HSFBLJ

We should start by having hockey recognized as a sport and not a club activity. Once we have that we can have schools provide transportation to the games. Once schools start to provide transportation to the games you could fill the bus with students who want to go to the game. Possibly add a second bus if needed. If you have ever been to Div 1 game most schools also have a band at the game, at least a Pep band. Why don't schools send a Pep band to the games at least the playoff games? I can tell you the local High School band director was sent an email about doing this and we heard cricketts back. PPG is a great venue but unless you can fill the place some of the atmosphere is lost. It would be really cool if Pitt had a D1 team with an on campus arena. Maybe Pegula would be a great venue for the State Championship depending on who is playing. Smaller venue would be better IMO if you can fill it up and get the place rocking.

Actually just getting started. Several conversations with Division 3 coaches and Club coaches. Most are pushing the Jr's route. From what I have learned most hockey players have 2 years of Jr's before they enroll in school. Tough decision for a High School Sr. I don't necessarily believe that if your good enough they will find you. I'm sure that is the case for the top 5%. For all those other kids you need to find a school that is looking for what you bring to the table. Hockey and Academics play a part in the decision making process.

Has anyone had any success with NCSA or Captain U? I'm interested to see if coaches actually contact you. I have been directly emailing coaches and filling out the new player forms with some success.

I beleive this idea could work but it would need to come from the NHL. The NHL would need to mandate some portion of profit sharing/support that goes directly to the local hockey community. For this to work you have to take $$ from the owners, this is where the idea fails without support from the highest level.

Start listing the names of the parents.

No more students at the games. Only parents. The on ice officials should have done something. Game management should have done something. One of the parents should have done something. Somone from the rink should have done something. Isn't there a police officer at all PIHL games?

How will all the scouts watch little Tommy play?? They block practice sessions, who is watching that?

Different birth year same discussion. If Tommy is that good move to Chicagoland or Minnesota, better chances of getting a look and better local competition.

"chicks" elite

Valid point for discussion-be careful what you wish for! Division 1 athletes getting paid, hmmm, assume the top 1% of the top 1% have enough name recognition to prosper in this environment. Will they give some $$ to their team or the school for helping them? We all know the answer to that question. Eat what you kill right? If you are getting paid why would the school give you a scholarship? They are already providing you the platform to make money. Maybe more importantly will this start to erode the lucrative endorsement deals of Nike, UA and other clothing and apparel manufacturers? If that starts to happen then there will truly be transformation of the landscape as we know it. Eliminiating all scholarships, now kids actually decide to go to college for an education. Novel idea... There is big money behind college athletics until that dries up or goes somewhere else we are stuck with the low level coaches who gladly take your money promise you the world and have no idea how to deliver. Hockey is the poster child for all of this. Roughly 70 schools offer scholarship hockey. 25 players per team 1750 scholarships. You can probably cut that up and push the number to 3000. Check this out: 85 scholarships NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Scholarship count: FBS programs are allowed 85 scholarships on its roster at any given time, and generally can sign up to 25 players per year. Scholarship breakdown: All 85 scholarships are full rides. 130 FBS schools out there 11,050 at the highest level. If you think your getting national exposure playing AAA Hockey for anyone without national recognition good luck. Take your kid to the Mid-Am camp and see if they make the cut. Golden helmets and Blue jackets rule the school. Even if you had the talent getting past these road blocks are significant challenges. Sure go play for a Prep School they say: $60k out the door, how many of those kids are getting one of the 3000 scholarships? Eliminating scholarships would change the dynamic of sports and attendance at all universities. It also might eliminate the student debt problem as well. No way this happens in my life time.

THE PENGUINS RECEIVED A GRANT "Placing a rink in the Armory would not only allow for new and cost-free athletic opportunities for city youth but follow the wishes of Shadyside neighbors who have long called for public skating in this historic and underused building. I'm happy these long-delayed plans are finally coming together," Mayor William Peduto said. So does this mean that other local rinks will now be providing a cost-free athletic program?

Most kids figure this out for themselves at the U16 level. School becomes more important, kids are getting jobs and girlfriends. Kids that still want to play high level competitive hockey are playing at PPE/Esmark or they are going to Boarding Schools or the are Billet kids somewhere. I will say that the landscape in Pittsburgh may be changing. Black Bear Sports may bring a different mentality to the area and challenge the status quo. I have long been a supporter of PPE, however it seems like starting with 06 BY they may not have the stranglehold they used to have on the local market.

PPE should start to see some players placed soon. Organizationally they are still young. 2012 was the first year they had teams. The Hornets had years to build and see results. Back then they were the only "top" team in town. Say what you want about PPE but they are the best team in town. If your kid is/was a true superstar would you not just move to a hockey town? Chicago, Detroit or Minnesota?

Go check D-1 rosters, you will find some PPE kids. You don,t see kids fom other organizations.

How about Rostraver or Allegheny, at least people could watch the games in person.

See my prior posts...Throwing a punch gets you at least a game suspension. The players should all get a one game suspension at least, that follows them to next year. This should be a league game not a scrimmage or independent game. Maybe a suspension from midam? The coach should get a suspension if players came off the bench. Lot's of testosterone at this age.

These players are responsible for their actions. Parents fighting c'mon man build back better! MIDAM needs to change the format of the tournament. Once your eliminated no more games... Nothing to play for, nothing to lose!

How many teams advance from the district tournament?

The next big question---Who is the coach?

Isn't the USPHL team U18? My son never made it that far so I'm not sure if they can be up to age 20 or not.

We are not having a discussion on the U14 AAA team that already exists. This would be a new U16 AAA team. This would be an 05 team if you insist on looking at it that way.

Rumors, rumors, rumors. Anyone willing or able to confirm?

Wait a minute the 06 PPE beat the 06 Vengance? Based on this tournament PPE is clearly the best option if you live in Pittsburgh. Mt. Lebo would have been middle of the road in PAHL U16AA this year. PPE is no more political than any other organization. I don't think many kids are leaving for national teams at U15.

Lack of a clean sweep does not imply anything. My position is simply that PPE must be doing something to have earned the top seed in each division. May the best team win in each division.

No Icemen teams? Vengeance making an apperance, are we starting to see some of the younger teams develop? PPE teams in the top spot for all teams, that might say something eh?