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Precision Edge by Rich does a great job. Located on Neville Island

And this program has moved some players to the NCAA D1.

No need to name them. They don’t need to be dragged into it. But I don’t think you are thinking of the same coaches as me. As neither one works for their Daddy’s company and neither have any delusions of their continued hockey careers. Thanks for guessing, wrong.

The 08 BY was one of the most talented to come out of Pittsburgh. It was one of the rare BYs where they had enough talent for 2 nationally competitive AAA teams of mostly local kids.

If you are in the North, they still do hands-on sharpening at Lemieux, Baierl, and Frozen Pond. The guy at the Frozen Pond is good, but it is tough to catch him there. I'd try to call ahead and schedule if you go that route. Hours are more steady at Lemieux or Baierl.

I find myself fitting into both categories. I'm amazed that pre-teens are flying off to Europe on a thrown together spring tournament team and certainly can't afford that. Also, I see some of these tournaments labeled "elite" where they are publicly looking for bodies just to fill spots a few days before the tournament starts. If my kids want to play and would have fun doing it, I'd try and find a way to make it happen for sure. I just get tired of the ones that act like your kid will be at a developmental loss if he/she isn't playing in some weekend spring tournament.

Victor in murrysville

Thank you. I have heard good things about SHAHA 06 coach and Yuri. I am referring to the 08 and younger age groups.

Taibi

Yes he was outstanding

Don't know the Pens Coaches but I would have to say that Yuri & Kosick at Esmark have to be doing something right as their 16 & 18U teams are consistently competitive and beat the Pens sometimes. The coach of the 06 independent SHAHA AAA team might have been the best of the bunch. Not sure of his name but b put together really good teams up to last year. I think the 18U Esmark team has 8 or 9 kids tendered to Junior teams!

Can you or anyone name the current AAA coaches in Pittsburgh that are better than the Pens? The bottom line is that unfortunately the Pens are the best option for AAA coaching in Pittsburgh. It’s a shame players and families must choose to play for Pens or play for coaches like CJ or daddy coaches. Attitude reflects leadership. The lack of qualified and dignified coaching in Pittsburgh has caused the delusional hockey parent and the AAA musical chairs game. I know that there are good coaching options at high school and lower-level teams, I am talking about AAA. I did not intend to slap those coaches in the face.

Name them. Most are just walking around trying to relive their youth as they never amounted to much. I can even think of one just running Daddy’s business and still thinks he’s going somewhere & is full of empty promises.

Precision edges by Rich

Binnies

My son has a skate with an edge that is damaged from a collision with the net. I think it will need a little more attention than just a couple of passes through a Sparx machine. Any recommendations for a local skate sharpener that does a good job?

I 2nd this comment so good to see this. Great to see this talent from the area. Let's try to be positive instead of being so mean to each other.

Knowing families in that district it's not a scandal. I think theres disappointment that they improved substantially year over year in the regular season but still got nowhere in the playoffs. That tells me that coaches got out coached.

Either patience has wore thin at Avonworth after playing 2 years in the A league with no championships, or maybe there was some scandal??? but the Varsity and JV coaches were supposedly just axed.

100%. Just because someone was a great athlete or super student of the game doesn’t mean they can communicate to kid I don’t know all of them. But I do know a couple of guys in the age groups you have mentioned that I believe to be good coaches that are not at the Pens. Both have pretty good pedigree, but more importantly they both have made better players out of kids under their tutelage.

Who, specifically, is a good AAA coach at Pens? I know they’ve had some in the past, but those guys are long gone now.

So are these kids here to learn hockey or just to say they beat 3 kids on PPE in a spring tournament? Sounds really crazy to me! I see this as kids #LOOSING! Embarrassing for all ADULTS involved.

How many former PPE coaches have been banned from Coaching due to safesport violations during their time there? Knowing your X's and O's does NOT qualify you as good. Having played in the NHL does not qualify you as good. These are children, adolescents and young adults. Coaches need to know how to communicate to specific age players. One could argue that a learn to play coach who has crossed the paths of 1000's of players and taught them to love the game is a better Coach than a high level Coach who is successful but makes some players lose interest or quit the sport altogether.

Me

Who do you think is the best 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 AAA coaches in Pittsburgh?