Mike Machnik writes:
> Someone else wrote:
> >little silly. Take into consideration that just about ALL of these players
> >are coming out of junior hockey programs, and it makes you wonder just what
> >the motivation is for these players to go get an education.
 
Probably the same as anybody's motivation for getting an education.
Getting a job. I don't believe that hockey players are mercenary creatures
while everybody else is there "to better themselves."
 
> >What do they
> >do, wait until their college eligibility is at stake before going to
> >school?
 
First, the last year one can play Junior is when one is 20. (This year,
that means anyone born in 1975 or later is eligible) If I knew that I had
enough talent to play Div. I hockey, I'd wait until I got an offer. Our
team has 2 20-year-olds who want to go south next year (and have the
ability to). They are both in University now. I doubt that most players, in
between High School and the NCAA are sitting around on their butts.
 
When I was starting University, if someone had said to me that I could get
more scholarship money by waiting one year, I'd probably have waited.
 
> I think there is a risk here of sounding quite provincial.  As regards
> Canadians, it is quite typical for them to go to school for one or two
> extra grades beyond what most US students do.  Thus it is natural for
> them to be older when they enter college.  We should not expect them
> to do things the same way we do them.
 
The extra grade is only true in Ontario, and to some degree in Quebec.
Ontario has a Grade 13, Quebec has a system of mandatory Community
Colleges (called CEGEPs) that one must attend before University.
 
The other provinces all only go to Grade 12.
 
> I would disagree with the idea that if a player goes to junior hockey
> and then college, he must not be committed to academics.
 
I agree, if Junior hockey <> academic commitment, then I guess no
Canadians have academic commitment. (Say, isn't it time for some doofus
sportswriter in St. Paul to say just that?)
 
See you later,
John
 
--
John Edwards       Stats Geek, Ottawa Senators Jr. A Hockey Club (17-9-1)
Email: [log in to unmask]    URL: http://chat.carleton.ca/~jedwards
     "Ottawa is the capital of Canada? Yeah, right!" - Canadian Bacon
          This is the JCKE e-mail system. Cable 80, Coeur d'Alene.
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.