Much younger age group but I'm weighing the benefits. I think it really depends on how much playing time there is like is 18u team mostly playing tournaments or do they practice more often. I think initially there will be a large break in time, getting used to the team their system.
My DD was bounced up in the same club, the younger team was horrible. I don't think they have won a game or scrimmage in over a year. I found out the coach had the pick of kids at the tryouts, and he cut all the guards that were better than his daughter, he was managing the team to her level or lower.

Now she is in the older age group. It's much better. I think the kids are happier in this group but yeah sitting the bench. Which my daughter is OK with it appears. The thing is in these loose knit AAU teams, she would pretty much be playing up everywhere she goes, because she is so tall and skilled, basically all the teams have some older kids on them anyway, so I figured playing up at least will take some of the pressure off her.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, the 18u team isn't "playing up".

Most kids get recruited at the 17u level. Maybe soccer or hockey is different (I mention those sports because OP talks about "shifts'), but the 17u team is often the premier team.

18u is an after-thought. Many times a HS coach that also runs a travel program will have one, mainly because you can get your recruited athletes back (assuming they committed after 17u), and the team can play together for one last season.

I don't know your kid's age, but I would try to get back to a younger team.

+1 This is my understanding as well.

No. It's better to have more ice time. Bad choice to move up if he's just riding the bench.

Hockey parent here.

Some factors to consider: as parents it may bother you more than DC not to play in games. How does DC feel about practices? Are they getting something from them?

Some kids “play up” to challenge older kids (esp younger siblings!) and some kids are intimidated and cowed with older bigger kids. Which is more like your DC?

Obviously Team Maryland and elite clubs are full but some smaller 16u teams are still recruiting. You have until end of Dec to set roster. If you want to change, you still can. I’d let DC decide.

Agree DS should be leading the convo with coach but I’m the PP who suggested framing it around “what do I need to work on” vs making it so focused on playing time. As a longtime coach I want to hear that the kid is invested in improving not just getting the reward of more minutes. That said if parents decide they want the kid moved back down, that’s a convo parents need to be a part of. Kid should be present but that’s a different kind of conversation. The club may not allow movement back down and that’s when parents need to be prepared to make the call about leaving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd say more ice time is preferred over being on the 'practice squad' of a higher age group. I'd move him back down... it might have been well intentioned, but coaches change their opinions about players often. If he's not getting much game time, if he's not a starter, i'd move him back down.

So would you have that conversation with the coach of the older team or have your DS have that convo? What if they say “this is the team where we have a spot for your DS, take it or leave it”?

At the HS age isn't it always preferred to have the kid have the conversation? I was reading this exact conversation between coaches of my kids' sport and the agreement was unanimous - for playing time conversations it's never appropriate for a parent to lead off (and rarely appropriate for them to say anything, except in case of feared injury or other similarly big issue).

Anonymous wrote:I'd say more ice time is preferred over being on the 'practice squad' of a higher age group. I'd move him back down... it might have been well intentioned, but coaches change their opinions about players often. If he's not getting much game time, if he's not a starter, i'd move him back down.

So would you have that conversation with the coach of the older team or have your DS have that convo? What if they say “this is the team where we have a spot for your DS, take it or leave it”?

I'd say more ice time is preferred over being on the 'practice squad' of a higher age group. I'd move him back down... it might have been well intentioned, but coaches change their opinions about players often. If he's not getting much game time, if he's not a starter, i'd move him back down.