Ice Hockey in Private schools

[Anonymous]

Yes - we are at Rockville to play Spring hockey as well
(in fact we are there practically all year long!!) but that doesn't really tell me much about the HS teams from DC privates and how our current ES age kid might translate up to those teams in 4 years - so I was looking for perspective.

I am starting to think I should just go ask via our MYHA connections and get a better answer....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes - we are at Rockville to play Spring hockey as well
(in fact we are there practically all year long!!) but that doesn't really tell me much about the HS teams from DC privates and how our current ES age kid might translate up to those teams in 4 years - so I was looking for perspective.

I am starting to think I should just go ask via our MYHA connections and get a better answer....

Landon, Prep, and OLGC skate there during the week, so on any given night you should be able to see them practice...Coach @ OLGC use to coach for MYHA, Coach @ SJC - Drew & Josh, also have MYHA background, etc....there's a lot of overlap between club and HS

If your kid is playing travel at myha, he would definetly make the HS team...

-from a mom who is slowly becoming less of a hockey mom...lol...kids r not playing this spring and it feels great! no camps etc..First time in 4 years..

[Anonymous]

Hi OP,

To better address your question, it would be good to know what schools you may be targeting. There are several middle schools that offer middle school hockey such as STA, Landon and perhaps Bullis. If your son is playing with MYHA, he is in a great program and should continue to take clinics and do hockey camps over the summer. High school hockey is definitely competitive at the Varsity level. There is always high visibility of the Team MD players, but it is certainly not exclusive to elite travel team members.

My son is at a high school (no associated middle school) that offers JV, V2 and V!, so it allows for all levels of players to participate. The Varsity level is quite good as you will find with most of the area teams. Please keep in mind that most kids have to work their way through the ranks and start on lower teams. There is a big difference between a new Freshman and a seasoned Senior, just in size alone. These kids check and they can check hard, so if your 120 lb Freshman gets hit by a 200 lb Senior, it is not fun to watch. As other posters have noted certain high schools set the bar quite high. Gonzaga is by far the strongest program and due to WCAC rules they get a much longer season that IAC schools. Unless your kid is a rockstar by 8th grade, that is not a school I would target if that is his only sport.

My son is a pretty good player, but the most important thing about any sport is to be a part of a team and enjoy the season. Ignore the crazy parents out there that think their kids are a slam dunk for the NHL. You will run across them and it is quite amusing. Good luck in your search!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes - we are at Rockville to play Spring hockey as well
(in fact we are there practically all year long!!) but that doesn't really tell me much about the HS teams from DC privates and how our current ES age kid might translate up to those teams in 4 years - so I was looking for perspective.

I am starting to think I should just go ask via our MYHA connections and get a better answer....

Landon, Prep, and OLGC skate there during the week, so on any given night you should be able to see them practice...Coach @ OLGC use to coach for MYHA, Coach @ SJC - Drew & Josh, also have MYHA background, etc....there's a lot of overlap between club and HS

If your kid is playing travel at myha, he would definetly make the HS team...

-from a mom who is slowly becoming less of a hockey mom...lol...kids r not playing this spring and it feels great! no camps etc..First time in 4 years..

(OP here) Ha ha - I totally know what you mean!! I've got a long way to go before I get there....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP,

To better address your question, it would be good to know what schools you may be targeting. There are several middle schools that offer middle school hockey such as STA, Landon and perhaps Bullis. If your son is playing with MYHA, he is in a great program and should continue to take clinics and do hockey camps over the summer. High school hockey is definitely competitive at the Varsity level. There is always high visibility of the Team MD players, but it is certainly not exclusive to elite travel team members.

My son is at a high school (no associated middle school) that offers JV, V2 and V!, so it allows for all levels of players to participate. The Varsity level is quite good as you will find with most of the area teams. Please keep in mind that most kids have to work their way through the ranks and start on lower teams. There is a big difference between a new Freshman and a seasoned Senior, just in size alone. These kids check and they can check hard, so if your 120 lb Freshman gets hit by a 200 lb Senior, it is not fun to watch. As other posters have noted certain high schools set the bar quite high. Gonzaga is by far the strongest program and due to WCAC rules they get a much longer season that IAC schools. Unless your kid is a rockstar by 8th grade, that is not a school I would target if that is his only sport.

