Re: Question on Recruiting
My point in bringing up this example was that you cannot deny someone to go to a once-in-a-lifetime family event simply for the reason "they made a commitment to their D1 team and they would be letting their team down". You have already shown there are exceptions that are made for players in extenuating circumstances.
Sure you can, especially at the D1 level. Lets get real people. You ***** about tryouts, you ***** about roster sizes, and you ***** about playing time, but you believe Janey should be able to blow off a commitment for a "once in a lifetime family event."
Give me a break. If you decide you are going to play college athletics the athletics takes precedence over pretty much everything, including shotgun weddings, weddings planned two years in advance, and made for television weddings.
However, you seem to suggest in your other post that "thoughtful" family members would plan weddings only outside of hockey season. This is quite laughable, as few even among hockey fanatics like me, would remotely consider playing in a hockey game of equal importance to a wedding day. And if everyone planning an event for 50, 100 or 200+ people scheduled to accommodate everyone's conflicts, it could never happen in our lifetime! Heck, we can never get full attendance for a family gift exchange and dinner every Christmas for <15 people!
True, you obviously can't plan around everyone's schedule, but you can certainly plan around immediate family if there is going to be a known conflict. If you have a sibling that plays a college sport you can very easily (ok, maybe not
very easily given the demands for prime dates at churches and facilities) take into account that that person is going to be tied up during the season. If you want that person to be able to attend you plan out of season, otherwise don't expect that person to be there. And don't put them in a position where they have to stress over not being able to attend.
The reality is that every family has members with diverse interests and schedules. Not waiting to marry when there is no hockey game is NOT thoughtless...expecting major life events to have to play second fiddle to someone else's hockey schedule definitely IS!
Very true. So don't plan on them being there. Especially when they are scholarship athletes. They are being paid to play, not to attend weddings, bar/bat mitvahs, recitals, etc.
Yes, it is true that often the dates of national team events may be known further in advance and could potentially be planned around to some extent, though it is still likely the team would suffer more from those players absences......
Speaking of thoughtless...those that schedule national team events should be far more aware and appreciative of D1 commitments and schedules than any extended family could ever be expected to--as well as having far less diversity of divergent interests and conflicts versus most families to have to schedule around as well ....but I digress
True enough, but it is the nature of the game. Hockey Canada is the worst, scheduling camps during the first week or two of school. USA Hockey takes schooling into account, and is one of the reasons why the US does not participate in the U22 tourney in January.
My main point is that you can choose to look at commitments as rigid and absolute, and any exceptions as a problem for the team, a letdown to the team to be avoided at all costs. Or, you can look at it as an opportunity for the team--to support one player under those extenuating circumstances whatever they may be, and provide other players with the opportunity to increase their role on the team with the additional ice time available under the circumstances. Could just end up being a win/win all around...not even mentioning the vast improvements in family relations.
Oh, that is a kumbaya statement if I ever saw one.
Win/win? You can't be serious. Yeah, lets just let the inmates run the assylum. What are you thinking?
Since when is hockey, or any sport for that matter, a plug and play event? Teams spend the week, and all season, preparing for competition based on line combinations, special teams, and match-ups. So every week you will have the likelihood of a player being out so they can attend "a once in a lifetime" event, not to mention the likelihood of injury, or illness. Makes for real good chemistry, eh.
Yup, I can see that as a real win/win. Of course, there will even be a thread where folks can post their need for Coach X to have his head put on a platter because the team can't seem to find any rhythm and continues to lose.
You want to be able to take time off to attend to family events? Fine, go play intramurals, where commitment isn't required.
! Sorry gang - family, school, athletics. )
Already scoped out the various Tim's during our college tour excursions. It was part of the selection criteria 
