Wash Lil Caps No Longer Moving to St James?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I would just say, with none of my kids in Tier 1, I am hoping for the success of both WLC and TM. It will be good for hockey and good for the players. It will also help maintain competitive play in the CBHL. Hopefully, the lack of uncertainty will be resolved and communication will improve. That’s the part that’s really frustrating.

I disagree. I have a Tier 1 player. This area doesn’t have the talent for 2 Tier 1 programs. It just doesn’t. It has become a gloried money- making scam on both sides of the equation. The teams consistently water each other down forcing high end players to leave the area. And the nonsensical “river- rule” forces players to choose which crappy team they try out for or stay with long- term. Have one top Tier 1 program. The kids who don’t make it would create a competitive Tier 2 program to compete against MYHA and Ashburn. Parents of high end players wouldn’t have to leave the area and the DMV could actually have a competitive Tier 1 program for once.

Does your child continue to play Tier 1 in this area? If so, why? There are plenty of parents in this area who choose not to become involved in the “glorified money making scheme” and opt for Tier 2 when they are Tier 1 players and likely better than most or all of the TM and WLC rosters. It’s obvious to us all who those players are.

No. He plays outside of the area now but that absolutely would not be his preference if these clubs offered better hockey and organization. He didn’t want to leave. There just wasn’t anything left for him after investing 4 plus years in Tier 1. He ( and we) had had enough. And at his age group there definitely are not better players at the Tier 2 level. We tried that first.

Wow, he must really be destined for great things.

Maybe. Maybe not - but he gets to play with a great team, good coaches, awesome parents and he and we get to get away from the snarky hockey people with huge chips on their shoulders (like you) who literally only seem to exist in this town.

The DMV higher-level hockey community is very small, amd so it's fairly easy to narrow down who this kid could be. Everyone knows the less than 5 kids currently at youth hockey age who truly outgrew DMV hockey. The others who left didn't need to and are chasing what everyone else is. Maybe your kid is one of the few, if so we look forward to watching their success.

I don’t know how you get “five” kids who outgrew DMV hockey – and my son‘s age group alone I know five kids who went to
Little Flyers.

The point was 5 kids currently in age group hockey who 'needed' to because they truly outgrew DMV hockey. There are many more who left because they feel they are better, but they really aren't.

So let me guess - you are a parent of this mysterious 5 that “needed” to leave the DMV for better hockey? What do you mean by “Age group hockey”? Are you a scout? Why do you feel so confident about who should leave and who shouldn’t? Are you the same parent who assumes that your prepubescent child is the next hockey prodigy because you knew the coach and that scouts are just dying to see what your preteen can do next? Lol

No to all of the above. Just a parent in the hockey community who knows these kids and who has been around a long time. Again, it's a very small community.

As you said the hockey community is small and it’s pretty easy to figure out who you are. No one is cheerleading these 5 kids “needing” to leave except their parents. And only this particular group of parents would assume that no other player outside of this small group could possibly be as good as them.

OK, I think the original point was lost, but certainly there is lots of room for disagreement!

My point is that you are obviously a parent of one of the 5 kids who were “so good” that they “needed” to leave and yet you are posing as some objective authority on who outgrows DMV hockey and who doesn’t. No other parent would write this about someone other than their own kid. The rest of the parents still here know who these parents are. We get it. The Fabulous 5 are heading to the NHL! We look forward to watching their success.

I assure you I am not a parent of one of the 5 kids, it's just what I've observed and I was responding to the parent who suggested they had to go elsewhere for a hockey team appropriate for their child's level. My observation was that of the kids I know who've left for other teams, like the PA teams, only a few actually had outgrown the local playing level and most actually still fit in just fine. That's all.
Obviously others might disagree with this point

Nah. You were more specific than that and you and I both know it. You needed to say that only those 5 who left ( and we know who those kids are you are referring to) were the only ones good enough to leave. In the process, you outed yourself.

What age group are we talking about here?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just say, with none of my kids in Tier 1, I am hoping for the success of both WLC and TM. It will be good for hockey and good for the players. It will also help maintain competitive play in the CBHL. Hopefully, the lack of uncertainty will be resolved and communication will improve. That’s the part that’s really frustrating.

I disagree. I have a Tier 1 player. This area doesn’t have the talent for 2 Tier 1 programs. It just doesn’t. It has become a gloried money- making scam on both sides of the equation. The teams consistently water each other down forcing high end players to leave the area. And the nonsensical “river- rule” forces players to choose which crappy team they try out for or stay with long- term. Have one top Tier 1 program. The kids who don’t make it would create a competitive Tier 2 program to compete against MYHA and Ashburn. Parents of high end players wouldn’t have to leave the area and the DMV could actually have a competitive Tier 1 program for once.

