skip navigation

Tier 1 Leagues Build on Success of Fall HP 14/15

By Minnesota Hockey, 06/28/16, 1:45PM CDT

Share

2016 Tier 1 Leagues offer a high intensity fall training program for 2001, 2002 and 2003 birth years.

When the Fall HP 14/15 program was launched in 2013, Minnesota Hockey entered a new phase with its player development programs. Previously, players interested in preparing for their upcoming association or high school hockey season relied upon local clinics or warm up camps, which varied greatly throughout the state.

With the advent of the Fall HP 14/15, players across Minnesota were provided with three weeks of local training and a competition weekend against the best players in the state in September. Word spread quickly and 17 teams, including at least one from each Minnesota Hockey district, participated in the program’s inaugural fall festival. The program was so successful a girls’ component was added the following season.

“We provided a real developmental experience for over 400 players with high quality coaching and an age-appropriate environment,” said High Performance Director Mike MacMillan. “It allowed us to get closer to LTAD standards because in our state the season for that age of athlete is shorter than it should be.”

MacMillan touted the program’s ability to prepare players for not only their upcoming season but for future High Performance events. While players in Fall HP 14/15 weren’t guaranteed anything when they entered tryouts in the spring, many of them were able to take advantage of their experiences against Minnesota’s best players and advance deep in the process.  In fact, there will be nearly 30 boys and girls from Minnesota at this summer’s USA Hockey Select 15 and Girls 15 Player Development camps who participated in last fall’s HP 14/15 program.

This year the Fall HP 14/15 program will be evolving into Minnesota Hockey Tier 1 Leagues at the 14U and 15 levels.

“In my eyes, it’s an enhancement of the HP 14/15 development program,” said MacMillan. “We’ve added 11+ games and extended the length of training time and hours. We’ve clearly enhanced the exposure of those athletes while also keeping it within the community model and returning kids to their bantam or girls’ teams.”

“When you look at the long term athlete development (LTAD) standards, at 14, that’s when we need to accelerate their development. This program is a continuation of the Minnesota Development Model and our High Performance programs. We’ve strategically placed development opportunities so kids don’t have to go anywhere else. They can do it at home, within our model, and they can do it at an economically reasonable price with good coaches that follow LTAD.”

In addition, Minnesota Hockey has committed to encouraging players to continue playing fall sports and has developed a schedule that will minimize overlap and potential conflicts. When events do occur at the same time, players won’t be penalized for giving their fall sport first priority. The goal is for these fall leagues to supplement the development players receive during the primary winter season with their association and high school teams without significantly impacting their other activities.

The 2016 Tier 1 14U (2002 & 2003 birth years) and Tier 1 15 (2001’s) Leagues are scheduled to begin tryouts for youth and girls’ teams in early August. The registration deadline is Monday, July 11th. For more information or to register, click here

Most Popular

When the Fall HP 14/15 program was launched in 2013, Minnesota Hockey entered a new phase with its player development programs. Previously, players interested in preparing for their upcoming association or high school hockey season relied upon local clinics or warm up camps, which varied greatly throughout the state.

With the advent of the Fall HP 14/15, players across Minnesota were provided with three weeks of local training and a competition weekend against the best players in the state in September. Word spread quickly and 17 teams, including at least one from each Minnesota Hockey district, participated in the program’s inaugural fall festival. The program was so successful a girls’ component was added the following season.

“We provided a real developmental experience for over 400 players with high quality coaching and an age-appropriate environment,” said High Performance Director Mike MacMillan. “It allowed us to get closer to LTAD standards because in our state the season for that age of athlete is shorter than it should be.”

MacMillan touted the program’s ability to prepare players for not only their upcoming season but for future High Performance events. While players in Fall HP 14/15 weren’t guaranteed anything when they entered tryouts in the spring, many of them were able to take advantage of their experiences against Minnesota’s best players and advance deep in the process.  In fact, there will be nearly 30 boys and girls from Minnesota at this summer’s USA Hockey Select 15 and Girls 15 Player Development camps who participated in last fall’s HP 14/15 program.

This year the Fall HP 14/15 program will be evolving into Minnesota Hockey Tier 1 Leagues at the 14U and 15 levels.

“In my eyes, it’s an enhancement of the HP 14/15 development program,” said MacMillan. “We’ve added 11+ games and extended the length of training time and hours. We’ve clearly enhanced the exposure of those athletes while also keeping it within the community model and returning kids to their bantam or girls’ teams.”

“When you look at the long term athlete development (LTAD) standards, at 14, that’s when we need to accelerate their development. This program is a continuation of the Minnesota Development Model and our High Performance programs. We’ve strategically placed development opportunities so kids don’t have to go anywhere else. They can do it at home, within our model, and they can do it at an economically reasonable price with good coaches that follow LTAD.”

In addition, Minnesota Hockey has committed to encouraging players to continue playing fall sports and has developed a schedule that will minimize overlap and potential conflicts. When events do occur at the same time, players won’t be penalized for giving their fall sport first priority. The goal is for these fall leagues to supplement the development players receive during the primary winter season with their association and high school teams without significantly impacting their other activities.

The 2016 Tier 1 14U (2002 & 2003 birth years) and Tier 1 15 (2001’s) Leagues are scheduled to begin tryouts for youth and girls’ teams in early August. The registration deadline is Monday, July 11th. For more information or to register, click here

Most Popular