Its August 7th. While some of you are comfortably hitting the snooze button this morning delaying your trip to the gym, thousands of others are hitting the panic button.
All you brilliant players who went to all of those pre draft, open, and main camps with 200 players at each camp, and still dont have a team to play on better realise that summer is over. You made some more bad choices and now you are really in a very dangerous position.
I know. Everyone was sure they would make the USHL, NAHL or NCDC. Of course all those email invites were genuine interest in you. Of course the coaches screwed you and didnt give you a fair shake. Yes, I know the other players they had you play with were not as good.
Maybe it is time to stop making excuses and take some responsibility for your choices of which camps you went to and why. Maybe it is time to start listening to people who know what they are talking about, and not thinking that you are somehow going to make things happen for you before anyone else thinks they should happen.
One big fact most of you hitting the panic button refuse to recognize is that you cannot speed up development, and the people at the top making decisions will tell you when you are ready. Harsh reality, but the sooner you start dealing with it and understanding that reality, the sooner you caan make a real plan to move yourself forward.
So, you still want to play Tier II?
Time to look at Canada and Europe. Yes, Europe. Both places are going to cost some money, but both places are higher levels than most Tier III options.
Now that you are in this situation, you do not have much time to act. Canadian Junior A/Tier II teams have been signing players for weeks and there are not many spots left.
The European season begins in four weeks. There are more spots available in Europe than in Canada.
Before you toss the idea of Europe out the window, go look back at the USHL, NAHL, NCDC, Major Junior and NHL draft results and count how many European players were picked in those drafts. There is just as much scouting in Europe as there is in many parts of North America.
If things have not worked out the way you thought they would, maybe its time to start looking at some alternative plans? Maybe its time to try something new.
If you have no eligibility left for AAA, then your options are Tier III, Canada or Europe. Thats it. Which is the best option for you and your long term goals?
I can help you answer those questions when your ready to take a new approach.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
