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Q: My questions are: How old do you have to be to play jounior a and b? How would you get an a or b level scout to come see you? And last, if your league doesnt keep stats, how would you get them?

A: With regards to how old you have to be to play Junior A or B, it generally depends on the league for specific age rules, but on the whole, you'll find guys starting to play Junior A or B at the age of 16. With rare occasions, you may find the odd 15 year old playing Junior. In these cases, many leagues stipulate that the player can only play in their hometown. Playing Junior is definitely a jump in talent level for most players, and a big reason for this is that you will be playing against players who are older than you as well as stronger. When a player feels that they are both physically and mentally ready to make that jump, that is the time to look to make a move to the Junior ranks. A good way to prepare yourself for that jump is to play against older players every chance you get. You can do this by attending hockey schools as well as Junior Rookie Camps.
      For your question on how you can get a level A or B scout to come see you play, I guess what it comes down to is exposure. There are a few ways that you can get exposure so here they are. Contact the teams that you are interested in playing for. Send them your hockey resume and a cover letter. Tell them where you're playing now, and send them a list of your games. We can't stress to you how important it is not to wait and hope that scouts will find you. They may, but it also makes more sense to help them find you. Another way to get them to see you play is to play at the highest possible level that you can, whatever that may be. If it�s high school, then it�s high school. As well, Junior Rookie Camps are a great way to have scouts see you. When you're contacting teams, find out when they're holding they're rookie camps and sign up for them. The coaches of the team as well as their scouts will all be there, and it's an ideal opportunity to have them see what you can do. For examples of a hockey resume and cover letter, be sure to read the articles in the Getting Noticed section of our site. As well, contact information for every Junior A and Major Junior team in North America is located in the Leagues & Teams section.
      As for your stats, they are important, because when you're going into a camp, the team will, in most cases, have a sheet for you to fill out that will have a section on it for your stats. It�s important that your stats are accurate, and the best way to ensure that if your league doesn't keep track of them is to do it yourself. Keep track of your points after every game so when it comes time to remember them you don't have to guess. As well, you can ask your coach to keep track. After every game, your coach will receive a score sheet so he/she will be able to keep an accurate account of your points.
      One last thing, make sure your coach knows what your goals are. Let him know what you hope to accomplish, because he can help you get there. Your coach can contact teams and scouts to make them aware of both your goals as well as your talent. Make sure you work hard, and watch other players so you can learn from them - and that�s from the guys you see on T.V. in the NHL right through to the guys that play on your team. If there's one thing that we've learned, it�s that the harder you work, the luckier you get. You�re on your way just by asking questions. Good luck and keep the questions coming.