1.) The 2023-24 season age range is: June 1, 2004 - May 31, 2008
 2.) Age eligible player must be registered with and attending High-School

 3.) Players from District 10 Associations that do not host their own Jr Gold program are to sign-up with the Ice Dogs.

 4.) Since 2011 the core of our coop-program players have been from Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Cambridge-Isanti, Coon Rapids, Champlin Park, Spring Lake Park and St. Francis

 

Q: How long is the season?
 After tryouts the regular season starts up fast the beginning of December and goes through the end of February. If a team places in the standings for their division they will participate in JGHSL play-offs which take place the first part of March. If they place in State play-offs they will proceed to Minnesota State Finals the second half of March, which could be held over Spring Break, so please plan accordingly.

 

Q: Which teams can make it to Minnesota State Finals?
 Unlike High School, where only the Varsity team plays for a seat at State, All Junior Gold Levels are competing for a place in Minnesota State Finals. That is why the make up of all teams are important and matter to the coaching staff.

Each level is given great thought during tryouts and team design; our goal is to get all of our teams to State Play-offs. Once the teams step on the ice we should all be encouraging our players to strive for their peak ability and work hard to make it to play-offs and State Finals.

 

Q: I've heard that my hockey career is over because I didn't make the High School Varsity or JV team?
 FALSE; Junior Hockey Camp Scouts are frequently present at the MN State Finals, select tournaments and high-value games throughout the season. They spend time looking at top talent at each of the team levels. Each season we have had players from the ICEDOGS program that have been scouted and have went on to tryout and play on USPHL and NA3HL Juniors teams.

The teams they are most interested in looking at are the teams that are reportedly ranked high throughout the season. The Ice Dogs coaches are not designing teams with the goal of failure; It is imperative that the players trust the level of play they've been assigned to for the season and play to the top of their ability to be seen. If your player gets the call, they will have been scouted for Personal Talent, Teamwork, and Hockey Sense.

 

We're also starting to see more high school coaches taking players the next season of tryouts. But many players choose to return to the Icedogs.

 

Q: Is this a District 10 youth league program?
 No; This is a Junior Gold High School Level Hockey Program as defined by Minnesota Hockey & Junior Gold Highschool League. District 10 has a representative voting seat on the JGHSL Board. www.jghsl.org

 

 Yes; This is a Junior Gold High School Level Hockey Program as defined by Minnesota Hockey & Junior Gold Highschool League.

 

Q: Do I need to register with my home association?
 No; Register for Ice Dogs tryouts. If you make a team then team registration will be handled by BYHA and the Junior Gold Program. Once selected you will need a waiver from your association and a qualified high school sign-off in order to participate.

 

Q: Do we need a "Waiver" on file for Junior Gold?
 Yes; per USA Hockey requirement. Once assigned to a team we will prepare a mass waiver form required for sign-off in order for us to complete roster sign-offs prior to the Jr Gold season starting.

 

Q: What exactly is a "High School Sign-off"?
 It means that the player needs to be enrolled and attending a public or private institution, or legally home-schooled in order to play. We are not accepting non-students that are age eligible. Once a player is assigned to a team we will prepare the paperwork that the school will sign off on because the registrar will need to have authorized signatures on file for the player to participate in the program and regional play-offs.

 

Q: How much is it going to cost to tryout?
 $TBD$ Players & Goalies; The tryout fee helps offset the expense of running tryouts. It becomes non-refundable after checking in and receiving your tryout jersey; This also does not discount Registration, Ice Time, or Tournaments fees. The fee is due in full at the time of receiving the players tryout jersey.

 

Q: When is the Season's Registration Fee Due?
 The Season's registration fee will be due before the first practice after team assignments are completed. The player will not be able to participate and skate if this is not paid, and will still be required to attend in full uniform on the bench.
 

Q: We are coming from another association, are they responsible for any fees?
 No. You are registering directly with the Ice Dogs Junior Gold Program; in order to reduce complexity, you are responsible for your registration and players fees even if your association offers reimbursements to you.

 

Q: Are tryouts open to the public?
 Yes. Parents are encouraged to attend tryouts. Please do not solicit or talk to the judges during tryouts. The judges will be under instruction to minimize contact with the public while tryouts are in process. So do not personalize this and think they are singling you out.

