Do we need to say this one more time, THERE ARE NO AAA GIRLS TEAMS. I know it sounds good to say your daughter is on a AAA team, especially at the U10 level but they aren't there. If it's a girls team you are looking for that's one thing.
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Just take a look at where the AAA girls teams tier. They are Silver at best. You are better off having your girls play with the boys in NIHL.If they are good, they get the chance of playing at a higher level. AAA girls teams are a joke.What a waste of money.
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If only the parents of these girls were smart enough to have let there girls play boys NIHL - what a waste.
Illinois, 2009 NCAA Division I Commitments
First Name Last Name Hometown High School Team / Club Team(s) College / University
F Amanda Boskovich LaGrange Chicago Mission Ohio State
G Corinne Boyles Wheaton Chicago Mission Boston College
D Megan Bozek Buffalo Grove Chicago Mission / USA U-18 Team Minnesota
G Erin Callahan Kenilworth Wisconsin Wild Yale
D Casie Fields Buffalo Grove Chicago Mission Northeastern
F Lauren Jones Bloomington North American Hockey Academy Mercyhurst
F Alex Kinney Lake Forest Hotchkiss School / CT Stars Princeton
F Ashley Motherwell St. Charles Lawrence Academy / Assabet Valley / USA U-18 Team Boston College
D Carli Pridmore Winnetka Chicago Young Americans Connecticut
F Jessica Puig Chicago Chicago Young Americans Quinnipiac
F Emma Rambo Joliet Chicago Mission Union
D Whitney Routman Northbrook Chicago Mission Colgate
F Audrey Stapleton Barrington Hills Chicago Young Americans RPI
F Kelly Wallace Berkshire School Northeastern
Illinois 2010 NCAA Division I Commitments (early decisions)
First Name Last Name Hometown High School Team / Club Team(s) College / University
D Maggie Hunt Naperville North American Hockey Academy New Hampshire
F Jocelyn Simpson Chicago Mission Colgate
Look at any of those girls and you'll find out that when they were at the u-10 level, they were playing with boys. It's a fact, the longer they play with the boys, the better they will end up. Of course when they get older they will have to play with the girls. Get the context right.
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They didn't have the kind of girls teams 9-10 years ago for the grads listed above to play on. The teams, organizations, coaching and competition have all changed and improved.
In two to three years, the DI list will include a number of kids who played solely girls as early as U10. If you look at the U10 rosters from as recently as 3-4 years ago from TI, over 60% of those girls who chose to play all-girls as early as U10 are still playing Girls for TI, Mission or CYA. A number of them who are in the 40% chose to leave the sport for other sports like soccer. (Note: some went back and forth to boys for fall teams or spring teams - it just depends).
You are entitled to your opinion. I'll even admit that your opinion has merit, maybe even a majority of the cases before U14, but it is not uniformly correct. Each year for a girl is different, and you must evaluate your daughter's specific circumstances each year.
For example, other factors being equal, your daughter would be far better off on a U10 team at Mission, Sabres, TI than you would be on a weak Squirt Bronze Boys team with a bad to average coach.
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Despite the best efforts of TI and AHAI, many girls back then were double rostered at UIO. I remember the team out of the Artic that beat TI for state.
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The only problem playing with boys at even a young age is the mentality the boys bring on the ice, in short they are little puck hogs and I can talk from experience having had boys in hockey and yes mine were little hoggers as well. If it works in your life and schedule to be on a boys team at 10 then ok, if it works to be on a girls team , ok but don't even think that it makes a significant difference in where they will be at the 16 and 19 level. The girls make the difference, not where they started at this young level. We had terrible coaching at the U10 level but now she is on a top team, she had a love for the game and natural abilities and that came out. If we had terrible coaching at 14 and 16 that might have impacted on her but to think you define who the player is at 10 or so is crazy. You have to quit being so intense about where they play at 10-12, the best thing to do if you want to make sure they get the technique and form down is find a good coach on the side. This helps by not letting them develop bad habits out on the ice which if left unchecked will certainly lead to injuries later on. To the poster with the bad language, GROW UP, why do you need to act like an adolescent by talking like that. You aren't playing the game, REMEMBER THAT.
