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Agreed. Need to figure out a host org and a coach. I think pens, one North hills and one south Hills team would be fine. Same with 08s.

Well I do have to admit I don't want to spend 4000 dollars + travel to spend 8 months with a bunch of loud jack******. It makes the entire experience miserable and I'd rather my kid have fun and the parents have fun too.

‘09s need to be trimming AAA teams, not adding them

The Pittsburgh area is great for tourneys - just not there in Delmont. Alpha, Baierl, UPMC and Neville have plenty of hotels and restaurants nearby and all are close enough where multiple facilities could co-host together.

Jack ass parents absolutely can ruin it for the kids, though.

This is it in a nutshell. Kids don’t care. But the parents and their egos do.

Blame it on the parents. To many parents want their kid to be the SUPERSTAR of the team and don't want a another kid to threaten that or they may not get seen by scouts. Then you have the pare5that won't let their kid play with another kid because they don't like that kids parents. Then comes in the parents that refuse to let their kid play for a parent coach. At all age groups if the best kids played together Pittsburgh would have 2 or 3 strong AAA teams and some really good AA teams.

This has been developing for a while. In order to play AA, you have to sign up to play AAA. 😞🤢 All it does is increase the cost of hockey and time spent on it. PAHL AA 16u hockey was terrible quality top to bottom this year. I don't know about 14u, didn't watch any games this year, but I remember thinking last year watching two of the mid am games thinking....this is awful. Bleh. Good luck chasing, all.

Hard question because it also depends on if any other 08s show up that would knock them out of spots. Maybe this is where the Esmark team gets their 09s

From what I gather you have hit on the problem though in all seriousness for getting all the kids on one team. Preds and Esmark are seen as money grabs. Preds you get a lot of dad coach involvement and not just from one person there are at least two or three way too involved dads. Esmark is an insane drive for South Hills families because they practice at New Kensington. Shaha coach seems insane (and a dad). For a long time Shaha really seemed to have a good thing going until their oldest two birth years fell apart. I'm honestly glad my kid isn't an 09 because it seems like a mess. I don't really know much about Vengeance but that's a drive too and I'm not sure an upgrade over any of those teams (looks like Preds finished above them and shaha close).

Wait. I know I know…. That same dad from Esmark 🤣

Gateway Grill in Monroeville is better bet

A lot of you don't understand the landscape and just spread rumors. Have any of you dads that have zero hockey experience even watch anything but your own child? Pens - Top two lines are solidified. Good luck to any new kids breaking their top two lines. Better have good attitude and happy you are wearing Pens gear if on 3rd and 4th line. Preds - We all know the dad that loves to be on the bench that ruined Esmark. Otherwise they could be a very good AAA team, but south hills area doesn't seem to figure it out. Vengeance - That team has not improved in the last 2 years and only holds its ranking bc of teams they play and being a "AAA" team. Import a coach from Detroit that doesn't attend practices really shows how invested the organization/coach is with these kids. So keep spending $10,000 to fill pockets. Also, how many other shady things can happen over there before it's exposed. SHAHA - Tough to compete with Preds in same area. Would be a good team if they combined top two lines. But much cheaper option than Preds. Icemen - The rink sucks and the location isn't good to attract players. This is the only team out of the 3 listed above that has consistently rose in the ranks the last two years and proving to all the haters. Pens have been a top 5 team for the last 3 years. We all know they are the top dog and is #1 destination. Esmark - Team folded last year bc of a certain parent taking players to Preds. We see it every year, whoever has the money and filling these organizations pockets the most, thats all they care about, they have the control or balls of these organization heads. This team next year will be nothing but a A major team next year if they even get enough to field. If you ask me, a lot of kids stay put and all of this is nonsense. Get on with your lives and enjoy the limited time you have with your kids. Spend your money wisely. And if you have extra cash to toss around. I will gladly accept your money and tell you how good your kid is and how he is going to the NHL. Seems to be the way things are anymore.

I thought the same thing.

You are asking PAHL to be forward thinking! I would be shocked if that happens!

Exactly. For a strong BY like 2009 the number should be three. Pittsburgh could have three top 40 teams. The six 09 AAA teams we’ll have next year is absolutely excessive. There will be more 09 AAA teams than 09 AA teams. Crazy.