 

Q: Are Blaine players favored during tryouts?
 No. This is an open and fair tryout process. Teams are built on talent, effort, and position in order to build competitive teams at each level. Effort, Skill, and Attitude will be a common theme throughout the season.

 

Q: Do players automatically go to Jr Gold A if they've only participated in their High School JV/Varsity tryouts?
Icedogs coaches may directly accept a rostered High School Varsity player that was cut this playing season after their tryout process, without participating in the Icedogs Tryouts. The player would have to be recommended to the Head Coach by their High School Coach

 

A rostered High School Junior Varsity player will have to attend Icedogs Tryouts in order to be considered for the 18U A Team. Or, they can be directly rostered to the 18U B Team.

 

A player that has not been rostered to a High School team and has only tried out for the High School program will have to attend Icedogs Tryouts for consideration to any team.

 

Q: How many players are on a team?
 Our minimum player goal for each team is 15 players and 1 to 2 goalies. Once the minimums have been met the coaches have full discretion to accept additional players.

 

If a returning player is unable to participate on ice due to doctor's orders, they will still need to be present at tryouts unless they are physically unable to do so, and the head coach will have full discretion on whether or not to place the player on the roster at the level not higher than what they have previously played.

 

After season starts, coaches will have discretion in special unforeseen instances. In these special instances the player under consideration may not cause a qualified player that has made a team to be removed from that team. (See tryout process)

 

Q: How will you play the goalies?
 Goalies strengths and weaknesses will be assessed as the team's season progresses. A goalies talent level, focus, and attitude will dictate which opponent they are in the net for. We do not mandate game rotation, this is left to coach's discretion. A goalie might even get a couple of games in a row depending on the opponent. Our team building process spends a lot of time making sure we place our goalies on the proper team.

 

Q: My player played with the ICEDOGS last season, am I guaranteed a spot on a team?
 No; That is why we have tryouts. Each season a player needs to earn their spot on a team; every player is subject to cuts. This is why we stress the importance of work ethic, skill, and attitude during the season.

Once the coach fulfills the teams minimum requirements they are not mandated to take additional players unless it is part of the teams strategy that season.

 

Q: What if my player doesn't show that they have made a team, are they cut?
 It takes about 48-Hours to finalize roster changes, drops, and rotations that happen in the days following tryouts.

There is also a chance that a player attending tryouts will not make a team. In the event your player does not make a rostered position, we will be contacting the surrounding Jr Gold programs in an attempt to place the players that did not make a team for the season.

 

Q: My kid didn't make it on the team I think he should have made it on?
 First and foremost, all levels compete to go to State for the Minnesota State Title!

It is possible that a good player might become rostered to play at a level other than what they or their parents feel they're qualified for. This level of hockey is different from the association traveling program and teams are designed by the coaches to compete for a state title. We are also expecting players to develop their personal confidence, talent, and leadership skills.

If this happens to your player, a number of factors could be attributed such as position availability after placing returning players, age, tryout performance, or a team at full capacity. The Head Coach can not take additional players until all teams have reached their required minimum player count.

 

 Fogerty Arena and NSC Super Rink are considered our home arenas. We work hard to prepare schedules that take in to consideration the travel time of our players and will do everything we can to plan accordingly.

 

We will attempt to book games and practices at our Co-op partners ice arenas as availability permits.

 

Q: Who owns the ICEDOG Jersey's?
 The player's own their Home & Away Jersey; all new players will purchase their Home & Away Jersey from the ICEDOGS. The players own their jerseys and retain their number throughout the Jr Gold program, Jr Gold 16 thru Jr Gold A. Their player number will be assigned and reserved until the players graduation date.

Player socks will be provided at the start of each season.

 

Q: Are there any other equipment requirements?
Uniform Appearance Standard Jr Gold A: players will be required to have a White Helmet and Black Breezers or Tackla Breezer Cover, or they will not be eligible to participate in scrimmages, games, or tournaments. Goalies are not required to purchase a new helmet or breezers.

 

Uniform Appearance Standard Jr Gold B & 16: players will be required to have Black Breezers or Tackla Breezer Cover, or they will not be eligible to participate in scrimmages, games, or tournaments. Goalies are not required to purchase a new helmet or breezers.

 

It's also recommended, but not mandatory, that the Jr Gold B and Jr Gold 16 teams follow the Jr Gold A uniform appearance standards. This will allow the players to move throughout the Jr Gold program without the stigma of levels and to appear as a uniform program.