Pucks11

I agree with you on the prep schools watching. The talent in Pittsburgh is there for 2 really good teams if ego's would be set aside. I definitely agree that people will complain anywhere. I never heard of a parent buying a spot at the Vengeance either and for the Lens to just recruit a kid from out of town, don't they supposedly pride themselves on kids from this area? And I agree with it's nkt up to those organizations to get your kids drafted.

The Pens gain a ton of money by picking the kids with the parents that fall for all of their extra bullshit. Excel is a joke for the younger kids. The Mites Elite is a money grab. Their learn to skate programs are a HUGE money grab with how many kids they put on the ice compared to teachers. I can tell you that there us a cops kid on an Elite team who openly admits that his kid ISN'T good enough to be on the team but he is because he got one of the higher ups brothers off on some charges a few years ago.

I can agree with most of what you said here. The overall great job with the kids yes BUT only at the older age groups they openly admit to not worrying that much about the kids until midgets. The Vengeance are taking the Pens best kids a little at a time because they are learning to play hockey as a team where the Pens seem to focus on a few good kids and just round their roster out with whoever pays the most money. Yes that problem is everywhere in youth sports, it's really sad. If the parents could put their egos aside youth sports would be a lot more fun. You must know the Pens parents that fork out the money for their kids if you never hear them complain or run their mouth. We were up there for 3+ years and that's all I heard sitting up there 3-5 nights a week. You can say that at the Vengeance about parents buying their kids a spot but somehow they are getting better each year ???. They keep the core kids and cut ties with the weaker ones, they have probably had the most turnover at the younger age groups and it has been for the better so far. While you take a look at the Pens teams and they keep getting worse each year because they allow mommy and daddy to buy their kids a spot on the mighty Elite team. I do agree with the just because they were in the NHL doesn’t mean they will make good coaches but 2 of those guys have a pretty good track record with the development of the younger kids and the Pens ran them out for the uppers buddies to come in. The director of operations up there is Crosby's best friend and he tosses that around when he goes out. You want to talk about selling dreams, how many kids from the PPE (since they became PPE) have made it to the NHL? A big fat 00. The Pens ride the old name with those posters of NHL’rs on the walls that NEVER stepped foot in that rink.

Laughable how might I ask? This board is filled with complaints about PPE. They have not been practice per usual. And yes the New England area is playing with that area only and not bringing in teams from outside those few states. You say that the Pens are the premier program yet they are being beat by local teams at various age groups that cost half the price. We used to think that also until we saw everything first hand the last few years. It's Laughable that you guys bring up parents running the teams at Vengeance when 1 birth year team at PPE has gotten worse each year because of 2 parents calling the shots and people just straight up leaving. Didn't the 1 Elite team have 8 kids NOT even tryout from last years team? The 2 BEST kids and a goalie because he got ran out by another deep pocketed parent. ???. I like how you took the saying that EVERYONE has for PPE (Pens and friends) and tried to turn it around on the Vengeance, you must still believe in the PPE bullshit they sell you. Keep on laughing when you people are dishing out thousands of dollars MORE to get beat by local teams that ACTUALLY develop kids and pick the BEST kids not the kids who's parents have the deepest pockets. We have no affiliation with the Vengeance either but why are the Pens afraid to schedule them this year also, they have asked multiple times? Maybe because they handled them pretty well last season and they can't be embarrassed by a local team again or people may start NOT buying into their bullshit anymore. The PPE ran all of their best coaches out, they lost their best skating and skills guys all to bring in buddies of the guys running the place. The Vengeance have what 4 or 5 former NHL players coaching there and 3 are former Penguins not even offered a position hell they actually ran 2 of them out of UPMC because of buddies of the higher ups. You can cry all you want what I said was from experience there and from talking to parents that are still there and upset with how they are handling this year especially not having any games scheduled and teams started playing this past weekend.

