The Age to Play in AIHL or PIHA

[njdevils923]

What is the minimum age for someone to play in the AIHL or PIHA?

[treytai]

16 for minors and 18 for pro.

[GROWL]

The answer to that question for the AIHL is expected to be different after a vote that is set to take place this week on the subject.

[njdevils923]

what are they voting on a lower age or making it a higher age

[growl89]

The answer to that question for the AIHL is expected to be different after a vote that is set to take place this week on the subject.


I hope there is no consideration for going younger than 18 for the pro/elite.

[hockeymum]

I would be curious to know the reasoning behind any proposal to lower the minimum age in either league, I am sure it will be discussed soon enough. I would be interested to hear what others think and why. In what ways to you think it helps/hinders the league?

[Mlrhnorthfan]

i would be interested in hearing both sides of the argument.

Personally I do not think 16/17 year olds belong in the elite/pro division.

while the talent may be there the maturity physically/mentally will not be there. Though there may be exceptions to be sure...but thats what the rule should be....by exception and not by rule.

The difference in play here in the new england division between elite and minor is huge both in terms of speed and physical play.

i see an argument that some under 18s may be 'too good' for the minors level. however, we are not doing the right thing if we let these young kids play and potentially get hurt in the elite levels.

[HockeyFan1989]

I think that you shouldnt be able to play in the elite division or minor division if you're under 18. The minimum age for the NHL and the AHL is 18, and obviously this league is a long way away from NHL standards, but are they so bad to follow? Something is working over there.. However, I think an alternative of what to do with these players that are under the age of 18, would be to have a Junior Division. Have each team have a Junior team as well as a Minor team, maybe play less games, 20 or so. This could allow for a more structured league (not that it doesnt have structure now), and the growth and development of players.

[DCbullets14]

I think that this goes beyond skill level... there are alot of legal issues to consider. I think putting a 17year old on the rink with adults just creates a situation where bad things can happen.

[rollerhocke2233]

well from what ive seen in these leagues which may not be much compared to others is that there are older people in the minors so why shouldnt the 16 or 17 year olds who have the talent play elite/pro. but i think they should keep the rule but make exceptions for certain cases. but i think they should have to start off minor and if they are too good or if they played minor the previous year and dominated then they should probably be pro. but i understand the problems that this can present this should be an interesting situation.

[DCbullets14]

I would like to see anyone with the talent level play in the league unfortunatly some players are too immature to make the step up no matter how talented they are.

There are also other things to consider, like how a parent of a 17 year old could react when their child is getting tossed around by someone twice his age and size. If I remember correctly there was an incident like this in the minor game at the eastern conference finals... where a players father came onto the rink because of an altercation.

These problems obviously can occur at the minor level however, I think that the frequency might increase when you move younger kids into a division with adults.

[hockeymum]

My gut feeling was that lower the age was not the greatest idea, but I was interested in hearing other viewpoints. I could be persuaded to change that opinion, but really havent heard a good argument yet. It seems like a box that might not be worth opening. As mentioned already by someone else, my first thought was potential legal issues. Also, how many players are we potentially talking about...were there really any 16 yr old players whose play, and physical/mental maturity was so superior that it would be an issue for them to play minors one more year until they reach 18? If not, why change the rule, they will move up soon enough. Once you change the age rule, you run the risk of teams who want to put teams in at the elite level pulling in younger players to fill their rosters. As a spectator, I want to see good games at both levels- I dont want to see minor teams gutted of their strongest talent.

[patb16]

well from what ive seen in these leagues which may not be much compared to others is that there are older people in the minors so why shouldnt the 16 or 17 year olds who have the talent play elite/pro. but i think they should keep the rule but make exceptions for certain cases.

