USA Hockey InLine Men's National Team Tryouts

[USAHIL]

USA Hockey InLine will host an Open Tryout Camp for its Men's National Team that will compete in the IIHF World Championship in Budapest Hungary this summer. The tryout will be held at Soc N' Roll Indoor Sports in Monument, CO May 26-27.

At least two players will be selected from this tryout and will be invited to attend the Main Selection camp prior to the team's departure for overseas. All adult players 18-and-over are welcome to attend.

For more information, visit www.usahockeyinline.com.

Jay Milton
USA Hockey InLine
[email protected]

[RichardGraham]

Hi Jay,

Need a waterboy? /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RRB21]

i have been to these tryouts the last 2 years. i just want to warn people that these tryouts are a joke they are a scam to get $125 out of people so they can pay for the trip. the team is most likely already picked. the reason why i think it is a joke is because my friend and i combined for about 15 goals in one game and neither of us made it to the second tryout. another reason is i heard from a reliable source about 3 days before i left that the team was already picked, i didnt want to beleive it but it was true. i also heard that guy that played for an AHL team made it and he had never played roller hockey in his life. so this is my warning to people thinking about going to tryout, you are free to do what you want but i wouldnt waste the money

[Hystyk28]

are you better than the players that already made the team? are you better than the ahl guy? i doubt it.

[DannyG]

geeze, dude, whad'ya think this is? your neighborhood rink select team?

Dude: USA National team for IIHF Worlds...

The open try-out is just that, a try-out, and it's open to anybody who cares to show up.

Are you watching the Bobby Knight thing on ESPN...one winner out of an original 30 athletes...and that isn't even an open situation, those guys were largely screened before even starting the program. And the one, single winner gets to then try out to see if he can even cut it on the team as a walk on...

Look at what USA Hockey InLine is offering...four spots at the try-out camp for the real, USA National team. If you should be good enough to make it to one of those four spots (out of maybe 100 guys?!?!?!) then you have maybe a 15% chance of making the final team.

Is the team already "pre-selected?" No, but do you think that last year's returning players already probably have an edge to get their spot back? D'yuh think? Realistically, how many spots on the final team are "open?" How many of last year's players either aren't coming back, or are "on the bubble" in the coach's eyes?" The answer to that question is how many spots are truly available.

Notice that the above is just like any international team, up to and including the U.S. Olympic ice teams. Look at all the discussion every year on who should-shouldn't-have been picked for those squads...

Most participants at try-out camps are there to see "where they stand," to match themselves against other elite players...find out what you need to work on next, maybe get a few constructive criticisms from a national team coach...take something back to their home rink to work their butts off toward...

The point with USAHIL is that their entire process of selection for Junior and Senior national teams is an OPEN process. If you're good enough, and that does include some of that right-place-right-time luck in catching a coach's eye, anybody can make the team...it's NOT an invitation-only, closed process that other national-select squads are.

Keep practicing, dude, you'll make it...it's always the guys that are pissed off when they're not selected who are willing to work hard enough to make it the next time. Give it a shot and don't quit on yourself or the process.

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

[RichardGraham]

Hey Danny,

Great post. I especially like your suggestion that we try even harder after we fail. I still need to learn that lesson sometimes, myself.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RRB21]

Maybe I should have been clearer with my last post. I wasn't saying that I should have made the team but I should have made it to the main selection camp with all of the previous years players.
Hystyk you are probably right the AHL guy is better than me, but that just proves my point that the team is preselected. A friend of mine knows this guy and he talked to him before the open tryouts and he said he is already on the team and he had never played roller hockey before.
I will be honest the level of play that show up to these open tryouts are 'B' level at best, so these tryouts are not a way to see where you stand.
You could ask just about anybody that isn't involved with USA Inline and they will tell you that the team is preselected. I even talked to a kid that made it out of the open tryout to the main selection camp and he even said it was a joke. So until you go to the open tryouts yourself you wouldn't know what I am talking about.
So like I said before this is just a warning.

[calihockey]

Maybe your attitude of entitlement to a main camp invite was noticed by the selection committee. Also, you brag about the points you put up, then bag on the competition. That's like me going around bragging to everyone that won a gold medal in the hurdles, then saying oh yea it was at the paraolympics (I happen to be lucky enough to have a use of all my limps). Seriously, your attitude makes me happy that you weren't selected. Team USA is suppose to represent the finest in American Inline Hockey and those players should set a good example for the younger players. Mouthing off on a message board is not my idea of a good example.