Was a part of that organization for a few years and decided to leave with all of the false promises. I still talk to a few parents and with the organization and they have barely had any practices let alone talked about games(which they haven't). At the end of a practice 2 weeks ago the coach pulled the kids/parents aside and told them that they know there are a lot of rumors going around about their organization but don't believe any of it. A couple of parents are giving them a few more weeks to start producing SOMETHING or they are asking to be released. 1 parent sent the director of operations an Email asking about the season and he got a "there will be a season" message back with nothing else to it. They can't travel to Canada until at least January and by that time the season is almost over. Detroit is pretty much just sticking to Detroit and canceling a lot with teams around here, Boston (New England Area) are closed to outsiders. There are other local organizations with 30+ games scheduled and the parents at the Pens barely know when their next practice is. There are 2 local teams trying to schedule with the Pens and they were shot down or ignored through calls/texts and Emails.

Maybe it was the Buffalo Saints, they are one that tries real hard to catch the money flow but they never really develop their kids well even at the older ages. I agree with the checking.

Must have been a bad game, it happens. I know the kids that my son played with developed pretty well. The coach they had taught them to play as a team. Yes there was the occasional stretch pass or end to end but all in all I think that it helped for the following years to come that they were playing already.

My son played AAU full ice Mites and it was pretty cool. We went to Michigan, Buffalo, Cleveland x2 and Rochester to name a few. There were some blowout games and a lot of really good games. Yes every year there is some parent somewhere looking for the best kids because while I liked the half ice to start, there is only so much your kid can learn doing that. If your kid is good and has played half ice for 3 or 4 years they get BORED and if a kid gets bored with something what are they going to do??? (Quit). If I remember correctly the teams out of Chicago, Cleveland, Rochester, Buffalo and some Canadian ones were named after their respected AAA teams at higher levels. My son also plays roller and dek-hockey, in dek they teach the kids 5 vs. 5 Full rink with positions at the 4-6 year old age group.

I talked to the dad also as my son played with the other son the day they got tested.

I personally know the 2 North Hills kids and the Predators were their first choice.

This happens at the lower age groups also. The younger teams are getting players plucked away because of the politics up there. They don't care as long as they get their money. That's all that "non profit" cares about.

Tonight is first cuts for Pens.

From my experience AAU was 1,000 times better. We didn't have to deal with politics or huge expenses like we have faced in USA Hockey. My son played at a high level against BETTER teams. Most of the time in the SAME rinks. There was BETTER travel and tournaments, it was cheaper, you can play whoever you want even USA hockey teams(they just don't put it on their schedules to not get into trouble ?). There are actually a lot of teams that my son's teams have played over the last few years that have a USA Hockey registered team and then play under another name for AAU(it's BIG in the Buffalo area).

There are clinics (just posted yesterday) scheduled next weekend (May 9th and 10th) at a local rinks.

Esmark is trying to take all the PPE 08 kids that don't make Elite and just give them a spot.

And probably that NEW prep team!

Most everything else you said was true but this part not so much. MOST of the teams at PPE in the first 4 or 5 years have parent coaches on them whether head or assistant. With the pricing that is about right but you do get a lot more out of the PPE with the higher price. YES they say sponsored by the local sports store but included in that big price tag is home/away/practice jersey and socks, jumpsuits, bags, 3 ice slots per week, 2 gym sessions per week, usually around 40-50 games and more. Most other organizations can NOT or DON'T give you that. Ultimately it comes down to where your kid wants to be and if he can play at that level. Let it be about your KID and not YOU. That is the problem with a lot of organizations, parents can't keep their hands OFF.

I am pretty sure it is 1 kids from the 08 Pens Elite and MAYBE some kids from the 07 Black team.

There was an 08 PPE on the 12u Central Team.

Checking and then when I pointed out the no checking it was the % rule.

YES. I know this, but they still said NO because of the % rule too even though he would improve the team.

I asked my sons school about him playing as a 6th grader and they said NO because of the hitting.