<p>I have made many other threads concerning what schools i should apply to, but I have not factored in whether or not I will be good enough to play at some of the schools I want to go to. I know it is stupid to go to prep school just for the Hockey, because if I really want to go play college hockey, then I might as well go play juniors. Anyway i am currently a freshman and I will be applying next year as a REPEATING sophmore. If for example when winter came around during the 2012- 2013 season and I was not good enough too play varsity. Does that mean i basically wont ever play varsity at the school. I know it sounds stupid, but i am thinking if I am playing a year of prep school jv hockey not only will i not be getting better, but be waisting my time. Does anyone have any information about how the level of JV hockey play, or how coaches prepare players that are not quite there at the Varsity level yet.</p>
<p>Idk bout hockey but from personal experience as an athletic recruit and friends who go to boarding school as athletes being recruited for the jv level doesn’t cut it. The coaches
will push for athletes who will make an impact on varsity. Unless your talents are enough for the coaches to call u and email u first and continue to make contact you cannot be considered a recuit but a candidate who has hockey as an ec. </p>
<p>Also if you wantto play any college level sport (especially hockey) my
friends say you should at least be on varsity
as a prep</p>
<p>Depends on the program but some teams move players from JV to varsity year to year others dont at all</p>
<p>JV is similar to U16 aaa varsity similar to u18 aaa</p>
<p>Andover hopeful- The main reason i am mentioning jv is because i have heard people say they were guaranteed a spot on varsity by a coach and then the next year comes around and they are stuck at jv. They main reason i have not been recruited is because there is no where any of these coaches would have seeen me, until now i had never contacted them nor been at any big tournaments mainly because of money. Basically my concern is that I will be told i am good enough by a coach and then end up getting “replaced”</p>
<p>Kenthopeful- I am suprised you say jv is like u16 aaa cause i have a freind who goes to groton, and he is prety bad and hes on the team. Anyway it must differ from school to school</p>
<p>The reason i have been thinking i am good enough to play at some of these schools is because a kid on my team who i think i am equally as good, got recruited to the hill, which made me start to think i should look at prep school.</p>
<p>Groton has an “everyone plays” policy- but the good players are on Varsity. So bad players will play too, just third team or JV depending on numbers. The women’s ice hockey head coach was on the Turin Olympic team so I think instruction is good- but then again my daughter is more focused on Music and tennis- so hockey was not a biggie for us!</p>
<p>Groton is actually the school that i am most intersested in because i have a freind that goes there and loves it (besides the fact that it is one of the most prestigous prep schools in the country). Do you know how their boys varsity team does, good or bad?</p>
<p>They had an awesome season- see link below
[Groton</a> School :: Athletic Manager :: Boys Varsity Hockey](<a href=“http://www.groton.org/team.aspx?pageId=46457§ionId=1230]Groton”>http://www.groton.org/team.aspx?pageId=46457§ionId=1230)</p>
<p>I would recommend emailing the coach with your questions. The staff are friendly and approachable and willing to answer questions. We are so excited to have our D start in the Fall- she has accepted her place but is going to revisit just to spend more time there!</p>
<p>We will be happy to have you PM us when she starts in the Fall with any specific “insider” questions, but I am sure that your friend knows most of the answers to your questions!</p>
<p>on the same thread…</p>
<p>[Boston</a> Globe Boys’ Hockey All-Scholastics - Winter 2010-11 - Boston.com](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/sports/special/schools/201011_winter_all-scholastics/boys_hockey.html]Boston”>http://www.boston.com/sports/special/schools/201011_winter_all-scholastics/boys_hockey.html)
Groton player (Mike Doherty) named a Boston Globe Hockey All-Scholastic for his efforts on the ice this winter
-commited to Yale</p>
<p>I know this is way late but just in case you still need help… I was a hockey recruit for Andover, exeter, Deerfield, choate, and Milton. Most varsity teams have one or two freshman on the roster, and the others play jv - some as swing players. Since these schools recruit and usually do very well, there are a lot of hockey players applying. So, if you play jv one year and you weren’t recruited, than you may find it har to get on the varsity team, especially since the coaches go out and look for other players that could contribute to fill the leaving player’s spots. Idk If that was clear or necessary but just thought I’d share. :D</p>
<p>i really appreciate everyones information, and it helps alot. it sounds like the best chance at varsity is being recruited, so i am going to try to find some showcases that i can attend to get in front of these coaches. It is really hard to find teams, does anyone know how hard it is to get put on a showcase team. On certain sites i see an option to apply by yourself, is this a good idea? Now my goal is really to find a way to get in front of these coaches.</p>
<p>If you are currently on a team that should be good enough. Spending extra time and money on a showcase/elite team may not make a difference. However, if you can add some camps to your resume, it wont hurt. Start communicating with coaches and keep them updated w/ video and stats. It’s also helpful if your current coach adds a rec in your application or sends emails to coaches.
