Keeping Juniors in the Sport

The future of the sport depends on a continual influx of new players and the most likely age bracket is juniors, but how do we keep them playing?

Over the years I've heard many discussion about how to keep juniors in the sport once they hit adulthood, but a discussion at the Dutch Nationals last weekend brought up what I thought was a quite sound and sensible approach.

At some of the clubs (it may be all, I'm not sure) the juniors play only in the junior games until they are 14. Between 14 and 16 they are allowed to play in the junior and senior games, but still compete in junior tournaments, then from 16 to 18 they play only in the senior team at club level, though are allowed and encouraged to play in junior tournaments as well as the senior ones. (Apologies if I've got this slightly wrong)

This gives them a gradual transition into the adult world of uwh, whilst not diluting the region/country on the junior competition scene. The explanation for this approach was that they had found in the past, with a fixed single line at 18 they were loosing a lot of juniors once they were dumped into adult competition, not really knowing anyone and suddenly being right back at the bottom of the food chain.

I remember in 1994 when NZ and Aus decided that it was not "healthy" for the development of the juniors to send them to the Worlds in France and how disappointed I was at the time.

What are some other thoughts and ideas on what has and hasn't worked well in the past? What are some junior (or recently junior) views on the subject?

Meg

I dont now with who you talk to
I hope you do not take Argonauta for example how to do it. Its the wrong example.
It is the right example how NOT to do it.

But you did Not talk with me. And i was also there.
And i was one off the people that made a part off the dutch rules for juniors that we use today.
They are made to protect new teams with lower levels against the beter teams. A junior want to have fun.
The junior level is not as big like the senior level SO a split in age is impossible. Thats why we also desided that juniors can play in the junior and senior competition.

A junior can play as junior and at the same time in the senior competition.(that is one rule)
But in the junior competition there is only a maximum age. (that the other rule)
You can play there iff you are on january the first not 18 years. A minimum age there is not.

There is also a split in the junior games. Not made by age but by level off playing.
And after each toernament there is a promotion and degadation between those levels. It works good!
So new junior teams are protected against the beter (higher level) teams teams.

But its right that a junior can play by the seniors. To get some experians.
When? thats for the clubs to deside. By my club we first let them train by the senior teams.
If they can follow that play/game we try to let them play in a single senior toernament .
After that we deside off we let the junior play by the seniors in the competition.

I now for one team, That they want more age rules and levels.
But for them the split between the junior teams and there senior team is very big.
They only have a senior team at the highest level. (in the netherlands we have 3 levels for senior teams)
For my club it is different. We have a also a team in the lowest level. So do more teams.
I dont agree with them to make more rules for it. It is to deside for the clubs. More age rules make it for more teams impossible to let there junior team play like a team.

See my junior team. The joungest player is 7 years old and the oldest 17 years.
(he plays already 2 years in the senior competition)
But without the jounger or older junior i dont have a compleet team.
SO for many more junior teams.(clubs)

But iff you want to let the jounger [;ayers 18+ play you must let them experiance how the senior teams play.
Please dont look only then to the age but after all to there level and strenght. A sensitive aproatch.
And it works. The junior competions is growing bigger and some junior players but even junior teams are going or are playing in the senior competition. The gap is closed. My club but some others dont lose any player anymore when playing in the senior competition.

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