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How to Make the CCM High Performance Programs

By Minnesota Hockey, 02/02/16, 8:00AM CST

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As hockey players get older, many dream of playing the game at an elite level. In order to do that, players ages 14-16 should start increasing the length and intensity of their training, as well as looking for opportunities to showcase their skills to scouts.

The best way to accomplish both of those goals is by earning a spot in the CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance programs. The CCM High Performance programs are an official component of USA Hockey’s national development process, and they consist of a series of festivals and camps designed to identify and develop the top players from Minnesota. 

How can you “make” the CCM High Performance programs?

The answer starts with making your age level’s team from your youth hockey district or high school section, and while almost all of the districts and sections host a tryout to form the team, the process of getting to tryouts typically varies.  Here’s a breakdown of each program and how you can earn an opportunity to participate.

CCM High Performance Boys’ and Girls’ 14 (2002 birth year)

This is the first season in which Minnesota Hockey will offer a spring CCM High Performance program at the 14 level. The programs will, in many ways, model the Boys’ and Girls’ 15 programs.

The selection and tryout process will be coordinated by Minnesota Hockey districts. Following tryouts, the CCM HP 14 programs will offer the top boys and girls from each district the opportunity to train with the best players in their area during a series of skills sessions, and then, they will compete against the top players at their age from across the state in a spring festival.

For more details on this new opportunity and how tryouts will be handled in your district, visit the respective Boys HP 14 and Girls HP 14 web pages.

CCM High Performance Boys’ 15 (2001)

Most of the participants in the Boys’ 15 program are still playing at the Bantam level.  Therefore, the original player selections start at the district level.

“The nomination process for the Boys’ 15 program is laid out by District, which will vary,” said John Perry, Program Director for the Boys’ and Girls’ 15 programs. “The only time they limit the kids that can attend tryout is due to numbers – such as when there are just too many to fit on the ice.”

This type of “closed” tryout primarily occurs in the Twin Cities metro area when there can often be several hundred players eligible to participate within a single birth year. When this occurs, the district works directly with its associations’ coaches to form an invite list. During that time, coaches from each association’s top team have the opportunity to submit nominations for players they feel are worthy.

In districts where the number of players isn’t too large, they often hold an open tryout. Eligible players from any association within the district can attend and attempt to make the team.

To learn more about the procedure in your district or to learn about the Boys’ HP 15 program, contact your District General Manager.

CCM High Performance Girls’ 15 (2001)

The Girls’ 15 program operates a little differently than the Boys’ 15 because many of the players come from high school teams instead of youth teams. 

The teams are still formed at the district level, and in many cases, the districts host an open tryout.  The main difference is high school coaches have the responsibility for nominating their players that are eligible through our Coach Nomination Form.  High school players aren’t eligible to participate in tryouts, even if they are open to everyone, without their coach completing the form because of their affiliation with the Minnesota State High School League.

Another variation from the Boys’ program is that there are certain districts that co-op to form a team. Contact your District General Manager to verify when and where tryouts will be held and if they are open or by invite only. 

CCM High Performance Boys’ 16 & 17 (1999 & 2000)

The Boys’ 16 & 17 program is the first age group for boys’ hockey players in which the program is organized by high school sections instead of youth hockey districts, as a majority of the players are competing at the high school level.  Each section (ex: Section 1A/AA) forms one team from the players of the appropriate age, participating at the A & AA levels.

Players are nominated by their high school coaches.  Then, a minimum of 40 players are invited to participate in section tryouts. From that group, the section selects the team that will participate in the HP 16 & 17 Spring Festival.

CCM High Performance Girls’ 16 & 17 (1999 & 2000)

The teams in the Girls’ 16 & 17 program are formed by Section just like the Boys’ program.  It is common for high school coaches to contact the Section General Manager and notify him or her that one or more of their players intends to tryout.  However, most sections host open tryouts.

CCM High Performance Great 8 (HS Seniors) & HP 18’s (1998)

The CCM High Performance Great 8 and HP 18 teams are the only teams selected without tryouts. They are still formed and compete by Section, but they are selected based on input from the high school coaches. First, each coach has the ability to nominate players. Then, all of the coaches vote on who they think should represent the section at the Great 8 and HP 18 Festivals.

Conclusion

The process outlined in this article focuses on how to make your district or section team for each age level.  While making those respective teams is a significant accomplishment of its own, it is only the start of a fantastic opportunity for the players.

Each program has several phases. The players are evaluated continuously with only the top players moving onto the next phase.  Eventually, Minnesota sends one group of players from each age level, except the HP 14 level, onto the USA Hockey Player Development Camps. Last year, over 3,000 players in Minnesota participated in the tryout phase and more than 180 were selected for national camps. 