Does your child continue to play Tier 1 in this area? If so, why? There are plenty of parents in this area who choose not to become involved in the “glorified money making scheme” and opt for Tier 2 when they are Tier 1 players and likely better than most or all of the TM and WLC rosters. It’s obvious to us all who those players are.

No. He plays outside of the area now but that absolutely would not be his preference if these clubs offered better hockey and organization. He didn’t want to leave. There just wasn’t anything left for him after investing 4 plus years in Tier 1. He ( and we) had had enough. And at his age group there definitely are not better players at the Tier 2 level. We tried that first.

Wow, he must really be destined for great things.

Maybe. Maybe not - but he gets to play with a great team, good coaches, awesome parents and he and we get to get away from the snarky hockey people with huge chips on their shoulders (like you) who literally only seem to exist in this town.

The DMV higher-level hockey community is very small, amd so it's fairly easy to narrow down who this kid could be. Everyone knows the less than 5 kids currently at youth hockey age who truly outgrew DMV hockey. The others who left didn't need to and are chasing what everyone else is. Maybe your kid is one of the few, if so we look forward to watching their success.

I don’t know how you get “five” kids who outgrew DMV hockey – and my son‘s age group alone I know five kids who went to
Little Flyers.

The point was 5 kids currently in age group hockey who 'needed' to because they truly outgrew DMV hockey. There are many more who left because they feel they are better, but they really aren't.

So let me guess - you are a parent of this mysterious 5 that “needed” to leave the DMV for better hockey? What do you mean by “Age group hockey”? Are you a scout? Why do you feel so confident about who should leave and who shouldn’t? Are you the same parent who assumes that your prepubescent child is the next hockey prodigy because you knew the coach and that scouts are just dying to see what your preteen can do next? Lol

No to all of the above. Just a parent in the hockey community who knows these kids and who has been around a long time. Again, it's a very small community.

As you said the hockey community is small and it’s pretty easy to figure out who you are. No one is cheerleading these 5 kids “needing” to leave except their parents. And only this particular group of parents would assume that no other player outside of this small group could possibly be as good as them.

OK, I think the original point was lost, but certainly there is lots of room for disagreement!

My point is that you are obviously a parent of one of the 5 kids who were “so good” that they “needed” to leave and yet you are posing as some objective authority on who outgrows DMV hockey and who doesn’t. No other parent would write this about someone other than their own kid. The rest of the parents still here know who these parents are. We get it. The Fabulous 5 are heading to the NHL! We look forward to watching their success.

As a parent of a kid who left the DMV to play tier 1 elsewhere (and I’m not the same poster who posted about the “fabulous five”) - you just sound like you have an axe to grind with kids who leave and their parents.

We all cheerlead our own kids, wherever they play. This is the problem with hockey, is that we all have no problem hyping up our own kids, but are quick to judge others. Honestly, who cares if kids want to leave to play hockey. And who cares if kids want to stay in the area to play hockey. There is no wrong choice. There are great players who left and great players who have stayed. There are mediocre players who have left and mediocre players who have stayed. I don’t understand the grudges that people have. You just sound miserable!

You are making my point for me. Reread the posts. I was calling out the parent who said that only the “ 5” who left “needed” to leave while the others who also chose to leave were somehow not as worthy because they weren’t as good and didn't need to leave. So we are saying the same thing.

Oops - apologies - I misread and misunderstood. [/quote

It's not that they are not worthy to leave the area. Earlier in this post some people seem to be saying that AAA hockey in the DMV is not good. It's likely perfectly fine for most players except the few who have truly outgrown the hockey here. It's fine to leave if you want, but it seems like quite a haul to PA and probably isn't worth it for most players who do it. But hey, if your family has the time, go for it. But, if these players who leave stayed, then arguably local hockey would be a bit better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would just say, with none of my kids in Tier 1, I am hoping for the success of both WLC and TM. It will be good for hockey and good for the players. It will also help maintain competitive play in the CBHL. Hopefully, the lack of uncertainty will be resolved and communication will improve. That’s the part that’s really frustrating.

I disagree. I have a Tier 1 player. This area doesn’t have the talent for 2 Tier 1 programs. It just doesn’t. It has become a gloried money- making scam on both sides of the equation. The teams consistently water each other down forcing high end players to leave the area. And the nonsensical “river- rule” forces players to choose which crappy team they try out for or stay with long- term. Have one top Tier 1 program. The kids who don’t make it would create a competitive Tier 2 program to compete against MYHA and Ashburn. Parents of high end players wouldn’t have to leave the area and the DMV could actually have a competitive Tier 1 program for once.

Does your child continue to play Tier 1 in this area? If so, why? There are plenty of parents in this area who choose not to become involved in the “glorified money making scheme” and opt for Tier 2 when they are Tier 1 players and likely better than most or all of the TM and WLC rosters. It’s obvious to us all who those players are.