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While the language may bother some people, it made me laugh, so I guess you can put me in the "Childish" group as well. This board is strictly for entertainment purposes only, which is what that comment did for me. I personally found it a funny, and a correct response to the blow hard making blanket statements about youth hockey., ie; where to play, and when. Please get over yourself and laugh a little.....because were certainly laughing at you, and I suspect a lot of kids that visit this site are getting some well needed comic releif from their own whack-job parents!
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U8,U10,U12 for girls will not develope a player as quickly as playing
on Boys teams at that age. The boys mature after the girls and the
faster pace with younger kids is better for development. Half those
Girls off to play College Hockey all played with Boys and still can.
No, 17 year old girls cannot check and hit or shoot as hard, but they
Can Skate,pass, put the puck in the net better then most??
Hilary Knight from Wi, leading D1 college goal scorer last season,
Played Falcons Bantam major boys ? USA Olympic Player
Amanda Kessel , Played Madison Boys AAA and beat Chicago Mission
Boys for reginal Finals ??
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Bruins U-19/16 team still has a couple spots open. Their tryouts are over but still will take a couple girls.Call 630-973-8867 and arrange to have a tryout.
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Excuse me but this is the first post of mine and I DON'T SEE THE NEED to talk like that, knowing this group it can deteriorate pretty quickly. ALSO I AM ENTITLED TO MY OPINION and I stand by my comment that it means nothing whatever where you play at U10 but I agree that when the girls play with the boys even at the young level it makes them step up at a level different than when with the girls. THAT'S IT. As far as whack-job parents the only whack job is the one that can't use this forum for its intended purpose and that is to discuss issues that come up without resorting to calling people out for their opinions.
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Your certainly wound up now, aren't you? Which was my point here in the first place. If you think this forum is for disseminating any real hockey information, or for posting "thoughtful" questions/responses, then you truly are whacked out! Go back and read your posts OUT LOUD to your little hockey player, then look at the puzzled face they make back at you when it hits them: boy my mom/dad is really f&^$#d up! Get a life for christ sake, and please stop taking yourself, or any youth sport so damn serious.
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You are the reason people say to stay off this forum, if you want fun go to some chat room why don't you. I can see why they wanted to do registration. Please don't post unless you can be civil and informative.
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The best answer is that it's an individual decision. One size does not fit all. Your daughter's size, skill level, personality, where she is in her development, etc all come into play. What is the quality of the coaching available to you at NIHL or CS or AAA? If you're in it for fun do what is fun. If you are in it with a longer term goal in mind, then take a longer term perspective. Mindless statements like all boys are puck hogs or get to AAA asap or AAA is just a waste of money are useless. Your daughter is unique.
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I was being civil, AND informative. Like I said, you are in the wrong place if you are trying to get good advice/information. If I am the reason people stay off this board, (I'm not disputing that) then you are the reason uncivil, uninformative jerks like me come on here to give people like you a hard time. This board never, and I do mean NEVER ceases to entertain me. That is what it is for, ENTERTAINMENT! Get a hobby, or better yet, buy a pair of skates and join a team. I guarantee it will be SO much more rewarding than writing anything on this board. At least then, when you start spouting off about hockey, your kid will have some respect for you.
P.S. I noticed you didn't register either, but don't worry mom, nobody will question you because you are SO positive here, I mean civil, or informative.....oh just go ahead and plug in whatever adjective makes you feel better!