For more information on each program’s phases, visit the appropriate program web page.

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As hockey players get older, many dream of playing the game at an elite level. In order to do that, players ages 14-16 should start increasing the length and intensity of their training, as well as looking for opportunities to showcase their skills to scouts.

The best way to accomplish both of those goals is by earning a spot in the CCM Minnesota Hockey High Performance programs. The CCM High Performance programs are an official component of USA Hockey’s national development process, and they consist of a series of festivals and camps designed to identify and develop the top players from Minnesota. 

How can you “make” the CCM High Performance programs?

The answer starts with making your age level’s team from your youth hockey district or high school section, and while almost all of the districts and sections host a tryout to form the team, the process of getting to tryouts typically varies.  Here’s a breakdown of each program and how you can earn an opportunity to participate.

CCM High Performance Boys’ and Girls’ 14 (2002 birth year)

This is the first season in which Minnesota Hockey will offer a spring CCM High Performance program at the 14 level. The programs will, in many ways, model the Boys’ and Girls’ 15 programs.

The selection and tryout process will be coordinated by Minnesota Hockey districts. Following tryouts, the CCM HP 14 programs will offer the top boys and girls from each district the opportunity to train with the best players in their area during a series of skills sessions, and then, they will compete against the top players at their age from across the state in a spring festival.

For more details on this new opportunity and how tryouts will be handled in your district, visit the respective Boys HP 14 and Girls HP 14 web pages.

CCM High Performance Boys’ 15 (2001)

Most of the participants in the Boys’ 15 program are still playing at the Bantam level.  Therefore, the original player selections start at the district level.

“The nomination process for the Boys’ 15 program is laid out by District, which will vary,” said John Perry, Program Director for the Boys’ and Girls’ 15 programs. “The only time they limit the kids that can attend tryout is due to numbers – such as when there are just too many to fit on the ice.”

This type of “closed” tryout primarily occurs in the Twin Cities metro area when there can often be several hundred players eligible to participate within a single birth year. When this occurs, the district works directly with its associations’ coaches to form an invite list. During that time, coaches from each association’s top team have the opportunity to submit nominations for players they feel are worthy.

In districts where the number of players isn’t too large, they often hold an open tryout. Eligible players from any association within the district can attend and attempt to make the team.

To learn more about the procedure in your district or to learn about the Boys’ HP 15 program, contact your District General Manager.

CCM High Performance Girls’ 15 (2001)

The Girls’ 15 program operates a little differently than the Boys’ 15 because many of the players come from high school teams instead of youth teams. 

The teams are still formed at the district level, and in many cases, the districts host an open tryout.  The main difference is high school coaches have the responsibility for nominating their players that are eligible through our Coach Nomination Form.  High school players aren’t eligible to participate in tryouts, even if they are open to everyone, without their coach completing the form because of their affiliation with the Minnesota State High School League.

Another variation from the Boys’ program is that there are certain districts that co-op to form a team. Contact your District General Manager to verify when and where tryouts will be held and if they are open or by invite only. 

CCM High Performance Boys’ 16 & 17 (1999 & 2000)

The Boys’ 16 & 17 program is the first age group for boys’ hockey players in which the program is organized by high school sections instead of youth hockey districts, as a majority of the players are competing at the high school level.  Each section (ex: Section 1A/AA) forms one team from the players of the appropriate age, participating at the A & AA levels.

Players are nominated by their high school coaches.  Then, a minimum of 40 players are invited to participate in section tryouts. From that group, the section selects the team that will participate in the HP 16 & 17 Spring Festival.

CCM High Performance Girls’ 16 & 17 (1999 & 2000)

The teams in the Girls’ 16 & 17 program are formed by Section just like the Boys’ program.  It is common for high school coaches to contact the Section General Manager and notify him or her that one or more of their players intends to tryout.  However, most sections host open tryouts.

CCM High Performance Great 8 (HS Seniors) & HP 18’s (1998)

The CCM High Performance Great 8 and HP 18 teams are the only teams selected without tryouts. They are still formed and compete by Section, but they are selected based on input from the high school coaches. First, each coach has the ability to nominate players. Then, all of the coaches vote on who they think should represent the section at the Great 8 and HP 18 Festivals.

Conclusion

The process outlined in this article focuses on how to make your district or section team for each age level.  While making those respective teams is a significant accomplishment of its own, it is only the start of a fantastic opportunity for the players.

Each program has several phases. The players are evaluated continuously with only the top players moving onto the next phase.  Eventually, Minnesota sends one group of players from each age level, except the HP 14 level, onto the USA Hockey Player Development Camps. Last year, over 3,000 players in Minnesota participated in the tryout phase and more than 180 were selected for national camps. 

For more information on each program’s phases, visit the appropriate program web page.

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