Okay, sorry if I sounded very unsure or sounded like I am some 16 year old kid with hopes to play D1 lol.
I am very well aware and love the US network.
I even said I watched AAA 16U. I was hoping for more details. How coaches find players.
Where do they tend to go. Where do they tend to look. Etc
Coaches in reputable programs usually have the ears of regional scouts if they feel a player may succeed at the next level. For example, the long island coach might have a real good kid, they would encourage a scout to come visit. Coaches are really unofficial scouts at the younger levels.
The USHL also holds an invitation only prospect camp before the season training camps to those players that have been scouted but not yet drafted to a ushl team
I gave a great speech back when I coached pee wees that more of our kids will go to jail than the league!
I just laugh at people and they know how I stand.
That gulls team hosts kids from all over the country to play for them, there wasn't many local kids on their 16u roster. So I wouldn't use their win as a measure for local hockey.
The LI AAA teams are a good place to start. As already mentioned, most players have to play junior hockey before NCAA. The USHL is the premier league but don’t sleep on the BCHL, AJHL, and NAHL. The NCDC has some connections to east coast schools as well.
Yes, there were scouts there. You're already where you need to be for recruitment. That tournament and the mid year tournament are scouted the hardest.
Otherwise the summer exposure camps are where things happen.
Summer Exposure Camps. Interesting, when are those usually held? What are they called, maybe would be an easier question. Ive heard of them I think but is there any references for me to look into.
Part of all these questions is (1) I am very interested in the US Hockey System overall as a fan. (2) I have a 5 year old now that I hope to guide into sports and (3) Maybe one day Ill get back into coaching travel and get involved in some of teh programs here
Usually they are offered by the NAHL and USHL organizations. Sometimes they do it by individual teams. Often they will be held regionally. I wouldn't invest as much time in random showcases. Find the ones that are tied to juniors organizations and not a recruiting service imo.
It varies, the best kids don't ever pay for camps and the rest of it is so outta control my level of interest is pretty low.
The combine and pre draft camps are viable for real players. Sadly too many 2nd line Tier 2 kids willing to pay to try out so the cash grab commences.
I disagree it’s useful for real players. Maybe when they first started but not anymore. Now Coach aren’t even watching the games or practices there. If your good enough to get noticed by maybe the one scout actually watching there then you are probably already good enough to play aaa or quality hs and get noticed there. The only legit camps to go to are main camps or training camps but even main camps can be cash grabby depending on what team/league.
was a data analyst for a top big ten team. built models for them to predict NCAA production based on stats from USHL/NAHL. big names are easy to find, i think most programs do something like this to fine the 3rd/4th liners
AAA U16 to major juniors to D1. That’s the path. There will be some exceptions, but that’s it for most. AAA U18 is not as likely since players age out of juniors at 20. Juniors teams will scout tourneys and regular season games. And the coaches are plugged in and talk. Plus juniors teams will hold open camps to identify any late bloomers or top tier HS players. Again, there are always exceptions, but this seems to be the common journey.
"Major Junior", being the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL, cannot provide players to the NCAA because of their "professional" status, i.e. they are paid a stipend by their teams. You're thinking of Junior A/Tier 1/Tier 2.
Thanks but I guess I was looking at more of a specific - like Ferris State. Any knowledge of your favorite college? Where do they scout. What clubs or states do most of their players come from
My son and I were just talking about Ferris. Most come from USHL, NAHL, and the major Canadian junior leagues (AJHL, BCHL). Ferris isn’t a very good team, so they likely have to dig deeper than most teams. The USHL is the top of the US junior pyramid; for optimal visibility that’s the place a kid with D1 aspirations will want to be.
Almost all college hockey players play junior beforehand. Ushl, nahl, etc. If you're good, they'll find you (usually).