There is no magic formula for team placement. You will be placed according to your level of play.</p>
<p>Yea my coach also sent in a rec and I also had one of the directors of player development of USA hockey send one as I play with him a few times a week. The best way is to just get into contact with then if you haven’t met them at a tournament or anything. A good tournament that one of my friends went to was hockey night in Boston, which is a good showcase tournament.</p>
<p>I would strongly consider Milton as they won the NEPSAC championship for boys’ hockey.</p>
<p>I figured since its been a while, i would just post my current progress. At the moment i am signing up for the NAPS tournament as an individual, and will be contacting some of their scouts to try and see me. On top of that I will be trying out for some team run by USA HOCKEY, im not sure of the name but its some east coast team that you tryout for then if you get through that you go to a festival and so on. IF any of u guys have experience with NAPSor the USA hockey team i am talking about, i would appreciate your input.<br>
A problem i have with getting NAPS scouts to see me is that I dont have many games coming up any time soon, but a couple of tournaments at te beggining of summer. I dont know if its stupid to wait till then, or if they could come see me fill in at some rec league game, or come to one of my spring teams practices. </p>
<p>Also do you think me declining an offer at playing AAA national will hurt me. I knew many of the players on the team and I could tell I was not going to playing much because the coach plays favorites and he does not know me. I think that playing first line AAA american will be more worth it to grow as a player.</p>
<p>aren’t you the one who played skyland kings bantam AA? If so, just be forewarned that you are up against (at most of the NE prep schools) the best kids from the US, Canada and even abroad. If you are not part of the USA national development camps, and only playing AA you may be relegated to jv, if that. JV at many of the schools is equivalent to a good u16 AA team. There are plenty of tier 1 players who never make varsity. Every year new recruits come. Just don’t go to prep school fo hockey – especially if you have not been recruited (that means coaches contacting you, not you contacting coaches). You might be really disappointed that you have traded away your opportunities to play at home for none really at school.</p>
<p>I understand what yur saying, I hate saying I am AA because I really think it underates me (not to sound cocky). I dont want you to think hockey is m main goal, obviously if I thought I was good enough to play college then it would be my goal, but its not. I want to go to prep school for many reasons, but i really woud like to play prep school hockey simply because it is a goal of mine. Once again the reason i have not been scouted is because I play AA, I easily could have been playing national, but I wouldnt have gotten any time cause my dad doesnt pay an extra 10k for tuition to get me played. For example I have a 97 playing on my tam who should probably be playing a, but will eventually go on to play junior a because his dad coaches the team. It is a sad reality but politics have a huge impact on sports. I am not too late to start trying for prep hockey, considering I am only a freshman. I am asuming you understand where I am coming from…</p>
<p>I forgot to add that one of the reasons i thought i was good enough to play prep school hockey in the first place is because a kid on my AA team went to a showcase and got asked to play for The Hill, obviously he would be fourth line, but still we are both young and have time to mature. ANyway I was comparing myself to him and I think I am easily equal or better than him, and I figured i might as well give it a shot, or a would regret not trying.</p>
<p>well, just to let you get an idea: im a a 97 birthyear top aaa player. i play east coast selects, top fall and spring tournaments, good team, helped my team make it to nationals when i got the chance, but im only 5’4, and therefore the coach siad that i probably wont be playing varsity next year at the prepschool im going to. if you have skill, size, and you work hard, expect to play varsity.</p>
<p>I havent had much of a size issue in my hockey career, but i definately have respect for players like you that can prove to others that size doesnt matter. I dont know the average height for a defenseman in prep school, im a 96 5’10" and based on how lanky i am, i think i have at least another 2-3 inches. I am not heavy, only about 140 lbs, but as i work out and eat a ton i am really gaining weight fast. I think for me my biggest problem is that I dont have tons of stamina, and if I want to show these coaches that i work hard, I have to be able to skate 100% all game.
Where did you get looked at by coaches? i am still trying to gather information from people about where to playinfront of these coaches.</p>