Just something I'd like to share!

**Titan55** · 08-08-2001, 11:30 PM

I though you'd all like to se something that I read on another board. I didn't copy it, I'm just going to shorten it and tell you what it was about.

Well, basically someone was saying how a team that quilifies for NARCh Platinum in a regoinal in Canada shouldn't be allowed to plai in the Platinum division, because they will get killed!

The thing that bothered me about this, other than the fact that he delibertately singled out a team is that such a negative attitude could effect so many more people.

The team he singled out was a younger group, that competed in NARCh Platinum, and they even won a game or two. That is not the point though, my biggest problem is that the team was such a young age that they are very impressionable by others, is one of them caught a glimpse of that post they might think that they aren;t good enough for the game. The fact is that EVERYONE is good enough to play!!!

If a team is eligable for the Platinum division, I say let them play! Even if they lose every game, they will be up against stronger competition, and they will improve faster than if they are playing weaker teams!

Well, I guess from reading my posts the thing that hurts me more than anything is that it is a negative message being sent out to younger kids. What some people don;t realize is that if we don't let them grow as players and people the game we love so much won't be around in the future!

Well, thats how I feel about that issue.

Phil Christie, Ontario Hyper Titans #24
One Love!

Oh yeah, everyone on here is great!!!
Wish we could all have a big conversation someday!

**dapost22** · 08-09-2001, 01:06 AM

It's too bad that some coaches and program directors feel that way. They just want to chase hardware,

On the other hand, there are some great programs like SIHA in Colorado and OC Blades, AKS in California that build for the long term.

This year at NARCH, OC Blades could have had their Red PeeWee team play Gold and AKS could have had their 91s play Gold but they played Platinum in order to get the experience and build for the future.

SIHA is the same way. They are not competitive now but they will be. Dave Fromm will build the program by playing difficult competition.

Solid roller programs will build this sport. Short sighted hardware hunting inferiority complex loser coaches will hurt kids and only feed their own egos.

**The_GM** · 08-09-2001, 02:22 AM

I always find it funny when teams that sandbag get all pissed off because other teams sandbag.

At places like TORHS they'd do better off playing Division 1 since most of the Div 1 teams were in Div II ...haha...

Look at Triple Crown..it was nothing more than a CO regional with a couple of teams from elsewhere tossed in on occasion.

The best excuse is always that "the kids" don't want to play Platinum..bull****..the parents don't want to have to explain to all those back home why all of a sudden the greatest team ever got mercied 3 out of 4 at Ft. Myers..

There's a youth team in the south that tells everyone how great they are, undefeated..where'd they go this year..NARCh, TORHS? Nope an ECHO event....god forbid the kids actually lose a game..they may crack

**Grinder43** · 08-09-2001, 12:41 PM

Hello All,

I am new to this forumn and i saw the same post that Phil did on the other message board and like him, was disturbed. If NARCH deems a team good enough to play Platinum then by all means they should play Platinum and see the TRUE best of the best in their division. Yes for some it is all about winning but for others it is about growing as a team and experiencing things that they haven't experienced before. This was the first year that I coach a travel team. In regionals we were competetive but unfortunately never won a first place. It never once bothered the kids because they saw and felt us getting stronger as a team and they were having fun playing hockey. They were out to have fun and did all season long.

When it came time to choose a National in OVERWHELLMING fashion they jumped at the chance to go to NARCH and we did. It was an experience to never forget and now they dont want to do any other nationals but NARCH. The team went 4 and out, but it didn't phase them one bit. They LOVED IT and we played some tough teams. To the players and the parents it wasnt about bringing home hardware, but instead about building something for their future, having an enjoyable experience, learning what competition is out there beyond the southern US, and finally playing hockey.

Like Phil said, the best way to get better is to play better teams, thus raising the bar for the level that the kids want to compete at. Yes some kids will get discouraged because they are not winning every single game, but mainly it is the parents that get discouraged and not the kids. I have a WONDERFUL set of kids and parents and it is ashame when there are a few that think that the best thing in playing any sports is winning alone. It is amazing but sometimes a winning situation can come from losing a game.

Thomas P.
Coach of the Louisiana Grind

**macmill1** · 08-09-2001, 01:42 PM

While I do agree with some of what you said..........
The point of having a Platinum division is to have the very best teams compete against each other.
While teams winning regionals are eligible for platinum, I don't understand why a team would play platinum if they know they will get stomped. Platinum should be for teams that have played in and either won or done very well in national gold divisions.

Platinum should be only the very best teams. Teams that win a gold regional should probably try to win a gold national before they sign up for platinum. Winning gold once will help a team improve more than getting smoked in platinum.

Just my opinion.......
Al

Alan MacMillan

**The_GM** · 08-09-2001, 06:09 PM

MacMillan,

What you forget is that you are in one of the few areas that break down a NARCh regional into Gold and Platinum divisions because it is a franchise regional. Any regional run by NARCh has one division..and they seed the teams based on the depth and quality of each division, if they let any team that wanted to move down, they'd be known as TORHS

**KenFas** · 08-10-2001, 05:59 PM

Titan,'
Nice post, Usally its the opposite story some team cleans everyones clock at the regional level and then plays down at TORHS or USA RS and wins a championship against club teams, Why I don't know. Divisions like platinum at NARCH are for the elite but who's to say who elite is. Great players and great teams want to play the toughest competition every time out. Thats the only way to truely judge one's own ability. Unfortunatly our sport is riddled with All-Star teams representing 10 players from 10 different rinks whipping a club team with every player playing out of on rink. WE should never put down a team that wants to play up but we should call out all the teams that play down.

**Titan55** · 08-10-2001, 09:01 PM

I am in 100percent agreeance with you Ken. I think we need to adress the teams that just want to go and win a tournament with no competition.

I mean for the teams that want to challenge themselves then so be it, its not up to us to decide who is the "best". But the teams that are consistantly going into lower calibre tournaments just to win, they are the ones we should be talking about!

Phil Christie, Ontario Hyper Titans #24
One Love!