Making exceptions is not a good idea because it creates gray areas. I feel the rule needs to be strictly outlined and strictly enforced, as it is now. I personally believe some players under the age of 18 may have the physical abilities; however, they generally lack the maturity level to play at the pro/elite level. In saying that I feel that 18 is the proper minimum age to play at the pro/elite level. Why is there such a rush to get these players into this level? By strictly enforcing the age limits, it helps to create stability and ensure that the league is still around when these younger players reach the proper age.

Another thing mentioned earlier that I did think was a good idea was the possible creation of a junior league. It would definitely create some exciting and very fast hockey as well as properly prepare these kids to play at the pro/elite level. If a junior league were to be created, I believe that the minimum minor age should be raised to 18 as well.

Just my two cents.

[njwarriorhockey]

Honestly they should leave the same age to 16 for minors. They are always talking about making the sport of roller hcokey bigger and better. So let the younger kids play hockey in a league they can progress. I know wathing AIHL games last season i really didnt see any problems with players younger playing with older players or even against them. If its not broke don't fix it.

[patb16]

Honestly they should leave the same age to 16 for minors.

I would agree with keeping the minimum minor age at 16 as the leagues are set up now. I would only want to change the minimum minor age if a junior division were to be created.

[njwarriorhockey]

I Agree keep it the way it is for minors. If you want to promote the sport of roller hockey keep it the same way. there are probaly 15 and 16 year old wanting to play real roller hockey and when they see that there are tryouts to a Professional team they get excited and tell there friends and they want to come out and play.

[phil29]

we have professional teams in roller hockey?

[njwarriorhockey]

Well they try and make it Professional.

[hockeymum]

18 is also the standard for the adult levels in major tournament play, and there are reasons for that.

A 16 yr old would be required to play 2 years in the minors, that seems more than reasonable. If any minor teams are dominant because they are heavy on young talent, the turnover is a consistent 2 years or less.Those years foster developemnt in numerous ways....the stronger kids have the environment to develop as leaders, the balance of the kids get time to develop at an appropriate speed/skill level and learn from their stronger peers, and in many cases they get to learn from plenty of veterans who are still competitive at this level. I dont think that there are any 16/17 year olds who are "too good" to benefit from that type of situation for a year or two. Also, whatever happened to "paying your dues"? An old school attitude which is often unpopular among todays young players, and sadly, their parents. Remember, we are talking about the move up to an adult, elite level...not playing up a division in youth hockey...big difference.

If a lowering of the minimum age is really on the table, I am very interested to see how folks think this helps the leagues future. What will be accomplished by lowering the age that can not be accomplished by leaving it as is...what are the short term and long term benefits to the league?

[patb16]

WOW... great post, hockeymum. I couldn't agree more with everything you said. Adding to what you said: keeping the pro/elite division age minimum at 18 gives an under 18 year old kid something to strive for in addition to allowing them to mature and develop as a player.

[njwarriorhockey]

There were no major problems this year in the league were their?

[njdevils923]

ughh i have three years till i get to try out dang it
i wannt to play in the league soo badly :(

[DCbullets14]

I actually played a few games for the Frederick vipers team when they were in PIHA a few years back. They were an expansion team and somehow they made it so I could skate with the pro team even tho I was like 14 or 15 at the time.

I was not ready for that level of play at that age. I could skate with the guys but lacked the maturity or the situational experience to protect myself whille on the rink. I would not advise that the league lower the age.

[BanditsGM]

The 16's are already playing against guys that are the same age as players in the major division.

Also I don't believe there are any legal issues with 16's playing in the major division, if that was the case we could not let them play in the minors.

I know that a lot of the 16's that currently play in the league already play in local adult leagues with older guys.

[quick_dry]

If these juniors are not equipped to be put into the "big leagues" - why would they be?

People are posting that players need time to mature, why not simply take that into account when putting the team together. If you don't have the skill, physicality and maturity to play at that level - see ya. If you do, come on in.

'Paying your dues' comes more from being good enough to make the bottom of the squad, but not being developed as a player enough to be part of the core group - something taht came over time because you were exposed to the higher competition and training. Saying to someone "yes, you're better than what we have now... but they're older, sorry" makes no sense when you're positioning your league as "pro" or "the best of the best".

