jmmartinprov1

1 minute ago, Ynot02 said:

I always find it amazing that people with no affiliation with a team who heard “something from someone” feel so compelled by what they heard that they create a username and write a long, detailed post defending said team (that they don’t have a player on). ?

Like the author of this thread!!

I don’t hide behind an identity like you are. I have no idea who posted that. I never knew about this site until someone told me about it. You are still the p$&@) who hides behind a screen name. Why did I use my real name because I could give 2 F$&$’s about a guy who says this and says that but offers no real evidence because no one knows who you are. Good for you for getting your son skating lessons so he can make a better team maybe. Maybe you should stick to your A Major Black and tell stories of grandeur about this fictional son that plays ACHA D1 because you refuse to say who you are! 
 

Again why I even bother with complete tool bags like you is beyond me!

✌️
 

9 minutes ago, whome87 said:

Who the heck did your Lebo team play ??with 18 skaters & two goalies your team fund was $800 ? Did you guys play 80 games ? 

 

From my experience AA & AAA team funds are usually in the $300 - 500 range but I haven’t had to pay that recently might have gone up a little. 

300-500 That’s funny maybe 20

years ago. I paid 300 in mights and $500 when were at PPE as a squirt. The Lebo team were in Chigaco, Port Huron, Dayton, Buffalo, Notre Dame not to mention fees for independent games. We played 62 or 63 games.  Tournament Fees are 18-2200. Again I ask why do you even care? You have to be grinding an axe because you are obviously pissed about something.

3 minutes ago, whome87 said:

Sure thing MOM

whome87 what’s your real name? Where’s your kid play ACHA? Let’s see how all this great knowledge and hockey smarts helped your kid. Why do all these people hide behind a computers talking smack on 15 year olds? Does this make you feel good about yourself? Why do you even care about something that you have no business sticking your nose in? The only uneducated person on this thread is one that was at an ice rink for no reason at 6:30am to cause problems!! 

33 minutes ago, PeterThePuck said:

$500 first hit there will be another $500 coming down the pike second half of the year. Total $1000

 

 

 

We shall see since I’m the manager. But I spent 800 in AA last year so not sure why that’s relevant to the post!! I’m sure all Slush Funds AA - AAA pay roughly the same.

5 minutes ago, PeterThePuck said:

I heard Preds AAA is $3800

$1000 Slush Fund

$1000 to Coach

$300 for Paramedics 

$300 for Gym

$900 for Uniforms Helmet and Gloves.

 

 

Well maybe that’s 16’s & 18’s

15’s Slush was $500

18 minutes ago, fafa fohi said:

"He may be, but I am saying that there are other AAA teams in PGH and the country with players that are playing on a AAA team and are not AAA Players."

Lets get real here - to the disappointment of the many proud parents that peruse this domain with their kids on "AAA" teams, the reality is this.........outside of PPE, PPE Gold at the lower ages and a couple of Esmark teams, there are no other AAA level hockey teams in western PA.  Your organization can call it whatever it wants, and for any of those teams that think playing an Independent Tier 1 schedule makes them AAA, prepare yourself for a long, long season.  And you will have nobody to blame but yourselves by feeding into this pipe dream.  Anabolic parents are what is ruining an experience their kids should be embracing and enjoying.  Is it worth it to go 2-40 ( a certain North Hills team two seasons ago did just that when they didn't belong at AAA level ) just so you can wear org schwag with an extra A on it?

Drop the ego, suck it up and be OK with your player playing PAHL at a AA or A Major Black level.   Its OK, your friends and family will not think any less of YOU.  Ever wonder why these "AAA teams" don't put PAHL AA teams on their schedule?  Because the organization would look horrible if they lost to a dreaded PAHL team.  

All I hear is the kids that make up most of these AAA imposter teams are kids that didn't make PPE or made Black and turned down the spot because they didn't make Gold.

Lastly, remember this game is about the kids, not about you or whom you get to brag to about the level your kid is playing.

So I’m not getting into an argument on a blog. And should just ignore all the BS. 
 

But in my exit I will say this. He’s played AA for the last 5 years and was bored and didn’t want to play AA again. He wanted to play at a higher level so he would see shots. But according to you I’m pushing him. 
 

Secondly not to start an argument but you brought it up the PPE black refused to play my sons team PW Major Year and Bantam Major year. Is that for the same reason you stated above they didn’t want to lose? But We can’t call them out correct?

As for embracing the opportunity that’s all he has done. Cut for size one to many times. He wants a shot and no one will give it to him because he’s not 6 ft tall. He’s doing what he wants to do. He’s not worried about Org Swag or an extra A he’s out there just trying to prove himself. He’s at the gym 3 days a week and on the ice as well not because I make him because he wants it. So if he goes 2-40 he will hope the 2 come from when he is in net. He knows as do I it will be a long season. 

