Youth/Minor/Development Hockey

[Mike]

That's what I'm hoping for. We'll see how it plays out.

[BrooklynBoy89]

We took over the 16U National team this year.. Heard the NJ Colonials dropped their entire National team and will only have American. Any truth to that Mikey? Glad your son made the team, glad tryouts are over, my poor Dad has had parents calling him for weeks now trying to get a spot on the team... It's amazing to me how many coaches will guarantee spots without seeing the kid play or making them try out. My Dad fully believes in earning your spot, not really sure what happened over the years, and now all of a sudden everyone is "Entitled" to a spot just because they are a good player. I'm only 25, and when I was younger you had to show up to tryouts and earn your spot. Crazy how things have changed in the last decade.

[Mike]

We took over the 16U National team this year.. Heard the NJ Colonials dropped their entire National team and will only have American. Any truth to that Mikey? Glad your son made the team, glad tryouts are over, my poor Dad has had parents calling him for weeks now trying to get a spot on the team... It's amazing to me how many coaches will guarantee spots without seeing the kid play or making them try out. My Dad fully believes in earning your spot, not really sure what happened over the years, and now all of a sudden everyone is "Entitled" to a spot just because they are a good player. I'm only 25, and when I was younger you had to show up to tryouts and earn your spot. Crazy how things have changed in the last decade.

Yeah, I think they're only having 16U American. Oliwa was National coach, and I know he didn't want his kids playing HS hockey and fucking up the season. That may have had something to do with it. Tryouts are real tough now. You're not overthrowing a kid that's been there unless you're 400x better than they are.

[Mike]

It's official. Signed on Sunday night. He should be in fantastic shape before training camp starts in August. They'll be training on, and off the ice in 2 weeks. Coach doesn't want to waste a month getting them into shape. We'll get together once a week, the rest is on the kid to stay active.

[Mike]

Has anyone seen/used this before? It came highly recommended from a few serious hockey people. Even coaches use it to keep on top of their game.

 

http://www.usahockeyintelligym.com/product-info

[Puck Head]

Yes, we used it last year as a team for the most part.

Two seasons ago I had to players try it, (USA hockey wanted to run some tests)

 

Didn't read the article, but the "science" behind it comes form the military.

USA hockey has been using this a few years now, and it has to do with neurological development, (we always focus on the physical development).

 

It's all about the cognitive response and read, it's set up like a simple computer game, but stimulating that part of the brain.

It progressively gets more in depth, (harder).

 

Mixed results so far, (my son hasn't tried yet).

[Morphinity 2.0]

Looks interesting. I'd like to see how it awards points. It seems players are encouraged to make the right decisions quickly, but I'm curious as to how dynamic that is.

[Mike]

Yes, we used it last year as a team for the most part.

Two seasons ago I had to players try it, (USA hockey wanted to run some tests)

 

Didn't read the article, but the "science" behind it comes form the military.

USA hockey has been using this a few years now, and it has to do with neurological development, (we always focus on the physical development).

 

It's all about the cognitive response and read, it's set up like a simple computer game, but stimulating that part of the brain.

It progressively gets more in depth, (harder).

 

Mixed results so far, (my son hasn't tried yet).

 

Well it makes no sense for my son to try it, but I heard a lot of good things about it. Fyi, Michael said he'd come play for you when he's 16. Start building that addition.

[Puck Head]

Looks interesting. I'd like to see how it awards points. It seems players are encouraged to make the right decisions quickly, but I'm curious as to how dynamic that is.

 

 

Ok, I have to admit I was given a license, and spent hardly any time on it.

But watching the demo from USA hockey rep, it works like this.

 

It's a simple game of 1 on 1, similar to a old school video game. You control one "player", and computer controls other.

You each are trying to score on the other persons goal. The game then progresses...

1 on 1

1 on 2

2 on 2

2 on 3

 

etc, etc, etc...

 

Here is where the neurological development and spacial awareness come into play.

 

Example

Opposing player is moving across board in a straight direction, he then disappears and them comes back (in location of where is path was going)

Or.....teammate (computer player) is curling and then disappears, he then reappears a few seconds later in the same trajectory he was pursuing.

 

Not sure if I'm describing this well, but it forces the "student" to read and react to what is not always seen.

[Morphinity 2.0]

Ok, I have to admit I was given a license, and spent hardly any time on it.

But watching the demo from USA hockey rep, it works like this.

 

It's a simple game of 1 on 1, similar to a old school video game. You control one "player", and computer controls other.

You each are trying to score on the other persons goal. The game then progresses...

1 on 1

1 on 2

2 on 2

2 on 3

 

etc, etc, etc...

 

Here is where the neurological development and spacial awareness come into play.

 

Example

Opposing player is moving across board in a straight direction, he then disappears and them comes back (in location of where is path was going)

Or.....teammate (computer player) is curling and then disappears, he then reappears a few seconds later in the same trajectory he was pursuing.

 

Not sure if I'm describing this well, but it forces the "student" to read and react to what is not always seen.

 

Right, I looked at some of the videos about it, and I got the basic jist of how it works and how it progressively gets harder for the user. I noticed at the end of each "round" that it gave you a points spread which (I would assume) evaluated how you did in that particular instance.

 

I just wonder how it distributes the points and how those points are tied into your progression through this tool.

 

Obviously, the end result is to score a goal, but I would assume that you're given higher points for making quick, accurate decisions with the "puck" and not turning the "puck" over via pass or by taking too much time - as you would in a real game.

