USAIL Jr. Nat's vs USARS/AAU Jr. Nats.

[MDE3]

I wonder how the USAHIL Jr. Nat's. would fare against the USARS/AAU Jr, Nats.? I know some of the same players are going to both camps, but that USAHIL has an 18 U age limit vs. 17U for USARS /AAU. Still would be interesting to see how the equal the talent may be.

I would also love to see the USAHIL / IIHF Men's National Team and the USARS/AAU / FIRS Men's National teams have an exhibition series from which a body of coaches would pick one National Inline Team. (we can always dream)

[DannyG]

Wow, I think we have found an area where perhaps Mike's and Danny's perspective diverge...[soapbox mode on]

With all due respect to all the work that excellent, well-meaning people have produced for both these two organizations over the past decade, hosting a competition between the two coincident national squads does naught but validate the problem of two national and international organizations.

Congress needs to get off it's butt and designate a governing body for roller hockey.

Tired of your local congressman using the September 11 attacks and the current conflict for self-serving, congratulate-our-boys television promos? Write him or her and tell 'em to designate a National Governing Body for our sport.

All an inter-squad game does is validate the lack of a NGB, and we do not want to do that.

While I have my individual views regarding which organization should be designated, based on any set of criteria you could name, it is most important that we get one organization, and that we all get behind that one.

period.

[soapbox over]

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[MDE3]

I dont - in fact your point about the this highlighting the need for a single NGB is perhaps my point. I would love to see the splintered politics of inline hockey brought under one roof.

I would also like to get the readers views about the relative quality of play in these two national entities. (If anyone has enough experience at that level of both to compare them.)

[DannyG]

I do not have the first-hand experience with NARCh, USARS, AAU, or other than SixPac, for example, to offer an appropriate opinion...so I'll offer this one anyway:

As long as USAHIL continues to place it's demand that a tournament team legitimately represent a sanctioned league, the other organizations will have more competitive teams that can be formed from larger-than-league talent pools.

That said, I do believe that the two junior national team sets will be roughly equal, and it has nothing to do with the organization's operation. I honestly feel that there are enough quality players to populate several such programs.

I do take issue with a Pan Am USA (USARS) tournament team that has 70% of its players from Missouri. On wonders how that can be "representative" of the talent around the country. But that doesn't mean that Missouri doesn't have three lines of talented players as good as any in the country.

In fact, I believe the opposite to be true. There are enough really good players to roster several national team squads about equal in ability...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[columbusbandits1]

I personally think USAHIL wouldnt even be able to compete. Their tounraments are jokes anymore, i use to love doing there stuff. The USARS/AAU have some amazing players on their team.

[DannyG]

Hey, dude...so far, you've just done the cyber equivalent of standing up 80's style and yelling at the top of your lungs, "Bandits rock and rule..."

Let's back up a little, eh?

Ya might read the whole thread to get the main points of the context under discussion.

Aso, if Tommy wants to respond to you, okay, but...

it is customary to introduce yourself first...there are manners and courtesy and respect for other people, even in cyberspace...get to your profile, and let people know about you, then they will respond to you the person, instead of justa cybermouth...

incidentally, the whole point of the discussion on the national organizations is that they serve different purposes for different levels of teams, or do you feel that only by playing on an elite team can you develop yourself into a quality player?

Don't be a hotshot snob, dude...respect the game and everybody who plays it...

we're very glad you have joined this community, keep up all your efforts...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[columbusbandits1]

DannyG, I apologize..i wasnt trying to pi$$ ne1 off. I was just giving my honest opinion. Also i was asking who Tommy was because i live in columbus too, was just curious to see who it was.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Columbus,

Welcome to IHC. I appreciate your response to Danny G. Enjoy the site!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[almostheroes]

Bandit how can i get a hold of the Coach of the bandits?
Lima, Ohio here

[missionhockey21]

Welcome to the board. I would suggest you back off a little bit, we tend to be pretty relaxed on this board.... for the most part;-)

[Benny_Gulakiw]

In response to some of the points brought up, I have some questions and comments.