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Ah yes, nothing like coming on a girl's thread making PMS, and Kitty Fighting comments! I generally like to mount your wife from behind, then ask her if she is PMS-ing, then hold on tight....."Rodeo-Sex"
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OK so you are a dufus and don't know what you're talking about. I second the 'there are no AAA girl teams" out there. However, as your daughter gets older the place to be at the especially the 16 and 19 level is on a girls top tier team. That is if she wants to play in hockey and hopefully get some help with college. Yes, it's a lot of money I agree but if your daughter has some talent and wants to play at a higher level then she needs to move up. I have to go now, my hairdresser is here to get me ready for my photo shoot.
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I have to disagree that there is no AAA girls hockey. Up to and including last year, I would have agreed with you as USA Hockey only recognized "girls" -- no levels. But this year, USA Hockey will Have Tier I Girls and Tier II Girls National Championships, thereby establishing "AAA" and "AA" girls hockey for the first time.
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Heck, if that is your definition of AAA then you better call USA Hockey. Most kids on the bottom AAA boys team in Illinois can't make the top two AAA teams. Boys who play AAA in many other states would not be able to make even our worst AAA teams. AAA means a Tier I team (open tryouts, goal to draw the best players at that age group from your area, higher intensity season).
Tier I = AAA
Tier II = AA, A, etc
Tier III = House
And if you look at most Tier I girls clubs websites, they do call them AAA.
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there is a big difference between guys and girls hockey. There is still elite girls soccer and elite boys soccer, one isnt called something else because it's guys or girls. There are different levels of girls hockey, the BEST is called AAA, there is different levels of guys hockey the BEST is called AAA. It doesn't mean that the girls AAA teams can keep up with the guys AAA teams. It is as easy as that.
So sorry your little boy couldn't make the AAA boys team, maybe he could make the girls!
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I do not have any intention of throwing gasoline on the fire, but from observation of the performance of the two AAA U12 Girls teams in NIHL PeeWee Silver it appears that they can play competitively against boy's teams in the Silver and possibly Gold levels.
And most, perhaps not all U12 AA Girls teams, could also give Silver and Bronze boys teams a good contest.
Are they checking in these games? No, because that's the rules for girls hockey.
Are the girls willing to get physical and battle for pucks? Watch a game and you will see the answer is a resounding yes.
Don't automatically assume that Girls hockey is weak hockey, or you'll be in for a nasty surprise.
Don't believe me? Get your PeeWee Silver or Bronze team manager to set up a practice game against one of these U12 Girls teams and see what happens. Give them a good game and you'll be helping these Illinois Girls prepare themselves to compete at the District and National level.
That's good for Illinois hockey!
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Saw it happen.. Coach made snide comment about how nice they have built in cheerleaders, The cheerleaders won. Rah Rah BE AGGRESSIVE B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E
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Big deal. AAA Girls competitive with Silver boys. They don't play by the same rules. When they play the boys it is no checking. Don't get me wrong, these gals are physical and talented, but they play full speed and the boys are playing 85% as they are not allowed to hit. A few years back my sons team played a AAA girls team and we were losing 1-0 after 1st period. In the 2nd period one of the boys knocked a girl out with a legal, but violent hit. He got a penalty but totally changed the game. The girls lost their edge and my sons team won 5-1. After the game he was asked about the hit and he said he didn't even think about it that it was instinct. He forgot he was playing against girls. When you take this instinct away from the boys team, it is not a level playing field. This is just one case, but the hitting does play a roll in the game. Just as with boys who are stars at mite and squirt, but once they get hit really good, some of them are no longer stars at PW. Plus for all that AAA money, ice time, coaching, off-ice, etc..., is it such an accomplishment that they can beat Silver boys? How about playing AAA boys? They won't because they would get killed.
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So you have determined that boys are physically stronger than girls. How many years of college did that take? You admitted that your son's PW Silver team can't skate and pass to keep up with a faster pace of the girls game and the only way they can win is to take cheap shots and break the rules.
What would happen if your son was knocked out with a clean and legal check during a game. How would your team respond?
