Every day I take calls from players, and parents and I answer questions about their hockey career paths. One question that is coming up more often lately is;
“Should a Midget aged player leave AAA hockey for an opportunity in Tier III or pay to play junior hockey?”
It is a pretty broad question to ask since each player and family circumstances are different. Financial circumstances, family circumstances, local playing opportunity limitations, and the players goals can all impact any specific advice I would give to a client.
That said, there is some very general information we can all go by, learn from, and allow it to help assist us in making our individual decisions.
If the long term goal is to play NCAA hockey, and if that goal is to be achieved through the USHL, NAHL, NCDC or any other league that holds an annual player draft, then simply look at the draft results. Players being drafted come from AAA hockey in the great majority of instances.
The draft results will tell you where each league scouts the most and places their highest values on prospects.
In a great majority of circumstances that high value is placed on Midget hockey, or Prep school. Very few players are drafted from Tier III or pay to play hockey. This is true for every top level NCAA commitment producing league in the United States or Canada.
That doesn’t mean that Tier III hockey isn’t good, or isn’t the right path for some players, it just means that the great majority of players entering those leagues are coming from age specific programing. The EHL and USPHL lead the way in NCAA commitments at the Tier 3 level. The caveat for those leagues being that those NCAA commitments are for players who are 20 years old and aging out of junior hockey.
Considering some communities do not offer Midget AAA programing, but they do offer Tier III or pay to play programs. In that circumstance, if you are not ready to move away from home, or do not want to move away from home, then Tier III is a great option.
If you are in a situation where finances will dictate where you play, then the decision is a simple one. Do what’s best for your family situation financially. Do not go into massive debt for any playing option.
One item though that needs to be addressed is the claim that playing Tier 3 is better than playing AAA. That is simply not true. The argument or talking point that you will be better off playing against bigger, stronger and older players does not hold water. The draft results prove, players dominating in their age specific programing are the ones that move up the fastest.
The truth is, if you are not a dominating player, you will get less ice time at Tier 3 than at AAA where you could dominate. And dominating players are the ones who move up. Not guys who are role players or in and out of the lineup.
The idea that a player wanting to play Tier 2 in the NAHL, NCDC, BCHL or any other league next year will have a better chance at that opportunity by playing Tier 3 is not supported by any evidence.
Finally, if you can afford it, and you are serious about pursuing an NCAA opportunity, hire an experienced adviser to help you with these decisions. It will not be inexpensive, but if he is a good adviser he will end up saving you time, money, and stress while helping put you in a great position to achieve your dreams.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