[Hystyk28]

I think most teams have a general idea of what they are looking at...the NJ Devils aren't wondering who is playing goal for them. College football programs are 99% set before the season. Yet, opportunities come along for those who are not on the hot list to stake a claim. Yes, I do indeed understand where you are coming from, yet unlike yourself I am full aware of the consequences of attending such a tryout. Bottom line is this...you need to be better than the guys that are picked. Period.

[DannyG]

Hystyk, very well put...

RRB, rather than listen to somebody tell you the report of somebody else...

you might compare rosters of the USAHIL national teams that have played in the IIHF worlds over the past few years...you will indeed notice several changes from year to year. You will note that one or two players have indeed come out of the "clear blue sky" of the try-out camp process.

While one given ice player might already have a new roster spot locked up, that doesn't taint the process at all. In fact, it shows that USAHIL looks at all avenues it can when picking a team.

If they should find an ice player of capability, attitude, and skill, especially one who is willing to put in some intense training to acclimatize himself to wheels, why wouldn't they want him for the team, even if he "hadn't ever played inline," at least on an organized team?

Can't imagine that the ice people would give an exclusive inline player a serious look, however...

I'd go back to Hystyk's 'bottom line,' and work my butt off...in fact, RRB, I'll give you a challenge:

Which one of us will make the USA national team first, you on the senior team, or me on the 50 & older team...since the inauguration of a 50 & older IIHF tournament is probably a few years off yet, you've got some time to catch me...gotta warn ya, I made the all-tournament team at the USAHIL nationals (in the 50's division) the past two years. I'll guarantee you, however, if Dan Brennan were to seriously look at me for a 50;s nat' team, I'd need to get a whole lot better at everything.

Look me up a year from now, eh? We'll see how each of us is doing...

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

[RichardGraham]

Hey Danny,

I'll join you on the 50+ team in twenty years, amigo!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

Considering Richard played with us on the Polar Bears 40's team a couple years ago (in betwen Playboy Bunny parties, anyway), he must be trying to impress some current girlfriend with his youthful vigor...

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

[leeegy1]

I think this guy has a point about the tryout. Why do they need to charge $125/guy if it is a chance for them to find the next great player that might have fell through the cracks. I heard the AHL guy, who I think might have played a few games for the LA Kings this year, didnt get much floor time over there last year.

[FrankFrank]

Alright, so for an off-topic/on-topic question...
How would one get in touch with a team in another country for a tryout? I'm a first generation Hungarian-American, and I know in years past that Hungary has put in a team that hasn't faired so well. Not saying I'd help the team do any better, but hey, it'd be nice to play. So how would someone get in touch with the forgein country and what might be the qualifications for playing for that country?
Reason I ask (besides wanting to go to Budapest, Hungary), is I heard a while back that the Greek team was looking for players of Greek decent in the States to compete in interational play.
As always... any help is most appreciated on this one.

Frank~Frank Szilagyi
[email protected]

[RRB21]

finally someone that gets my point.

[FrankFrank]

Dude, I hear what you're saying, but that's not the intent on my post, at all.

[calihockey]

Danny,

I think we'll have to put foam padding and safety bars around the rink so rich doesn't hurt himself!

[RichardGraham]

Hey Cali,

I'm writing this slowly because I know you can't read fast.

Say anything you want, just don't tear the plaque with my name on it out of the penalty box.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[dcdawgs]

Just to comment on this. USA Hockey Inline does this for a couple reasons. One, to see if there is in-fact any great talent out there that do show up. If they are good enough Coach Brennan will put you on that team. The hint is, good enough.

The second reason has to do with charging $125 per player. They do this to help with the funding of the team and their travel over to Europe. This is a common way for teams to gain a little extra money. Some MLRH teams do that, to help them with a little extra money that will go towards something like travel, equipment, etc.

I went the first year they did this in 2003. Granted I am not a good player in my opinion, but the experience was fun. I got to hangout with a great group of guys, on and off the rink, and you get to meet those who run the USA Hockey Inline program.

While it is actually hard to make the team that will be going to Hungary this year (Germany in 2007), it is fun and it supports our National Team.

Josh

[JohnHockey1798]

I want to go but have never had the money or time. I am hoping to go next year just to learn some new things and get some advice from actual coaches. The only thing the I remember but not positive was that there was an age limit for going. I do not see why there would be. If i do go I may go as a goalie, since that is the position i need the most help at. It would be more of a learning expirence for me.

John

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