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Maybe people can't afford it, too. The cost of these programs keeps skyrocketing, and they've been around long enough to see you don't get the return promised.

To anybody that thinks a kid moving up from AA to AAA in the later stages of their youth careen can’t be as good as their little Johnny who has always played AAA, go pound salt. I know a kid who didn’t play AAA until U18. Was the best Dman on his AAA team. Went on to NAHL, and then Division 1. His teammates have not have the same success.

What does it say when an organization has to hold a supplemental tryout to fill open spots for a AAA Tier 1 team? It’s gonna be a long, long season.

But saying, "my kid is such a great hockey player, he's billeting in Ohio to play" sounds so much better at the water cooler.

I wasn't saying AA players aren't capable or deserving of moving up to AAA teams at that age. I was being more critical of the organizations. They treat AAA as a club, you either belong or you don't, it's hard to break in. So they keep bringing in "AAA" kids that peaked when they were 11 years old. Reminds me of NHL coaches, same 30 dudes keep switching teams. How often does a new up and coming coach get a chance?

Look no further than Michael Bunting as a shining example. Never played AAA Midget until his final year of eligibility.

And that is why we have aaa teams that can't fill. The aaa teams think that everyone wants to play aaa. But in reality there are not enough customers willing to pay for extra travel and the same level of hockey you could most likely get local.

Participating in the Olympics

The younger you start, the easier it is to get on teams. Once you're on the team, the easier it is to stay. At some point school hockey becomes important to kids. Say what you want, but playing for the school team is important for a lot of kids- it comes with a certain amount of popularity amongst their peers, hearing their name on the announcements, etc. Things that don't come with playing for a Vengeance, Esmark, or wherever. A lot of kids want to go to the movies with their friends or go hang out with their girlfriend or whatever on the weekend. Not say, "oh sorry, I can't go. I have to go to Philadelphia this weekend for hockey" and get left out. So with being on the school team and the commitment that goes with that (and the cost of playing for the school team added in), some kids are going to want to just play for school and a team that's a little bit more schedule-friendly. Believe it or not, some kids like to play hockey but also have other interests and things they like to do. So by this age they start realizing that. And at this age, the parental influence on what they want to do is becoming much less.

@zam hits on an important point, and that's that parents of "tenured" AAA players are not always accepting of new additions if they were historically AA/PAHL players. An established AAA team loses a couple players for whatever reason. As they replace them, other returning families assume there will be a drop-off and then one or two more pull out. At some point there is a run on the bank as more leave what they see as a sinking ship to find a chair somewhere else before the music stops. Its not necessarily that there are not customers, it is sometimes that existing/returning customers, don't accept change.

Props to two local boys making the U18 National Team.

Not even that so much about the parents seeing the dream isn't attainable. But where before the parents gotta get Little Johnny to the Vengeance tryouts because those kids are "better" and clearly Little Johnny is better... At 15, 16 years old Little Johnny is now Adolescent Johnny and he's saying, "I want to make extra money, I want to hang out with friends, I like hockey but it's not the only thing I'm interested in that I want to put all this time and effort into when I have a bunch of homework and a part time job and want some video game time, etc." And for the dreamers- I don't think most people realize what that dream really takes. Meaning the work, time, money, and commitment that is in your control nor the "have-it-or-you-don't" genetics and mind for the sport, and luck that is not even in your control.

Bingo! Mom and dad finally realize the dream is not attainable and pull back. It’s the same thing every year. We never listen to those ahead of us that tell us exactly how it is. We think they are just bitter and it’s going to be different for us. But in reality it is the same: If at 15u/16u you aren’t a top player on Pens or at a top nationally ranked out of town program, Tier1Juniors/NCAA/pro hockey isn’t in the cards. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but be honest: is your player the exception? From what I’m reading lately, it seems that maybe folks are waking up and bowing out of the AAA rat race and going AA. Maybe we’ll start seeing some better AA and high school hockey in the coming years?

Delusional parents who think the whole world is conspiring against them and that if they get out of Pittsburgh there will be some fresh eyes.

This may be a topic for a different thread, but I never really understood why a parent, whose kid did not make a local U16-18 AAA team would send him away to play AAA in another city or state for his junior year or even worse, his senior year in high school? I mean, are the scouts all of a sudden going to notice this player whether they play for Team Maryland, Tri-State, Nashville Jr Preds or any team in Detroit but were not good enough to make a local AAA team? You would think not making a local AAA team would be a sign not to be ignored? I know of several kids that went through this and ended up being non-drafted players while missing their senior year in HS and taking cyber school. Maybe it's me, I just don't get it.

He has a kid who plays and he coaches. It's not a bad thing to alert the general community regarding what is going on so no organization gives him access to a bank account.

Entertainment purposes only!

Looks like we found our 09 AAA parent. That was not too difficult. Have you ever thought as to why a “AAA” level team would have to have a supplemental to fill their roster? Do you think the top talent for that age group is waiting around to attend said supplemental?

Like I said already. We all only paid $350 in total to play for the season. 20 games and full jerseys and equipment I’ll take that any day.

Anybody see anything on Supplementals? Seems like a very quiet year for tryouts. Will be interesting to see how it all shakes out!

Exactly what I said earlier. Nobody was traveling to Pittsburgh or bringing a good squad. Closest game we won by 5 goals at home. Why should we travel and put on a good show for them if nobody wanted to travel to us.

