got over feeling sorry for myself it actually turned out to be a very good development year, playing lots of minutes and both teams were located in the same town (not sure if this is similar to your situation), so I also ended up practicing with both my team and the AAA's regularly.

Point being, maybe it's not the worst thing to happen. Just don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself like I did. Wherever you end up it may well be for the better, but you'll only know if you enter the year with full conviction and give it the best opportunity to be a positive.

I hope this helps, and wish you all the best in what the future holds.

 

[abeard14]

I got cut from my local midget AAA team as a 16 year old, not long after making it to main camp with a WHL team. I know I had a terrible camp when I came back, but I was, as you put it, devastated. There were 17 year olds that made the team on D who weren't able to go on to play anything over Jr. B.

I went on to make my local midget AA team, while playing roughly 10 as an affiliate with the AAA team, though I will admit it wasn't a year I enjoyed much at all. There were times I was pretty much ready to be done with hockey altogether. After I got over feeling sorry for myself it actually turned out to be a very good development year, playing lots of minutes and both teams were located in the same town (not sure if this is similar to your situation), so I also ended up practicing with both my team and the AAA's regularly.

Point being, maybe it's not the worst thing to happen. Just don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself like I did. Wherever you end up it may well be for the better, but you'll only know if you enter the year with full conviction and give it the best opportunity to be a positive.

I hope this helps, and wish you all the best in what the future holds.

Thanks a lot man. Your story is almost identical to mine. I haven't given up. Trying to stay positive.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

It's not the end of the world. Some people got cut from hockey teams when they were younger and they went on to become NHL players. Guys like Martin St. Louis, Matt Moulson, Justin Williams were told that they were too small or not skilled enough.

Guess what, tryouts aren't 100% fair. If the coach doesn't like your face, he might not take you because of that. Use the cuts as motivation and keep pushing yourself forward. Best of luck.

 

[Slats432]

I got cut from my local midget AAA team as a 16 year old, not long after making it to main camp with a WHL team. I know I had a terrible camp when I came back, but I was, as you put it, devastated. There were 17 year olds that made the team on D who weren't able to go on to play anything over Jr. B.

I went on to make my local midget AA team, while playing roughly 10 as an affiliate with the AAA team, though I will admit it wasn't a year I enjoyed much at all. There were times I was pretty much ready to be done with hockey altogether. After I got over feeling sorry for myself it actually turned out to be a very good development year, playing lots of minutes and both teams were located in the same town (not sure if this is similar to your situation), so I also ended up practicing with both my team and the AAA's regularly.

Point being, maybe it's not the worst thing to happen. Just don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself like I did. Wherever you end up it may well be for the better, but you'll only know if you enter the year with full conviction and give it the best opportunity to be a positive.

I hope this helps, and wish you all the best in what the future holds.

That is such an oddity for a kid to get cut from Major AAA after being at main WHL camp. 90% of the time it trickles down.

 

[STC]

Unfortunately politics have resulted in stories like this ever since teams started having try outs.

I once got cut from my peewee AA team because some kid's dad promised to by the whole team Cooperalls. Had to leave the organization and play for a different program a half hour away. That was a tough life lesson to learn as a 12 year old and I honestly think it set me on a lifelong path of cynicism.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Join a beer league like the rest of us.

 

[Goonzilla]

It sucks, but life isn't fair. I know I made some teams where I was lucky and on occasion missed some where I got a bum deal. There can be some angst, but if you're capable of or destined for the big time, it probably doesn't matter so much; another opportunity will present; and if you aren't/weren't, you'll later realise it wasn't as big a deal as it seemed at the time.

From a coaches point of view, if you turned up to tryout as an outsider with a bunch of kids who've maybe been together a while and know the coach, the coach may be reluctant to cut an insider to accommodate you; playing well might just not be enough. It's nothing to be despondent about. All you can do us your best and don't worry about what's out of or beyond your control.

 

[leftwinger37]

Too often I played the role of the bubble boy; last picked or last cut. I learned just to work my ass off no matter what. That's why I got picked and why I made it hard for them to cut me. It's also important how you take being cut. Don't burn bridges because if you don't know already, you'll find that the hockey world can be very small. I was cut from a team and got a really good opportunity down the road from the same coach because he liked my work ethic and my attitude. All coaches are looking for something different, but character can count for a lot.

 

[saskganesh]

outsider

This. Life lesson here. In any field or endeavour of life, being the new guy/unknown/outsider can be a real hurdle. While being a fresh face can sometimes be an advantage, it usually isn't. So you'll have to try harder on the human relationships side of things. Relationships always matter. So talk more, be friendly with other players, try to get to know the coaches, bring donuts, offer rides etc. Try to win the tryout in the dressing room as well as on the ice. Don't be a diva, be the guy people like to have around.

 

[Jisatsu]

My first year playing midgets I went from being on the Bantam A team to getting cut from all the midget rep teams. I was the highest scoring winger in the B program try out, but was cut because I was too small. I just hit 5'9" and was a whopping 135lbs. I was still going to the net, behind the net, battling the boards, but the coaches were worried about me playing with 17-18 year olds that season.