He had a choice to play somewhere else and he chose this not me.

1 hour ago, whome87 said:

I’m really confused by you. He’s talking about your team. 

He may be, but I am saying that there are other AAA teams in PGH and the country with players that are playing on a AAA team and are not AAA Players. 

56 minutes ago, whome87 said:

Here in lies the problem. I don’t blame you for this, it’s sounds like this is your first time through this. 

 

Uneducated Hockey Parent

 

my oldest son is not playing ncaa d1 he’s playing acha d1. There is a big difference. 

 

You also contradicted yourself. You stated the players on your current predators team played in the Pahl AA championship but then reply that Lebo team is still together. In fact one of the few changes on the Lebo aa team was your son getting cut for the vengeance goalie.  

 

Spend your money however you like, it’s yours. I’m just calling out a money grab when I see it. The U15 “AAA” predators are a straight money grab. Plan and simple. 

 

On fees you forgot to included the $800 for gold ppe wanna be Helmets & predator gloves. Add in another 3k or so in travel expenses. These players could take half that money and use it on private instruction through out the year  that would help develop them much better than getting stomped by mid level aaa teams. If you want your son to see more shots, he definitely will! Hope his confidence doesn’t get broken, I’ve seen that happen to goalies when they let in 8 goals a game because the team in front of them has no business playing at the level they are. 

Yes, I guess it is my first time through it. 

They way I read your response about your son is that he is playing D1 Hockey, even though its at the Club Level. I know there is a difference between NCAA D1 and D1 Club Hockey. Its similar to what the what RMU has correct? There are plenty of players that don't make it that far and I was saying that was great. 

How did I contradict myself as I said there there were kids that played in Championship Game. There are members of both those teams on the Predators Team. They cut more than my son from the MLHA Team from last year and a few of those went to the Predators. 

As for the helmets and gloves, correct me if I am wrong but because its a Tier 1 Team the uniforms must match including like colored gloves and helmets?

As for travel expenses I spent over that last year playing AA, and I have probably spent that the last couple of years. He has had his share of stompings through out the last 6 years.  It's the position he has chosen to play. He will learn this year that you don't have shutouts every other game.

21 minutes ago, Denis Lemiuex said:

I heard a coach tell one parent this and I agree.  Just because your kid plays AAA doesn't make him a AAA player.

 

I agree with this statement.

1 hour ago, whome87 said:

My oldest son aged out two years ago. He played “AAA” from pw all the way up to tier 3 juniors with a small stint in tier 2 juniors. He played for the hornet’s when  Mario took them over. He is now playing acha division 1 college hockey. My other son decided to stop playing travel hockey and will finish out his playing time in pihl varsity hockey .

 

So to answer your question, I’ve seen it all when it comes to youth hockey. I’ve been around the block. I’ve watched countless youth hockey games. I’ve made plenty of friends that have kids scattered at just about every age group. 

 

Now that you have my credentials, what are yours ? Going by the name you posted under I’m guessing you are the goalies father. The guy that started this circus for the 04 team. Gary’s buddy. 

 

Why was PPE not mentioned ? For starters they have the best coaches in the area. They have professional trainers. They have a professional nutritionist. I could go on. I’m personally not a fan of ppe and what they are pulling with the school but face it. It’s the real deal. 

 

Im not angry, I’m a realist. Playing in the 14 u Pahl championship doesn’t mean much, especially when the kids that carried that team are not on your 04 predators team. You have kids that couldn’t make foxes team 1 or team 2. You have kids that played a minor Pahl last year with the aviators. The better kids on the team could not make ppe, esmark or icemen. Most of them tried out at said places. Your team barely had enough skaters at tryouts. If I was told correctly just everyone that tried out made it. It becomes a money grab because the talent to play “aaa” is not there but the predators still fielded a team for the money. Look to esmark, icemen & the vengeance. At certain birth years they didn’t have the talent to field “aaa” teams over the past years. Instead of slapping a team on the ice and taking the dreaming parents money they just didn’t field teams at those birth years. Esmark has been trying to build a 04 team for years but shut it down after tryouts every year until recently. The vengeance knew they didn’t have the talent to field 04 this year so they shut it down. The icemen have also done this in the past and they are what, 5 years old as a club ? 

 

Yes, it’s a money grab. 

Thanks for the response and congratulations to your son for playing D1. As for my qualifications I’m just a parent along for the ride. I don’t claim to know talent and be able to scout out all the players. But I have seen several of these kids play against AAA teams on tournament teams and against them. So I think they will be competitive in some of there schedule and there will be several difficult games.
 