My son is a pretty good player, but the most important thing about any sport is to be a part of a team and enjoy the season. Ignore the crazy parents out there that think their kids are a slam dunk for the NHL. You will run across them and it is quite amusing. Good luck in your search!

Thanks - this is very helpful.

We will not be targeting any "competitive" hockey programs (maybe academically but not with the intention of our son playing hockey). His participation would be for the very reason you listed - to be part of a team and enjoy the season. He gets that now on his MYHA travel team and Spring/Summer teams and that's great. Who knows how he'll feel about playing for his school later - but it occurred to me that if we had an idea of the options where he could play hockey vs others where he couldn't - he might take that into consideration. Of course, that assumes he is even accepted at the schools to begin with! To be honest, whether he will want to continue playing hockey once checking starts is a big unknown. We are still on the other side of that threshold and I'm not fully convinced he'll want to play in a checking league. But that's a different issue - and he'll face that for his MYHA travel team choice outside of school as well.

But again - thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious for kids that are playing ice hockey on their high school private teams, what level are they playing outside of school? Team Maryaland? Travel AAA, AA, B? I am sure it depends on the school - as I know Landon has had some very strong players in their program. So please list school along with range in the level of players on the team.

More background for context....We will be applying to middle school at privates that go through 12 for either Fall 15 or Fall 16 admission. Our son is decent at hockey, but not a superstar. We have no idea what he'd like to do in the future, but if he'd like to play HS hockey in the future, I'd like to have a sense of whether that is even possible or not.

Note that I am also fully aware that our child is in the huge bubble of kids coming up through the ranks as a result of Ovi-effect. So what happens on HS teams currently may change as this cohort ages. I suspect that there is likely to be a higher standard by the time he gets to high school by the sheer fact that there are more kids choosing hockey and that is likely to lead to more competition and more high quality players out there.

If the Ovi effect is real, does that mean all future DC area high school players will not play any defense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - just to clarify - our son will ONLY be "playing for fun" - there is NO WAY he would ever make a college team. But that doesn't mean he might not be interested in playing for his high school team "if he could make it". So my question is really what kind of "talent" end up playing on the high school privates in the area (including club).

I know that if you are a real talent, you are better off going up to Prep schools in NE or going off to play junior hockey in another city/country. That's not what I am asking.

In fact - I am asking "who is left behind" to play in the high schools. Something more akin to this....if your kid plays Travel AA or Travel B for MYHA, Laurel, Ashburn etc is there no hope for high school team (even club team)...or are some of those kids still able to make a team.

If your kids play travel, he will definetly make the HS team. In the spring of either 7 or 8 grade, you could approach the HS your son has an interest in, and they may allow him to skate out with them for Spring league. Go to the school website and see if they offer hackey camps in the summer.....

Even at the B Travel level?

Yes, right now the spring league is in full swing at Rockville. Take a look in - there you will see a mix bag of levels. However I don't think Go'ga or Landon is playing in the spring league, not sure, but call the front desk at the ice rink, and ask for a list of HS teams playing for Spring.... Some of the best players might be missing due to LAX, Crew, etc..but still should give u an idea...HTH

Why would you do this? Just finished travel season - Sept to March 31. Longest season ever. Need a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - just to clarify - our son will ONLY be "playing for fun" - there is NO WAY he would ever make a college team. But that doesn't mean he might not be interested in playing for his high school team "if he could make it". So my question is really what kind of "talent" end up playing on the high school privates in the area (including club).

I know that if you are a real talent, you are better off going up to Prep schools in NE or going off to play junior hockey in another city/country. That's not what I am asking.

In fact - I am asking "who is left behind" to play in the high schools. Something more akin to this....if your kid plays Travel AA or Travel B for MYHA, Laurel, Ashburn etc is there no hope for high school team (even club team)...or are some of those kids still able to make a team.

If your kids play travel, he will definetly make the HS team. In the spring of either 7 or 8 grade, you could approach the HS your son has an interest in, and they may allow him to skate out with them for Spring league. Go to the school website and see if they offer hackey camps in the summer.....

