twoboys

My point is if you want to play at the Division 3 level or a higher ACHA Division 1 Club team you better plan on playing Juniors.

Some kids just want the chance to play hockey after high school. For the most part you have to play juniors to play Division 3 hockey or even to make some club teams. You know this and the kids know this too. Lots of student athletes play all sorts of sports at the Division 3 level. They play because they want to not because they are getting a scholarship. So, if the family can swing paying for AAA hockey in high school or even low level juniors let them. It is their checkbook.

The one thing that is different is the locker rooms. I think they do restrict the number of kids. Parents sometimes wear a mask and sometimes they don't. My kids have been in 3 different rinks. Most of the time they are relatively empty so it isn't a big deal. However, even if the rinks are somewhat crowded masks aren't worn by everyone. Nor do the parents stay apart.

I agree with this. August or September for tryouts is the best case scenario. No idea how the potential for another spike comes into play.

The Vengeance will have an 07 team this year. Esmark usually doesn’t work til Midgets. The exception was the 03 team which left the Renegades for Esmark at some point. Was it Bantams?

I don’t think people realize that non-checking hockey makes checking hockey possible. All of the mite, Squirt and Peewee teams make your Bantam and Midget teams possible.

It is your prior post that contains the quote that I feel is inaccurate. What happened 15-20 years ago is frankly irrelevant to youth hockey today. The team that is the closet to home grown is probably Armstrong's National Bound Program. They play a ton of games including independent games and better tournaments. I heard there are a fair number of kids from the area but there are also kids that travel pretty far to play for them. Have your kids played AA in PAHL recently? Recruiting is happening left and right. One organization gets a coach and has a plan and they reach out to everyone to fill the team.

I think you proved my point if you have to go back 15-20 years to come up with some high level home grown AA teams. Let's make it easy. Why don't we just talk about this years teams.

I also think you have to define high level. Not every AA team is high level. I would bet that at most 2 teams per age group could be considered high level.

I think this thread is proof that a lot of people really only care about the cost. They don't care if they get the extra ice or not.

The only thing stopping the PAHL teams from doing it are the PAHL teams. For starters, if the coach doesn't want to do it then it won't happen. The organization also has to give them extra ice slots for practice and independent games. That may not be possible. If it is possible then you got to pay more. Does everyone want to pay more? Not always the case. Sometimes, parents are happy to play AA and a couple of tournaments. And lastly, they need prime practice slots since kids are likely traveling some distance to get there. If you are having a high level AA team your team probably isn't home grown. All of this makes the other teams in the organization mad and jealous.

I don't get people complaining abut the Icemen. A friend's son has played there for a couple of years and has nothing but positive things to say about the coach. Then again it is only one coach. You do realize that kids flock to the the faux AAA organizations as you call it because they don't want to play PAHL. The issue is with PAHL and PAHL organizations not giving the consumers what they want. Give the AA teams more ice and a qualified coach and people will stay. We all know certain rinks have 7 am games. Getting rid of those will go a long way. An early game in Morgantown or Erie to me is less desirable than a night in Cleveland or Buffalo. The away tournaments are a draw for families of the faux AAA teams. Usually the kids and and parents like them. But what really makes parents mad is if the coaches kid plays way more than the other kids. Of if he is a terror and is always in the box and there is no attempt to stop the behavior.

You guys crack me up. I just glanced at the ranking. 105 teams in AAA 2005, 45 teams below them. They’d be 5th (ish) in tier 2. Not great, not bad. As for the Preds as a whole, I’m not sure if I’d go back or not. They are the same as every other club. Some good things, some bad, some very bad. Question is, do the pros out weigh the cons? Not to be outdone, the 14U Preds just took it on the chin 12-0 thanks to Pens Elite as well. OrrWhat you may want to look at this I think being the 5 team in AA is awesome. Can't fault them for playing AAA.

If you are playing PPE you are already paying 15,000 a year. Shadyside does give aid. I heard it is a nice amount.

Makes no sense. Why wouldn't they just try out for the Preds? I bet Esmark will have an U15 team. At midgets is when Esmark really starts to form teams. They had an exception, the 03 group, who left the Renegades while they were Bantams, right? Esmark tried with the 05 or 06 a couple of years ago and it didn't work. The interesting thing with 05 will be what will the Icemen do? Become a Yeti, play Tier 2 Independent or become AAA. Same goes for the 05 Viper Stars. Will they stay Tier 2 Independent or will they become the Esmark Stars U15 team.