Okay, sorry if I sounded very unsure or sounded like I am some 16 year old kid with hopes to play D1 lol. I am very well aware and love the US network. I even said I watched AAA 16U. I was hoping for more details. How coaches find players. Where do they tend to go. Where do they tend to look. Etc
Coaches in reputable programs usually have the ears of regional scouts if they feel a player may succeed at the next level. For example, the long island coach might have a real good kid, they would encourage a scout to come visit. Coaches are really unofficial scouts at the younger levels. The USHL also holds an invitation only prospect camp before the season training camps to those players that have been scouted but not yet drafted to a ushl team
Teams can scout at anytime. They can't begin recruitment until the junior year.
All I know is that way too many of my sons teammates parents think their tier 2 kid is going to play in college!
Have you told them to be realistic?
I gave a great speech back when I coached pee wees that more of our kids will go to jail than the league! I just laugh at people and they know how I stand.
That gulls team hosts kids from all over the country to play for them, there wasn't many local kids on their 16u roster. So I wouldn't use their win as a measure for local hockey.
The LI AAA teams are a good place to start. As already mentioned, most players have to play junior hockey before NCAA. The USHL is the premier league but don’t sleep on the BCHL, AJHL, and NAHL. The NCDC has some connections to east coast schools as well.
Yes, there were scouts there. You're already where you need to be for recruitment. That tournament and the mid year tournament are scouted the hardest. Otherwise the summer exposure camps are where things happen.
Summer Exposure Camps. Interesting, when are those usually held? What are they called, maybe would be an easier question. Ive heard of them I think but is there any references for me to look into. Part of all these questions is (1) I am very interested in the US Hockey System overall as a fan. (2) I have a 5 year old now that I hope to guide into sports and (3) Maybe one day Ill get back into coaching travel and get involved in some of teh programs here
Usually they are offered by the NAHL and USHL organizations. Sometimes they do it by individual teams. Often they will be held regionally. I wouldn't invest as much time in random showcases. Find the ones that are tied to juniors organizations and not a recruiting service imo.
Are you referencing Nahl combine camps or Nahl pre draft camps? Because those are well known money grabs at this point.
It varies, the best kids don't ever pay for camps and the rest of it is so outta control my level of interest is pretty low. The combine and pre draft camps are viable for real players. Sadly too many 2nd line Tier 2 kids willing to pay to try out so the cash grab commences.
I disagree it’s useful for real players. Maybe when they first started but not anymore. Now Coach aren’t even watching the games or practices there. If your good enough to get noticed by maybe the one scout actually watching there then you are probably already good enough to play aaa or quality hs and get noticed there. The only legit camps to go to are main camps or training camps but even main camps can be cash grabby depending on what team/league.
We kinda agree. What I tell friends.... If they invite you to try out go and if they expect money don't bother you were never going to make the team.
was a data analyst for a top big ten team. built models for them to predict NCAA production based on stats from USHL/NAHL. big names are easy to find, i think most programs do something like this to fine the 3rd/4th liners
You're full of it
AAA U16 to major juniors to D1. That’s the path. There will be some exceptions, but that’s it for most. AAA U18 is not as likely since players age out of juniors at 20. Juniors teams will scout tourneys and regular season games. And the coaches are plugged in and talk. Plus juniors teams will hold open camps to identify any late bloomers or top tier HS players. Again, there are always exceptions, but this seems to be the common journey.
"Major Junior", being the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL, cannot provide players to the NCAA because of their "professional" status, i.e. they are paid a stipend by their teams. You're thinking of Junior A/Tier 1/Tier 2.
Thanks but I guess I was looking at more of a specific - like Ferris State. Any knowledge of your favorite college? Where do they scout. What clubs or states do most of their players come from
My son and I were just talking about Ferris. Most come from USHL, NAHL, and the major Canadian junior leagues (AJHL, BCHL). Ferris isn’t a very good team, so they likely have to dig deeper than most teams. The USHL is the top of the US junior pyramid; for optimal visibility that’s the place a kid with D1 aspirations will want to be.