Saucey

You see the attention Mid Am gives Tier II? That's why you shouldn't bother with the Mid Am camp. Fold in the faux AAA, too. Last year they did a little better, maybe they will put something up this week.

Your organization selects your kid. So the Icemen, for example, send whoever wants to go it would seem. Other organizations are a bit more discerning. Teams are set and the kids play games. Some teams are pretty bad. The 'sorting' process should be a little more focused, I think, more vetting. My family found it to be a huge waste of time and money.

Man, not even beloved Steelers can escape the negativity of hockey people on this Board. Anyone want to try and malign Mr. Rogers now?

I tried watching that first game. I didn't understand how Duquesne got those games, either. Why drive there for that and why did Adrian waste their time? I saw some of that Duquesne Pitt game and thought some of what you said..how is Pitt ranked so high? There could be some rivalry fueling that outcome. Players out or something. Club hockey is a nightmare to try and navigate. Adrian recruits heavily for their teams and tells you to play juniors first if you want to crack the M1 team. The hockey program is phenomenal. But the academics.....not so much. And outside of some hockey heads, who has ever heard of it? That's a problem when trying to get a job The academics need to come first. RMU's plethora of club teams help fund that school. Those teams were not shut down. But there are some good programs at RMU, academic wise. And we know Pitt is a good school. Don't pick a school based on hockey. The practice times, the travel grind, getting injured....your kid may end up not playing.

I also assumed that was someone else. I agree, he writes like someone whose first language is not English. And he is professional in his dealings with you, doesn't fit the personality to post this dumb stuff. All these arguments about best location boil down to....no matter where you locate, due to our area's difficult terrain and roads, you are going have a segment who does not come. Maybe one of the reasons Esmark does not have strong teams below 14u is ....kids start driving themselves. So mom and dad don't have to drive them all the time to PIA.

I don't really care where the Icemen play, but I do want to point out that you do not need to play 'AAA' to play in most of those leagues touted on their website as where they placed their players. Well, who knows now, since AAA is now the old AA around here. USPHL, Tier III pay to play leagues, my boy gets calls from those teams just by being a good AA and high school player. And those leagues don't lead you to Division I NCAA or the NHL. Club hockey, which there is nothing wrong with doing, but you do not need those junior teams to go do that.

Yes. They have an excellent program.

The Aviators are were you go when you can't make a team or are convinced everyone placed your kid wrong. I doubt the Renegades are worried.

No. It's too hard to get to for a lot of families. It's 45 minutes to an hour in rush hour traffic from the north, and hard driving. That amount of time on the highway is one thing, through city streets, 51 and library road is another.

Or......ha ha ha....quit chasing the extra A and just play the local league. Crazy, I know. At least until Bantam. Put resources back into what already exists. It would be so nice to have a AA league filled top to bottom with AA teams. PAHLs midget program currently has 2. It's fun to actually play school hockey and compete for a National banner in PAHL. PIHL actually has built their program up. The televised games, the social media. Don't play 80 games in a year for an independent schedule. Play school and PAHL. Really need to see what Blackbear is going to do. I think you are going to continue to see all these faux AAA teams because there are always people chasing. They think their kid has the talent and didn't make the team, they form another. But I do think that the market is poised to have a viable alternative to PPE since they don't want the local kids when it counts unless you have the cash. RMU and Sourhpointe are the best locations to do it to make it accessable for everyone around the city.

How has Vengeance helped the situation pointed out by the Mid Am link? If a parent really wants to progress their kid to high levels, the old advice seems to still remain true...get out of Pittsburgh. And Vengeance doesn't develop imo, they recruit from other programs' ADM programs and PPE leftovers.Who then leave when they get to midget to go to PPE or Esmark if they can. So critical of PPE's mites program when Vengeance doesn't even HAVE one. PPE is becoming a stopping point for out of town kids to move on in a year, it seems. It still serves a purpose, just not the one promised to local families. They seem to be making money and not inclined to change a thing. I agree it's not healthy for kids, what they are doing. Get off the hamster wheel. Find the coach your kid likes who wants to develop all the kids, with a team of good families. Privates over the summer with other sports. Get good grades. Stop giving these clowns your money, unless everything that I said you happen to find at Vengeance that year, then go ahead if you can afford it. The rah rah rah Vengeance as a viable option to PPE is just....not. ?

