BakersDozen Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) I need some Hive input, please. My dc have played Rec (roller hockey) for a number of years now - 7 players in multiple age groups each week. Fun times! Some of the Rec players are also on travel teams. This has posed a problem in the past as travel players can be quite arrogant and dismissive of the Rec players. Travel players do not include Rec players save for a few exceptions. Rec families really like it when travel teams are away for a game. 😉 All that being said, my 15yod and 17yod have had a blast playing Rec the last 2 seasons but this time we are hesitating because the division they are signed up for (14U) is drop-in instead of teams. So twice/week the players sign up, teams are made, they play 2 games, and that's it. Of the 19 players signed up, all but 3 are travel/elite players. I am not happy. At all. I know when we show up for drop-in hockey once/week what to expect - no coaches, teams randomly made, etc. When I sign up for Rec I expect coaching and team playing for the season. The ones making the decisions are parents of travel players or the one heading up all of roller hockey (and his entire focus is travel/elite teams). I don't know what to do. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of time as my 17yod will most likely not play next season and she just loves being out on the rink. For those who have experience with Rec leagues, hockey or otherwise, does this seem normal? I was thinking of basketball at the YMCA - there are leagues w/teams and there is drop-in as well. But the 2 are vastly different in how things happen. ------------------ UPDATE: After many, many emails between the head honcho, another gal who supposedly represents Rec, and myself, we were told to just wait and see how the first 14U night went. It was OK - not good, not bad, but not ideal. My 15yo was 'meh' about it but said she'd continue. After discussing things following the game we decided to not contact anyone about her playing 12U as well and to just wait and see. 12U began tonight (Th) and all day I was wondering what was going to happen. I was bracing myself for news that dd had to play 14U only but instead I received an email just an hour before the first practice that dd15 was welcome to play in 12U with coaching and a set team. Not only that but the coach they brought on is a young gal who has played for the U.S. National Team and is a highly ranked inline hockey player!! WOW!!!!! The coach found us afterward and was so happy that my dd is on her team. So 17yod and 15yo are on 14U and will put up with the ego-filled travel players (thankfully there are a few nicer players who try to include my girls) but 15yo also gets some superb coaching and team-play on 12U. Edited April 1, 2022 by BakersDozen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Not my personal experience, but dh’s. Toward that age, back in the 90s, that’s how it pretty much was. And they were actually an adult league for around 16 and up. No more kid-focused. The only other sport I have experience with through my kids is base/softball. Around that age, LL struggled for players and often canceled teams because players would funnel to the school team or the travel teams, or both. Mine decided not to join the school team even though they were asked to, so it ended for them at 14, 16, and 15, respectively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 I don’t know anything about roller hockey in particular but here a lot of rec programs dissolve when the kids get to high school. When my kid was considering a high school with minimal sports I tried to find rec sports and it was hard even in super popular sports like basketball. If there are only 3 kids who want rec only in an age group then I don’t see how they can have a regular league, which is too bad but I am not sure the solution. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Not clear on why your 15 and 17 yo are playing in an under 14 division? Regardless, it’s not uncommon for rec leagues to be run by one or two parents of the kids who are most passionate. It’s expected that when their kids move on—either to play more seriously or move away from the sport—that someone else will have to step up and replace them. If your kids were playing travel, it’s unlikely you’d be able to continue to put the same amount of energy into their former (or part time) rec league. It takes a ton of energy and resources to coordinate youth sports. Since your kids alone make up nearly half the team, maybe you’d consider stepping in as a coordinator or coach? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, MEmama said: Not clear on why your 15 and 17 yo are playing in an under 14 division? Girls are allowed to play down and given the vast size/ability difference between 14U and 18U, I'm very thankful for that allowance. 😉 4 hours ago, MEmama said: Since your kids alone make up nearly half the team, maybe you’d consider stepping in as a coordinator or coach? My family runs concessions, we keep the rink and surrounding area clean, put up signs, help w/new players as far as outfitting them from the equipment room, etc. We are at the rink almost every day doing something. I've offered to help form and be on a Rec mini board as the current board's focus is 100% on travel and money stuff. That is actually one of the biggest issues - the parents have moved on to travel/ice and are trying to give a half-hearted attempt to keep Rec going but not allowing Rec parents to step up into leadership roles. Parents have had to really push back these last 3-4 seasons because of how Rec feels like just another travel practice. One coach in particular absolutely ignores Rec-only players in favor of his travel players. It's discouraging and not what Rec families are paying $ for. Edited March 28, 2022 by BakersDozen 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 5 hours ago, Baseballandhockey said: If there are only 3 kids who want rec only in an age group then I don’t see how they can have a regular league, which is too bad but I am not sure the solution. The travel players almost always sign up for Rec as well which is great as it makes for full teams, but this season the travel-based board decided to do away with the Rec experience for these 2 age groups. That's what I'm struggling with - the lack of coaching and instruction, the team mentality and working as a cohesive group over a season instead of haphazard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 18 minutes ago, BakersDozen said: The travel players almost always sign up for Rec as well which is great as it makes for full teams, but this season the travel-based board decided to do away with the Rec experience for these 2 age groups. That's what I'm struggling with - the lack of coaching and instruction, the team mentality and working as a cohesive group over a season instead of haphazard. I absolutely understand where you're coming from. My oldest played CYO rec sports as long as he could, and I would have loved from them to continue into high school. But I also understand that that experience isn't what most high schoolers are seeking. If something less formal, and less of a commitment is what the majority of the kids want from their rec experience, and if those kids are paying far more than the rec parents, it's unlikely that you're going to be able to force a change. Can your kids play travel? Can you pay for private coaching? Those are the options we found. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 4 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said: and if those kids are paying far more than the rec parents, it's unlikely that you're going to be able to force a change. For Rec everyone pays the same. Travel fees/costs are separate. My kids are taking private lessons and one plays travel. But my 15yod just wants/needs what Rec has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia2 Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 We live in a place that doesn't have hockey, but we have basketball. Basketball has rec leagues through 18U. The two oldest leagues get about 4 teams each. BUT...what helps us is that the nearest travel team (for any sport) is 1.25 hours away, which is considered a huge commitment here (it isn't an hour of traffic in a metro area; it's a full 50 miles over two mountains). I wouldn't love it if we went to drop in style. My kids really like being on a team and the coaching over a season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 3 minutes ago, BetsyT said: My kids really like being on a team and the coaching over a season. This is how I/we feel as well. I had a LONG talk with the head person in charge of Rec. The issue now is that the other 16 players have been together for years and have their "group." We discussed the pros/cons and she acknowledged my concerns. She is leaning toward keeping my dd in 14U but I have the final say. Per league rules, dd can play down. Many if not most of the female players have done so in the past. One thing that was said is that she would challenge the more "squirelly" 12U players which is a good thing . Much discussion is happening between those in charge and myself. Hopefully this will come to a good resolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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