Minor Hockey Talks - Hockey Forum

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 4:56 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Wed May 14, 2025 12:19 am

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 1:56 pm Does anyone have information on how the Open Borders affected each team? It would be interesting to see the breakdown by team.

The U9MD --> U10AA team had 3 kids make YSE, 7 kids return, 4 kids cut to A and 2 kids left for Stouffville. 9 New Players out of 16.

The U11AA --> U12AA team had 0 kids make AAA, 7 kids left, 2 assistant coaches quit, star goalie left, and 5 Aurora A kids moved up including 2 A goalies. Considering how much the other teams in the division improved, it would be hard to do worse than last year, but this team will find a way to do worse. Coaching & development is atrocious to non-existent.

The U11A -- U12A team only retained 3 kids, a couple moved up, lots of upperyork B kids will improve this team. Assistant coach from upperyork can only improve the coaching & development from last season. Heard a rumor going around that someone from AMHA had a hand in cutting majority of Aurora A kids to ensure they fill the B team. Hope that's not true.

The narrative surrounding the 2024–2025 U11AA to U12AA transition, as referenced in the post above, only tells part of the story.
The 2024–2025 U11AA team welcomed six players from the U10A team to replace several players who moved on to various AAA programs. Unfortunately, the U10A team’s coaching was widely regarded as abysmal, with a reputation for inconsistency and favoritism that severely stunted the players’ development. The U10A coach, like many volunteer coaches in the AMHA, prioritized his own child’s success, securing them disproportionate power-play time, penalty-kill shifts, and extra ice time. This self-serving approach left the rest of the team neglected, resulting in players who were woefully unprepared for the jump to AA. By the end of the U10A season, most players lacked not only the necessary skills but also a grasp of basic fundamentals—many didn’t even understand the offside rule.

When these players transitioned to the U11AA team for the 2024–2025 season, all but one or two struggled to adapt to the faster, more demanding AA level, arriving with significant gaps in both skill and hockey IQ. The U11AA coaches inherited a challenging situation but worked tirelessly to bridge these deficits. They organized extra conditioning sessions at a local gym and secured additional ice time whenever possible. The team’s struggles were not due to their efforts but rather the inadequate foundation laid by the U10A coach.
As a result of these challenges, the U11AA to U12AA transition saw seven players leave the team, with four returning to A-level hockey after failing to secure spots on AA teams elsewhere. This situation highlights two persistent issues:

Inconsistent Parent Coaches: As long as AMHA relies on volunteer parent coaches, inconsistent coaching quality and favoritism will continue to undermine player development. The U10A coach’s poor reputation and self-interested approach are a prime example, leaving players ill-equipped for higher levels.

Delusional Parents: Too often, parents overestimate their children’s abilities, convinced their child is destined for elite hockey. The most vocal parents frequently harbor the most unrealistic expectations. For instance, despite their children’s struggles at the AA level, several U11AA players tried out for AAA teams, only to fall short—a clear sign of inflated perceptions.
While coaching inconsistencies, like those exemplified by the U10A coach, play a significant role, the larger issue often lies with parents who fail to assess their children’s abilities realistically. Until AMHA addresses the variability in volunteer coaching and parents adopt a more grounded perspective, these challenges will continue to hinder player development.

All very valid points. The coaching inconsistencies is a challenge for all sports across the board. Unfortunately there seems to be fewer and fewer parents that are willing and/or able to volunteer their time and make that level of a commitment to a team so associations are left with a tough situation - take a willing but inexperienced parent to coach a team or risk having a team without a coach. It's unfortunate and unfair to the kids in both situations. The parent problem of having unrealistic ideas of their kids abilities is only getting worse unfortunately and is usually driven by their own ego amd desire to achieve what they themselves did not or weren't given the chance to.

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 8:39 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 4:56 pm

Guest wrote: ↑Wed May 14, 2025 12:19 am

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 1:56 pm Does anyone have information on how the Open Borders affected each team? It would be interesting to see the breakdown by team.

The U9MD --> U10AA team had 3 kids make YSE, 7 kids return, 4 kids cut to A and 2 kids left for Stouffville. 9 New Players out of 16.