We are talking about PW Silver which for the most part means they are first year PW players. After 100+ games being played at Mite and Squirt you can not tell me that after 10 games played at PW this year checking is so ingrained in your team that they can't play without it. Most first year kids check by accident as they figure out this new dimension of the game.
The girls play the game for the same reasons the boys play
Learning life skills and team work
Having fun
Exercise
Desire to excel
Making friends
Who cares if this happens at A AA or AAA level
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When will NIHL change this scenario....the girls need to play the girls. HUGE disadvantge to boys, not only regular season, but playoffs also. Say what you want, and everyone has an opinion. This is mine, I think it is wrong.
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The girls are the same age as your boys (97 & 98). USA Hockey doesn't let them check. But, be honest, have you seen how much bigger their defense are than your forwards?? And many of those girls played a season or a spring with the boys and know how to hit.
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I will agree 100% that the girls playing hockey are very talented and can skate and move the puck in some cases better than the boys. But once the boys get to the PeeWee and Bantam level and still have to play the girls teams I believe the boys's are at a distinct disadvantage.
You are asking a boy's team to revert back to playing squirt hockey and taking the physical aspect out of their game. The boy's go into the corner to get the puck and they stop because they cannot hit the girls. The girls are at a huge advantage due to the boy's not being able to play the game the way they have been playing it for years. I enjoy watching the talented girls play hockey, but let them play with the girls, or let them get hit just like everyone else. If they want to play the boy's then suck it up and play the boy's the way the game is meant to be played. Hit away.
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Everyone is missing the point of girls playing the boys:
I have a Pee Wee son that plays NIHL Silver hockey and 100% agree that the boys are at a disadvantage when they play the AAA 12u girls teams, no question about it. The boys have a difficult time adjusting their game and the girls have an unfair advantage plain and simple. Does it mess up the boys for a couple games a year, no question. BUT SO WHAT?
These games are scheduled to help give the girls the competition they need to compete at the highest level of girls hockey. The girls get 25 to 30 games against great competition and it helps develop their skill level to the point that a large number of them will have the opportunity to play some sort of college hockey not to mention create some of the top AAA teams in the country.
Regarding the argument girls should just "play on boys teams" or "check like the boys do",,,,,,, The answer is simple Girls Hockey does not check at the international level or college level, period. end of debate. You may not like the rule but it's the rule; so why would the girls learn a checking game when as everyone agrees it is completely different then a non checking game. Make no mistake about it the girls playing at the AAA level are being trained to have an opportunity to play college hockey (that's the whole point) so naturally they need to learn the "non checking" version of hockey. Are the boys at NIHL Silver level being "tossed under the bus" a couple times a year to help out the top girls players? Yep, no doubt about it. Think of it as giving back to the game of hockey, a good deed, whatever, but to be brutally honest (as a parent of one of the pee wee boys) I know that the chances of my silver level player making the NHL or college ranks are pretty long to say the least and I am guessing if he doesn't make it, it's not because he had to play a handful of games against girls during his career. I can't really see how any reasonable person can make that big of a deal out of this. What real harm is being caused except the occasional bruised ego of losing to girls. If it makes you feel better, think of it as losing the "girls version" of hockey, whatever helps you sleep at night. My suggestion is just to relax and enjoy the game you might just be watching a future member of the USA national team.
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The "non checking" version of girls/women's hockey at the U16/19 level and above can at times be rather brutal especially when most of these girls learned the game at an early age playing with and against boys.
Thank you.
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By Kelly Carter, Special for USA TODAY
Emmy-award winning actress Susan Lucci served as Grand Marshal of The Hollywood Christmas Parade on Nov. 29. The event airs on MyNetworkTV on Dec. 10 and 24. The All My Children star will soon spend more time on the West Coast when production on the soap opera shifts from New York to Los Angeles in January. But first she travels to Tampa, to launch Susan Lucci by Fila, her new sportswear line, on the Home Shopping Network, Dec. 9-10. She shares her travel tips and highlights with Kelly Carter for USA TODAY.
