hockeyisgreat
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Posts posted by hockeyisgreat
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I forgot about the PAHL Clearinghouse. This is a great place to look for a team. All the Orgs should use it.
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I heard that Tier 1 coaches are the evaluators and it is pretty much of a predetermined list. Everyone wears their colors and are easily tied to their organizations. But it is a good chance for some kids to be seen.
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8 hours ago, aaaahockey said:
Have to throw pens on the front. Pens Elite Learn to Skate. People would fall over themselves to sign up.
HAHA, especially if it gave them an automatic spot on the 66ers. Their elite mites! But then they would have to tryout for Pens Elite Learn to Skate.
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This thread has really gotten off track. I was really hoping that organizations would post as South Pittsburgh did hoping to fill teams. Instead it has digressed to a why teams are no longer happening. I'm to blame for that as well as I asked some questions. Can we get back on track? Maybe start a new thread for why things are the way they are! Anybody know how the smaller orgs tryouts went. Mon Valley, Beaver Badgers, Westmoreland. etc. They should post positions they might need to round out teams.
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26 minutes ago, fafa fohi said:
It appears that Q has infiltrated this forum.
OK, so what is a Q. I'm starting to think that I am really not with it!
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Any idea where the declines went? Hopefully some organization in need of a player will see this and get a hold of you. I would email or call the orgs near you to see who might have room.
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10 hours ago, ThePuckDropsHere said:
As a few people have pointed out, the significant amount of declines is suspect, 1 or 2 is normal, 11 is abnormal. The Rebellion 06 squad was a solid group that had been together for a few seasons. It sounds like about half the team would have been returning players and half new players. That sounds reasonable considering the Rebellion team was on a similar MHR rating level as the Preds "AAA" team and was one of the strongest AA teams south of Pittsburgh. If some of the "AAA" players felt snubbed, that just shows you the entitlement... The Preds "AAA" team would have been the 5th best Tier 2 AA team in Mid-Am last season.
From what I can gather, the majority of the declines appeared to have landed at Mt. Lebo, which had a low turnout for their original tryouts, which were also held the same weekend as the Rebellion tryouts... So the Rebellion went from 50+ kids at tryouts with a strong returning core, to completely folding in a week... While Lebo went from a few returning kids and low numbers at their initial tryouts to swelling with numbers and having a solid team in a week... Something definitely happened behind the scenes to cause such a drastic shift.
That makes sense considering that Mt Lebo did not have a 16UAA team last year. I believe their 16UA team was pretty good. I know their 18UAA team was very good! I know people in the South don't like to go North so I couldn't figure out where those kids from SP went, Will be interesting to see how many 18UAA teams play in PAHL this year. There were 9 last year.
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50 minutes ago, Murray Chadwick said:
Some went to Preds, some to Hornets. Several still looking.
SP hasn't had 18u teams the past two season, it should have been clear that the advertised 18u AA team for next season created for the sole purpose of keeping the core of last year's 16uAA team together (approximately 8, or more, of whom had played together for at least 2-3 years). Presumably, that core was selected. Sounds like some of the new faces that showed up (e.g., former "AAA" players from 2006 BY that didn't make an 18uAAA team and/or a few 05 and 06 who played on other teams last year) got picked, and realized that it was basically reboot of the 16u AA team with a couple additions - not including all of their friends that they came from other organizations - and decided to find "greener" pastures. Not sure when the former core players from the 16u AA team jumped ship.
11 declines sounds like more than a few! From what I am reading it sounds like less than half of the team would have been holdovers and the other half would be new players! The big problem is when kids tryout and have no intention of playing for that team if picked. What I still don't understand is why those 11 declined after the phone call from the coach. Something just doesn't add up. Is there more to the story? The other thing I don't understand is why they just didn't keep last years team intact! How many new players did they need?
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2 hours ago, qwik_one said:
My son was at the SPR tryouts and the organization defiantly did not select the best kids for the SPR 18U AA team. Hands down. This is why the other kids declined and moved on. It was not the declines that doomed the team but the talent that was selected.
So where did they move on to? Did they go somewhere as a group? I would think that the core group of that team would have stayed intact! Did the kids who declined first accept? Something there sounds fishy to me!
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2 hours ago, qwik_one said:
My son was at the SPR tryouts and the organization defiantly did not select the best kids for the SPR 18U AA team. Hands down. This is why the other kids declined and moved on. It was not the declines that doomed the team but the talent that was selected.
So where did they move on to? I would think that the core group of that team would have stayed intact! Did the kids who declined first accept? Something there sounds fishy to me!
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29 minutes ago, bb2j3z said:
We had open tryouts. From the bleachers, we had 1/3 open for parents to watch then you could watch from Bubbas at Printscape.
From our perspective, the number of declines brought this team down. It was a pretty awesome lineup from a very competitive tryout. We had 11 declines and exhausted the alternate list. It was just a cascade of events and panic from families that didn't want to be left on a shell of a team. Our process was coach calling the roster and getting verbal approvals then posting the roster list (pinnie numbers) then they have 48 hours to decline to receive back their commitment fee. The 48 hr timeframe now seems too long + I like what North Pittsburgh is doing by cashing the commitments on making the roster. Some joker sent their decline email one minute after the deadline. We decided to just let it go. Sad lol. lot
Do you know if those 11 declines went together somewhere as a team? Seems like a really high number! Did you have your tryouts to early? I'm starting to agree with the idea that if you are trying out for a AA or AAA team and make it your commitment fee is automatically cashed. Would save from a lot of kids who are there for the ice time.
