Making the Jump

[Jamarquan 201]

Hey everyone, 

Ive been put in an odd situation with teams for the upcoming season. I've outgrown U14 Bantam Tier 4. I'm trying out for my high school's JV squad, which is hyper competitive and I likely won't make it due to me below average skill. However, I've been added to the roster of a Tier 2 U16 team, which is only half season. I've experienced more physical hockey from Bantams, but not at the Tier 2 level. Any advice?

 

Sorry for the confusing long winded post.

[Vet88 673]

It is hard to give anyone advice with no idea of how you skate or play. But in general my number one rule is keep your head up. If you don't think you have the physicality or skill to match it at this level then change your game, play more of a support role, look to link and feed the puck to your better players and NEVER stop skating ie work your ass off and always keep your feet moving so a 6' 220lb centre doesn't clock you into next week (I have made an assumption here that you are playing wing?). And for one last time: Keep your head up!

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Play at the level that is best for you developmentally and where you will have the most fun.  Playing up so that you are overmatched and sit on the bench is not a good idea.

 

[Jamarquan 201]

2 hours ago, Vet88 said:

It is hard to give anyone advice with no idea of how you skate or play. But in general my number one rule is keep your head up. If you don't think you have the physicality or skill to match it at this level then change your game, play more of a support role, look to link and feed the puck to your better players and NEVER stop skating ie work your ass off and always keep your feet moving so a 6' 220lb centre doesn't clock you into next week (I have made an assumption here that you are playing wing?). And for one last time: Keep your head up!

I'd say I dump in and crash the net and look for rebounds and tips more than anything. The biggest advantage my size (5 ft 4 in, 117 lbs) gives me is that I draw penalties easily. But if I have the puck in space, I will pass to my center or other wing (your assumption was right, I alternate between right and left, but mostly right). 

[Jamarquan 201]

43 minutes ago, dkmiller3356 said:

Play at the level that is best for you developmentally and where you will have the most fun.  Playing up so that you are overmatched and sit on the bench is not a good idea.

 

Obviously I don't want to be out of my league, but the younger guys on older teams, especially the less skilled and smaller ones, will play less. I went entire games last year getting three or four shifts, sometimes none the whole game. I'm used to not playing and making what I can of he time I have, so playing time is on the back burner a little. I don't really mind the challenge either. It's not that the guys I'll be up against are big, it's that they're either a) idiots or b) think they can make the NHL (as a bit of background, the town I live in is known to have kids get scouted and recruited for big name colleges in sports in middle school. A classmate of mine was getting stuff from Notre Dame over lacrosse. I chalk it up to overly optimistic parents.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

20 minutes ago, Jamarquan said:

Obviously I don't want to be out of my league, but the younger guys on older teams, especially the less skilled and smaller ones, will play less. I went entire games last year getting three or four shifts, sometimes none the whole game. I'm used to not playing and making what I can of he time I have, so playing time is on the back burner a little. I don't really mind the challenge either. It's not that the guys I'll be up against are big, it's that they're either a) idiots or b) think they can make the NHL (as a bit of background, the town I live in is known to have kids get scouted and recruited for big name colleges in sports in middle school. A classmate of mine was getting stuff from Notre Dame over lacrosse. I chalk it up to overly optimistic parents.

To me it makes no sense to choose a team where you are playing 3 shifts.

[Jamarquan 201]

1 minute ago, dkmiller3356 said:

To me it makes no sense to choose a team where you are playing 3 shifts.

I didn't choose to do it last season. It's a short bench this year though.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

32 minutes ago, Jamarquan said:

I didn't choose to do it last season. It's a short bench this year though.

My only point in answering your question is that if you have a chance to play on a team where you will get ice time and a team where you will not then choose the one where you will get ice time.  You won't improve and develop otherwise.  Just my opinion and its what I would tell my own son.

 

[BubblesNConky 0]

38 minutes ago, dkmiller3356 said:

My only point in answering your question is that if you have a chance to play on a team where you will get ice time and a team where you will not then choose the one where you will get ice time.  You won't improve and develop otherwise.  Just my opinion and its what I would tell my own son.

 

To add onto this advice not only does the development suck if you're not playing much, it's not any fun at the end of the day.