Junior Kings and LA Hockey merge (youth development organizations)

[LadyStanley]

http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=626066

The LA Jr. Kings and the LA Hockey Club/LA Selects have agreed to merge both youth hockey organizations under the LA Jr. Kings banner. Each respective Board of Directors recognized that both organizations share mutual hockey philosophies and both club mission statements promoted similar ideals. Continuing operations as a non-profit organization, the merged effort is about creating a new LA Jr. Kings program to better serve hockey growth and development in Southern California. Together with the Toyota Sports Center, the focus will be on developing entry level players within the TSC Legends Youth House Hockey League and their eventual graduation into the Jr. Kings youth travel hockey program.

[chasespace]

Very awesome! Glad to see hockey growing in places you wouldn't of originally expected.

[james bond]

Growing? I am guessing things are contracting. When you go from more teams to less teams...

[kdb209]

Originally Posted by james bond

Growing? I am guessing things are contracting. When you go from more teams to less teams...

No - they are expanding, not contracting, as well as extending and taking advantage of the LA Kings branding.

The transition toward this collective effort will be seamless. The new LA Jr. Kings program will enhance the player/parent experience by offering:

• A coaching staff of nationally recognized teaching professionals
• Focus on individual skills development at all levels
• Offer a beginner to advanced hockey curriculum from Mites to Midgets
• Foster growth and guidance for players looking to move to the next level
• Increased number of teams offering greater opportunities for all players at all levels
• Continued membership in Tier 1 Elite League for 16AAA and 18AAA
• Ongoing effort to make hockey more affordable
• The club will operate at both the Toyota Sports Center and Glacial Gardens Skating Arena

[JacketsFanWest]

Originally Posted by james bond

Growing? I am guessing things are contracting. When you go from more teams to less teams...

That's what I'm thinking. Already there is a lack of youth teams in Southern California.

The LA Jr Kings are focused on developing a small number of players and have done very well getting players to the level of playing in the WHL and the USNDP.

But expanding hockey in So Cal? That's not happening. There's a lack of mid-level hockey teams. There a few house leagues and the elite teams (Jr Kings, Selects, Jr Ducks, Titans, Mariners).

There's also a lack of teams to play. The Jr Kings have been trying to get teams to fly out here. There's games against girls teams that are non-check that parents gripe about.

[KingLB]

Originally Posted by JacketsFanWest

That's what I'm thinking. Already there is a lack of youth teams in Southern California.

The LA Jr Kings are focused on developing a small number of players and have done very well getting players to the level of playing in the WHL and the USNDP.

But expanding hockey in So Cal? That's not happening. There's a lack of mid-level hockey teams. There a few house leagues and the elite teams (Jr Kings, Selects, Jr Ducks, Titans, Mariners).

There's also a lack of teams to play. The Jr Kings have been trying to get teams to fly out here. There's games against girls teams that are non-check that parents gripe about.

There is a good side and a bad side to this. Currently, there aren't enough players of quality to have 2 teams from the LA area complete for Nationals. And right now its basically every year half the good players split between the Selects and the Kings with a few others scattered around. The few years all the best players in LA have played on the same teams, they have been able to form absolutely dominate teams on the State and well as National level. For instance the Select 95's tore through almost every team they played and now have like 5 players playing juniors in Canada with a handful more in the USHL. The same thing occurred with the Westminster Wave team that Jon Blum was on....coached by now Junior Kings coach Jack Bowkus. (who just won Nationals btw)

[james bond]

Originally Posted by JacketsFanWest

That's what I'm thinking. Already there is a lack of youth teams in Southern California.

The LA Jr Kings are focused on developing a small number of players and have done very well getting players to the level of playing in the WHL and the USNDP.

But expanding hockey in So Cal? That's not happening. There's a lack of mid-level hockey teams. There a few house leagues and the elite teams (Jr Kings, Selects, Jr Ducks, Titans, Mariners).

There's also a lack of teams to play. The Jr Kings have been trying to get teams to fly out here. There's games against girls teams that are non-check that parents gripe about.

It will be interesting to see what evolves from this merger. I think that the lack of teams would be a deterent for a young player. What kid wants to play the same couple of teams for their entire youth hockey careers? In addition, if the AAA team needs to have a NHL travel schedule to find suitable competition it would leave many players on the sidelines because of the travel costs.