As for PPE having the best coaches, nutritionists and trainers etc. I don’t disagree, but does that necessarily funnel down to the 2 team model. What has really killed the local league is lack of true AA talent in PAHL especially at the 04 Level. But I really don’t concern myself outside of my sons BY. Having taken 2 teams at all the birth years has watered the system down. Several of the second teams had parent coaches. At the elite level team 1 You are correct they are doing it right.

As for being the goalies father you are correct. In my sons case it was great being on team that won as many games as they won. But Development wise it was terrible. Playing on a team that only let 18 Goals in over 20 League games sounds great but when you only see 8 shots in some of those games it sucked. He wanted to play at a higher level to see more shots and better quality to hopefully improve his skill to get to the higher level. So for him to do that he has to play on a team that will face that competition.

However, I take offense to you saying I created this circus. How did I create a circus, that was put into motion years before we ever joined the Predators? Did I ask for there to be a team created for my son? I don’t have any say where teams are placed and at what level they play. When tryout signups were posted we signed up for 2 Tryouts. Mt. Lebanon and Predators. My son went to both tryouts and stayed on the team he made. So again how did I create this circus? 
 

As for where kids could and would not make it  I can’t answer that as I stated earlier I don’t judge the talent. We will be playing Iceman and Esmark this year so it will be interesting to see if you are correct.

3 hours ago, HereWithPopcorn said:

Let's be clear.  Just because kids played in a PAHL AA championship game does not automatically graduate them to AAA the next season.

For a direct comparison, look at the National Champion from two seasons ago at 14U AA.  They combined most of their best players with the Preds and some other Pens Elite kids and still finished middle of the pack in AAA that season in MidAm.  And that team had way more talent on it, and didn't have to dip down to A level players to fill out the roster.

Finally using kids playing Varsity as a comparison is not one at all.  More times than not, that dictates the size of the school and their talent pool rather than the talent of the player.  In larger programs, only kids who truly deserve it as freshman and sophmores make it, but for smaller programs, it happens pretty regularly out of necessity.

I understand that and agree with your points, I was adding clarification to comments being made that these kids couldn’t beat 12 year olds and couldn’t even make a AA team. 

51 minutes ago, twoboys said:

I thought the Lebo team that won it basically stayed together and is now playing AAA?

Mt. Lebanon did decide to field a U15 AAA Team for the 2019-2020 season. There are several players left from last year and they added some new players in from Vengeance and Pens Elite Black as well as some other AA Players from PAHL. 

On 8/9/2019 at 3:11 PM, whome87 said:

From what I saw they would have a hard time playing with a 12U AA team. 

This is quite the thread to read.

As a parent of player on this team there are so many ways I could respond to this thread. However, I have just a few questions and comments.

whome87 since you started this topic could you provide your qualifications for judging the the talent level of the team, skill level and skating ability you witnessed?

Secondly since I have stated I am a parent of this team could you provide the team your son or daughter plays for and at what level they play? AAA, AA or A? I’m just curious as this goes towards any bias you may or may not have.

Moving on to the main reason for the thread which was called biggest money grab in PGH. I’m curious as to why PPE wasn’t mentioned in your initial post? Was it ever questioned as to why PPE would field 2 Tier 1 teams at every birth year up to U15? Using an average fee of $3K that was additional $60 per birth year. Not to mention the excela academy fee of $5K which is basically mandatory to be on the Team.

As for the Predators fees, from what I understand this is how most AAA teams with Non-Parent coaches are run. The fees they pay include a coaches fee that pays for the coaches. So here is the breakdown of the fees:

Season Fees: 2400

Coaches Fee: 850

Training Fee: 250

Total : $3500

If all AAA teams have Paid coaches then I’m not seeing where there is a money grab. As for the training fee let me ask a question to all those here. How many have gym memberships, CrossFit classes etc. How much do you pay for all those? $250 pays for my player to train and do strength conditioning for the next 8 months. In my opinion a little over $30 a month is not a bad deal. 
 

As for the talent on this team, there 8 Kids that played in 14u AA Championship last season. There are also former PPE players on this team. The rest of team from other AA programs around the city. The vast majority of these players are also playing Varsity Hockey as Freshman and Sophomores. So saying they couldn’t beat a U12 AA team is a bit of a stretch and laughable. Which is the response you were probably looking for.

So is this a Top 50 Tier 1 team, probably not. Top 100, I think so. This team does have talent and will be competitive. 

The thing that makes me a little uneasy is as I read back over the thread and listen to you (whome87) talk about how these kids have no talent and couldn’t make the xyz team and have to wonder did your son or daughter not make this team or another AA or AAA team that has you so angry? 
 

Again these are just my opinions as are yours.