Saucey

To be fair systems play per USA hockey is like ten percent of practice at that age. Systems doesn't really increase hockey IQ. But off ice, have at it.

Minnesota has an entirely different system. School hockey is where it is at, with a focus on community based hockey over travel. I think many organizations would love to offer ice three times a week, but many rinks don't have enough ice for that. But video review, that could happen for certain.

I think Western Pa hockey as a whole suffers from low hockey IQ and a terrible passing game. It is very apparent when our better teams play higher levels. Is it our coaching, something not being done right throughout the system? Some have speculated that our kids don't have enough free ice as in other big hockey markets to help develop that (ODRs, community rinks with lots stick times, etc) I don't know how to fix it. Maybe time spent with buds at the dek hockey rinks in the summer, I don't know.

It is crappy to denigrate the accomplishment. It seems better to root for our local teams when they compete at such levels, PPE or whoever. The players can't be faulted for the lack of competition or how the tournament is set up. I root for whoever goes up because it suggests this area is developing talent. I have lots of complaints about faux AAA teams, but I will be more than happy to root for them if they compete at the national level. Because maybe then they aren't so faux anymore. When that happens.

Just get on their mailing list, they will email you every day. ?

When you need players.....we need more girls playing.

The rules on rostering on multiple teams are a little different for girls. You can find the rules in PAHL. Lower numbers of girls playing means some creativity in allowing play. You can only play for one team in the national bound tournament I think though.

Having to keep their feet moving before tryouts is a pain. But USA Hockey revolves around Tier I hockey and they don't want to have Nationals affected by kids tryouts. Even though that number is small.

The age group who would benefit the most from a later tryout is the squirts. If anything, they really change the most from tryout to starting the next season.

Can't agree more. Can't find refs or coaches because of parents. Plus I think many kids do better knowing their parents can't see them. I never watch my kids try out.

It is well known that the Scholastic tournaments there are frequently sandbagged. Not all of the Alphas tournaments are bad, but this is standard stuff for the school ones. 'Middle school' was always the worse, with ninth and tenth graders playing against some squads with sixth graders, and refs not calling checking. You want your sixth grader, who hasn't learned how to check yet, being checked by tenth graders? Good times.

Isn't that the kicker? We know hockey is a late development sport but it's so hard to break in at the elite level if you aren't already in the AAA pool as a young kid, before midget. And contrary to the low level/faux AAA team sales pitches, they aren't really breaking kids into it, either. A few here and there. Good on this program.

I know I am not faha but who is telling you he is borderline AAA? If it's a coach from one of these 'low level' AAA teams I would give it the side eye. Too many have to fill roster spots. (Talent is diluted as faha said.) Most of these teams have a few AAA level talent and everyone else is helping to fund those kids' dreams. If it's a current coach or someone just evaluating him with no stake in the game....better. When people are approaching you wanting to work with your kid or suggesting he may be ready for the next level and they don't have a dollar attached to it.....better. The biggest difference is speed of the game from AA to AAA. If he hasn't been playing AAA, chances are he isn't going to adjust at a tryout to get a serious look. And the AAA kids never stop moving their feet when they are the on the ice. Is he playing above his age group? A minor year playing major AA? He might be ok with AAA speed if that is the case. (Although a minor year AAA team should still beat a AA team in most cases at lower ages anyway.) Is he playing school hockey on varsity with lots of minutes at the PIHL AAA level? If he's hanging with the 17 and 18 year old seniors as a thirteen or fourteen year old.... maybe. But just know that if he's never played AAA, he has to stand out from the pack. The Pens aren't going to take a risk on him over the squad they've had forever, not when they can start pulling from anywhere. I don't actually want any answers to my questions, just food for thought. That all being said, I don't think a tryout is a horrible thing to do. But I would pick it carefully, because some of these teams will recruit to fill spots. If you don't want to do AAA...then don't send him to a tryout where you think it is not legit and they may offer him a spot. ? He might get his head filled with the idea that he is AAA by a team/coach, and then if you don't let him play there, he's a problem where you do end up. You know your kid best. Also beware, some players get offered free ice to come skate and they do with no intention of playing for the team, just skate to keep sharp Sometimes it is hard to guage how good the team is going to be from skates or a tryout....some of that talent you saw when you were there doesn't materialize once the team is forming. It's so hard to navigate youth sports. ?‍♂️ But....you can be a parent. It's ok to tell your kid no. You are not stomping on his dreams if you can't do it as a family or financially. That's life. There are still ways to play higher level without going to these AAA low level teams. Not easy, but it does happen. Did he get an invite to the mid am try out? That tells you at least his current coach and organization thinks he should mix it up with AAA kids. Not going to have it any easier to get noticed there, but it tells you they see something, anyway.

