What Do We Do Now?

[UCMnumber8 32]

Hey everyone. We're having some issues in our league... 

 

I say we have issues like it's a new thing this season, but the league I currently play in (we're D league, so we're the lowest of the low at our rink) has always had issues. When it first got started, it was an absolute train wreck. You'd have teams of guys at C league skill level or above all on the same team, and they'd dominate and go on runs of 3-4 straight championships. The commissioner decided to step in, and try to balance the league out; started having evaluation skates for all players, and designating one higher skilled level player as a PC (player/coach). This seemingly worked for a while, but some of the PCs were using the position as a means to dominate and pad their stats, while not helping the team as a whole and develop the under-skilled and newer players. 

 

Our PC has helped our team in ways I can't even begin to count, and we've enjoyed having him on our roster. Hell, if it wasn't for him, our captain and, our other alternate captain, we wouldn't even be here playing. The team was their idea birthed from a road trip to Colorado last year, so to say we value Randy and are grateful for him is a massive understatement. 

 

Now here lies the issue. The commissioner sent an email out to the 7 captains in D league this week saying that the PC role on each team will be eliminated next season, and that the PCs will need to move up to a skill level suited to them, i.e. C league or above. Obviously we don't want to lose him, as he's a great forward and team leader. Our captain sent us a personal email detailing what I described above, and gave us an ultimatum while asking our input on it: we can either stay in D league and lose Randy, or we can move up to C league while keeping him. Our team isn't exactly C league material, as most of us started playing hockey later on in life. We still have problems with fundamentals like passing, positioning, etc. That's to be expected, D league was meant for beginners and lower-level players like us. If we made the jump, it'd be a big step up, higher than what we're used to. I fear we'd get crushed, and it'd reach a point to where hockey wouldn't be fun for us.. But it could be possible we work during the break to get better and maybe stand a chance in C league.

 

I'm sure some of you will think I probably answered my own question in that last paragraph on what we should do, but I'd rather get second opinions before weighing it all and saying my piece to our captain and locking my decision in. So I ask, what would be better for us: to just eat losing one of our better players and stay in D league, or make the jump to C league and keep him? 

 

I'll add some links to our league page so you can get idea of what our league is like.

http://centerpointcommunityice.com/hockey/adulthockey/D_League/ (overview of D league)

http://wr.maxsolutions.com/files/Weblink/clients/IndependenceEventsCenter/TeamSchedules/TS_D Lea_2577_Bootlegger.htm (our team)

http://wr.maxsolutions.com/files/Weblink/clients/IndependenceEventsCenter/TeamStandings/LSt_D Lea_2577.htm (league standings)

http://wr.maxsolutions.com/files/Weblink/clients/IndependenceEventsCenter/PlayerStats/LShp_D Lea_2577.htm (individual player stats)

 

Thanks for any input you guys can offer. 

[IPv6Freely 2094]

I’d let him move up. 

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

Move up and hope for the best.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

How long is a session?  Around here its a couple months.  If its similar there, I'd say to bump up with him to C and give it a go, see how it is.  If its crap and nobody is having any fun, then bounce back down the next session without the really good guy.

Mark

[Vet88 674]

We had something similar happen in our local league, forced movement by the governing body of players into a league were their skill set was appropriate. As much as we hated losing / gaining certain players, this year it has made the league much more even across the 4 divisions and everyone is giving positive feedback (except those who were forced to move). Let him move, stay were you are until your skill level lets you move up. Whilst its a great thought to aspire to that your whole team will practice hard and be C level competitive by next season, realistically it just isn't going to happen. Believe me, it's no fun getting crushed in a higher division on a weekly basis. What you could do is ask him to help on the bench during the games and maybe run practices for the team, if he is willing? This way he stays involved and gives a something back to the team.

[IPv6Freely 2094]

To expand on my comment, I'd rather do something that might suck for a season vs something that might suck for a long time. I mean, what if the league likes having x number of teams in C and won't let you move back down even if you're getting crushed? I think I'd prefer a season losing your player coach and being at an appropriate level vs doing something drastic and getting stuck. You can always move up if you decide to go that route after a season. 

[Kgbeast 195]

From what I am reading, whatever you current standing in the D league is, is in large attributed to on-ice performance of Randy. So you do not even know how well you'd do in the D league once he leaves. Is it possible that you will need to put extra work during next couple of weeks anyway so you just remain competitive in the D league?

Besides, the PC move up, is intended just for PC, not for PC and his d-team. If all d-teams move to C, it will be more of the same but much worse. 

[clarkiestooth 235]

There's an old saying by George Washington or General Grant : " Tis better to die on your feet in the C League, than to live on your knees in the D League".

Life is about challenges and growing into them. Like Rocky says, you gotta take a shot.

 

***EDIT: Ok, I looked up the quote. It was coined by Emiliano Zapata, a Mexican rebel, during the Mexican Revolution, with beer league hockey in mind.