pghhockey1

whome87 - you have said in other posts you are the parent of an 03 player? Is that your younger son who decided to play high school only? Just wondering because you have posted about being at ice castle alot so thought your kid was a pred.

the 04’s try out with the 03’s so how can you tell the 04 talent is bad?

i didn’t say free. i said included in the camp cost. yes things cost money in this world. if you don’t want to pay or can’t pay - don’t go.

yes, not surprising that you have to pay to travel. most parents don’t get a hotel at the camps - the kids stay and it is included in the camp fee which is nominal. what is stated above is opposite of my experience. we had contact with college and Junior coaches who watched the camps.

agree with Rock. These camps are not even expensive compared to most and if your kid makes the festival or national camp the cost is very reasonable as usa hockey picks up some of the cost. hockey is a costly sport. that does not mean that every camp or tryout is a money grab. Also just because a kid doesn’t have an nhl contract after one of these camps does not mean they are just a money grab. the negativity is astounding. just don’t pay or allow your kid to play hockey. it’s so simple.

If you make the camps, they are definitely worth while. High end AA players can make them if they are good enough and I know many who have. In my experience the evaluators don’t care which team or level they play. Everything is not just a moneymaker. It’s great for kids to try out with better players and see how they stack up.

Right - so you are saying esmark and preds should be avoided but so should PPE since it involves NC. To play on a top 10 AAA team then the only option is to move somewhere like Michigan and billet. Some may choose to pay for NC instead.

Probably NC. So what? Everyone on here bashes esmark, bashes preds, bashes PPE. So should no one play AAA hockey? Going to NC may be better for some over moving out of state to billet at this age and the costs are probably similar. These kids want to play AAA hockey somewhere. Not sure why there is so much animosity over these programs.

It is my understanding that PPE is out of the EHL this year. And they by no means are claiming to make the best of a small demographic - they are admittedly and obviously trying to collect the best players from all over the country in an effort to be the top team in the country. That being said, they did pick a couple of local kids this year at 16 who have no political conncections whatsoever, along with a couple of kids who will move here from 3000 miles away.

who has gotten “clobbered” by the barons? and why is it so significant to people that a high level AAA team like pens 16u gets kids to come here from other states?

we have Never been involved with that organization but I have heard Yuri is a great coach – what shenanigans?