What is Junior Hockey?
1. Junior hockey is played in the gap years between the year or two before high school ends and the time when a player starts college. Junior hockey can result in your kid starting college a year or two (or even three years) past the time when they would normally have started college. In other words, because they were playing junior hockey, players may delay entering college with their "hometown" non-hockey playing friends...this is a typical junior hockey scenario.
If the above paragraph is a red flag to you, then turn back now, because it just might happen...if your kid get's lucky (there's always some luck involved in every nail-biting situation, isn't there?)...and if your kid is that good...
However, if you have come so far as to inquire about junior hockey, you must be thinking that your kid shows something special in his/her talent on ice. Maybe, you and your kid wonder if something bigger can come of this thing we call hockey.
2. Why is skipping college directly out of high school typical (although not concrete) in junior hockey? Well, that's the way it's been done for a long time. Most NHL pros from the U.S. will tell you they played junior hockey; that they were billeted (lived away from home) with a host family during their late high school years and perhaps beyond. Ask Mike Modano; he was billeted. So was Darryl Sydor. The list goes on and on.
- In the U.S., junior hockey is played by the top youth players who advance from playing at upper youth levels such as the Tier I Elite level. Players may be as young as 16 but "age out" at 20-yrs. old. In other words, junior hockey players are 20 & under (born as late as Dec. 31of the current season of competition).
- Junior hockey is a bridge that can lead to recruitment by a the highest level of US hockey (USHL) or a university or even a NHL farm team.
- Levels of Junior Hockey in the U.S. include Tier I (USHL); Tier II (NAHL) Junior A; Tier III - Junior A, B, C and D. Canada has it's own version of junior hockey.
- Junior hockey players do not pay to play hockey or all their gear (exceptions apply); the team does.
- We repeat, "Many junior hockey players are billeted, i.e. live away from home with a host family." Read "Billeting Your Hockey Kid" for more information about billeting on this website.
- Junior hockey teams play in arenas with fans who pay to watch them play. Look at USHL Lincoln Stars or Tri-City Storm for examples of junior hockey teams with good teams and website.
- Some junior hockey leagues are considered more prestigious than others. In the U.S., the USHL is the Tier I junior hockey association, followed by Tier II NAHL followed by other junior hockey associations.
If you or your kid are interested in playing hockey at a level where universities are scouting for players - - playing junior hockey at the highest level possible is the road to take.
Additionally, quality coaching, skill development, and higher competition levels are other benefits of playing junior hockey.
BE PROACTIVE if you wish for your kid (or yourself) to play junior hockey. Go to pre-camp tryouts and combines as early as age 14 or 15. Get seen, be noticed. YES, it will cost money to go to those camps but it may be the only way to be SEEN=Proactive.
Junior Hockey Leagues: 2013-2014
CHL (Canada)
CHL TIER 1
SPHL
USHL
NAHL
DEL
UKR
OJHL
GOJHL
OTHERS
(New junior hockey teams and/or leagues are occasionally created.)
RELATED READING: http://www.lakershockey.com/page/show/193046-understanding-junior-hockey
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