Sanctions-Schools

[Guest phillyfan]

Has anyone ever successfully got a school behind their teams? Everyone I talk to feels the same way, hockey players aren't recognized enough for their efforts in and around school. The day after the Varsity Tier I team wins the Championship, there is another boring story on the morning announcements about how the Chess Club beat a local school, or how the Tennis Team lost a hard-fought match. A flotilla of teamates and I are thinking of starting a petition, or whatever it takes, and rant to the School for hockey at least to be recognized as a sport there. I believe there are only two sanctioned teams in New Jersey, why can't other schoolss do the same? It wouldn't cost a dime for them, as the players will still pay for their equipment, uniforms, and ice slots. Sure, we wouldn't mind donations, but it's not going to be a major issue, all we want are the same rights the basketball,baseball, football, and tennis players have. Has anyone ever even attempted to try this? What would we have to do to accomplish this? Hockey is quite popular amongst our fellow classmates, and plenty of Flyer Teacher Phans. Gaining support and signatures wouldn't be an issue, but what can we do? Sorry for the long read, coming off a Flyers loss, and another talk about the issue with a friend. Thanks.

[hockey_player_11 0]

First off, I know how you feel. Our school thinks our team is a joke. I think that the best thing to do is to get people out to see your games. That way they will see how good you guys are and you will get some support.

[kosydar 0]

My guess is, its not as simple for the school to just say "OK you guys are a team now". It probably has to be approved by the school board, ect. Plus, I don't know how many schools will be that eager to take on the responsibility for hockey, as it seems to come with some negative stuff a lot of the time.

[Guest 2048]

Just be happy your school has a team. My school has no football, hockey or wrestling teams. Our best sport is volleyball, I think.

[#94 3]

phillyfan,

Eastern HS (obviously the one you attend) is in the Pennsylvania HS hockey league. Every HS team that is located in NJ that plays in that league does not have a school sanctioned program. I go to St. Augustine (not proud of that by any means, barely showed up to any games this year) and hockey in our school is sanctioned. Every team that plays in the NJ HS league is sanctioned. If you guys were to sanction hockey, you would have to move into the NJ HS league.

Clearview was trying to do this last year, but as you may know the Clearview/Township games get very outta hand amonst the fans in the bleachers, where the school board happened to be sitting. The school board loved the spirit the students had for their repsective schools and the intense rivalry that Clearview/Township has developed over the years. I don't know if anything has developed reguarding the sanctions, as of yet, but one day it will happen.

[Chadd 916]

I live in PA and if the schools recognized the sport it would then fall under PIAA jurisdiction. The PIAA is under review by the state legislature for numerous reasons. It would also require the referees to be registered with them and attend their meetings in addition to paying the USA Hockey and local association fees and the game appointments would be even be more political than they are now.

[Guest phillyfan]

hockeyplayer & Theo:Gaining support isn't a problem for us, we fill the bleachers every game during a season, Tier _ through JV, and even MS occasionally. Heck, for Tier I games, they charge admission and still fill the stands.

Kosydar:I know it's not that easy, that was my question, what can I do?

2048:I am very happy that we have a hockey team, that was one reason my parents chose to move from Atco, to Berlin. Winslow Township doesn't have the best education either, any of you locals...

#94:Eastern is in the SJHSIHL league, you should know that! SJHSIHL.org to see. I mean, we are called the Eastern Vikings, but, if you were to go to school to the main office or whatnot, and requested information on the Ice Hockey team, they'll tell you we don't have an Ice Hockey team.

[Hockeyman9621 0]

Here in hamilton, they let all the high school kids out to see hockey games, and there's always cops there because fans (students of both schools) want to fight eachother, theres so much hype for hockey when their team goes far.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

Wow, hockey at my high school doesn't even have verymany people there because our games our during school, about a 30 minute drive away. All the other schools got buy-outs for games excpt for our casue it's gay.

[Guest phillyfan]

Our games are never during school hours, as are some basketball games or whatnot. Does anyone have second-hand information regarding an attempt at this?

[Chadd 916]

Once the schools recognize it, they will be selecting coaches, practice times etc... You may find that you are better off now than if they do make it an official school sport.

[Eman24dx 0]

Our school was very big into football, holding pep rallies all the time and hockey got no recognition, even when we were in the playoffs.

