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I know two kids that played both amateur and high school, didn’t stop them from going D1. Only missed one or two high school games because of amateur travel. For a coach to deny a kid an opportunity to play a game they love with friends is absolutely atrocious. Deal with any conflicts as they come up and playing for both teams is not an issue. The EGO of these coaches that say you can’t play both is the problem. A high school coach suggesting a kid not play for that kind of coach is not a problem. Missing an amateur practice occasionally for a high school game should not be a problem. The kids are on the ice. They are not going to a movie. The coaches that think missing a couple practices for other ice time need to move on to another career. Go coach adults, kids are kids and should be treated as such. Because no matter how good of a coach you are, a couple missed practices are NOT going to change the trajectory of a player or hurt their amateur team.

If my kid wanted to play high school hockey and club, and the club told him he couldn't play HS then I would move on and move fast. Granted, HS hockey is not at the level of some AA and AAA level club teams, but kids love playing in front of their school friends. I have watched numerous Pens Cup games this year and the vibe has been nothing but outstanding. The Preds AAA level teams are a joke anyhow - did any of them make MidAms?

Reopen the Golden Mile

I feel like it should be the other way around. Any responsible HS coach should advise his players to avoid that train wreck A chase.

The problem with that is the level of play on travel hockey teams is higher than local HS, especially when you move away from the higher PIHL divisions. Also, if the player has any kind of goal of playing at a higher level, junior and college coaches are not sending their people to watch a PIHL game on a Thursday night, but will have people in Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh for a weekend to watch "AAA" tournament games. I understand the desire to play with and in front of your friends from school, but the decision should be based on what an individual player's future goals are.

I don't disagree with you that's why I said the best kids will rise to the top. My point was more about the few number of players from our region who make it. And even many of the pens who do were brought in for u16.

If 2-4 players from every aaa team in pittsburgh except Pens elite (any birthyear) play free to play juniors or division 3 or 1 hockey I will salt my hat and eat it. Doesn't happen these days. If we are talking pay to play juniors whatever. I'd be absolutely shocked if it wasn't a couple pens elite, maybe 1-2 Esmark and 1-2 other kids across all the other programs.

one of the big problems right now with aa teams is that they don't seem to be very open to changing there teams even for better players. this is probably what leads to so many of the aaa teams around here honestly

Well if new kids don’t get a fair shake and they keep hanging on to kids from squirt until now then why would most even consider going there? You’re either there to place kids appropriately or run a good ole boys club. Can’t do both. It seems the latter will take priority in some places.

My response was to this "I feel like it should be the other way around. Any responsible HS coach should advise his players to avoid that train wreck A chase." The "I feel like it should be the other way around." is what my post was trying to point out. Players and families, for the most part put their priority on the travel/amateur team over their PIHL team, because of the difference in level of play. I agree with you that there is value in having players participate in both.

As has been the case in the past, they're not permitted to miss practice for JV games or practices. They can miss practice for a Varsity game unless it happens to be a practice that has been made mandatory leading up to a tournament or a big game for instance. I wouldn't say it's PIHL unfriendly, but it's certainly not the most friendly.

Is Elitedaddy, like, a satire poster?

If this guy isn't a mark, this would be the greatest brainwashing example since Do and the gang from Heaven's Gate.

Pittsburgh Vengeance Tier II, formerly Steel City Ice Renegades is having tryouts for 14U, 16U and 19U Girls teams: Tryout Dates - Steel City Ice Renegades (scirhockey.org) 14U Girls - April 16th and 17th 16U and 19U Girls - April 29th and May 1st

If there is that coach needs to be fired. Anybody that is so delusional that they think their amateur team is so important that their players shouldn’t play PIHL for whatever reason shouldn’t be allowed to coach at all. U15 AAA Preds will probably be sending 5 or 6 kids to the NHl right? What a joke!