The U11AA --> U12AA team had 0 kids make AAA, 7 kids left, 2 assistant coaches quit, star goalie left, and 5 Aurora A kids moved up including 2 A goalies. Considering how much the other teams in the division improved, it would be hard to do worse than last year, but this team will find a way to do worse. Coaching & development is atrocious to non-existent.

The U11A -- U12A team only retained 3 kids, a couple moved up, lots of upperyork B kids will improve this team. Assistant coach from upperyork can only improve the coaching & development from last season. Heard a rumor going around that someone from AMHA had a hand in cutting majority of Aurora A kids to ensure they fill the B team. Hope that's not true.

The narrative surrounding the 2024–2025 U11AA to U12AA transition, as referenced in the post above, only tells part of the story.
The 2024–2025 U11AA team welcomed six players from the U10A team to replace several players who moved on to various AAA programs. Unfortunately, the U10A team’s coaching was widely regarded as abysmal, with a reputation for inconsistency and favoritism that severely stunted the players’ development. The U10A coach, like many volunteer coaches in the AMHA, prioritized his own child’s success, securing them disproportionate power-play time, penalty-kill shifts, and extra ice time. This self-serving approach left the rest of the team neglected, resulting in players who were woefully unprepared for the jump to AA. By the end of the U10A season, most players lacked not only the necessary skills but also a grasp of basic fundamentals—many didn’t even understand the offside rule.

When these players transitioned to the U11AA team for the 2024–2025 season, all but one or two struggled to adapt to the faster, more demanding AA level, arriving with significant gaps in both skill and hockey IQ. The U11AA coaches inherited a challenging situation but worked tirelessly to bridge these deficits. They organized extra conditioning sessions at a local gym and secured additional ice time whenever possible. The team’s struggles were not due to their efforts but rather the inadequate foundation laid by the U10A coach.
As a result of these challenges, the U11AA to U12AA transition saw seven players leave the team, with four returning to A-level hockey after failing to secure spots on AA teams elsewhere. This situation highlights two persistent issues:

Inconsistent Parent Coaches: As long as AMHA relies on volunteer parent coaches, inconsistent coaching quality and favoritism will continue to undermine player development. The U10A coach’s poor reputation and self-interested approach are a prime example, leaving players ill-equipped for higher levels.

Delusional Parents: Too often, parents overestimate their children’s abilities, convinced their child is destined for elite hockey. The most vocal parents frequently harbor the most unrealistic expectations. For instance, despite their children’s struggles at the AA level, several U11AA players tried out for AAA teams, only to fall short—a clear sign of inflated perceptions.
While coaching inconsistencies, like those exemplified by the U10A coach, play a significant role, the larger issue often lies with parents

All very valid points. The coaching inconsistencies is a challenge for all sports across the board. Unfortunately there seems to be fewer and fewer parents that are willing and/or able to volunteer their time and make that level of a commitment to a team so associations are left with a tough situation - take a willing but inexperienced parent to coach a team or risk having a team without a coach. It's unfortunate and unfair to the kids in both situations. The parent problem of having unrealistic ideas of their kids abilities is only getting worse unfortunately and is usually driven by their own ego amd desire to achieve what they themselves did not or weren't given the chance to.

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 3:56 pm not to be "that guy" but ya'll do realize this is probably some 15yo kid who is just messing with you all, pretending to be someone from the club board. You are just being trolled.

What do you think is more likely?

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 6:46 pm Who cares about the award anyway, it’s a nothing award given to a nothing coach. He’s a nobody. The rest of the hockey world laughs at him, let CS kiss his proverbial behind. At this point, who cares. The ones that wanted out got out. He’ll get his one day, I can promise you that.

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 6:46 pm Who cares about the award anyway, it’s a nothing award given to a nothing coach. He’s a nobody. The rest of the hockey world laughs at him, let CS kiss his proverbial behind. At this point, who cares. The ones that wanted out got out. He’ll get his one day, I can promise you that.

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 10:37 pm lol looks like Mrs. MM came back to defend her husband’s honour. It’s ok, nobody likes you either.

Guest wrote: ↑Tue May 27, 2025 3:56 pm not to be "that guy" but ya'll do realize this is probably some 15yo kid who is just messing with you all, pretending to be someone from the club board. You are just being trolled.

What do you think is more likely?