No. He plays outside of the area now but that absolutely would not be his preference if these clubs offered better hockey and organization. He didn’t want to leave. There just wasn’t anything left for him after investing 4 plus years in Tier 1. He ( and we) had had enough. And at his age group there definitely are not better players at the Tier 2 level. We tried that first.

Wow, he must really be destined for great things.

Maybe. Maybe not - but he gets to play with a great team, good coaches, awesome parents and he and we get to get away from the snarky hockey people with huge chips on their shoulders (like you) who literally only seem to exist in this town.

The DMV higher-level hockey community is very small, amd so it's fairly easy to narrow down who this kid could be. Everyone knows the less than 5 kids currently at youth hockey age who truly outgrew DMV hockey. The others who left didn't need to and are chasing what everyone else is. Maybe your kid is one of the few, if so we look forward to watching their success.

I don’t know how you get “five” kids who outgrew DMV hockey – and my son‘s age group alone I know five kids who went to
Little Flyers.

The point was 5 kids currently in age group hockey who 'needed' to because they truly outgrew DMV hockey. There are many more who left because they feel they are better, but they really aren't.

So let me guess - you are a parent of this mysterious 5 that “needed” to leave the DMV for better hockey? What do you mean by “Age group hockey”? Are you a scout? Why do you feel so confident about who should leave and who shouldn’t? Are you the same parent who assumes that your prepubescent child is the next hockey prodigy because you knew the coach and that scouts are just dying to see what your preteen can do next? Lol

No to all of the above. Just a parent in the hockey community who knows these kids and who has been around a long time. Again, it's a very small community.

As you said the hockey community is small and it’s pretty easy to figure out who you are. No one is cheerleading these 5 kids “needing” to leave except their parents. And only this particular group of parents would assume that no other player outside of this small group could possibly be as good as them.

OK, I think the original point was lost, but certainly there is lots of room for disagreement!

My point is that you are obviously a parent of one of the 5 kids who were “so good” that they “needed” to leave and yet you are posing as some objective authority on who outgrows DMV hockey and who doesn’t. No other parent would write this about someone other than their own kid. The rest of the parents still here know who these parents are. We get it. The Fabulous 5 are heading to the NHL! We look forward to watching their success.

I assure you I am not a parent of one of the 5 kids, it's just what I've observed and I was responding to the parent who suggested they had to go elsewhere for a hockey team appropriate for their child's level. My observation was that of the kids I know who've left for other teams, like the PA teams, only a few actually had outgrown the local playing level and most actually still fit in just fine. That's all.
Obviously others might disagree with this point

Nah. You were more specific than that and you and I both know it. You needed to say that only those 5 who left ( and we know who those kids are you are referring to) were the only ones good enough to leave. In the process, you outed yourself.

Uh, ok

[Anonymous]

^
I think you’re underestimating dmv hockey. We have something like 20 youth clubs, and at many levels our teams generally perform very well in ahf and aghf. Our aa teams, both boys and girls, win national championships (or advance very far) and win ahf/aghf titles. Clubs like Reston, ashburn and Montgomery play aa at a very high level, as does stj/myha/tri-city for girls. There are enough players here, both boys and girls to field extremely competitive aaa teams. Teams where the top players don’t need to leave to get better.

Aaa here is a cartel, and someone (pvaha maybe) is protecting the pocketbooks of tm, wlc and pride. They should be held accountable. Preferably by the free market.

[Anonymous]

It would be wonderful it the hockey community and the figure skating community could get together to try to advocate for more ice rinks in the DMV?

[As someone who grew up in a place with a lot of ice rinks (and tons of hockey and figure skating), the lack of ice rinks (and the quality of the ice rinks) in the DMV is kind of shocking.]

I understand this happens in other metropolitan areas. We could partner with local businesses to get this going. (Or advocate for our counties to build.)

[Anonymous]

I would recommend diverting the $$$ to your kids’ college funds….be smart about their futures

[Anonymous]

An outlier, sure, but at least one NHL player is considered the best at what he does and he never played AAA.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-hellebuycks-path-to-nhl-prepared-him-for-new-challenge-at-4-nations-face-off/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An outlier, sure, but at least one NHL player is considered the best at what he does and he never played AAA.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-hellebuycks-path-to-nhl-prepared-him-for-new-challenge-at-4-nations-face-off/

True, but I'd argue AA hockey in Michigan has far better players, coaching, and exposure than AAA hockey in this area.

[Anonymous]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2025/06/03/annika-sorenstam-youth-sports-advice/83977239007/

Make sure your child has FUN! If your child is THAT talented he/she will be found even if they don't play in Minnesota, Michigan, Detroit, Boston, Toronto, etc. The amount of NHL players that have come from non-traditional hockey towns in the US are plentiful. Remember in the 80s almost all NHLers were Canadians. The game grew and opened up more to European and American players. Now superstars like Auston Matthews come from Arizona and Vezina winning goalies like the aforementioned Connor Hellebuyck played "dead-end" "public high school hockey."