My kid is on the smaller side, best 2015 player in the GTHL is small. Don’t get caught up with size, skill wins until U14 if they get pushed around. Two kids equal skill, likely going to go with the bigger kid.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 5:55 pm New to this whole AAA thing and I have a question for parents who have had older kids go through kids making AAA teams. Why are coaches in preference of bigger kids when the smaller kids are much quicker and can zip around the ice much faster? I feel that coaches are not even giving some of these smaller kids a chance at AAA unless it’s filling the end of rosters. There is no body checking at this age group so what’s the problem?
2016 AAA
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
Been through this a couple of times, here is some insight. The coaching at U10 is never what people crack it up to be for development. Most coaches will be in it to win it. A lot of the “experienced guys” you are referring to can barely skate and do not harp on the fundamental skills, because they are not that skilled themselves.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:08 pm U10 will show who the real coaches are for next year.
Of course you want to do the homework and pick a team that's going to win more than loose. But development is key or else you'll be looking at AA for U11
Who's top 3 coaches for next year? TRW, TM, NATS?
It is VERY VERY important to find a coach that is also still a great hockey player. The kids are all visual learners and they need focus on the fundamentals, fixing issues with technique so they have a great foundation to learn their positions. I see kids at u12 that are still not able to make passes while skating or carry the puck with their head up/shoot with the right technique.
It is really hard for the coach to Develop those skills during practice, so having a top end skills trainer is essential. It is something that I see more frequently with the best players at the older age groups. They all do small groups or privates with a coach who teaches fixes the issues, and then they go to their teams and play with in the structure of the team.
If you are expecting develop of skills from the coaches during practice, you will not get it, so do not be frustrated when it does not match your perception of what development is. Team practices are all about team systems and the same cookie cutter flow drills pretty much the entire year.
The issue is finding a good skills trainer as there are only a handful that actually correct the kids. Most have 20 kids on the ice and are just their to fill their pockets.
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 7:11 pmBeen through this a couple of times, here is some insight. The coaching at U10 is never what people crack it up to be for development. Most coaches will be in it to win it. A lot of the “experienced guys” you are referring to can barely skate and do not harp on the fundamental skills, because they are not that skilled themselves.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:08 pm U10 will show who the real coaches are for next year.
Of course you want to do the homework and pick a team that's going to win more than loose. But development is key or else you'll be looking at AA for U11
Who's top 3 coaches for next year? TRW, TM, NATS?
It is VERY VERY important to find a coach that is also still a great hockey player. The kids are all visual learners and they need focus on the fundamentals, fixing issues with technique so they have a great foundation to learn their positions. I see kids at u12 that are still not able to make passes while skating or carry the puck with their head up/shoot with the right technique.
It is really hard for the coach to Develop those skills during practice, so having a top end skills trainer is essential. It is something that I see more frequently with the best players at the older age groups. They all do small groups or privates with a coach who teaches fixes the issues, and then they go to their teams and play with in the structure of the team.
If you are expecting develop of skills from the coaches during practice, you will not get it, so do not be frustrated when it does not match your perception of what development is. Team practices are all about team systems and the same cookie cutter flow drills pretty much the entire year.
The issue is finding a good skills trainer as there are only a handful that actually correct the kids. Most have 20 kids on the ice and are just their to fill their pockets.
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
This is where the problem is. Most of these old coaches can barely skate unless they have an assistant who can still show the kids. All these old guys need to give it a break especially at the younger age groups. Older coaches are better for the older kids. What younger kids need in a coach is very different than what older kids need. I see parents complaining about TM coach or JRC coach being too young but this is exactly what this age group needs. They don’t need a grandfather.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 7:11 pmBeen through this a couple of times, here is some insight. The coaching at U10 is never what people crack it up to be for development. Most coaches will be in it to win it. A lot of the “experienced guys” you are referring to can barely skate and do not harp on the fundamental skills, because they are not that skilled themselves.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:08 pm U10 will show who the real coaches are for next year.
Of course you want to do the homework and pick a team that's going to win more than loose. But development is key or else you'll be looking at AA for U11
Who's top 3 coaches for next year? TRW, TM, NATS?
