I played my last professional hockey game April 5th, 2005, in Columbus, GA. We lost that game 3-2 in OT; it was a sickening feeling as I knew my hockey career just came to a painful ending. It was an emotional time because hockey was the only thing I had ever known, and it was now time to transition to the next chapter of my life. 72 hours later, my wife and I loaded up everything we owned and left Knoxville, TN, which had been my home for the previous 5 years, to start our new business venture. A few months later, we somehow landed in Fairfax VA on a 2-month project, and 18 years later Virginia is still home.
Fast forward 15 years and I have learned a thing or two about the hockey market here in the DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) region. Every day I am fortunate enough to have a hockey conversation or two, and many of them are with parents seeking advice on the next steps for their child.
Some of the most frequent questions are:
- What is the proper path in hockey?
- Where should my son or daughter play this year and is that the right trajectory towards the next level?
- If my child is very talented, do we need to leave this area and head to a stronger hockey market to be recognized or scouted?
- Is Tier 1 (AAA) hockey really any better than the CBHL?
- Do we have coaches here in our region that can develop my child well enough to advance them to prep school, junior hockey or college hockey?
Or maybe a few more simple questions include:
- My son really enjoys playing house hockey so do I really need to sign him up for travel?
- My 11-year-old is playing in the CBHL right now on a LA (lower A) team and has goals to get to AA. How can that goal be accomplished?
I will answer these questions and more, but my philosophy can be summed up as this: “Hockey For Life.”
To best share my philosophy, I first want to share a brief snippet of my own youth hockey journey.
I grew up in LaSalle, Ontario, Canada, a small border town across the river from Detroit, Michigan. LaSalle had one arena which was owned by the municipality, and the ice was taken out every summer. We had travel hockey tryouts every year at the end of August and typically there were only a handful of kids that were cut. The kids that were cut would then register for house league which was one practice and one game a week throughout the season. The kids that made the travel team would get 2 practices a week and play a competitive travel schedule including one or two overnight travel weekends. The vast majority of the games were close, within 90 minutes. That was the benefit of playing hockey in Canada, so many travel teams within close proximity. I never played AAA hockey, my parents couldn’t afford it, so I played in my small hometown with my best friends. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Somehow through hard work, perseverance, and the support of my parents I managed to create opportunities for myself and made the most of them.
I consider the DMV a great region for hockey. It is one of the fastest growing in the United States, and even your wildest hockey dreams can be accomplished playing youth hockey right here in the VA/MD/DC region. If you don’t believe me, do some research on the internet. 23Hockey’s very own Jack Brackett is living proof, wait till you hear his journey about ending up playing D1 at RPI!
BUT – let’s be realistic for a minute. We don’t teach our kids to skate at 3 or 4 years old to start their journey to the NHL. (Well, maybe some of us do 
… Ok, I admit I was probably one of them.) However, watching my son play hockey for almost 10 years, and being on the front lines as a coach and regional director has opened my eyes to what this whole experience is really about and what I hope to get out of it when I look back years down the road.
Remember earlier when I said, “hockey for life?” Ok, well in its simplest form that means make decisions now so that your child will still love the game in a year, two years, or even 20 years down the road.
Unfortunately, I can’t make those decisions for you because every single child and family is in a different scenario, with different goals, and different levels of commitment. However, I do think the best way to answer your own questions is to gauge your child’s level of passion for hockey. Do they just play for fun or for exercise? Do they shoot pucks every spare minute they can and watch hockey around the clock? Are they excited to go to the rink for practice, or do you sometimes feel like you need to drag them there? Do they want to grind up and down the eastern seaboard for 6 months playing competitive hockey? Do they want it as badly as you want it for them? Do you want your child to play at a certain level for your gratification or theirs?
Kids learn very valuable life lessons playing competitive sports. They experience highs and lows and a million things in between. I am a strong advocate of challenging kids, pushing them out of their comfort zone and establishing a consistent work ethic. I also understand the fine line between pushing too hard, and the consequences that come with that. Well, I think I understand, but maybe I should ask my son 
.
If your child aspires to play at a higher level, and they are passionate about hockey, and show commitment to practicing, then I would encourage you to give them those opportunities if you have the means. What that level is is different for everyone, and frankly the level is irrelevant.
I know everyone wishes we had more ice rinks in this region, but we are fortunate to have as many as we do, including dozens of inline rinks scattered across regional parks. There are plenty of opportunities to play hockey, and worst case all you need is a driveway or tennis court with some friends and you’re all set. Practically every ice arena in the DMV has multiple hockey programs from learn to play to travel hockey.
So here it is, the basic hockey roadmap.
Looks pretty simple eh? Maybe you’ve even seen it before.
House Level Hockey
I can say with absolute confidence house hockey is the most underappreciated level of hockey in this region. A player can spend their entire youth playing house level hockey and get just as much fulfillment out of the sport as someone who went on to play collegiate hockey. If they love the game, it doesn’t matter what level they play because they will likely include hockey in their adult life to some capacity (coach, ref, adult league). Most kids and coaches at the house level love the game just as much, if not more, and create the same number of memories and friendships as travel players.
Please help get involved with your local learn-to-play and house programs if you can. All the arenas need volunteers and it’s such a great way to give back to the game and your community.
Selects Hockey
Selects hockey varies from program to program but typically consist of the higher skilled house players and is akin to “house all star teams.” These kids get to experience a smaller scale version of travel hockey, playing against other regional select programs, and sometimes lower level CBHL teams. Selects teams usually mix in a couple tournaments including a travel weekend. For many families, this is the perfect commitment level, offering their child a miniature version of a full travel season while experiencing an elevated variety of competition.
