Oh yeah, I am sure to catch hell over this one. But hey we are in the heat of recruiting season kids, and there is no better time to address the deceit that is taking place in North America concerning pay to play junior hockey.
So lets cut right through the crap and get to the facts. This is specifically aimed at young players who still have the opportunity or eligibility to play Midget AAA hockey.
In case you missed the memo mom’s, dad’s and kids, its the vast majority of players that get drafted into the USHL and NAHL that are coming from Midget AAA programs. Not Tier III junior programs.
Oh sure, a few Tier III players get picked, but the majority of the draft picks are from Midget AAA. Ummmmmm yeah and they post the draft results on line in case you want some proof. Hell, they even do the draft live these days and you can watch it happen.
So why are teams blowing smoke up your ass about coming to Tier III then? Well boys and girls its about the almighty dollar. That’s right, without the paying customer they don’t have a team.
With the over blown expansion of Tier III in USA Hockey and even more so in AAU, there simply aren’t enough players to go around. So when their aren’t enough 18 to 20 year olds, they go after the players who could still play Midget AAA. Oh hell yeah Johnny, we can get you moved up. For sure, playing against 20 year olds is much better for your development as a 16 year old. That’s a load of crap kids.
Did ya ever think there might just be a reason why USA Hockey has age specific programing? Did ya ever think there might just be a reason why so many Midget players move on to the NAHL and USHL? It sure isn’t because they got better playing against 20 year olds.
Now before you think I am picking on Tier III, I am not. There are a bunch of good Tier III programs out there that move kids up to higher levels including NCAA programs. But again, the vast majority of players in the NAHL and USHL came through Midget AAA. The vast majority, not just a small majority.
Now, there are always special circumstances to be considered. Some Midget programs are way more expensive than Tier III programs. Some towns don’t have Midget AAA teams and they have a Tier III junior team. So in the case of finances and location, its not a bad thing to take Tier III over some Midget AAA programs.
Maybe you want to ask the coach who brags about when he played as if its supposed to impress you what path he took when climbing the ladder of hockey. If they talk about their D-1 days or pro hockey, chances are their route to those higher levels did not come through Tier III in most cases. Ask your coach if he played Midget AAA, or prep school.
But hey what do I know, I only read the draft results for the last few years. Talk about proof being in the pudding.
David Wagner – The Angel Of Death – For Those Who Live Stupidly I salute You
*The Death Pool is a mix of comedy, and satire in connection with recent events. It is not an official report of current events although it may look as though the news is so accurate that it could one day happen or may be happening.