Sounds about right for the actual talent pool.

Dude. You guys got played like a fiddle. Don’t come on here trying to pretend you had such noble gestures to die on your swords. Ice time couldn’t even get paid for.

Really well said. And all true.

Yes, sorry I just saw this. We have already posted our roster for the team. If you are still looking send an inquiry to orginfo@ with your hockey history. Thanks,

Not only that, but the players from the River Monsters largely played youth hockey in the area. We talk about college hockey as well.

In this situation, you are probably correct. Esmark was attempting to resurrect something that blew up last year. The consensus has been that parents and players are not going to do the drive to New Kensington. If we look at where the current AAA teams are for 2009, there is PPE (Cranberry), Preds (South Hills), and SHAHA (South Hills). No idea what has/is happening with Vengeance, but Esmark seems to come down to location.

My kid played on a tournament only team. Not this one. Depends on the age and your goals. Some rural areas, a tournament team is the only way they can field a higher level team.

Only argument I have regarding the "no lack of customers" sentiment is that Esmark and Vengeance '09 had really low numbers at their skates and V barely had a turnout at tryouts. That doesn't tell me AA kids are wanting to move up and aren't being taken, that tells me AA kids are happy where they are and see low end AAA for what it is.

There are always going to be "enough customers" and that isn't just for hockey, people will buy into anything. I've said this in prior posts, but the 2009's are now hitting that age where USA Hockey historically sees a drop in registration numbers regardless of the reason (jobs, significant others, booze, etc). Also, it has been stated before that some of these players are needing to decide about PIHL vs. travel hockey and everything else going on in their lives.

Thought preds09 goalie went to south pitt09?

Paid for by your teammates' sponsorships they didn't get paid for.

Sounds like a great way to waste money!

No truth to that rumor. *From what I heard…they had a legitimate number of players and definitely goalies cut down from Saturday to Sunday. I want to say that I think I heard that there were 11 or 12 goalies that were there each of the first 2 days. I am not sure about total number of skaters. But, I guess it’s easier to pick out and count the goalies rather than the skaters. The goalies are a little different too (in a variety of ways). I don’t know if that tryout number ramped up quickly or what, (and I know how the numbers and talent can reduce at the 18U level) but I’d say that the recent reduction of 06 AAA squads in PGH caused a funneling effect amongst the teams available. When Pittsburgh goes from 6 AAA 2006 birth year-based teams to 3 in about one year…either there is an increase in the number of regional call ups to juniors and/or the incoming 2007 numbers can’t replenish and sustain the competitive levels that are needed. Probably a little of both.

Stole money

uLooks like 5th. Lost in quarterfinals at playoffs 2-4

15 years later and these money grabs are still going on smh

Money grab, those birth years don't even get looked at for another 2-3yrs.

Ok, I can understand that. At least you're being honest about it.

Serious question, what is going on with all of these 09 teams folding or not having enough kids? It's not a deep birth year as it is but reading everything on here it's anywhere from 2-4 full teams folding. There is no way that many parents are okay with their superstars playing on a mixed team.

I'll be interested to see who they're able to get. I've heard of 5 of their better players that made Predators. Some others I know were at Esmark tryouts and I assume made it. It looks like they switched up coaches. The guy from last year that came in from Michigan isn't listed anymore, instead it's the father/son duo that coached their younger ages.

so are you saying the euros will get most of the playing time?

Would rather drive the hour for the Nailers (who have decent food/drink options)than to drive 5 minutes to watch men's league.

They also have Euros coming……….stay tuned player depth may not be an issue coupled with their coaching staff

From what I heard the coach was getting backlash from players who thought they were superstars and thought they should have been out there everywhere shift which you guys might have had 2 lines that could actually do that. Who cares if the coach brought in other players. I also know other players who wouldn't play since he got let go. One guy was a huge ringer. So because a few players were grumpy over ice time they fired a coach who had a winning record and a successful running at the rink and crowd. If you noticed the crowd got smaller and smaller since he got canned. But hey I'm just friends with the coach and his wife. We got their story and know some of the players personally and they said something completely different than what you're saying. I'm not here to start drama. I was really rooting for a team in our county as there is really nothing to do on a Saturday night here. It was refreshing walking into a game seeing 400-500 people in the stands. And the fact the the coach got zookys to sponsor and have beer sales at the rink and the owner took credit from the league saying he got it. We will definitely miss going down to watch the games. It was seriously a fun environment. Best of luck to you and your teammates for whatever you guys do in the future.

Not sure how any goalies made it for shaha since tonight was their final night of tryouts from 8-9 but I can take your word for it. Unless the coach called those who made it and preds had a tryout within 20 minutes I don't know how that would happen.

I'm finding it wild that this thread has more traction than the tryout threads this year. Everyone must be getting old and we aren't recruiting enough mite parents.

then maybe first off should not have fired the first coach, and once that happened. Pgh should have just folded then.

Pucks11 is correct. Not every good player plays or even wants to play at Pens. Between not being in the club, wanting to keep playing with friends, not wanting to deal with NC or excel, not wanting/able to pay that much money, being overlooked, there's lots of reasons that not every kid plays there. And reasons maybe they aren't at whatever other orgs, too. Is what it is. People sure do know how to take this all too seriously and suck the fun out of the game.

They went 1-2 and were out scored 17-9 and that impressed you?