You know, as I read the unrelenting cheerleading posts for the Vengeance program and then occasionally from the people who crow about the success of that one SHAHA team.....here is the bottom line. No one program is 'the best'. The stuff about the Vengeance made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. Like any of these programs that spring up around here, they have sporadic success that doesn't seem to stick as the kids grow older. For every good team that they put together, there is a massive clunker. And they are more than happy to put a team together with kids who aren't AA and still slap that AAA label on. And...every single program does it. PPE as well has done it. So what is a parent to do? It is really hard, particularly if you do not know hockey. My family never bought into any of this crap. But with Blackbear moving in and everyone leaving PAHL to chase the rainbows, I have no idea what we would have done in this landscape. We could always manage to find a situation that worked for our kids. So my advice...just try to find a good coach, good families, where your kid is having fun and getting better. That is going to differ for your kid. Then find a good match for privates. Make sure they are getting better. Emphasize school. Have them get good grades. You don't buy the Powerball thinking you are going to win. Your kid has the same chance at playing in the NHL or NCAA div I as they do at winning the Powerball. So look for a match with your child over 'the best' program, whatever that means, regardless of what label whatever program is sticking on it. After all, the 'best' program may have just been the one that did the sales pitch and recruiting the best that year.

Ok , I stand corrected, a handful of people still REALLY care about PPE. ?

Does anyone really care about the PPE anymore? Maybe after try outs.

Disagree. Depending on the tournament, your player may actually be seen by a collage club coach. No one watches AA or lower level AAA. I wouldn't include Meadville in that category, however.

I had a coach telle the difference is in time commitment. So like at RMU the lower in the leagues you go, less practices and games, and yeah, not much difference for skill.

A monopolies means there are no more choices.You know, all that program jumping treasured around here.

Mid Am has never been known as a hockey hot bed.

Some Junior Colleges even have hockey programs. Absolutely, I would have my child explore what they want to do in addition to the hockey through either classes or a part time job or both.

I have zero issues with this, so long as you know. It is becoming pretty common to take a "gap"year or two before going to school. If you don't know what you want to study, have the money and maybe you need to see what life is like, go play more hockey, why not.

Once adults figured out that there was money to be made it was all over. It's every sport, happening for decades. https://changingthegameproject.com/the-professionalization-of-youth-sports/ Parents want their kid to play on the same teams as the other kids their kid started with. Their kids want that. So they jump onto the hamster wheel of lessons and summer hockey and AAA. It is hard not to give in to the peer pressure. Parents also think this is all leading to college scholarships, too. Most don't really think their kid is NHL material.Many have no idea that NCAA D1 is the only place this happens. I have a pretty good hockey player. People assume my kid is going to get a scholarship to play hockey and when I explain that we are likely going to continue to pay lots of money for him to play because like 90 percent of the hockey kids playing, he is not D1 material, and they are so shocked... because their kid is not playing at my kids level, so if my kid isn't getting anything, then guess who else isn't? People really do have some vague idea that this will lead to money for school. Grades. Grades and high SAT scores may get you money for school. (School is test optional? Well, that SAT score, if good, may help get merit money.)

Also, most refs are independent contractors. By definition of that status, they are not responsible to anyone. Evaluations....holding them accountable.....as soon as you begin to exert control over that relationship, that is when you get employees. No one wants employees. Benefits, payroll deductions, paying their insurance coverage. Plus, you want them to make calls independent of an organization to keep them neutral. But you could add components to how they get certified. A review of complaints filed, etc.

To be clear, I have no regrets. You keep implying that I am a butt hurt parent with a washed up kid. Why would that be the only source of criticsim of what is essentially a terrible system? Since your perspective comes from having made it, I wonder....there is nothing in that experience that could not have been improved upon? Why does juniors have to be so brutal? To sell tickets, I hear. How much is even made on ticket sales? I did not think those teams made profits, for the most part. if hockey is such a late development sport...why not make it so that juniors doesn't exist until age 18? Hersey, I know. I am talking about studies done regarding the increased professionalism of youth sports, not just hockey, to train children as if they are mini adults. The push to specialize younger and younger. Not good for young bodies. Child psychologists. Doctors. Those sorts of professionals. It would be nice if talent could be developed without the huge asks, the gauntlet. Your boy ran the gauntlet, so you seem to see no issues. But you could probably suggest some improvement. Of the things you and your boy went through...what could you have done without? I operate from the standpoint that it should be easier for more to play. To decrease cost. To make hockey more accessible. If you limit your talent pool only to those who have money and can run the gauntlet, who have access to the gauntlet, which is another conversation entirely, then you necessarily miss some athletes. That's not a good system when you talk about national teams, Olympics, etc. You aren't getting the best athletes. You are getting the best athletes in a limited pool.

Already in the works. I heard BB has been contacting PAHL organizations looking for teams to join their league.

I am not unhappy! Neither are my children. Again, why does one have to be a CONSTANT cheerleader to make you happy? Someone asked me for my opinion and I gave it. So tired of being told to shut up. Counter my opinion. Don't criticize me for giving it.