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Should we have a thread with players looking for teams? I think the Badgers and North Pittsburgh are finishing up their tryouts this week. I wonder how many teams still need a few players to round out their teams and how many players haven't found a team yet.
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Wow, this does seem like a really bizarre tryout season! I wonder where the bulk of the Rebellion kids went. The 06 team was a really solid group. Did they go as a group somewhere? I know the Viper Stars were trying to put together a team out of Alpha and had supplemental tryouts yesterday. Did they take some of the Rebellion players? How many players did the Rebellion need? How many players did they leave without a team?
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I figured it's about time to start this thread. I know there are a few teams looking for players. This might be a good place to start! Organizations can list what they are looking for and who to contact for information.
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With all the supplemental tryouts going on maybe it is time to start this thread. I'm sure most of the Organizations have someone who looks at this board. Maybe you can post your needs and how to contact your organization.
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4 minutes ago, zam said:
A lot of people on here like to bash the "extra A", "faux AAA" teams, and parents just wanting to call their kids AAA. And there is plenty of reason to criticize this phenomena. But I think what MANY of these players and parents are really seeking is just a higher level of training and competition that these teams bring.
What I think you get on a typical "A" team, and even some "AA" teams is an inexperienced coach, a couple shared ice practices, no dryland or video and a couple moderately competitive local games a week. The roster is likely to have a few kids that truly want to put in the work to get better, a few kids that are happy with their current level of play, and a few kids that would be just as happy skipping practices to play basketball or video games. So you aren't getting that same competitiveness of 18 AAA players all pushing each other because they all think they are on a path to The Show.
So if you're one of those kids/parents that wants something "more" then you're going to be attracted to these mediocre AAA teams. And if you're a kid that played a couple years of top level hockey and then was cut, it's probably difficult to get excited to play and train with Mikey's Dad who just started coaching hockey.
I think if you had a few local organizations that practiced and trained like AAA programs but didn't fly to Chicago to get their butts kicked every weekend there wouldn't be problems filling rosters.
Zam, I couldn't of said it any better. Even a so called Faux AAA team offers a better training and practice schedule! Sure you pay for it! But if your kid is really serious and dedicated, maybe a late bloomer, it gives them a chance. A lot of kids move up from those teams. I'm not worried about how many A's. I just want to match the dedication level.
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Not the first time they did this. They folded a 15U team of 06's a few years back after tryouts. I'd sure like to hear their rationale for folding a team.
Aren't they supposed to be the good coaches who can coach kids up? Or maybe they couldn't get enough European players to backfill the roster! I guess they have an image to maintain.
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33 minutes ago, bb2j3z said:
No, it will play in PAHL AA with 20-30 independent game schedule. It will be composed of 2005 and 2006's. Link has team plan.
https://www.southpittsburghhockey.org/18u-aa-2005-2006-team-announcement/
There might be a team 2 at 18U. Seeing that possibility with registration.
Whoever puts your social media together does a really good job! Makes me want to sign up! Thanks for the info!
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1 hour ago, bb2j3z said:
Things are good yes. It helps when you visit the rink for tryouts you can see progress happening from both lobby levels. We are adding a few more teams based on the current tryout numbers from what we anticipated which was initially 4-Squirt, 5-Peewee, 4-Bantam, 4-Midget (16U), 1-14U Girls, 1-16U Girls, 1 - 19U Girls, 1 - 18U Midget.
Thanks for the info! I heard rumor that your 18U Midget team was going to be an Independent AAA team. Any truth to that?
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27 minutes ago, fafa fohi said:
"Real tryout?" That team was ranked 20th in the country at the end of the season and beat numerous top 10 teams along with beating PPE twice.
What I mean is that they stayed together without much movement from year to year. Only a few kids were added or subtracted! How much pressure do you think they had to make the team? Taibi was loyal to them and they were loyal to him! That was a great situation for those kids unlike Pens that are always looking to replace anyone and everyone.
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I bet going to a real tryout for some of those 06 SHAHA kids was a real shocker. Will be interesting to see how many make the Vengenace team and where the rest end up!
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8 hours ago, aaaahockey said:
This right here is why the whole thing blows my mind.
But why pull the rug out from under the kids that have played for them for years? Or maybe they should have cancelled the program before the last day of tryouts. Also for most 06's in the area there was not much sense to go tryout there as they pretty much kept the same core group with only a few spots available. I can't wait to see the Pens roster! I bet there aren't 5 local kids on the U18 team!
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If your son isn't one of the 12 don't waste your time going to the supplemental skate unless he wants more practice. They are absolutely looking for some PPE players to fill in. In the past they would rather fold a team than put out a really bad team!
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20 minutes ago, Icebucket said:
Yea last I heard those players were going to vengeance.
So is their final tryout for tonight cancelled! Anyone know why they folded?
Mid-Am Select 15 (2008) and 14 (2009)
in Western Pennsylvania Youth Hockey
Posted
I hope you are right! Sure not what I have been told about previous camps! And how about the new selection process for 17U. Nominations were reviewed by Tier 1 Coaches. They decided who got invitations! How many Tier 2 kids did they invite? No idea what they used for criteria! Such a joke but typical MidAm stuff! Oh and if you were nominated once before and went to their camp you got an automatic invite! Who cares if you got better or worse!