MORE CELEBRITY TRAVEL: Wayne Newton
ARCHIVE: Previous Traveling with the Stars columns
Q: Where have you been recently and what did you like about it?
A: We were in Rome recently for the first time. Rome has been on my wish list for a long time. There was so much to love about it. It surprised me how accessible its beauty is. It's everywhere and all around you. The Colosseum is right there. Michelangelo's Moses is right in a church that you walk in and there's nobody else and you get to see the sculpture close up. The Borghese Gardens were the biggest surprise. If I lived in Rome I would be there all the time. I hadn't seen Bernini before and I fell in love with the Bernini sculptures in the Borghese Villa. On top of it, they were having a Caravaggio exhibit so the beauty of those gardens, the beauty of the home, the Bernini sculptures everywhere and the Caravaggio paintings, oh I could just stay there for a very long time.
Q: What's the best place you've ever visited?
A: I used to tell my husband if I'm ever missing check La Rèserve de Beaulieu in the south of France and you might find me there. It's beautiful, on the Mediterranean and the croissants in the morning are fantastic.
But ultimately I remember so clearly standing on the balcony of our room at Pebble Beach (in California) and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time. My husband looked out at the Pacific Ocean and Pebble Beach and said, "God surely made this place on a Monday when he was well rested." They have a magnificent spa. You can have a massage and a manicure and pedicure in a room in front of a fireplace. It is spectacular, not to mention some of the best golf on the planet. I don't play but my husband and my son do. Pebble Beach is surrounded by that natural beauty and Carmel is so gorgeous.
And we spent several wonderful and memorable days and nights at the Amanpuri resort in Phuket, Thailand. Everything there was meant for your senses. Every time we would leave they would put on fresh linens and put orchids on the pillows and towels. Everything was done with a beautiful artistic hand.
Q: What's the most surprising/unexpected place you're ever visited?
A: In July we were in Kenya working (with Feed the Children) in the slums of Nairobi. We feel that we gained so much. To have the presence of those beautiful children in our memories and in our hearts, it was more than we ever could have imagined. You try to raise some awareness and help these beautiful children any way you can. But the other side of that experience was that we went to Finch Hattons safari park (in Tsavo West National Park). Finch Hattons is the man Robert Redford played in Out of Africaand he started this camp in the southern part of Kenya. It was built in the '20s and has been beautifully maintained. There was a lot of wood and candlelight and animals everywhere. There was a hippopotamus family living in the lake right outside of our tent. To sit down in that kind of environment with a tablecloth, silver and candlelight and have a spectacular dinner with beautiful wine was amazing. It was opposite of the austere experience of Nairobi, but both were equally beautiful and impressive.
Q: What's your favorite vacation spot?
A: For a vacation, for being pampered, wonderful restaurants and free as a breeze, I really like Palm Beach. We stay at The Breakers and I think some of the finest hotels in Europe could take a refresher course from the staff there. It is so well maintained and so beautiful. They spa offers Guerlain products and there's some of the most wonderful golf courses around. You're right on the ocean so it's warm usually and beautiful. To sit outside at lunch is absolutely gorgeous and there are sailboats early in the morning. You can take a Pilates class or have a massage outside overlooking the ocean. Even in globally economic hard times, it lifts your spirits because it's very sparkling. My mother lives there so I go for a long weekend or part of the holidays. Plus some of the best shopping in the world is on Worth Avenue. It's like Madison Avenue with palm trees.
Q: Can you offer an insider tip or recommendation for your favorite vacation place?
A: Some of our favorite restaurants in the country are in Palm Beach. Café L'Europe, especially sitting in the bar, is such a beautiful place. There's a fabulous jazz combo. Chez Jean-Pierre is a wonderful French restaurant. They have Dover sole to write home about and Café L'Europe does as well. None of these places are stuffy.
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