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We talk about the Minnesota youth hockey model a lot, and so I get asked about it a lot. Why does Minnesota have not only the most players, but why do they develop the most elite players as well? One of the main reasons is that the path is simple to understand for players and families. You get into the game playing for your town, you play for your town all the way into high school, and then you go to junior/college hockey if you’re good enough. In so many other places, the path is confusing. Do I play town or club? When do I make the jump to AAA? Do I stay with the organization in my city or do I go to another club? What tier of hockey is right for my kid? The amount of options and decisions often leads to FOMO, confusion, decision fatigue, and a burnout for players and families. It also leads to a lot of jersey chasing and organization hopping rather than playing for something bigger than you, which is huge for a development of a love for the game. If we can simplify the path, tiers can work together rather than against each other, and create a model where families can better understand the path to help their kids achieve their dreams, our sport will grow and we will develop more elite players. We talked all about this on our latest podcast on what we’ve learned about youth hockey.