hipcheck66

Specific to the original topic, my son played at a AA level from squirts through 1st year Bantam. He made the Pens for 14U. I’ve seen others where that happens. It isn’t frequent, to other posters points, as the Pens start recruiting from outside the area and have more predetermined rosters as they advance in age. 

On 3/21/2021 at 12:23 AM, Danner27 said:

I’ve heard the 05 predators are moving from ice castle to alpha, if true, that would be next years 16u team. I would be really surprised if they manage to get an 18u team together, the vengeance would have to bring in a reputable coach. The Icemen & predators already have the faux AAA titles on lockdown. 

From what I’ve heard, a number of the better 05 Preds have already played in a tournament with Esmark. Seems unlikely Vengeance gets all the Pred players, and probably not the best ones. 

In terms of on ice coaching, my son has worked with Cliff and TK. Both do a good job. Felt like we got our money’s worth with both. 
 

The best skills teacher my son has ever worked with is Justin Cormack at IC. Not spring team, just lessons. He’s fantastic. My son worked with him for years, and always wants to work with again in the summers. 

I believe you can avoid the 10 day quarantine by testing within 72 hours of your return, per the governors guidance. 

Here’s how this will work most likely:

PPE will announce their post-Virus tryout schedule

Other organizations will attempt to schedule in the week to 10 days that follow

7 hours ago, sadday4hockey said:

The Vengeance gets ridiculed on here despite the fact that they have opted out of the Midget "money grab" and are focusing on youth teams instead. Now, we all know the likelihood of these teams staying together is slim for a variety of reasons, but which method will not get crucified on here?

I ask because the Preds are getting ridiculed for their "money grab" but people also think that they are/should be a legitimate option.

As for SHAHA forming a 15U AAA team with a core of 05 PPE Black players - that would simply be absurd and definitely not AAA. I'm not even sure that there is enough ice there to facilitate it. And even if there is, for how long......................?

Esmark and PPE are the top 2 choices right now but they both have warts as well.

Maybe the best move for players is the Prep School route. Culver, Gilmour and Shadyside are all in the MidAm District and there are plenty of choices in New England

 

I’ll only comment on the 15U SHAHA AAA team, as my son was asked about being interested. The ice is there, and was described as 2 weekday practices, 1 weekday skills session, off ice in the YMCA gym, and weekly video sessions. 2-3 non parent coaches as well. As for whether that will count as a “true” AAA program is up to the judgers here on the board.

Not sure about Esmark at 05 because I don’t believe they have a team??

1 hour ago, parker said:

05 Preds will beat Pens Gold team this year when pens finally have to play them.  Poor Pens...

That seems like an outrageous thing to say...

05 Preds would have lost to them last year based upon what I’ve heard, and apparently the Preds lost their 2 best players to PPE Gold.  Is that true? 

And - per a parent from that team - also lost the coach who knew what he was doing?

Or is that bad info I’m getting?  You may know more than I do...

42 minutes ago, PeterThePuck said:

I heard the one Arctic Fox that made for 05 accepted a spot on PPE Black Team don’t get this confused with 04’s

Who is the kid from MT. Lebo

I obviously can’t name names on this board of “who” the player from Lebo was. He’s a defenseman who played on that team last year.

Why would where the Arctic Fox player be playing next year matter?  The evaluators wouldn’t know that. It’s almost like you’re saying he didn’t earn it himself?

1 hour ago, PeterThePuck said:

My source said Mid AM 05 Try Outs

Two AA Forwards from Icemen

Three AA Forwards from Arctic Foxes

One AA Defensemen from Arctic Foxes

One Player AA Forward from South Pointe

One Goalies AA Goalie from South Pointe

All should have made it not one AA player.

 

All the Head Coaches from Big AAA Teams 05 in Mid Am did the evaluations. PPE Head Coach took all his Gold kids all Black the except  for one Black Player.

 

This is not accurate. I know specifically that 1 Arctic Fox Forward and 1 Mt Lebo Defenseman made that camp.

I can’t speak to any of the others.  I also can’t speak to how many AA players from other areas made it.

6 hours ago, HereWithPopcorn said:

Not getting the rationale by MLHA having 04 and 05 tryouts over MidAm Select Camp weekend, and then selecting a full 2005 roster while there could be cast-offs from the 05 AAA Preds going on right now.  Could leave a few quality players out there looking for a home by the end of this week.

That makes sense in theory, but hard to believe players who are invited to MidAms would not have locked up their spot on their desired team by this point in time. Even if that meant the player were missing one of the Tryout sessions that an organization had scheduled. 

On 4/5/2019 at 12:24 PM, twoboys said:

Question about the on-point criticism.  How and when did you and your son receive it?  Was it comments made to him during the tryout or did you contact the PPE and ask?

My son and I had 2 separate discussions with the coach of the Black team last year after the offer was made, prior to my son making his decision. My son specifically asked the coach what he saw in him at tryouts, what he liked in his game, what he thought kept the offer from being Gold, and how the coach would work with him on his game. 

