Rep hockey has always been a strong point of debate within the minor hockey community. Many feel that if your child is not play "triple A" level hockey from the get-go that their minor hockey careers will not go very far. In other words if your thought is that your child will make it to junior hockey and beyond you can forget about it. Others contend that rep hockey is really a progression of development that can potentially start in "single a" and move forward from there ending up in "triple A" with a possibility of being drafted to junior. My answer to both points- there are proven NHLer's that spent a few years in double A before making the jump to triple A- John Tavares and Matt Stajan are a couple that come to mind.

Children developing in hockey progress at different rates. The child that may be at the bottom of the team in one year might be close to the top the following year. So often we see the talented six-year old hockey player dominate his age group only to be average at best by the time he/she is ten. In choosing a level of rep hockey and exploring options the key is to ensure that your child is challenged yet comfortable enough that they are enjoying the game. There's nothing worse for a child then going to hockey and having a tough time keeping up. This would most certainly take the fun out of the game for your child which is not what you want to happen.

Confidence is a huge consideration. I remember hearing a radio interview once with Bobby Orr and he said that you can spend all the money in the world on skating lessons and hockey schools but confidence is one thing you can't buy. Confidence will keep your child involved in hockey and it's also a characteristic he/she will carry with them their whole lives.

Rep hockey is very competitive. Starting with single A the competition gets more and more intense as you move up through double A and triple A. The politics get crazier and it becomes much more cut throat with each level of progression. Depending on the coach of the team ice time needs to be a consideration when choosing a program for your child. All coaches have different philosophies regarding ice time distribution. Some roll the lines all of the time no matter what while others distribute ice time based on performance or whatever other behind the scenes deal they have struck up.

If you're child has made a rep level hockey team it's important to look at where they will be placed on the teams depth chart especially if the coach doesn't roll the lines. Is your child a third line player on a triple A team? If he/she is then maybe double A may be a better option as they will be one of the top players and ice time shouldn't be an issue. This of course is dependent on the coaching style. You will usually find that the top "winning" teams double shift their top three players regularly in order to win and have an advantage. The middle of the pack to lower end teams are the ones that usually role the lines and develop players. This is another thing for you to consider. How important is winning vs. your child developing? I believe that kids would rather play and lose then sit on the bench and win especially in the younger age groups. In reality, the parents take losses harder than the players anyway.

The level of rep hockey your child plays is a big decision for any parent. Figure out your guiding principles, what's important to your child and what you really want out of the minor hockey experience. Once you've done that the decision should be an easy one.