It is VERY VERY important to find a coach that is also still a great hockey player. The kids are all visual learners and they need focus on the fundamentals, fixing issues with technique so they have a great foundation to learn their positions. I see kids at u12 that are still not able to make passes while skating or carry the puck with their head up/shoot with the right technique.
It is really hard for the coach to Develop those skills during practice, so having a top end skills trainer is essential. It is something that I see more frequently with the best players at the older age groups. They all do small groups or privates with a coach who teaches fixes the issues, and then they go to their teams and play with in the structure of the team.
If you are expecting develop of skills from the coaches during practice, you will not get it, so do not be frustrated when it does not match your perception of what development is. Team practices are all about team systems and the same cookie cutter flow drills pretty much the entire year.
The issue is finding a good skills trainer as there are only a handful that actually correct the kids. Most have 20 kids on the ice and are just their to fill their pockets.
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
Yes, smaller kids will be faster right now because the bigger kids have not had enough time to adjust to their size in skates on ice but eventually they will also get there unless the kid is over weight then it’s a different issue that needs to be addressed. If a kid is very small and the skill gap is slightly higher than its the bigger kids most coaches will take. the bigger kid because the very small kids will easily get pushed around and struggle against bigger teams. But if the smaller kid is a very good player and not just speed but can understand how to play the game, make the right plays and passes you have nothing to worry about. At AAA coaches don’t want kids trying to go end to end because of speed and losing the puck because it will not work. Just look at the Division A tier 1 teams in KSL they are not winning because they have kids going end to end but rather because they know how to play the game properly and move the puck making good passes to open teammates.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:47 pmMy kid is on the smaller side, best 2015 player in the GTHL is small. Don’t get caught up with size, skill wins until U14 if they get pushed around. Two kids equal skill, likely going to go with the bigger kid.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 5:55 pm New to this whole AAA thing and I have a question for parents who have had older kids go through kids making AAA teams. Why are coaches in preference of bigger kids when the smaller kids are much quicker and can zip around the ice much faster? I feel that coaches are not even giving some of these smaller kids a chance at AAA unless it’s filling the end of rosters. There is no body checking at this age group so what’s the problem?
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
Does anyone have a list of coaches per team and info on each one’s actual coaching experience? Specifically has anyone actually coached aaa at this age or older, or higher levels even?
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
You are not asking the right questions. There are a few coaches who have coached AAA previously but that does not mean they are good coaches and there are certainly coaches you should avoid or you will waste a year for your kid. There are coaches that may have been assistants at the AAA level or have coached lower levels but might be great coaches. Do your homework and ask around, ask other parents.Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 7:32 pm Does anyone have a list of coaches per team and info on each one’s actual coaching experience? Specifically has anyone actually coached aaa at this age or older, or higher levels even?
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
A good rule of thumb I always have when looking at a coach or skills coach is to go to hockey db, type in their name.
If they were a good hockey player you can see their numbers. if they are not on there, they are more than likely not a good coach for development.
It is fine to have an older coach paired with highly skilled assistant coach, but only the top teams generally have 2 highly qualified coaches.
If they were a good hockey player you can see their numbers. if they are not on there, they are more than likely not a good coach for development.
It is fine to have an older coach paired with highly skilled assistant coach, but only the top teams generally have 2 highly qualified coaches.
-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
lolGuest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 7:51 pm A good rule of thumb I always have when looking at a coach or skills coach is to go to hockey db, type in their name.
If they were a good hockey player you can see their numbers. if they are not on there, they are more than likely not a good coach for development.
It is fine to have an older coach paired with highly skilled assistant coach, but only the top teams generally have 2 highly qualified coaches.
please tell us you are joking. Stats as a player have nothing to do with coaching a team nor being a skills coach. You must be new to hockey.-
Guest
Re: 2016 AAA
Sorry if most people know this, but who is the DMF coach?Guest wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:56 pm DMF coach might be the strongest among all coaches. Has the experience and results to back it up. TM coach is a newbie and is half a sleep. Completely clueless he needs to go back to coaching house league. Nats coach is another guy with experience. But DmF will definitely improve and be a top team by u11. They have a solid plan with a trainer and a coach who has a ton of experience.