The only way we were able to get support was todo it for ourselves. When we had a big game we would pass out flyers, put up signs, and have teaches encourage students to come out. When we did this and pumped up a Friday night game we got a huge crowd, I mean a few times there were tailgate parties- Food, beer, the whole 9. Most of these were broken up when a few cop cars showed up. But when the game started the crowd was nuts and we had so much energy.

Moral of the story you gotta do it for yourself, get the word out and make it fun.

[Chadd 916]

Every Wednesday and Friday is like that around here, those are the big nights for HS hockey around here. You can't park within a quarter mile of the rink if you don't get there early. The local police are always there too.

[tyler9 0]

Our principle is a pretyy big hockey fan so he encourages techers tot ell people to come to important games like our leauge final. If you guys have trouble getting people to come put it on the announcements.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

My high school, even though I refuse to play for them, doesnt neccisarily sanction the sport, but it does get mentioned on the announcements quite often. The players do have some wind/warmup suit type things that they wear to school on game day (look like little blue and gold smurfs), but I dont know who payed for them. My school is $1600 to play per year, it really would be nice for schools to atleast buy jerseys or a few ice times for the teams. I mean, our football team just got brand new NIKE everything, jerseys, pants etc. and a bunch of weights in the weight room, but thats what I get for living in western PA, a football area. The least they could do is pay for the hockey players jerseys,helmets and shells. It would really help out alot of people, considering how equipment alone for hockey is more than alot of players play for a whole season worth of a sport sometimes.

Do "hockey" high schools like up in Michigan and Minnesota and those area's pay for their schools hockey, or is it still something where the players pay outrageous amounts just to wear the school colors and logo with no financial backing from the school itself.

[Eman24dx 0]

A few schools here in WNY pay for everything. Ice, some equip, and clothes but thoes are only for the fed schools I believe.

[Guest phillyfan]

I know that if we want a good fanbase, that's totally up to us, but as stated, Fans and support aren't an issue. See, without sanctions, players can't even say they played hockey for their high school on College Applications as with tennis players...

[Flo Hockey 7 0]

Here in Minnesota it's around $200 a year and it used to be even less before the budget cuts some schools are up to around $300 a year. Our school will buy jerseys, helmets, socks and a few years ago they got an order of custom pants from CCM and the new coach (who is a royal pain in the ass) is a part of owner of a sports shop so he will give the players discounts.

Hockey is very big around here in case you missed the SI town. Was St. Paul and it talked about how we sellout the Xcel during the state tournament.

Ljack, our games are huge one time when we played Centennial there wasn't a parking spot within a half mile and when we play White Bear they always staff extra rent-a-cops. One time I remember a few h.s. kids took a hose and sprayed a white bear kids car with water on the coldest night of the year when they were done there was literally four inches of ice on his car.

[Chadd 916]

Hockey in this area can't compare to New England or the upper midwest. Since I only live 100 miles or so from the person who started this thread, the situations are comparable.

Getting one school to recognize a team is almost impossible. You have a better chance if you can find people willing to create a league that the schools will feel comfortable endorsing.

[Guest 2048]

Flo Hockey 7, 200 or 300 per year, is this at a private school or something?

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

Here in Canada ours was $220 and we only got socks and sprong jackets. We didn't even get to keep our jerseys, which really sucked becasue even the vollyball team got to keep their jerseys. I guess JV HS hockey in Canada is underrated though, espically in my area. It's all about the full Varsity teams (which is basically all grade 12's) for football and hockey. Where we really get screwed though is the way people look at HS hockey around here, the rivalries just aren't intense enough untill you get to sr. hockey, or you play in Toronto. Our team kicked ass and we only got on the announcements once. We were a AA rated team with a mix of 9's and 10's and we were beating teams composed of all gr.10 AAA players. I think it's mostly the coaches fault its not on the announcements, because we seemed to be the only team who wasen't.

[Guest phillyfan]

Damn, $300 to play? It cost $690 here, not including uniforms and one practice a week, and this is only a school team....How much is Travel Hockey in the state of a thousand lakes?

[Flo Hockey 7 0]

Phillyfan- Lol, Ten-Thousand lakes. Travel is around 800 a year w/ jerseys, socks, hats, jackets and this year we got sweatpants. All the apparel was bought by our sponser.

2048- No it's a public school. Other sports are even cheaper like golf all greens fees paid(at some of the nicest courses in the area) and it's only $100. Baseball and football are also $100.

[Guest phillyfan]

I know it's ten thousand lakes, but if your hockey prices are like that, all numbers over there must be different! $800 for travel? Damn, I have to find a house in MN!