hockeyisgreat

What does that mean? Is USPHL Bad?

Didn't know that The Junior Hockey News existed. Great info thanks for pointing me to the site!

Next question? Which is the biggest Organization in Western PA? Does anyone actually know? From ADM to 18U. North Pitt, Allegheny, or Foxes? I think it would be one of those 3.

I hear all these negatives about Programs in western pa! Where should I take my kid for the best coaching and organization that is fair? I hear the least negatives about North Pittsburgh Wildcats and Artic Foxes! Are they the best big organizations? Just looking for opinions! Those 2 also seem to be the least interested in the "extra A".

Do you have to go to tryouts for Tier III Juniors? How do the teams contact you and how did they find your kid? Just curious? Thanks for any info you might share.

Danner your words above prove my point 100% . You are telling me it is a waste of time and money to play anywhere but PAHL because my kid has a 1% chance of making it. Until he gives up I will give him every chance I can. I would never tell a kid they can't do it! The problem I have is people like you who are so negative (realistic) and maybe bitter that yours wasn't in the 1% after you paid all that money that you tell everyone that they are wasting their time. I saw all the charts and understand the long odds. Does that mean just give up and play PAHL? What are you trying to say?

A whole lot of 07's chasing the extra A according to this board! A lot of Kool Aid drinkers!

So looking at all of this I've come to the conclusion that anything over PAHL Hockey is just a money grab! All kids should play PAHL and be happy because they are going to wind up in the Beer League at 25. That's if they even still want to play hockey! Oh and the rinks shouldn't provide any extra programming or leagues because they only want to make money! A novel concept in our society! Hockey00 Obviously most of the people on this board have never heard of growth vs fixed mindset! They equate growth with a money grab by unscrupulous people who want to profit from you and your kids desire to improve and be the best they can be.

Isn't it true that you develop more in practice than you ever would in a game? Doesn't practicing against better level kids every day make you better? If you are really committed shouldn't you be able to move up the lineup to get some quality minutes? When a kid is ultra competitive they will work to get better or decide it isn't worth it. No in between!

Saucey, I agree with everything you say! But what if it is not my dream but my kids dream? I have even gone as far as to say if you want to play AAA you will have to get a job and help pay the costs! He is willing to do it. If he makes a AAA team he will most likely be a 4th line player! Should I just say absolutely no? You can't chase your dream! I see it becoming an issue as I think he is getting closer and closer in tryouts!

Any word on how the Allegheny Badgers tryouts went for the Independent 16U teams? Did they have a lot of kids tryouts or were they set on the kids from last years PAHL teams? 16UAA tryouts start tonight! I would assume there is no guarantee that they will be AA as most kids they would get would be from A Major Black team!

I couldn't have said it any better! fafa fohi you are the man!

Anybody hear anything out of Pens Elite tryouts? How was the turnout? A lot of kids or not too many? Just curious!

At least they are playing the game and probably are having a great time at it. If they are all at roughly the same level it should be very competitive.

So you are saying that most likely the core of the team didn't sign up to tryout at Vengenance 06. Left them with too many holes to fill for this year? What if those kids don't make Esmark? Or where they already guaranteed spots! The way Yuri rolls!

Bottom line! AAA is a cutthroat business and only the strongest (shadiest) survive. Less AAA teams to take your money needlessly though this year. Did I look at Pens elite tryouts correctly! They only have 2 days but 2 sessions on each day or did they divide the kids up? Callbacks? Or was it all a waste of time and they already have their team? Hopefully better than last year!

OK so why don't they get to play for a State Championship? Doesn't seem fair! Or they don't care?

Wow that's crazy! Sure would like to know what went into that decision at the last minute. At least they didn't put those kids through 4 days of intense skates only to pull the plug after they picked a team like Esmark 06 did last year.

What is lmhl in Johnstown? I do congratulate the Stellar 6. Hopefully I can get out and watch some AAA PIHL hockey next year. I also am excited for the PIHL decision to have a Girls High School league this year. 6 teams of girls from Western Pa is awesome and will hopefully grow from there. Games start last week of April. Sure would be nice for them to get some press.

My only point is why not have a Stellar 10 and name 4 from AAA, 2 from AA, 2 from A, and 2 from D-2 or some formula of that. Ashamed that the smaller Divisions and schools get no recognition when those kids play as hard as everybody else. And I'm not advocating participation trophies!

I have to respectfully disagree! Maybe the overall depth in the B Division isn't as good as AAA, but the kids who dominate B are not "halfway decent travel hockey players" they are for the most part AAA and AA players just like the rest of the divisions. It is just like Quad A football. There are more D-1 players per school but you can still see D-1 players in Single A Football.

Who has the 1st National bound tryout date? Anybody starting tomorrow? Anyway good luck to everyone with kids trying out!

Danner27 said "most ncdc kids end up in the acha as 20-21-22 year old college freshman." Is this a good or bad thing? Is there another way to ACHA? Can 19yr olds out of high school play in the ACHA? I know we have talked about it before! How good is the ACHA? Pitt for example?

What about Ian Norkivicus? Top scorer in D-2? Top point getter in any division should be considered! Maybe they should have a top 10 at least. Wouldn't diminish the achievment.

I agree but a few kids will try to move and some will tryout hoping to move up from a AA team. If they haven't been asked to tryouts I think they are wasting their time and donating 150.00. Just my opinion of course.