How do coaches get kids to stay with them? Is it about winning? Is it about having fun? Is it about discipline (or lack thereof)?

For a coach at AAA, it's about doing whatever 'deals with the devil' to make sure the organization wants me back next year. If that means win, then win at all costs.

"Loyalty, respect and other 4 letter words foreign to 98 AAA's.'

hmmmm looks like somebody skipped a math class or two. Has a problem counting letters.

Loyalty and respect are not only foreign to 98 AAA's. The year doesn't matter....it's the number of A's. As soon as that third 'A' gets tacked onto a kid, then it's no holds barred. The attitude and behaviour of many (definitely not all, but certainly many) parents at AAA is dispicable.
Does this also occur at AA and A and houseleague? Sure it does.....however it happens with greater (much greater) frequency and intensity at the AAA level.
Don't forget, these are the parents of the kids who are going to make it all the way....so no wonder why they're so intense - right? Makes perfect sense, right? In fact, that justifies their behaviour...needing to FIGHT for your kid, STAND UP to whoever and whatever gets in his way....right?

Hardly....in fact, I'll bet the numbers and facts show that of the kids who actually do make it, they're the ones who bounced around the systems a little....and had level-headed parents who did not go off the deep end. The kids who have psycho parents actually go nowhere - the parent's behaviour comes back to bit them in the ass at some point and ends up screwing their kid.

not to mention the law of attraction.....

It would be an interesting study: to what degree does the intensity and pressure and politics at the AAA level burn-out talented kids? Are those players, who may be somewhat less talented at a AA or an A level 'go further' because they get to enjoy the game more and develop their passion?

Kids might not get bummed out by politics, to which they are usually oblivious, but pressure from a parent might do it.

They have done studies, lots of studies. Use the time you would spend on here to google it.

I'm too bummed out by your pressure to google it.

Answer for 3:28...it doesn't matter what the burn out rate is, it doesn't matter how young the kid started playing, it doesn't matter how many private lessons, hockey schools or special training he's had or what Spring league he played in...the bottom line for making it in hockey: You either have it...or you don't. Period.

'

I find that the parents in A are worse than the ones in AA. Maybe just the teams we're with. They A parents think their kids are AAA.

I find that the parents in A are worse than the ones in AA. Maybe just the teams we're with. They A parents think their kids are AAA.

agree

I have a kid in AA. He has friends who are AAA. I have watched both. The intensity of the parents and coaches is where the difference is. The parents in AAA all think that their kid is going to the show and it's either a teammate or coach that's holding them back. These parents also tend to yell or critisize other kids on the team. The AA, for the most part, watch the game and yell at their own kid. Coaches tend to not shorten their bench so no one has a stop watch to see if the shifts are equal or not.

"How do coaches get kids to stay with them? Is it about winning? Is it about having fun? Is it about discipline (or lack thereof)?"

Hold on partner.

Lets reformulate the question corrrectly this time:

How do coaches get rid of the weaker players, and still have the good ones stay with them?

It's done all the time, it's called being a coach. Parents aren't paying upward to 5,000 for friendship. If they are you aren't much of a coach.