I ended up playing 2 games in the house league before getting the call up to the AA team. Ended up on the second and first line the rest of the season. I kept up with my training and hard work even though I was cut and the coaching staff saw that and promoted me. It also helped that I was actually playing the body as much as possible while still trying to make plays.

Anyways, don't let getting cut get you down. Keep your head up, work your tail off in practice, and do everything the coaches ask of you. Pass the puck more too. It's amazing how many guys in try outs just try to pad stats on goals alone and give up so many opportunities to get guaranteed assists. If you really are a goal scorer, coaches want to see you make plays too. It also helps if you do individual lessons with the organization's coaches, so they can see your work ethic and desire to improve.

Also one last thing, don't bulk up for the sake of putting on weight, make sure you are keeping up with your power skating. More mass isn't always better, especially if you are losing foot races.

 

[clarkiestooth]

Unfortunately politics have resulted in stories like this ever since teams started having try outs.

I once got cut from my peewee AA team because some kid's dad promised to by the whole team Cooperalls. .

Why were you cut? Because you offered to buy them two sets of Cooperalls?

 

[clarkiestooth]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, what the heck do I do. I'm beyond devastated and am so tired of being cut when I know damn well I could fit right in with that team. It's just frustrating knowing that this has nothing to do with skill and effort. Please help. Maybe there is something I'm no getting.

I know it hurts. But don't forget these 2 tryouts. Use them to make you a better player. Here's a true story from long ago:
A teammate and I were top level midget players and when seniors in high school went cross town to tryout for a more well known junior team. Although we were the youngest guys there and held our own, we were cut. Tails between our legs, we went back and played one year of juniors with our local, less regarded team (which happened to be in the same league). I never let that "getting cut" go. Every day, I skated...went to the rink at midnight to practice alone....shot millions of shots with weighted pucks. I was possessed. I had the best year of my hockey life, and 12 months later I was playing first line on an NCAA Div II team (back then, there was Div II). You may find that they did you a favor!

 

[jorbjorb]

welcome to beer league man. it's not so bad.

 

[Kent Nilsson]

The only reason you are doing this is for the fun of playing. If you see it any other way you got it wrong.

 

[Mr Kotter]

I don't know what other options are available to you but keep looking, the comment above mine about fun, my son got injured early in tryouts last year, was devastated when he was cut from a junior team he was sure he would have made (couldn't skate), came home, had to force him to go to junior B tryouts a month later, and he had what he called his funnest year of hockey in a long time. Wherever you end up do what you need to do to make it fun, and do what it takes to improve, whether that's skills, speed, weight room, whatever.

 

[Pez68]

AAA hockey was dominated by politics when I was playing, 20+ years ago. Sounds like it hasn't changed at all.... It's really unfortunate.

 

[STC]

Why were you cut? Because you offered to buy them two sets of Cooperalls?

lol, that makes it even worse, knowing I was cut for something as stupid as a fad like cooperalls.

 

[pix530]

What's very frustrating about all of this is that I know for a fact that there were politics involved.

- Sorry to hear about you been cut. A lot of politics around AAA hockey.

Same for us (next topic to this) - anger and frustration.
Never tryouts would look fair for me anymore.
They cut 2nd best player (overall) and took really weak house players in (sons of managers and directors). Worst thing is that for better player to play in weaker team is significant downgrade. Just lower level of hockey during the year doesn't help to develop at all.

 

[alko]

Maybe its time to consider, if hockey is what you want to do next years.
You are in the age, when you could set your future. That will affect you for many many years.
Trust me. Or better to say, trust all the older guys here. We already know, what are we talking about.

 

[Number 57]

If you really love the game and you really want to continue playing competitively than my advice to you is don't give up. A ton of players were cut from a AAA team at one point or the other and many have made high levels of hockey. At the end of the day the AAA coach doesn't decide your fate, and he doesn't decide where you're going to play next year.

You have to build a system for yourself. Your development as a hockey player is the most important thing. Whether you are playing in AAA or just AA really doesn't make that big of a difference in the end. Use the summer to really hone up your skills, work on your skating a lot and hit the gym. Spend the year in AA dominating. At least, you'll get a ton of ice time, which is a positive.

Your hockey career doesn't end here. You have to be on the path of continuous development. Alex Killorn couldn't make Midget AAA at 15 and played in the lower league, totally dominated and then continued his development. Eventually went to the US and is now rich as heck and playing hockey in Tampa Bay. The dream. Daniel Sprong was ineligible to play Midget AAA because he wasn't a Canadian resident, had to play in the lower league. Totally dominated, still got drafted in the 1st round in the QMJHL. View yourself as a Daniel Sprong.

Keep working hard. Don't forget about Europe. Once you're done with basic schooling nohing stops you from starting up in the lower levels in Switzerland or Sweden and making your way up. The pay isn't all so bad and those countries are great to live in.