How would you break ages 5-17 into 4 divisions?

[jmacias34]

Looking for some suggestions on how some of you league administrators would break the ages down. We aren't affiliated with a NGB so we have some freedom.

[TheRageHeadCoach]

I would do the following:
5+6
7-9
10-12
13-15

Edit: Didn't see 17, you really need a 5th division, it's just not going to be fair, too many age differences.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by TheRageHeadCoach on 09/19/03 04:00 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

[NJRH]

5-8
9-11
12-14
15-17

[jmacias34]

We don't have the numbers to support 5 divisions. 4 is a stretch as it is. Our current ages groups are: 5-8, 9-12, 13-16. We have an influx of older kids wanting to participate so I am raising it to 17.

[TheRageHeadCoach]

ALL THOSE look good except the last one, the difference between 13 and 17 is just so huge.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[sactosaxons]

I agree that 13-17 is much too huge a difference. 15-17 is about as far as you can stretch that end of the age spectrum without some major skill, size, maturity issues.

Joy Raftery
Sacramento Saxons

[almostheroes]

I have seen this age breakdown used in a leaque in Ohio, and it works well.

[almostheroes]

The one that NRJH suggested.

[MDE3]

Try the following - I have used it for skill clinics as well

5,6,7
8.9,10
11,12,13,14,
15,16,17

Of course it will depend on how many you have in each age group as well - that usually ends up being the driving factor.

PS I have seen lot's of kids 12,13 ,14 play successfully in the 16 year old brackets as well, so playing 11-14 should not pose a big problem.

[missionhockey21]

5-7
8-10
11-14
15-17

Not a league admin, but I have seen multiple age breakups when a rink I played at often experimented and tried mixing it up.

[missionhockey21]

11-14 Wouldnt be too big of a problem. IMO its not till a kid reaches around 15 when he starts to have a physical advatage over a kid say 12-13. I would feel more comfortable with the 14 years old playing down than rather up with the 15-17 age group.

[jmacias34]

What I meant by my post about raising the ages to 17 was the overall program age, not the bracket from 13-16 to 13-17. 5-8 is what we currently have and what usually happens is 8 year olds who have played are moved up to the next division, 8 year olds who have not played and are new play in the 5-8 division. 5-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-17 is my front runner, this is all dependant on the turnout for evaluations. I appreciate all of the suggestions and input!

Thanks,
Joe Macias
http://www.redlandsymcasports.org

[SpeedDemon]

I would not put 11 year olds with 14 year olds unless you want to deal with parents screaming at you every week.

6-8 (advise 5 year olds to join a Learn-To class)
9-11
12-13/14 (lower skill 14's)
14/15-17 (higher skill 14's)

A good Learn-To program will breed interest in your league as well as player retention.

My true suggestion? Go with the USA Hockey Inline recommended ages; they're that way for a reason. You could be causing yourself a lot of extra grief, and possibly legal harm, by doing anything different. You do not want to give hockey parents or concerned parents in general, any straws to grasp at!

[jmacias34]

USA Hockey uses 5 age division, as I stated above we simply don't have the numbers to justify switching to 5 divisions, unless we wanted two teams in each division. Our program had 75 kids last season, for a total of 7 team in three divsions. Two had only two teams, and the other had three, this was for the summer season which is typically our worst of the year. We don't offer a Leanr-To (Initiation) Program, and there are no plans to in the future. There are clinics between seasons such as Learn To Skate, Hockey for Beginners, Intermediate Hockey & Goalie 101.

Thanks,
Joe Macias
http://www.redlandsymcasports.org