hockeyisgreat

Sounds like High School Hockey to me! Some school districts already try to do that all the way down to ADM. Don't most kids play close to their home in PAHL? I know there are some that for whatever reason are disgruntled with the closest organization and go down the road. A lot more flexible than having to move if you are unhappy with your school sports.

So how do the Pens grow the sport locally? Seems like they get bashed because they are the best and everyone else is a Faux AAA player. Not sure what Danner has against kids wanting to play AAA. He seems to be the authority on who is AAA and who isn't.

Thanks for the insight! It kind of goes against what all the folks on here would lead you to believe. The only true AAA are Pens Elite and maybe Esmark. All the rest are FAUX AAA! Glad to hear a little different story!

How did your Tournament go? Last year you guys had a spring summer 4 on 4 league. Are you going to do it again this year?

This question is for fafa fohi! What if your kid is the one who insists on trying out for AAA. Might be a borderline AAA but really wants to try with no encouragement from the parents. Do you let him tryout. Only for the Pens Elite or Vengenance or a lower AAA team like Preds? How do yo know if your kid is ready for AAA? If they are best on AA team? Just trying to figure some things out and it sounds like you have some experience with all this. All experienced opinions on the subject are welcome.

So how do we fix it? Better Coaches? Are you saying it is Western Pa totally? PPE kids included? Is the goal for AAA players strictly to get to the next level? Or to face the best competition?

Are the organizations or coaches getting rich over the extra A? It doesn't look like these teams are embarrassing themselves in AAA. I don't understand the complaining. Is it that this area would be stronger in AA if there was only one AAA team? Is it that we want to tell people how to spend their money? Everyone knows that it's a one in a million chance to get to the NHL. Besides who should decide if a kid is AAA? Is there some set qualification to play AAA?

I don't understand what you guys are talking about. 4 of the top 6 15U teams in Mid Am came from Western PA. 2 from Ohio. Puckcovid19 how does that make us the laughing stock of the country? Why do you guys care if these teams want to be AAA? Sounds like someone is bitter that their kid didn't make a team.

Gotcha, I haven't heard anything about an 05 team. When do they become eligible to play for the USPHL team?

Yes they have had an 06 AAA team for the last 2 years. Made it to MidAms beat SHAHA and lost to Pens Elite this year but once again the only team that matters is Pens Elite right. They are the only real AAA team! Why do they even have to qualify for Nationals?

They have tryouts for an 06 team so I'm guessing it will be a 15U Tournament bound team. I'm guessing SHAHA will be a 15U team also.

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you have a good game plan for the future. Is your oldest still playing? North Pittsburgh seems to have some very strong AA teams. Their 06 BY team is on top of the PAHL standings. Seems that 06BY is particularly strong in the PAHL this year with NP Allegheny and Renegades leading the pack.

I guess the question for you Forbin is if your son doesn't make Pens Elite would you let him tryout for some other AAA team? Seems that a lot of people here believe the only AAA team worth playing for is PPE? What's the difference in cost between AAA and AA anyway? Does anybody have a good estimate?

Thanks sometimes I'm not too smart. haha

OK so I looked at the brackets. The round robin games are done. When do they play the finals? Where are the game times? Mid Am site is awful!

Interesting take on the situation. Do you have an opinion as to the quality of 06 players in western pa. Seems from the results that the PPE team is ahead of the other local teams. The Vengeance team is only in it's 2nd year of AAA and seems to be gaining ground. The SHAHA team seems like a strong AAA team as well. It's all very interesting.

Jack Handy, thanks for the info. Some interesting games to watch. South Hills V Vengenace at 14U should be interesting right out of the gate.

Thanks for the info. Any way to get a schedule of game times so we can watch a few games on live barn.

Wow, you are right I haven't met him. At least I don't think so! Anyway it is kind of nice to see the rankings although I wish he would put up the B Division also. I also don't think it should be the B Division. Should be Co-op Division. Some of those B teams are really good.

Thanks for posting PA Hockey. Not sure why sadday4hockey is such a "negative nancy"!

Sure glad I don't subscribe to Facebook. No way you can defend the goalies actions.......

From that article it's obvious that they want the program rebuilt from scratch without anyone that was there before. Good luck with that! Doesn't that alienate all of the Alumni. They must not care! Then they wonder why enrollment is down! Sounds like college is a pretty boring place these days! I wonder how much money the school put into the club hockey team? I know some schools only offer like 2000.00 for the year and most kids have to pay their own way.

I stand corrected. It looks like the 10's & 11's have played some local games.

Very good question. It seems that none of the Pens Elite teams play local AAA teams at any level. Why is that?

Thanks for the clarification. Just don't want to see what you wrote targeted at a particular coach or coaches without any facts.