Age restriction makes sense if it is an insurance or pay related thing though.

[patb16]

I know that a lot of the 16's that currently play in the league already play in local adult leagues with older guys.

Just because a 16-17 player plays in local adult leagues does not make they capable of playing in PIHA or AIHL pro/elite division. I'm not saying that no 16-17 year old is capable of playing at that level. I just saying that most are not, and that the rules need to be clearly defined and strictly enforced. It just my personal opinion that 18 is the correct age for the pro/elite division.

[Ronnie Williams]

Doesn't FIRS, the world governing body of inline hockey, allow 16 and above to play in the Men's World Championships? If this is so, I believe that AIHL/PIHA rules should reflect their ruling.......then it is up to each organization to make up their mind whether to place a 16 year old on their roster.

Hoping the Gulf Coast Division of the AIHL is coming through!

Ronnie Williams :cool:
GM - The Georgia Syndicate

[General28]

[QUOTE=Hoping the Gulf Coast Division of the AIHL is coming through!
[/QUOTE]

Ronnie, what teams are looking at getting in the Gulf Coast Division?

[Ronnie Williams]

Rob,

I'm not at liberty to name cities at this time...

Ronnie Williams :cool:
GM - The Georgia Syndicate

[General28]

That's fair. Either way i hope it all works out for you guys..

[GROWL]

The AIHL is conjunction with the rules of the national governing body have opened the elite league to any player who meets the minimum age requirements of the league.

The AIHL is a spring board for players to the FIRS Championships and the minimum age requirements will now reflect that.

There has been a lot of debate about this topic on IHC and it has helped shape the decision, but in the end the determining factor was the rules of the NGB.

It has been made clear that there is absolutely no insurance issue with this situation. Players under 18 have played in tournaments and minor leagues for years now and it has not been an issue. Teams can determine for themselves the eligability of these players if they feel they are too immature.

[hckypop02]

I was close to almost 3/4's of all the games at the Silver Creek Sportsplex last season either by announcing or calling the games and I must say that some of the difference in play from Minor to Elite was really obvious at times. The Elite games were at a much faster and aggressive pace where as the Minor games seemed a bit slower and sometimes not as disciplined as the Elite's. I would atribute this to the age requirements that were in place last season. I agree that the talent level of our younger players is up there but the maturity level isn't not to mention the possibility of a fight between an adult and a minor in a game. I want to see the best players at the top of their game but truely believe that players need to work their way up through the ranks and pay their dues. Either way I am a big supporter of the AIHL and the governing body and have faith that their decisions will be well thought out and discussed at length. This league is making great strides and I look forward to the upcoming season.
Doug

[Drexel63]

The possibility for a fight between an adult and minor has always been there, as there are adults running around the minor division, just like there are in the elite... There is also the counter argument that you could find less goonery in the elite division, and 16s could be safer there... It really is a toss up between these arguments... the deciding, and only un-cancelled factor is the NGB rules, the more I think about it... I think the league made the right decision.

Despite all of this, I would urge all owners to really, really weigh whether a 16 is ready for that game speed, and maturity level, and use existing veterans to still work these kids up the ranks, and teach them the lessons they'll need to get and give respect in the proper way in a league like this...

[BanditsGM]

Well said Bill. I think the owners will use good judgement when it comes to deciding if a player is ready or not to play in the elite division.

[patb16]

As long as the age rule clearly defined, strictly enforced, and has no gray areas I'm happy w/the decision.

I can see where leaving it up to the team owners, managers and/or coaches is a good idea. Personally I did not know the NGB rule for international competition until now and I agree that keeping the league rule in line with the NGB's rule was definitely the correct thing to do.

[rollerhocke2233]

drexel63 well put. fighting between a 16-17 year old and an adult is much more likely to happen in a minor game