I really need help deciding what to do for hockey this year!

[empa35]

Hi guys, I've got a decition to make that I really fell I need help on.
It's like this:

I play for KIK, a Junior 20 Div.1 team in Sweden. Our senior team plays Div.1 to, which is the 3 highest level of senior hockey in Sweden. As of now, I'm the third stringer for the senior team, which means if they need a goalie for a practise or if someone gets injured, I will get called up. It happened once last season and that 1 month really improved my game.

Now I've got an offer to go on a loan transfer to another senior team that plays Div.2 (i.e. 4th division). That means I will still belong to KIK but I will play next season in the other club, and probably be the no.1 goalie on the team.
However, this will mean that I loose my position as third stringer in KIK to another guy who will probably get signed by them to take my spot on the junior team.
If someone gets injured it will be he who gets called up to the Div.1 team, not I.

If I choose the Senior Div.2 team, that will probably mean about 20-35 games against pretty hard opponents and a lot of shots on my net because they will probably have some troubles keeping up with the other teams and struggle to stay in Div.2.
If I choose to stay, I will get about 18-20 games (21 game season) and be on a team that is in the top of the league and hopefully gets to play a qualifying round to get into J20 Elit.

So my question is, what would you guys do if you were in my shoes?
Would you stay and hope that one of the higher level senior team gets injured and meanwhile play for the junior team at a lower level?
Or would you accept the loan and play for the weaker senior team and give up that small but existing posibillity of maybe be called up but at the same time get more quality shots on you and play at a higher level?

I would really appreciate any advice on this one guys as I really don't know what to do!

[Stryker908]

Go where your gonna play...

[paulsmachetti]

Go where you can play the most. Staying where you are on the off chance you might get called up to the Div. 1 team is non-productive.
Paul

[icehockeyaf96]

My son has a similar situation and we are wondering the same thing. Since his Middle School team is not playing this Spring, he decided to goaltend for the worst team in the league. So far he's having a great time. The team and coaches show their appreciation each and every time and are already asking him if he will come back in the fall.

The plus side of staying with the Spring team:
- likes all the players and coaches
- will definitely be the starter
- the other goalie often doesn't show up and doesn't notify the coaches, so my son will get to play more full games
- the coaches communicate well to the team and are very organized
- he will have more shots coming at him since defense is lacking

The plus side of staying with his home team:
-being with kids who will be with him in the classroom, adding to the social experience
-the coaches provide excellent training, although nothing is done for the goalies
-we already invested $300 in the team jerseys and socks
-his accomplishments will become known throughout the neighborhood
-the practice rink is 10 minutes away
-last year the coach promised he would get to play more in the net this Fall since the most senior goalie moved up
-last year the home team won every game in our division until they decided to move up one level. This year they expect to stay at the lower division since the better players moved up. If the existing players improve by the Fall, this team could have a good chance of winning again. Maybe they would make the playoffs. At the open house, some really good players showed up.

The negatives of staying with the Spring team:
-he will be playing at a lower level since his teammates aren't as competitive
-if a new goalie pops up in that town, they may not need my son, and then he could possibly not be accepted by our home town as a goalie.
-the home town teammates and coach could be annoyed that he didn't come back, even as a player.

The negatives of staying with the home team:
-the promise he will goaltend might be broken. At our recent open house, one of the coaches brought in an excellent goalie - I'm not sure if this kid would be too busy with his travel team to play for our school.
-lately everything seems to be so disorganized - clinics and games for the Spring didn't happen. So far it looks like there will be no varsity in the Fall, and possibly no Jr. Varsity
-some of the kids he liked the best moved up
-last year he only got to goaltend once the whole season when no other goalie showed up, but he did have a great game

Luckily we have until the Fall to decide, since that's when both teams are having their tryouts.

Which team would you pick?

[azdave]

We are going through the same thing here as well. My advice is to go with your instincts. I personally think playing beats out sitting on the bench. Seems like coaches and scouts want the goalies that are willing to take a beating so they can play.

Coaching is crucial to your decision. If the coach is unorganized and does not communicate well, run! I can almost assure you that you will have a miserable season.

Even on a losing team, attitude, good coaching and good teammates can make for a great year.

Best of luck.

[icehockeyaf96]

Actually it was the head coach running the league that was disorganized. The team's immediate coaches are very well organized and held great clinics. They just don't do anything for the goalie, but neither does the Spring team(so far).