whatever

In the opinions of this discussion I assumed we all realize you don’t need juniors to play at IUP, Pitt etc . It’s the equivalent of playing club. I’ve known a lot of kids that have enjoyed those programs. I assumed you all were referring to ACHA programs like Liberty or Ohio Bobcats. Those ACHA programs are built with mostly former junior players. I like the context of buyer beware. Clearly from the list above not many make it to div 1 and only a handful more to NCAA div 3 schools. If you don’t mind your kid NOT being a top player and aren’t in a hurry to push him out the door, can afford to give him the opportunity, and he wants to experience juniors - then so be it. It’s a unique , one of a kind experience. No other sport replicates it.

I posted this today under one of the other comments. This might be a good follow through to your comment. I’m sure I’m missing a few players. A majority have Pens Elite in common whether it be a stepping stone or a longer stay : There are quit a few local kids playing Div. 1 and Div. 3 hockey right now. NCAA Div. 1 Dalton Hunter – Hornets, Pens Elite, NAHL, USHL, Mercyhurst Austen Swankler - Pens Elite, Oakland Junior Grizzlies, USHL, Erie Otters, Bowling Green Alex Savagno – Pens Elite, USHL, Penn State Matthew Sutton – Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, USHL, Brown University Dominic Schimizzi – Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, NAHL, Robert Morris Christian Gorschak – Esmark, NAHL, Niagara Brian Kramer – Pens Elite, NAHL, USHL, Robert Morris, AIC Dustin Geragach – Esmark, NAHL, Mercyhurst NCAA Div. 3 Jackson Krock – Pens Elite, NCDC, NAHL, Hamilton Jared Gerger – Predators, OJHL, NAHL, Lake Forest Tyler Love – Pens Elite, Nahl, Robert Morris, Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Dawson Sciarrino - Esmark, Pens Elite, NAHL, Steven's Point Female: Serena Slursarcyk – Pens Elite, Robert Morris Kaitlyn Schooley - Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, Robert Morris Jordan Timmons – Esmark, Pens Elite, USHL, Robert Morris , LIU, Echl

This was fun. There are quit a few local kids playing Div. 1 and Div. 3 hockey right now. NCAA Div. 1 Dalton Hunter – Hornets, Pens Elite, NAHL, USHL, Mercyhurst Austen Swankler - Pens Elite, Oakland Junior Grizzlies, USHL, Erie Otters, Bowling Green Alex Savagno – Pens Elite, USHL, Penn State Matthew Sutton – Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, USHL, Brown University Dominic Schimizzi – Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, NAHL, Robert Morris Christian Gorschak – Esmark, NAHL, Niagara Brian Kramer – Pens Elite, NAHL, USHL, Robert Morris, AIC Dustin Geragach – Esmark, NAHL, Mercyhurst NCAA Div. 3 Jackson Krock – Pens Elite, NCDC, NAHL, Hamilton Jared Gerger – Predators, OJHL, NAHL, Lake Forest Tyler Love – Pens Elite, Nahl, Robert Morris, Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Dawson Sciarrino - Esmark, Pens Elite, NAHL, Steven's Point Female: Serena Slursarcyk – Pens Elite, Robert Morris Kaitlyn Schooley - Pens Elite, Gilmour Academy, Robert Morris Jordan Timmons – Esmark, Pens Elite, USHL, Robert Morris , LIU, Echl And an older one I didn’t see mentioned: Anthony Petrik – Latrobe – Holy Cross

I have heard of top ACHA teams wanting their players to experience juniors before they will talk to them. Ohio Bobcats for example, have some kids from Western , Pa. Only a handful didn't play juniors. Again, it comes down to whether your kid wants to continue to grind and your willingness as a parent to fund that if you have to pay to play . There have been alot of highly skilled kids playing tier 3 juniors because covid screwed things up for a while and changed all the rules. Heck, there are kids that are div. 1 players playing div. 3 because covid changed the rules. Things are still sorting themselves out because of the pandemic.

Right! God forbid a kid (er, young man) still have the drive to play for a National championship, or want to compete or continue to stay active, represent his school in a sport he loves. So now we've moved from the faux AAA argument to Div 3 is a waste as well. For Pete's sake.....let the kids play without dismissing their dreams. Every one of them works hard to make a roster spot on a div. 3 team as well. Clearly some of you only played or had kids play for the status - if they couldn't be the top it was all a waste. pffff .....it all leads to bear league even for Sid Crosby. ! Holy heck...

Nah, many more players than an average of the top 3. This is just last year - during covid rules and a transfer portal. http://nahl.com/player-advancement/college/index.cfm?season=2021

maybe in your circle of friends ….

When you start playing local hockey a 5 years old...playing the same kids multiple times a year - year after year gets predictable and kind of boring. I was one of those crazy parents who opted for the other A and played all over the place. Zero regrets.