Even at the B Travel level?

Yes, right now the spring league is in full swing at Rockville. Take a look in - there you will see a mix bag of levels. However I don't think Go'ga or Landon is playing in the spring league, not sure, but call the front desk at the ice rink, and ask for a list of HS teams playing for Spring.... Some of the best players might be missing due to LAX, Crew, etc..but still should give u an idea...HTH

Why would you do this? Just finished travel season - Sept to March 31. Longest season ever. Need a break.

Because skating is fun and its just once a week... Plus, tryouts for next Fall are coming so its good to just get a little ice time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious for kids that are playing ice hockey on their high school private teams, what level are they playing outside of school? Team Maryaland? Travel AAA, AA, B? I am sure it depends on the school - as I know Landon has had some very strong players in their program. So please list school along with range in the level of players on the team.

More background for context....We will be applying to middle school at privates that go through 12 for either Fall 15 or Fall 16 admission. Our son is decent at hockey, but not a superstar. We have no idea what he'd like to do in the future, but if he'd like to play HS hockey in the future, I'd like to have a sense of whether that is even possible or not.

Note that I am also fully aware that our child is in the huge bubble of kids coming up through the ranks as a result of Ovi-effect. So what happens on HS teams currently may change as this cohort ages. I suspect that there is likely to be a higher standard by the time he gets to high school by the sheer fact that there are more kids choosing hockey and that is likely to lead to more competition and more high quality players out there.

If the Ovi effect is real, does that mean all future DC area high school players will not play any defense?

The Ovi effect brought fans to hockey - and has led to a boom in kids playing in the area. It's not that they don't want to all be Ovi - in fact Ovi may not even be their favorite. I know plenty of kids that want to play Defense and Goal...

[Anonymous]

Remove 'don't" above

[Anonymous]

The interesting thing about playing goalie - kids who have experience actually catching something (from baseball or softball, for example) do a lot better than kids who just know how to skate. And if you have played catcher for a ball team then you really have the instincts and skills. But that takes years to develop - our DC started with skating and little league at age 5 to get to be starting goalie on travel and highly ranked middle school team, as well as play on nationally ranked travel ball team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The interesting thing about playing goalie - kids who have experience actually catching something (from baseball or softball, for example) do a lot better than kids who just know how to skate. And if you have played catcher for a ball team then you really have the instincts and skills. But that takes years to develop - our DC started with skating and little league at age 5 to get to be starting goalie on travel and highly ranked middle school team, as well as play on nationally ranked travel ball team.

"Highly ranked middle school team"? Hee hee.

[Anonymous]

Are country club teams considered club teams or something else? What club teams are Landon and sta on generally?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious for kids that are playing ice hockey on their high school private teams, what level are they playing outside of school? Team Maryaland? Travel AAA, AA, B? I am sure it depends on the school - as I know Landon has had some very strong players in their program. So please list school along with range in the level of players on the team.

More background for context....We will be applying to middle school at privates that go through 12 for either Fall 15 or Fall 16 admission. Our son is decent at hockey, but not a superstar. We have no idea what he'd like to do in the future, but if he'd like to play HS hockey in the future, I'd like to have a sense of whether that is even possible or not.

Note that I am also fully aware that our child is in the huge bubble of kids coming up through the ranks as a result of Ovi-effect. So what happens on HS teams currently may change as this cohort ages. I suspect that there is likely to be a higher standard by the time he gets to high school by the sheer fact that there are more kids choosing hockey and that is likely to lead to more competition and more high quality players out there.

If the Ovi effect is real, does that mean all future DC area high school players will not play any defense?

This was meant to be a joke about Ovechkin's horrendous plus/minus rating and general refusal to acknowledge that their is a defensive end of the rink. The big boyski got his coach and GM fired today. Was not a serious query whether the high school hockey in this area will see a lack of defenders and goalies in the future.

[Anonymous]

Not OP, but our DC's are in a similar spot in their climb up the hockey ladder. Is there a good web link/site either locally or nationally that offers good insights? I haven't found one yet.

Thanks for any help!