"Elite" hockey teams are not always what they purport to be

Too many "elite" team directors are like carnival barkers,
trying to extract every penny they can from parents.

Hi gang,

Welcome to summer, hockey's "silly season." Actually, it's really an extension of the crazy season that started in March and April, when hockey programs typically hold tryouts for the following season. These spring tryouts and summer skills sessions are why some parents think that hockey is actually a year-round sport.

Now, I understand the need for non-profit youth hockey programs to hold early tryouts. They need to get a handle on the number of kids they'll have, and how many teams they'll be able to roster. These tryouts are usually pretty straightforward, and there's a place for everyone.

That's not the case with "elite" and "select" programs. These for-profit organizations can be cut-throat, often with little regard for the well-being of the players and their families. I've seen it firsthand. It isn't pretty. The following is a cautionary tale based on a parent's confidential experience. But "Alan" isn't alone, I assure you. Let me know what you think.

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"Elite" hockey teams are not always what they purport to be

Youth sports have become a big-time business. That's not necessarily a good thing. Recently, Sports Illustrated ran a scathing article on youth baseball programs in general, and the company "Perfect Game" specifically. This Iowa-based behemoth is offering tournaments and showcases for baseball "phenoms" as young as 9.

Really, how crazy is that?

But before anyone in an "elite" or "select" hockey program casts aspersions about Perfect Game, they ought to take a good look in the mirror. Because, the fact is, hockey is rife with many of the same problems. Select programs start early, as young as 5 and 6. The goals have less to do with kids having a good time, and more with achievement (both on the individual and the program level). Getting ahead. That's what Perfect Game promises. That's what too many elite hockey programs purport.

Elite hockey programs employ some of the best snake-oil salesmen in all of youth sports, with their promises of top-notch coaching and additional games against better competition to give your child the necessary edge to succeed. And self-doubting parents fall for their sales pitch over and over again. I've seen it, repeatedly.

In the coaching biz, springtime guarantees two things – "elite" program coaches looking for goaltenders, and parents complaining about getting shafted by elite programs. The two go hand-in-hand like Alex Ovechkin and one-timers.

Now, before I go any further, I have to emphasize an important point: I'm not saying every coach in every elite program is a self-centered, self-aggrandizing megalomaniac. There are solid, trustworthy programs, and there are coaches truly invested in making sure that "fun" isn't squeezed out of the game. They may even be the majority.

The problem is that there are still too many bad apples that cast a long and less-than-flattering shadow over reputable coaches and reputable programs. I know for a fact that there are many elite coaches who share my concerns. Their responsibility is to call out bad programs. Mine is to make parents aware of them.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for parents who are dealing with the "elite hockey" landscape is to somehow separate the seedy programs from the reputable ones. With May being the season when programs start applying pressure to sign on the dotted line, what's a concerned parent to do?

First, don't be fooled by win/loss records, banners in the rink lobby, and fancy uniforms. Those are can be deceiving. Ask yourself what's more important to you and your child, to be part of a "winning" program, or a program that nourishes and helps your young netminder to grow. Again, those two concepts aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but my point is that the program's "emphasis" should be on development.

Take, for example, this tale that a reader recently shared with me. Again, I'm not interested in embarrassing any particular program, so I'm not identifying the parent or the program. Suffice to say, these comments are representative of many that I've heard over the years. The father, Alan, was writing to say that his son, Jeremy, a 2004 goaltender, had been recruited by an elite coach who happened to be scouting his youth hockey game (yes, they actually do scout youth hockey games).

"One of coaches asked us to come to a practice so the head coach could take a look at Jeremy," said Alan. "Practice went well. I was surprised at how high the level of play was above what we've been playing. That being said, he played well, had fun and looked to me like the best goalie on the ice.

"The coaches were very aggressive asking us to come to tryouts, even after I said I couldn't afford to play for them nor was I sure I could handle the extra travel and time required," he said. "The head coach talked me into coming to tryouts and told me my son needed to be playing elite hockey in Boston now. Otherwise it would be too late, and he would never have a chance of playing at a high level."

Alan knows now this is a major red flag. The coaches are masters at preying on parents' insecurities. Trust me, elite programs are not the guaranteed path to a D-I scholarship that they'd like you to believe they are.

 Furthermore, the coaches were asking Jeremy to play out of his age bracket. That's another red flag, from both a hockey playing and emotional development perspective. There's a lot pressure on goalies, even young ones. That pressure increase tenfold when you've got older kids disappointed in the play of a younger netminder.

"I had reservations, but then the coach made an offer that made the financing manageable for us," said Alan. "Thinking it was a year too early, but knowing my son wanted to give it a go and now the money could work, I signed on the dotted line fearing an offer like this might not be around next year.

"I fell in love with the fact I would no longer need to be coaching my son," he said. "He would have a new voice. I thought I was giving him the world with all the promised goalie coaching and in a big organization. The season started two months earlier than we were accustomed to, and quickly reality set in. There was no goalie coaching and drill after drill was line rush after line rush, bar down after bar down, all practice long.

"My son was a mess, standing straight up in the net. No one was saying anything to him. So much was so very wrong and he got no help. Once he got into some games his instincts took over, but you could see where bad habits were creeping into his game."

This happens more often than you'd suspect. Sometimes, elite programs will hire coaching outfits like the one I work for to help fine-tune their goalies' game. But in-program practices can still be a nightmare for goalies, who are often buried under an avalanche of shots. Furthermore, there's a lot more emphasis on winning with an elite program, and that pressure often falls on a goaltender who doesn't have the emotional maturity to deal with it.

"The season came to end for us when I found out how much my son hated playing for them, and how much he couldn't take the defense making in-game comments to him about goals going in," Alan said. "I had no idea all that was going on."

Again, this is a recurring theme. It's the major reason why, whenever a parent of a prospective "elite team" player asks me about their options, I tell them to do their homework. Call up the parents, both present and (perhaps even more importantly) past. Ask why they like the program, or why they left. Talk to the coaches (they are perhaps he biggest difference between a good and bad season).

If coaches are promising you the world, thank them, and then get it in writing. Seriously. Don't be afraid of risking your child's spot on the team. If the coaches question why, that's a concern. Just tell them you've been burned before. It's important, because with most elite programs, we're talking a fairly large investment. When Alan and his son returned to their youth hockey program, they left a chunk of change behind them.

In short, take control. This is your son or daughter. Coaches are looking out for their programs. You need to look out for your child. Be smart, and thorough. If anyone is rushing you to commit before you, or your child, is ready, walk away. It's not the end of the world.

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