Is Paul Taibi the coach ? If so - interesting fact - he coached a black team for PPE that beat the elite at MID AMS quit a few years back when the black teams were a thing. He also took PPE’s first year of 15u’s to the semi finals at Nationals. He develops players. Many are of the opinion he is the best youth hockey coach in the area.

I’ve heard a handful of former players will be coming back. The kids currently on campus will begin training together this year . I’m guessing the transfer portal will provide some players next year as well. For those commenting on trusting the program? The man responsible for eliminating it is gone - which to me speaks volumes and the community rose up and supported the program like never before financially. Many of the same people coaching and recruiting are still there or returning. It was an excellent program both in the men’s and women’s side.

https://triblive.com/sports/former-hempfield-standout-excited-to-join-reborn-robert-morris-hockey-program/?mibextid=wACSiI&fs=e&s=cl&fbclid=IwAR1d9C50nTaI-8lp4Fls6dfpxtc-rFpsCaDY6ySvqJMWz_xyiljdJcz_fSo

How many from the Pens 16 or 18U go to tier 1 or 2 Juniors the n Div. 1? Have you ever researched it? Don't count kids that played for the Pens at one point but left.

My son came from the Pens Elite program but left after16u. Played at a Prep school. He is committed to play D1. Honestly, had he not gone to a prep school, I do not believe his grades would have been acceptable for Div. 1. Pens Elite practice was always late at night a couple days a week and we lived an hour away from the rink. Plenty of times he wouldn't get home till close to or after midnight and needed to be up early for school the next day. Moving to prep - an emphasis was put on grades first , then hockey. Interestingly enough, I believe only two players from his 16U Pens team plays in the Nahl. Another fun fact, the prep team my son played on had 6 kids in the NAHL this year. One left early to play Div 1, him and another committed Div. 1 and if I had a crystal ball, I would guess 2 more will be committing Div.1. One additional player went USHL then to Div, 1. I get a chuckle over all the commotion on these boards about the programs and where kids play - how unfair - whatever the various arguments are. Facts are - an ever so small number get to move on. Personally, we didn't listen to all the noise. As a matter of fact - my son played on the Pens Elite Black one year. Thank God we didn't consider that a failure and waste of money. Thank God we didn't listen to the opinions of know it all's on these boards. It was part of his development. He learned lessons from it and to this day considers the coach he had that year one of the best to ever coach him. While the Pens Elite program was part of his development, Prep school got him to where he is now.

I agree. It wasn't until I saw these charts that I realized the small amount of kids that make it Div1.

My son is in the NAHL. Committed for the 23-24 season.

They sold their NAHL franchise. They became the Danbury Hat Tricks. On May 11, 2020, the Knights announced they had sold their franchise rights to an organization in Danbury, Connecticut, and became the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks

My son is finishing Juniors this year. He's going to be a 21 year old freshman. Juniors didn't cost us $. He is committed to NCAA D1. He was a late bloomer. As a matter of fact...he played on the Pens elite black back in the day whenever everyone said that was a waste of money and kids playing there shouldn't be playing triple A. I'm glad we didn't listen and let him play on the black team. I don't look at it as if he "delayed" life. Who sets the timeline on what life is supposed to look like? With that being said, I thought I'd enclose some data for those who are interested.

Mudbugs won ! And not just one local kid but two! Matt Weber and Dawson Sciarrino were on that team. If you see them around the local rinks give them a pat on the back!! Hard work pays off.

If anyone has an interest in Junior Hockey. the NAHL Robertson Cup finals are tonight with a local kid competing . Dawson Sciarrino will be playing for the Shreveport Mudbugs . http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=32121

Funny thing ... not our birth year but we ended up at Gilmour - by choice after 16u. Hated the coaching at 16 and it wasn’t looking too promising at 18. 16 was the last great year. The coach was not retained and he was the best. Took a black team at 14 and beat the elite at districts then took a 15 u to the semi finals at national. For whatever reason he wasn’t retained and we were no longer interested. You evidently passed through during those transition years with coaches and the mission statement.

Nope - your memory is failing you right now. Looks like we were there around the same time. I believe the first year "black" teams were available were the 01's at the 14U level and those younger. My son also played 15U after his year as a "black" . So , nope he wasn't dumped. Made National camp 2x.

My kid was on the black team a few years back and “pushed “ through as you would say at mid ams. That black team beat the gold team at districts that year. So yeah... maybe just maybe that black team kid earned his spot - both years he tried out. And, that Black team kid is currently playing in the NAHL .

What does that have to do with any of what you are saying? And you haven’t checked the NAHL in quit a while . http://nahl.com/player-advancement/college/