Jack Handey

@HockeyDad23 did you try North Pittsburgh or Butler Valley? How did it go?

Looks like there are 32 possible alternates?

No. Play local. http://www.pahockey.com Let them have fun. Save your money for their college.

Here's another classic.

2006 Vengeance? 2007 Vengeance? Maybe you should put something on the Vengeance web site about that.

Good find. Well written. Had a good laugh at hockey directors who oversee 12 teams and make six figure salaries.

https://www.vengeancehockey.com/1920tryouts "We will also field a Tier 1 U15 team if demand allows." Here you go, @PAhockey

Scores are being published on Twitter. Follow @2019WPAStates or click https://twitter.com/2019WPAStates

At 15-32-12, maybe you should only be playing the top line.

I don't think it works that way with the +2 vs +7. A better conclusion would be: 4 years ago we would have lost by 6, but now we would only lose by 1.5. There would be some merit in that, if your squirt minor and bantam minor teams were the same group of kids.

It's interesting that no one commented on your earlier thread on plans of the PPE 04 Black group. Have you checked that roster to see if there is anyone you might know on that team? Maybe they could direct you. I would say PPE and Vengeance are a given for 15u AAA. I would think only one or two of the others are probably feasible. Esmark is probably most viable. See what your PPE Black friends say.

I went to their web site and thought the same after seeing what's there. It's probably not posted yet. Sidebar: was really surprised by the tryout dates for those younger teams. March 15? Holy Early!

With compliments. Good luck to your player if you have one playing this weekend. Although I couldn't find an AAAA division. ?

Good luck to all local competitors. Tier I 18U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/18u-boys-tier-i-results/ Tier I 16U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/16u-boys-tier-i-results/ Tier I 15U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/w-pa-tier-14u-15u-results/ Tier I 14U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/14-u-tier-i-results/ Tier II 18U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/w-pa-18u-tier-ii-results/ Tier II 16U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/w-pa-16u-tier-ii-results/ Tier II 14U: http://www.midamhockey.com/youth-hockey/nat-champ-playdowns/w-pa-tier-ii-14u-results/ Girls Tier I 19U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/19u-girls-tier-i-results/ Girls Tier I 16U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/tier-girls-16u-results/ Girls Tier I 14U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/14u-girls-tier-i-results/ Girls Tier II 19U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/19u-girls-tier-ii-results/ Girls Tier II 16U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/16u-girls-tier-ii-results/ Girls Tier II 14U: http://www.midamhockey.com/girls-womens-hockey/dis-nat-declaration/girls-tier-ii-14u-results/

Look at that. Constructive dialog. Well done, hockey parents!

Until the scouts come knocking, the driver should only be fun - for both your player and you. Remember, it's a game. Don't get caught up in all these labels like "Elite", "AAA", "AA". You will surely hear from coaches and other hockey parents if there is any possibility of your player playing at a higher level. For now, focus on the fun, and you will be glad that you did.

A tryout is not the same as a tune-up. Your player will get some advice and coaching in a tune-up but will get no coaching nor feedback in the tryout. Unless you consider acceptance or rejection as feedback. Walk before you run and try a PAHL team first.

It's good to hear that he's doing well in the in-house league. I would set your sights on North Pittsburgh again since you are familiar with that rink, and have a back-up plan with another club at a nearby rink if you really want to try travel hockey. The nearest travel programs to North Pittsburgh are Butler Valley (playing out of Frozen Pond on Route 8), Arctic Foxes (RMU Island Sports Center), Pittsburgh Aviators (Shadyside Academy or UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex), Beaver Badgers (Bradys Run), and Lawrence County Lightning (in New Castle PA playing out of Hess). I would not bother with Pens Elite. You have many good programs in the north that can meet his needs. Get him a year or two of travel experience and then maybe reconsider it if and when he can earn a spot on an "AA" or "A Major" travel team in the local travel league.

One additional thought on the matter: Some who get upset at the refereeing will label it as PAHL problem. That is incorrect thinking. PAHL is just one league that is served by the local pool of referees. The same group of referees covers PPE, Esmark, Icemen, independent teams, middle school, high school, college, and beer league. Something to keep in mind if you think your player needs to move on from PAHL next year.

Amen to that. The game moves fast and no one can see everything. If there's a problem with officiating, why not don the stripes? Pretty sure every association will gladly accept your help.

There used to be some refs on the old message board. Maybe they could chime in. As to the question PAHL vs PIHL vs PIHO. PIHO is a referee scheduler service and works with youth associations up through college. PAHL referee scheduling is done by the local associations that make up PAHL. Some PAHL associations use the service of PIHO, but not all. Other associations schedule refs on their own. They have their own pool of referees, and those pools largely overlap the PIHO pool. I think PIHL uses the services of PIHO to schedule refs for the entire league, but not totally certain on that.

Another local AAA program will probably make a play for the group or part of the group. But there's no obvious next step. Historically, some go to alternative AAA programs. Some play just high school. One or two will go back to PAHL.

In all seriousness - the old icing rule (icing allowed during a PK) is in effect at PIHL JV and PAHL 16u. Many 14u are already playing JV, so with the new rule, we have kids playing the same game with two different sets of rules. I guess I shouldn't be surprised - we have many 14u players still playing middle school, where they cannot check in PIHL but can check in PAHL. I have seen a few MS players "forget" that they cannot check in PIHL. Bantam is just a tough age and we've made it harder. Since the rule reverts in PAHL at 16u, most coaches I know aren't bothering to teach the PK any different.

Not really a fan of this rule. All the kids I coach are prepping for the show, so I just tell them to go ahead and ice the puck if they need to. That's the rule they'll eventually need to follow.

Ever wonder how there came to be two associations in PAHL with the BADGERS nickname? According to the links below, Allegheny adopted the name in 1992 and Beaver adopted the name shortly thereafter in 1993. Both associations were proudly honoring the late Badger Bob Johnson of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Badger Bob coached the Pens to their first Stanley Cup in 1991, but passed away shortly after the victory. Beaver Badgers history: https://beaverhockey.teamsnapsites.com/history/ Allegheny Badgers history: https://www.ahabadgers.com/page/show/2101767-about-allegheny-hockey