Making the "next step(s)"

When it come to advancement numbers do not lie.  Sure there are out lying floating statistics, but when you disect those players pasts, they too are tied in to the mainstream.  The mainstream is as real as a heart attack.
Since the 1960's Canadian Major Jr has produced more NHL than all other feeder systems combined. COMBINED.
We have all had our parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles or advisors tell us in some way, that life is simple.  Life is a never ending hall way, lined with doors. At some point they are all open. But as we grow up and make choice to pass through one, others close, and others open. The game of hockey is about doing all you can every day as a player to open as many as possible.
The vault doors. In order of ranking
1. The NHL. 2. Major JR 3. The NCAA D1
Open any of those vault doors and it's safe to say you'll have arrived.  The NHL is a no brainer, you've taken a game- sport and been blessed to make to make it your job.
But major jr and NCAA d1
Just because you make one or the other doesn't mean you'll make the NHL
But you have arrived on the next two largest stages possible.
Funny thing is, to reach either is begun really at bantam.  Where you are and what you are doing pre bantam doesn't mean dinky do.  Sure there is honestly talent evaluation being at pee wee; however, statistics show the alarming truths.  Most top players in pee wee vanish by 15.  Most?   To the tune of nearly 93%.  To much growing, not enough growing, skill development, not enough development and to many games, not enough conditioning, to much conditioning
Burn out, injury, and oh yea....the "love" factor.
So truth be told the next best hockey player at 12u maybe learnihg to skate as you read this.
Then we have the map. At some point people, the right people will need to see these players play.  They need to see them not only play, but perform in a context with which they familure. This is where the golden rule comes into play.  Remeber the golden rule?  Players need to play at the highest level they can where they are competitive.  There are some exceptions, but again this main stream.  One kid every 8 years emerging from an obsecure level to make d1 is not what you want to aim for.
What do we aim for?   It's simple.  Honor role.  You have to have the grades for two reasons.  1 to keep doors open and two in order to sucesfully miss some school for hockey.  Michigan is working on fixing their water downed AAA problem.  Is it a perfect fix, no
But it will force the issue of strengthening all levels. Being the best player is not enough.  You also have to be the right player. If your a jack ass, lacking self control or general maturity guess what?  The kid your better than just got your spot, and when your telling stories about the big high school game..,.he is playing in front of 25 scouts.  While both parths may lead to the exact same place one has more opurtunity than tge other.  It's undenable.  As I tell my kids all the time.  "Be sucessfull, give me the problem".  What's that about?  Everything.  Every kid has dreams.  It's about doing everything you can, every day, to reach your dreams. I'm less fortunate than some, and more than others.  If my daughter say wants to be an actress.  I see her doing things on her own to feed that desire, I'm going to help. Should that work lead to her wanting to NYU
Or x.  I'm going to do all I can with her to figure it out. Now if she shows up the day of Hs graduation wanting to go to NYU acting school having never done a darn thing along the way....it's hard.
So if my hockey player has an OHL team at age 15 wanting to know if they draft him if he will sign and play, and he has done his part to that point.   Yea we have something of a good problem!  A life altering, life long problem.  One that is good to have.

A total of 299 players were selected in the 15-round process of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection from 101 different teams across Ontario and parts of the United States.  The selected players included 165 forwards, 100 defencemen, and 34 goaltenders.  282 players chosen were 1997-born athletes, with 14 players born in 1996, two born in 1995, and one born in 1998. The Ontario Minor Hockey Association led the way with 96 players selected from 23 different teams with 12 players from the OHL Cup Champion Oakville Rangers including a draft-high three first round picks, followed by nine players from each of the Barrie Jr. Colts, Whitby Wildcats, and York Simcoe Express.  There were 59 players selected from 37 different American programs led by nine players from Detroit Compuware.  The Greater Toronto Hockey League had 52 players selected from 14 different teams including the Toronto Marlboros who led the entire Priority Selection with 14 players chosen.  The ALLIANCE had a total of 46 players selected representing 10 different clubs led by the London Jr. Knights Gold with nine players selected.  The Ontario East Minor Hockey League had 23 players selected from five different clubs led by the Eastern Ontario Wild with seven players selected, while the Northern Ontario Hockey Association had 15 players selected from seven clubs led by five players from the Soo Thunder.  Hockey Northwestern Ontario was also represented by four players selected from the Thunder Bay Kings, while four other players were selected from various junior programs in Ontario  

Should we look  and examin the NCAA D1,USNDTP and USHL and NAHL you will see similar trends in "where they came from"

When we see a player who ellects to go to JRs, when he should try to play AAA midgets, and he finds himself in Tier3 or worse AAU, playying 3,000 miles from everything...its a big problem.  Just as not playing at the higest level you can play at when it becomes available is a problem.


Okay so I should have some exciting posts coming up....stay tuned