Travel Hockey
If travel hockey interests your child and you want to invest in a more challenging level with a bigger commitment, there are plenty of options to choose from.
There are two levels of youth travel hockey, Tier I and Tier II. The only Tier I clubs in the region are Team Maryland (TM) and the Washington Little Capitals (WLC). There are 23 Tier II clubs spread out across VA, MD and DC. So, what’s the difference? That’s a great question!
Tier II
Well over 90% of all regional youth travel players play Tier 2 hockey. Here in the DMV the primary league is the Chesapeake Bay Hockey League (CBHL).
Tier 2 has multiple levels, the lowest being B (Wales Division in the CBHL) and the highest being AA (National Division for the CBHL). This is a fantastic league and offers players with varying skill levels a great opportunity to compete against players similar to them. Teams in the CBHL typically compete in an additional supplemental league to deepen their schedule. They will also mix in a few tournaments and exhibition games.
On average teams will play approximately 50 games, with multiple travel weekends – sometimes even a flight mixed in. For competitive hockey players this is the perfect league.
Fortunately, the CBHL is making a strong push to grow girls hockey, and the future looks very bright. The Tier II level offers its own internal roadmap and gives players plenty to strive for.
Within one age group (ex. 12U) some clubs offer up to 4 levels of play (AA/UA/LA/B), so there is plenty of incentive to climb the ladder. For kids that enjoy competitive travel hockey with a 6-month commitment, and would potentially entertain the possibility of playing Club Hockey in college, the CBHL will offer you these opportunities, with some great experiences along the way.
Leveling Up?
Players that are excelling at the Tier II level are often intrigued to try out for Tier 1 hockey. There are varying opinions on Tier I hockey, particularly if it’s worth the time, commitment and expense. Again, that answer falls in the lap of each individual player and family, and should be based upon what their passion level is.
Is your child driven to compete against the best players in the country? Do they want to practice more, train more, and travel more? Do they embrace difficulty and challenges? Does your child have a goal to play competitive hockey beyond high school and is willing to sacrifice many things along the way? Do they want to get uncomfortable? Are they ok being an average Tier I player instead of a dominant Tier II player? Are they willing to change their habits to become a more complete player? Does the idea of potentially moving away from home earlier than expected excite them or frighten them?
These are all real questions and require a serious conversation. I will say this without any doubt, there are players talented enough to play Tier I that make the personal choice to stay at the Tier II level for various reasons. Make this decision based on what’s best for your child dependent on their level of sacrifice and determination for greatness. There is no right or wrong answer.
Tier I
Tier 1 hockey, also referred to as AAA, is typically a collection of the region’s top talent. Tier I hockey is not offered locally until the first year of 12U (PeeWee minor) and the teams are made up of kids with the same birth year.
Nationally, teams only compete against the same birth year. Primarily, players playing at this level have long term goals in hockey and want to compete at the highest level against the best players to increase their chances of attaining those goals. TM and WLC have 3 practices a week, with off-ice strength and conditioning incorporated into their weekly routine. The game count will range from 50-70 games depending on the age and organization, with typically 60-70% of the games being on the road. Unlike the CBHL, league games are a significant drive (usually 2-3 hour minimum) and involve a hotel stay. It’s not uncommon to spend 6 or 7 consecutive weekends on the road, and the season typically involves a couple flights.
Players at the Tier I level usually start to weigh their options, once they reach the 14U and 15U level, about leaving home and pursuing other opportunities including prep school, or a different Tier I organization that they feel will offer them better exposure and opportunities to further their career. Sometimes these decisions pay off, and other times they don’t.
I have two thoughts to share regarding players leaving home at a relatively early age to seek “better opportunities”.
- Playing Tier I locally (TM or WLC) will offer you everything you need to develop and attain your goals. Development comes from within, how hard kids are willing to work, and how bad they want it. If you’re a good player, they will find you. There are so many eyes and video options showcasing players today, they all play under a microscope. Sure, maybe if you go play for a top ranked team in the country there may be a little bit more notoriety, but coaches and scouts at a higher level aren’t looking at standings or rankings. They watch the player, inquire about their character, and inevitably make decisions based on those intangibles, not where he or she is playing.
- When you get to this stage of deciding whether to stay or go, it’s wise to lean on quality, trustworthy hockey people that you respect and who are familiar with the business. Ask a lot of questions and leave no stone unturned. Ask to talk to players and families that are currently in the club to learn about their culture and what to expect. Make multiple visits before committing, understand and feel comfortable with school and living arrangements. Leaving home to play hockey in another state or country is a massive life change – way beyond hockey. These kids are leaving behind everything they are accustomed to, including Mom doing their laundry and their family dog. Make sure your kid is mature and passionate enough to make this life change and support them every step of the way. Once you commit, own it and don’t look back or doubt yourself. Push forward and have a positive attitude and prepare for some hardships and setbacks. It’s never going to be perfect, but don’t second guess yourself, it will only make things worse.
Prep/Juniors/College Hockey, To Be Continued…
I want to table the conversation about prep/junior/college hockey for now. 23Hockey Instructor, Doug Shepherd, is an NHLPA licensed agent and has worked professionally in the industry for almost two decades helping hundreds of kids choose the right path best suited for them. Doug will host a zoom call about this later in the spring and do a deeper dive into that world of hockey.
In closing YES, the DMV offers a hockey roadmap for everyone. The grass isn’t always greener somewhere else. The grass is greener where you water it, so let’s continue to grow the game here regionally and be grateful for the many opportunities our players are afforded in the region.
Stay Tuned and see you on the ice soon!
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