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This doesn't surprise me a bit... PPE are very self serving. Why look out for the kids best interests?? I know of at least one other local org (non AAA) that screws kids/families like that. It's a bunch of BS. If the kids aren't happy, then go away. Last thing I would do is force them to stay and pay. But then again money making isn't my first objective in hockey like some other teams who screw people.

You guys should call the morality police on them. Start with Rachel Madow and Anderson Cooper then sprinkle in a little Joy (Behar and Reid) and then let Whoopi scoop them up and throw them all in jail.

What difference does it make? Is the arena drug-infested? I haven't had any problems there. Alpha's in Harmar, you got Rostraver, you got Frozen Pond in the confederacy of Butler, none are in the middle of Bel Air. The ice is still frozen the same at all these places.

was not meaning to reply to you. my opinion is the esmark ppl talk themselves into thinking it’s better. the resources at poe are better period.

ha! ya so many kids at 16 would rather be on esmark. hilarious ! u drank the koolaid because you had no choice!

I have no sales pitch, both of my kids are done. Just speaking on personal experience. I should add when my oldest was doing very well at ppe, excel was just starting so we never got pushed towards it. It was the younger 03s at the time. mainly one kid that program was started for. Now it’s morphed into crazy money. Most folks on here just go by hearsay and have not been involved in these programs. a lot of bitterness because their kids didn’t make a team etc. I’m enjoying watching my 11 year old niece learn to play hockey along with my oldest working with her.

Good thing this guy ^^^^^^ wasn't invited to the Reverend Jim Jones' little party. He had some seriously strong kool-aid!!!

I don't have a dog in this hunt - I disagree with suspending the season, and both the school teams and the amateur organization my kids play for are entirely suspended until January 4 - but while the PAHL statement doesn't mention practice, the governor's order absolutely suspends them. You have to go to the definitions part to read what they mean by the various terms in the school and amateur sports to see it clearly, but this is from the order: The emphasis there is mine. If any organization is permitting practices, more power to them - I wish my kids were still playing and practicing - but they're clearly violating the order. As others have noted, while I disagree with the actions being taken WRT youth sports, violating this order isn't going to make it quicker for us to resume.

PPE is more expensive than esmark especially when you factor in the cost of the excel program, because lets be honest here if you don't do excel, you don't make the team.

My team would be travelling to play this weekend if I could find a tourney within 6 hours of Pgh, but there are none. So we will have to wait. I have no problem with anyone travelling for hockey right now.

Obviously PPE has the more prestigious name and is backed by the Pens organization. Plus those families drink the kool-aid from the time their kids start skating until they get a dose of reality. Is Esmark more expensive than PPE? Just curious!

U15,U16,U18

I think if kids were getting it on the ice, hockey teams would be a house on fire.

I don't believe that on the ice, in fleeting moments of closeness, in a big arena, that there is enough viral load to easily infect anybody. Locker rooms, carpooling, sleep-overs, the kids' parents taking advantage of "freedom" to go to bars, restaurants, and being generally careless is where I would wager players are getting it.

I have officiated quite a bunch of PAHL and independent games (teams from all over) since the season started; I wear a mask into the rink, but it is off as soon as I enter the officials room. Knock on wood--I have not contracted the virus--or at least showed symptoms. No one in my household has either. I am active in communicating with the players and I really have not "avoided" close contact on the ice during scrums and such. Am I lucky? Did I have it back in November/December of last year? I am flummoxed, but maybe I have just been luck. What is causing the actual spread? Where is this happening? I really do not know, but I do wear my mask at retail stores and going to the ref room and to the parking lot.

Why do you care? Stay home and stay safe and don't worry about what anyone else is doing.