[Morphinity 2.0]

You know, I'll be honest, if the EA Sports actually worked on the NHL series to produce a somewhat passable, realistic AI, it would be a pretty good training tool similar to how this works. Obviously it wouldn't have the dynamic difficulty of sequential matchups (1v1, 1v2, 2v2, etc.), but it would certainly be a good way to provide players with a similar training perspective (broader view of the entire ice).

 

Unfortunately, the AI is just complete trash and the game basically comes down to gimmicks half the time.

[Puck Head]

You know, I'll be honest, if the EA Sports actually worked on the NHL series to produce a somewhat passable, realistic AI, it would be a pretty good training tool similar to how this works. Obviously it wouldn't have the dynamic difficulty of sequential matchups (1v1, 1v2, 2v2, etc.), but it would certainly be a good way to provide players with a similar training perspective (broader view of the entire ice).

 

Unfortunately, the AI is just complete trash and the game basically comes down to gimmicks half the time.

 

 

And you just nailed my issue with intelligym.

My initial thought was this...I have program and automation engineers who could have put together a better interface, (and the kids pick up on this).

You are spot on, something along the lines of a EA sports NHL game, but with different variables.

 

- More realistic movements of players

- Angled overhead view, (I don't think first person would work)

- Variables of players speeds, etc, etc

 

All these put into play could be a "game" that kids would enjoy playing.

[josh]

EA is in the business of selling millions of video games. Unfortunately, this would sell tens of thousands, at most. Too much updating, upgrading, and alteration between age levels on a yearly basis to remain a solid money maker for them.

 

It's a good idea, nonetheless. Get a struggling company to change focus. Like Curty Schillings company should have went this way.

[Morphinity 2.0]

And you just nailed my issue with intelligym.

My initial thought was this...I have program and automation engineers who could have put together a better interface, (and the kids pick up on this).

You are spot on, something along the lines of a EA sports NHL game, but with different variables.

 

- More realistic movements of players

- Angled overhead view, (I don't think first person would work)

- Variables of players speeds, etc, etc

 

All these put into play could be a "game" that kids would enjoy playing.

 

Exactly. It would basically take the video work you would do in the tape room and make it interactive. It's obvious that the best way to learn is by watching the game, and the best place to watch the game is as far away as you can to get the whole view of the ice and establish a sense of what to do away from the play, etc.

 

It's good to see the IntelliGym sort of do that to develop that sense, but I wish the NHL series would make it so that it was a feasible tool as well because it would reach a much wider audience and would be more receptive to the kids (as you said).

 

Josh is right, unfortunately, it's not lucrative. They should just have an "arcade" mode and a "sim" mode like some racing games do.

[Mike]

Practice tonight from 6-8:30 !!! I'm pulling the fire alarm at 7:45.

[Puck Head]

Practice tonight from 6-8:30 !!! I'm pulling the fire alarm at 7:45.

 

Mike,

Been since I was in the mountains since we talked about next season and the team he's on.

 

How is all that going?

[Mike]

Mike,

Been since I was in the mountains since we talked about next season and the team he's on.

 

How is all that going?

Ironically enough, this is the first team practice since we talked.

[Puck Head]

Ironically enough, this is the first team practice since we talked.

 

Gotcha.

Well I think it was a good decision.

Being on that high level of a team, that quality of practice, and surrounded by that talent level will only help him long term.

 

Next I want to hear about him making honor roll next year :)

[Mike]

Gotcha.

Well I think it was a good decision.

Being on that high level of a team, that quality of practice, and surrounded by that talent level will only help him long term.

 

Next I want to hear about him making honor roll next year :)

B/C student. Could definitely be A/B. I'm hoping the grades will go up when I ship him out to you in a few years.

[Puck Head]

B/C student. Could definitely be A/B. I'm hoping the grades will go up when I ship him out to you in a few years.

 

I think he's coming to that age.

His eyes will open a bit IMO being around this new team.

 

And in the next few years there will be exposure to Jr drafts, AAA Bantam, etc.

And it will hit him how important that GPA is now to scouts and coaches compared to 10, or even 5 years ago.

[Mike]

I think he's coming to that age.

His eyes will open a bit IMO being around this new team.

 

And in the next few years there will be exposure to Jr drafts, AAA Bantam, etc.

And it will hit him how important that GPA is now to scouts and coaches compared to 10, or even 5 years ago.

 

Yup. The closer he's getting to HS, the more he's starting to understand. My wife is already buggin when he talks about going away. Lol.

[josh]

I started looking at schools in 6th and 7th grade, and would have transferred starting in 7, 8 or 9, depending on the schools. That still normal?

[Mike]

I started looking at schools in 6th and 7th grade, and would have transferred starting in 7, 8 or 9, depending on the schools. That still normal?

 

Almost. They're looking in 6th, 7th, and 8th at where they'll be going in HS.

[Puck Head]

I started looking at schools in 6th and 7th grade, and would have transferred starting in 7, 8 or 9, depending on the schools. That still normal?

 

For academics, or for a sport?

Or both?

[Puck Head]

We had 5 players from our team attend the national camp process last week (my son not one of them).

Very interesting stuff to hear about how it went.

 

Obviously a ton of scouts there.

These are the top 200 American born Bantams in the nation.

 

A few interesting things.

- They said only 50% of this group will be invited next season as 15 year olds.

- And only 50% of that group will be invited the year after as 16 year olds.

I guess it's just the statistical development...that many fall off and that many take a step up.