I think the only way you can ever determine the outcome of a game between the two 'national' teams is for them to actually duke it out on the rink. The only other way is to look at the profiles of each player to see how they've done personally and how their respective teams have done in similar events, but that might be hard to do. There are too many events, each with their own perceived level of skill, to make an accurate comparison using this method.

There seem to be "deficiencies" with the way each organization finalizes their teams that are supposed to represent the US in roller hockey on the international stage. There are two parts to this. The criticisms of USAHI is their insistence in utilizing their sanctioned leagues on an exclusive basis, while the criticism of USARS/AAU is the narrow geographic scope where their players who are selected are from. I've heard the same criticisms from other sources whenever we get around the water cooler.

What is the solution to this? One or both of these organizations will have to change the way they select their teams. Or, a new organization would have to step forward to set-up and conduct a new selection process to pick Team USA. This organization should not have any ties to an event series or a sanctioning body. Their selection process should involve as many different geographic parts of the country that's feasible. One way to do this would be to try and get an ageement with any or all the various events series to utilize time during their individual events. Any event series or individual rink who wants to participate should be allowed to. This would help cover a wider portion of the US. In order to do this, the actual "process" to select players would be unified so as to not show a bias to any one group. The criteria for selection needs input from many sources in order to select players who will be able to compete the best.

One big problem, though, if this new body were to accomplish all this, is they would not have the authority to submit a team in either of the international events and isn't that the point to this whole exercise? THAT'S the REAL detriment to a unified governing body of the sport here in the US. WHY is there two international governing bodies and how do other countries handle this? Do other sports have two or more international governing bodies? What percentage of countries submit teams to both of the international events? These are not rhetorical questions. I guess I'm just uneducated here. Maybe some of our friends from overseas can help answer these questions.

I know people expect a new or unified NGB to do more for the sport of roller hockey here in the US than put together an "All-Star" team to play in a couple of events throughout the year. Frankly, I think this is the least important thing on the "to-do" list for a NGB, but definitely one that needs to be worked on if we ever want to see this sport go somewhere.

Something needs to change. I've been involved with this sport for nearly 10 years. I know there are some of you out there that have been kicking the can longer than that. I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of telling people that this sport is on the verge of becoming huge.

Benny Gulakiw
President
Inline Hockey America

[DannyG]

Nah, the apology is not what's going on here...a guy as young as yourself, one who obviously cares enough about the sport to make it a major part of his life, is exactly the type of guy we all want to give us his (or her) perspective on things on this board...

But, hey, give us a really good one, eh?

For example, you have obviously noted the difference in the NARCh/AAU/USARS type of regional competition, where you can recruit the best team from all over the state(s). You obviously know of several of these teams, maybe even the Bandits were recruited/tried out/organized in this way.

But you see a USAHIL tourney, which restricts it's participant teams to only those who represent integral, sanctioned leagues, and you immediately pronounce the program as inferior.

I ask you, as one player of this tremendous sport to another, which is harder:

1. playing on a try-out team, recruited from hundreds (thousands?) of players over a wide area? -or-

2. Playing on the house rep team, which doesn't have near the pure talent of the wide-recruit team, but all the players have to develop themselves, the coach has to coach (and teach something of value?), and everybody has to work their butts off for everything they get?

The challenge is different in each of these cases...does the differential in talent make one better than the other?

Did USAHIL tell the Bandits they were not eligible to play because the players do not all play in a sanctioned USAHIL league?

These are perspectives that you as a player would be really cool to share with us, rather than some hype pronouncement about how good you are...

So, I meant what I said, we are glad you're here, and we really do value your opinion, just give us a real good one, eh?



<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[missionhockey21]

Yeah, Bandits you gotta follow the other young guys example around here like I dont know me and columbusRHstar ;-) lol

[columbusbandits1]

His email is: [email protected]

[columbus_RHstar]

USAHIL isn't really a joke, they just don't let you play if you aren't in one of their house leagues, Personally, since my house league is AAU sanctioned I haven't played USAHIL in a few years, but back then they were fun, but I definitley like NARCh, AAU and TORHS better because there is mroe competition.

