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I do question the inference that paid coaches are better than “daddy ball” coaches. I’ve seen more than enough paid coaches develop a system of pay to play forcing players to sign up for their skill sessions to earn playing time. There are some very good parent coaches out there, they just happen to have a kid that plays. There are obviously very good paid coaches and very bad parent coaches as well. Having a kid on the team or not doesn’t tell you anything about the quality of the coach.

This right here is why the whole thing blows my mind.

I agree with that

Reading the last several replies here, some random thoughts: Paid coach, parent coach... if they're a good coach it's irrelevant if they're paid or parent. Hell, I know of paid coaches that never had hockey experience over playing in-line, and parent coaches who at one time played high level college or professional hockey. Do they know what they're doing, are they fair? That's the questions that are important. But telling your neighbors that your son's coach is the left wing's dad doesn't sound as cool as telling them how the coach is some part-time professional coach, right? Regarding Pens, as mentioned above, it's not just a hockey team it's a lifestyle. There's a lot of barriers there at older ages that make other options look better. So I'm sure tons of good players are off the table before getting on the table just on cost and commitment. On the subject of the AAA revolving door. Most parents (and some kids) think they're looking at a future of moving right to high level juniors, NCAA, and I'm certain some think they'll be in the NHL draft as soon as they turn 18. When they play at "x" organization and nothing really happens during the season aside from their team getting a number ranking on MHR, they aren't on the power play, or whatever grievance they have, they think it will be different on another team so they try to go there. With the number of "AAA" teams in the area, you can do this practically every year. And if you run out of teams, you can just start back where you started. This is all applicable of the revolving doors in AA and A also. Also, organizations at every level should put a ban on any coach coaching a team in the org, and offering skills lessons outside of team functions to any players they coach. Not saying they shouldn't be allowed to operate skills lessons, just not to players on their team. Under no circumstance is this a good scenario for anybody but the coach. It shouldn't need to be explained any further the ways in which this is a bad idea. There's plenty of skills coaches around that you shouldn't need to be going to your coach for it. Most importantly- it's a game, it should be fun time for your kid. With the pressures/stress of school, girlfriends/boyfriends, looking at colleges, making time for other hobbies & interests, and plain being a kid growing up in the times we have today... hockey should be a place where kids can forget all that stuff, have fun, and NOT be stressed out over it.

It definitely doesn’t stop outside the walls of Ice Castle. We avoid teams with paid coaches who also give private lessons like the plague. Learned my lesson once, never again.

I think not going to Pens largely has to do with people not wanting to sell their entire souls to do Excel and/or North Catholic. Pens isn't a team anymore it's a lifestyle.

Or maybe as suggested on another post, just maybe, players will start to come back to AA (gasp)

I looked that program up, looks like they are pretty strong. One of their players made the U17 US team. So now some of the top players in Pittsburgh are traveling to Long Island NY to play U18 AAA. Probably because of all the extra requirements of the Pens.(school, academy , etc.) Pens Elite really screwed up.

This past season’s 2008 and 2010 teams were like B teams! The luster of the Esmark is gone. But I think you can say that for every “AAA” team except for PPE. It’s all watered down now with so many “AAA” teams in WPA. Everyone can be AAA!