Does a higher-level team always mean better development? Should your child leave home for hockey? And could fewer games create more opportunities to improve?
USA Hockey’s Bob Mancini joins Coach Drew and Coach Jared to explain the thinking behind the new USA Hockey Development League—and why the conversation matters beyond the players selected for it.
Bob breaks down the roles of 15U and 17U hockey, how Tier I fits into the development pathway, and why players need room to progress at different speeds. We discuss the pressure to chase AAA labels, the value of developing closer to home, and what coaches can accomplish when weekends include time for teaching, recovery and individual attention.
The conversation also explores USA Hockey’s grassroots coaching initiatives and a question every hockey family should keep asking: Is our child still enjoying the game?
Then, Jeff Gross takes us back to Sioux Falls, where his father and a determined group of families helped build a hockey rink. Parents put their homes on the line. Kids picked up shovels. Together, they helped create opportunities that reached far beyond their own teams.
Two conversations connected by one idea: growing hockey starts with giving kids a place to play, a chance to improve and a reason to keep coming back.
Plus, hear about our new partnership with One Hockey Tournaments.
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Learn more about the USA Hockey Development League:
https://www.usahockey.com/developmentleague
Presented by Vantage Credit Union. A Netfront LLC production.
With thanks to Afterlight Recovery and Five B Designs.

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