[columbus_RHstar]

Is that Nolan? What ever happened to Jon, I heard they moved, but I heard Pittsburgh and North Carolina, do you know which?

[columbus_RHstar]

almostheroes, we are putting together a 17u team if you are interested in a game, unfortunatley the rink has been rented for every possible time before they close, they are out by June 9th. Let me know. Also if you guys want to come down, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there is adult drop-in from 7-9pm, they should let your son play.

[missionhockey21]

I also prefer NARCh, TORHS, and AAU but I dont think USAHIL is a joke either. I've had some competitve games in USAHIL.

[almostheroes]

Thanks Bandit sent him a e-mail about if the team had try-outs!

[almostheroes]

Columbus both souund great what is the name of the rink that they do drop in's ? As far as a team we have a team meeting today , I will ask and we could set-up at centerville, skatetown.
Thanks---Mike

[columbus_RHstar]

Central Ohio Roller Hockey, see my post 'Last Drop-ins' on the Calendar board.

[missionhockey21]

Do you mean Sportstowne?

[MDE3]

Welcome Bandit - we promise never to call you "moron" on this site - or if we do to appologize within at least three posts/wtimages/icons/wink.gif

A lot of good points Benny, although I know that the USAHIL under 18 team is an open tryout for anyone who wants to come and plunk down their money. From this under 18 group, a number will be selected to go to the men's team tryout in Colorado - which at least means it is partially open to any 18U walk on who thinks they are good enough to go "all the way".

In fact because of this the USAHIL tryouts are actually more open than USARS/AAU at least at the junior levels - which should mean they are accessible to the highest talent levels available. In USARS/AAU the (17U) selection camp picks are now picked by the votes of coaches and league officials during the previous season, which in fact makes their tryouts more "closed" than USAHIL. Generally the selection is based on the kids performances at USA/USARS competions the previous year as well as the performances at certain national competitions(again USARS/AAU) the same calender year. So if a player only played Narch and Torhs, he could well not be invited. I think at the USA Men's Team level a similar process is used by a National Team selection commitee but in this case is not limited to USARS and AAU competitions.

Interestingly in the juniors(17U / 18U), there are quite a few kids common to both selection camps. (that was for you "Bandits") Never forget that there's a lot of talent all over this country which you may never see in your particular tournament circuit.

As far as the relative importance of the best method to select a National team relative to forming an NGB, you and I differ a bit Benny. As NHL and Team USA provide achievement benchmarks and career goals for for many youths growing up playing ice hockey, so would a single National Team provide more credibility and a significant goal for those playing inline hockey, at least until a nationally recognized Pro league is fully developed and both aspiration levels could be filled. I think the desire to have an NGB could be fueled (partially) by having the Inline Hockey world pushing to have a single National Team. I think the awareness that the politics of Inline Hockey may hurt our ability to field the best National Team team, may only help some less aware jump on the "Need for an NGB bandwagon".

I agree with you that there are many other pressing issues other than how we select a National Team but few of them have as wide an attention level - in the sense that people begin to raise the question "why are there two "Team USA's".

[MDE3]

I didn't think the team was selected yet. Aren't the selection camps still going on?

[almostheroes]

Yes sportstown ! its on Success ln. in Centerville

[missionhockey21]

Thats what i thought.

[missionhockey21]

Good rink, bad management. lol

[almostheroes]

I think Chris does a hell of a job there, especially being a one man show!

[missionhockey21]

True, I guess I should of said ownership, they have drove people away in flocks from that rink, trust me. They had a few guys running it out there who could of ran it great if they let them. Oh well, long story, lol.

[almostheroes]

well if anyone would know the history of the rink , You should I am a new person there, and only see the present, and know nothing of the past.

[missionhockey21]

How is their house league going? Becuase when I was playing house it was really bad.