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Most times that is a group of delusional parents of players who are NOT AA level but the parents will never accept. An organization will eventually agree to host their tryouts and when all is said and done, they are either placed in A Major where they belong or get into AA and have an awful season. Some orgs will always have AA teams at all levels that matter and some will be facilitators of the delusion. AA Orgs North Pitt Allegheny SCIR Preds Southpointe Foxes Most others are a year to year crap shoot

A lot of people on here like to bash the "extra A", "faux AAA" teams, and parents just wanting to call their kids AAA. And there is plenty of reason to criticize this phenomena. But I think what MANY of these players and parents are really seeking is just a higher level of training and competition that these teams bring. What I think you get on a typical "A" team, and even some "AA" teams is an inexperienced coach, a couple shared ice practices, no dryland or video and a couple moderately competitive local games a week. The roster is likely to have a few kids that truly want to put in the work to get better, a few kids that are happy with their current level of play, and a few kids that would be just as happy skipping practices to play basketball or video games. So you aren't getting that same competitiveness of 18 AAA players all pushing each other because they all think they are on a path to The Show. So if you're one of those kids/parents that wants something "more" then you're going to be attracted to these mediocre AAA teams. And if you're a kid that played a couple years of top level hockey and then was cut, it's probably difficult to get excited to play and train with Mikey's Dad who just started coaching hockey. I think if you had a few local organizations that practiced and trained like AAA programs but didn't fly to Chicago to get their butts kicked every weekend there wouldn't be problems filling rosters.

True……he’s a package deal of sorts having brought 5 or 6 kids with him from Esmark 09 team.

Organizations provide their anticipated level to PAHL. PAHL looks at the roster and history of the players to place them where they think they belong. The initial request of the organization is taken on to account. Then placement games happen to make any final adjustments.

AAA has definitely grown in the last 10 years. I don't think you would have had many PAHL organizations trying to field independent teams back then at younger levels (or even birthyear teams for that matter). Vengeance expanded their program to youth first with the 08s first year of squirt. Now you have SHAHA, Icemen, etc. AA not sure has changed as much but it has gotten watered down as kids go play AAA.

I am not surprised - NP typically gets 100+ registered per age group and could field up to six teams per division. 22 teams total from Squirt to Midget last year. https://myhockeyrankings.com/association_info.php?a=295

It would be exciting IF those Tier 2 teams are really Tier 2 teams. Based off of what I saw, I seriously doubt that. I personally know some kids who I would honestly assess as A Minor Black or maybe A Major White players who made "AA" teams. I think in five years there won't be anymore A-level hockey. Kids will go straight from B to AA so parents can (pay to) gloat about how wonderful their kid is, and teams will be glad to take their money to apply that label. I used to LOVE it when my A Major kids would go to a summer pick-up game, and other parents would rave about their AAA/AA player and how great their team would be. Then my "inferior" kids would go out there and make them look stupid. AND... once the season started, my kids would be out there on regular shifts in all phases of the game, and their kids would sit on the bench. Sorry if I sound salty. This tryout season really has my head ready to explode from the sheer insanity. As someone who loves the game of hockey, I just don't get it.

I just received a message this morning stating the North Pittsburgh 07-08 registration is closed.

I don't know of any '07 BY supplementals, but I do know that NP (as Saucy said), Badgers, and the Yetis still have tryouts within the next week.

and there were two at Allegheny that made vengeance but declined their spots so I would say aaa players who chose to go national bound aa instead

Are they still AAA players if they got cut?