I thought the commentary would be cursory, generalized, and bland. I was wrong. The coach had very specific feedback on all those areas. It was a pointed, accurate, and fair assessment of what my son does well and does not. I left the conversation impressed with his honesty and acumen.

I read all the time on this board about kids not making Gold due to politics or other non hockey factors. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not. All I know is that our experience was fair, balanced, and direct. We appreciated it. 

2 hours ago, Lifelongbender said:

I second Marianne Watkins - she's tough but still easy to work with.

I've had players have good success with Mark Chaves, who usually has classes at Mt. Lebanon. Great for edgework improvement.

My son worked with Chaves, and he is a tremendous skating teacher. 

8 hours ago, HockeyDad23 said:

Well our PPE journey for this year has come to an end. I think it was a good learning experience. Was an eventful 3 days. My son was in a group with a lot of elite (elite not black) kids from last year (over 1/3). We assumed that might be a good thing as the coach said they were re grouping based on similiar skill level. But turns out it wasn't. So not sure how groups were set up. I originally started this post looking for advice so now I can give some if parents are considering PPE tryouts. Know the following:

-be sure you can handle the truth - my kid is not ready for AAA hockey

-is your family reasy for the committment if you do make it - financially committed and time

-be sure your kid is mentally tough to handle disappointment is rejected

-know your hands are tied during tryouts. You cannot see it happening so therefore cant provide feedback to your kid on areas to improve-this will make you feel helpless as a parent 

-know at this age there is a ton of hockey left. This is not the end.

Good luck to any parents and kids that try out.  

One of the best things that happened for my son was trying out for the Pens 2 years ago and not even making the 4th day. Lit a real fire under his tail. 

Last year he was offered Black and turned it down. He wants to make Gold and he has improved dramatically in the last 2 years. 

Not making the team he wanted with on-point constructive criticism (which we feel like we received) will drive the right kid to work hard. Did for my son. Hope it does for yours too...

I’m hearing a weird rumor at various Tryout Tuneups that the Pens Elite is eliminating the Black Team?  That they are looking to take 35-40 kids and have a floating roster?  Kids moving up and down based upon how they’re playing?  Heard there was a parent meeting with existing PPE parents discussing how this would work for 2019-20 season?

Anyone have insight on this, or is this just wild hockey parent talk?

13 hours ago, aaaahockey said:

I saw 14u Mt Lebanon beat the Press 9-0. Must have been cheating parents again 

That team is really, really good.  No question about that whatsoever.

That doesn’t change the fact that the Mt Lebanon organization had parents from their teams running the clock in a situation that they shouldn’t have. And they did so for both playoff divisions at their rink that weekend.

The organization put themselves in a position to be criticized. It’s their fault. Plain and simple.  

46 minutes ago, Jack Handey said:

At 15-32-12, maybe you should only be playing the top line.

At 15-32-12, maybe you were playing them TOO much?

Hard to imagine the path to consistent success at the top AAA level is playing the same 6 or so Forwards every other shift for 45 minutes. Results seem to bear that out, if what others say is true about how the play time was spread.

There is little consistency game to game, which makes the FPP system problematic. One referee told a player on my sons team - when being asked RESPECTFULLY to understand an interference call made against him - “Do you know how hard you hit him?”

Not about the puck, how long it was gone (if at all), etc.

How hard the hit was...

There are many good referees in the games my son has played in. But when you have different referees with different standards that presents problems. 

There were Lebo parents in the scorers area for the entire weekend for both divisions hosted there, from what I was told by a participants parent. What the rules are on that, I don’t know. 

Agree on Kent State. My son has gone several years, and it has been both affordable and fun. Lots of ice time and a great experience overall. And it’s close!

I’ve had good luck with both my and my sons skates at Peranis in Mount Lebanon.  Ko’s in Cannonsburg also does good work. 

I am in the minority of parents that love this rule. It forces the penalty killers to either outskate or outsmart (tactical dump) their opponents. It also generally results in more of the PP with thr puck in the Off. Zone, which gives those players more time working on puck movement and offensive skills. I’d love to see the rule at all levels of hockey. 

Any idea when PAHL is putting up the current season on their website?  I know there were league games this past weekend.  Any help is appreciated!

My sons team has played 2 PIHL games and it’s like neither has happened.

On 8/31/2018 at 9:33 PM, Loach said:

I'm curious how this Bantam birth year separation works this year.  How many all-05 teams in the area?

Pens Elite, Pens Black, Preds, Icemen, Renegades, Hornets, Rink Rats, Foxes, Renegades, Viper Stars

Am I missing anyone?

 

Heard Allegheny Badgers have one too but not certain. 

On 8/27/2018 at 11:10 PM, hockey07 said:

So what 04 teams will be good? Are any 05s good enough to move up to the AA “major”? Are Vipers Stars 05 playing in PAHL or independent? Or maybe that’s the 06s??

From what I’ve heard, Foxes and Rats 05 teams have majority of players from last years team that played in PW AA championship. Both teams added players going to BY model that could make them better. Then again, who knows when checks start flying how the players will respond.