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Tier 2 hockey is becoming such a cesspool of misleading organization leadership promoting the pathway to higher opportunities. I was reading various websites promoting that they will connect their players to junior and college teams. Add to that the 9 million private training outfits that charge ridiculous amounts of money to get your kid to the next level and the advent of Tier 2 tournaments advertised as “AAA” showcases or “College Exposure Showcases” where nobody is really there to be scouting. And even worse the advent of competing Tier 2 AA “National Bound Tournament Teams” as we see in Altoona and State College where kids play mostly for A level PAHL teams all season while playing tournaments expecting to compete in States effectively all for an additional $1500-$2000 on top of your regular PAHL team fees. Altoona does have 1 team doing it right as a full season team so I lay credit where it’s due. The increased emphasis on Tier 2 National Bound glory has become an extremely unhealthy obsession in some areas. Add Black Bear to this and the line between non-profit organization and ice rink business is increasingly disappearing where you see organization higher ups running the organization and are on the rink’s payroll at the same time. And with multiple rinks set up this way it creates the potential for the business to keep these programs in cahoots with each other thus creating the shell game where players can be encouraged to be moved around to satisfy their situations of need in their respective organizations and facilities. Based on what I’ve witnessed thus far I’m led to believe that’s already happened. it’s a sad reality with the direction hockey is going in these parts I think the volunteer run organization that’s there for the kids is fading away fast for adults to profit off these kids thus driving up costs and potentially driving families to the point they can’t afford to play all while not re-investing a portion of those funds back into facilities to where we have quality customer service oriented staff, clean restrooms and locker rooms that don’t have puddles of piss on the floor, mold growing in the showers, no extra glass on hand requiring plywood as a fix, as well as effective preventive maintenance on the aging chillers, dehumidifiers and Zambonis A lot of these rinks are not taken care of and it shows I hope I’m wrong but it seriously concerns me where we are going to be say 5 years down the road I’m a realist and I know it’s never going to happen but it’s time to refocus on being honest and doing what’s right for kids End rant!!

I always feel like baierl is one of the most well kept rinks in the area when I'm up there. To think that baierl and alpha used to be identical is wild now with how rough alpha is.

Oh that is malarkey. Give me a break. I don't buy this narrative. Maybe a coach pulls a team out of disgust with PAHL, but Mom and dad pull their kid because their kid didn't make AA or to chase the extra A or to follow the kids on that team. If PAHL made a bunch of changes....the disgruntled and disillusioned would still leave. It's done. The cat is out of the bag. No matter what PAHL does, people will move their kids to chase. They do it once....and they never stop. That isn't to say that there isn't room to improve or change. Change needs to happen above PAHL. I think this area needs some rules that make it harder to jump ship every season. But the same people moaning about PAHL will say....oh, no, we need our freedom of choice. I think there is no pleasing people in this area.Dsmned if you do, damned if you don't.

AAA hockey? absolutly not. from an officails persepective this was a walk in the park. AA at best.

Print scape as a hole is a dump. Locker room smell like piss. No effort to clean the facilities. Not as bad as Alpha complex but close. Note: Not to say they staff doesnt care. Rink Two is thin and experienced holes that needed patched between cuts. Shoody board and No score board. Take notice. Baierl for being one of the oldest puts in the most improvements. UPMC is well, Penguinsn sponsered. Alpha - mice / rodent issues- dirty as hell. drainage problems ect. PIA nough said. Ice castle - cold and dirty RMU is also a dump but decent ice and lighting. Mt lebonon - decent Show cases in western pa should be kept to: Bairel and UMPC exclusivly. Need more sheet RMU.

For every team/player that has left PAHL there is a team/player that has left as a result of their dislike for the PAHL model. Honestly, I don’t think there would be any “faux” AAA teams if there was another league or AA option in the area at 14-18U that had a focus on adapting to change and growing the game.