This is an excellent point and one I have heard Marianne Watkins address at coaching clinics. She said she can teach a child all there is to know about skating, but if a child cannot execute the move due to inflexibly/weakness, there is nothing she can do about that in an hour's lesson She mentioned that kids are simply not as fit as they were. Hip flexors/hammies too tight to get a full stride, no core strength, things like that, that she can only do so much about. I would also add, if your kid isn't into it, not working, no instructor can help much and all you are doing is wasting time and money. That's why I mentioned understanding how your child is motivated and whether that will mesh with an instructor's style. Until my kids wanted those privates and were asking for them, I knew my kids would be a pia and it would be a waste.

Ok, to be serious, but really, if you wanted to avoid any snide remarks there was no need to mention AAA at all. There is only one treadmill in Pittsburgh, at RMU, unless they have one at Lemiuex. Call there and see who does lessons. Truly, it is hard to give a recommend because I think it really depends on your child. For a private, I think you need to understand how your kid is motivated and whether the instructors style will blend with that.

Why not ask your lower AAA coach for a recommend? They seem to be well versed in taking players to the next level, according to all their sales pitches.

I know of a few players who were with Preds and Esmark who then made Pens Elite. I'm sure there are others. I don't think it happens very often.I do think it is very hard to make it as an older child if you were never part of the program. If you are contemplating it, find out how the tryouts work to try and prepare your child.

Center Ice rules are no drinking in the lot. People want to blame MidAm or the rink, but the bottom line is that no matter what you do, people will choose to behave badly. I much preferred having Center Ice host this than Ice Castle. Not having a bar on site helped to cut down on the bad behavior, I believe, because as others have said, some parents do drink and then are rowdy. I feel this tournament was pretty well run this year. Aside from this, parents and players were fairly well behaved and that definitely made for a more enjoyable experience. (I didn't watch many 18u games, that age group is tough with the fighting, but the one game I saw, the refs did a pretty good job controlling some bad behavior.) If criminal charges don't follow some of these things the adults in the stands for, then people really don't have a check on their behavior. I'm not sure that part happens. That is where the rinks could step in.But there is hassle and time suck in pursuing those things.

The winner

What, it's inconceivable to you that more than one person may find your suggestion maligning a guy anonymously on a message board to be both ridiculous and distasteful? No wonder there is a ref shortage. What does he get from it? If he wanted to homer the other team, shouldn't he have slanted calls to help them win? You said it was a loss? SMH

I'm confused, what does the rink location have to do with anything?

You say that as if the distotion of reality is somehow unique to this poster rather than many people who post on this board.... why focus so hard on this one poster?

The 'AAA' coaching is not superior as a rule. There are some good coaches. There are some good parent coaches. Playing at a high level does not necessarily mean you can coach kids. And if the kid isn't a natural athlete, that child comes out of their AAA experience playing at the same level before they went in. We see it all the time. We are a small hockey market. We do not have multiple generations who have played. We don't have access to lots of free ice. We don't have all the best athletes in the area playing ice hockey because it is not the top sport around here. So we aren't going to develop like the big markets. I've had that complaint about the hockey modules offered by USA hockey...that they really aren't that great for people who do not know the sport. That is our area. But if your coach plays somewhere and is paired with someone who does know what they are doing, you can develop some coaches.We need to think about things like that, because we are a small hockey market. Grow the game, and maybe you can start having more high level talent. I'm tired of the AAA sales pitch. That's not growing our game around here. Too many organizations are only focusing on that top team. The rest of the kids twist in the wind.

That's interesting. We don't have the ice to provide a lot of that free play.

I guess for me, to spend that money and time, I would want more than a four or five goal differential with PPE. It happens occasionally, with ONE other team in an age group. So I would allow one or two in the area.