Saucey

Saw this game. NP out shot Altoona two to one. I think both teams are going to be ones to watch, obvious talent on both ends of the ice.

I don't know any middle school players who are only playing school hockey. I don't think that is common.

Except some of the players play both PAHL and PIHL, so then, unless you are cloning players, they wouldn't even truly be playing the team. This is kind of a silly discussion because of its mootness, as others said. Might as well argue over who will win in a fight, Captain America or Iron Man? Each division serves different purposes and it is unnecessary to compare.

Thanks for all of your time!

York is an incredibly horrible venue for a tournament, one of the worst I've ever been to, and I won't go back by choice. That eliminated my interest right there. As already said, one sheet of ice makes for a rough go to hold a tourney. So many rinks around there.... Consolation games stink. Older kids don't want to stick around for those. The most lack luster games I've seen played are when neither team cares.

Ya..... usually the AA teams have more talent across the board than a PIHL team who is limited to their school district. The one former Pen parent that I spoke to, they sounded burned out and disappointed, too. Maybe school hockey won't be enough and they'll return next year. Or their kid reached the age where he is done.

More 05s exited the hockey travel scene this year. A few I heard about who were cut from Pens are just playing their school teams. Maybe next year when the Pens go to one team PAHL will pick up some more.

It's good to talk to other coaches who have gone to tournaments at your age/skill bracket. There are lots of little tournaments run by youth organizations or in support of a cause that won't appear on a list. It has been my experience that the private companies are not as interested in creating fair divisions so much as getting teams. (We have always liked Gene Harrington.) And the older they get, the less good options there seem to be because there aren't as many teams. I think it is just as good to schedule a few games with teams on your own, rather than give your money to some of these for profit private tournament companies.

Like 05, 07 is a low birth year for some reason. 04 and 06 are huge number wise. Think they squeezed out the next birth year. Programs need to be conscious about picking teams with the next birth year, even if it means adding a team if possible. Plus a bunch of 07s went to NP this year.

That stinks. Not the parent coaches, being paid or not does not equate to good coaching imho. However, when you set teams and Pens are out there poaching, that makes for difficulties for the teams the poached kids leave behind.

The paid coaching attracted Pens Elite players back in some instances, at least those who made black. It may be that parents predominantly want development, and if an organization can deliver that, and the perception is paid coaching gives you that, this is what will attract talent. That may be a way for PAHL to retain the AA players who go play for Pens black.

https://thehockeythinktank.com/2019/03/26/the-cost-of-aaa-hockey/?fbclid=IwAR2Y7afd-STRAI38ff1O-Qjmxqsi7KR9ijXbJzJm9MJcgQNI0duo8b-D6Wo Interesting read. I actually think some of the criticisms regarding development can also be applied to some PAHL organizations. If the board is primarily made up of parents from one team, the top teams or one age group, then guess who gets the focus of that organization. Development should happen at all levels, and you need a real plan in place to do it. Coaching too. The AA teams or the independent teams in PAHL are the smallest numbers of most Pahl organizations, and they shouldn't be the only ones making decisions for all.

I didn't mean it as a criticism. Just stating some people go, for whatever reason. Keep asking if it is worth it to go, sounds like a lot of people think it is. Seems to fill up.

Who are you exposing your kid to during the camp?

You don't need to be so condescending. I am one of those people who don't know, and I'm interested. It sounds like there is a vetting process in place, whether people use it properly is another story. I do know some 04s who went that I don't think are high caliber players, but people go to AAA tryouts not expecting to make it, either. ?‍♂️ Did anyone else go who thought it worthwhile?

Sounds like a waste of time and expense to go unless your kid is playing AAA then.

Steel City and the Pens are not the only game in town capable of developing girls. A nice Facebook page that doesn't denigrate anyone's program is called Pittsburgh girls Youth Hockey. You ask to join. Run by a hockey mom of two girls looking only to collect info that she wished she had when looking for a place for her girls to play, she does a really nice job. https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=841603716173422&ref=content_filter

Yes, that is what I was thinking of with the websites.

I may be wrong but the Pens offer a website service to any hockey organization that wants it. I bet that's all that is.

There is a link to register but zero information on tryouts. I heard the program had a lot of trouble last year scheduling games.

Aren't the 8u playing cross ice? That's not a huge amount of teams for cross ice. How many on a team? If the number on a team is low, also not a lot. Mt Lebo is a big program, that number sounds about right to me.

Why can't this Board just congratulate and move on? Someone always looking to deflate or a conspiracy or something. Or say nothing. ?

Rest Reflect Rewind article on 8 us and summer ice time link below. You can use Mr. Google and ice rink websites for their summer programs if you really need to add more. And....you as the parent are the gatekeeper. You don't let him eat candy all day long just because he wants to, so you can also tell him to take a break because it is good for him. https://www.admkids.com/news_article/show/1003880?fbclid=IwAR2aMl597dFwy1KopzNok5CksQhDsGslqM1qSmk32J5HherGbayKqFZ-2KM

Go to the pool. Play some kick ball. Eat some ice cream. Ball hockey in the driveway with buds. My boys play high level hockey in PAHL. You don't have to touch the ice at all over the summer at that age and he will still develop. I have one that does just that. The other has a weekly private and may or may not play in a three on three league. They both play lacrosse. Don't burn him out or injure him from overuse.

This area needs more ice!