nemesis8679

32 minutes ago, 1976 said:

Armstrong Arrows have a few openings at 12U - All skill levels. 

Please reach out to Arrows Hockey Director at: aahlhockeydirector@yahoo.com 

I heard some teams, not 12u, already folded. Is this true?

39 minutes ago, HockeyFan6687 said:

What exactly is in an offer beyond the spot on the roster?  I love how some talk about receiving offers like they need to discuss with their agent.  

Knowing the most you can about what you're paying for and committing to is a fair ask. 

48 minutes ago, aaaahockey said:

I'll take your word for it!  It wouldn't surprise me. 

He's right, and the family knows how to hype the kid.

I do recall seeing the guy with the Huskies account say in s post here that they will wait to see what they have before claiming a certain level. Or something to that effect. 

2 hours ago, stickboy said:

What are you shopping for that you are going to find out at tryouts?

Actually not really any one thing. That's the point. Who are the coaches, does the kid fit in with the other kids, location, do the tryouts show that they will have a enough for a team or was turnout weak, what team will the kid place on, what kind of schedule will there be (will practices or out-of-town travel conflict with school hockey).... There's lots of stuff. Things change year to year everywhere. Whether the kid has stuck with one team for his whole life or played for a few, sometimes kids or a parent want to explore a change. And sometimes they don't, and that works out also.

2 hours ago, dazedandconfused said:

Well how about that? 2 Pittsburgh players on this team and yet the nay-sayers on here still bash local hockey.

Seems it's mostly disappointment of their own that they are displaying.

Local hockey organizations did little to contribute. Or at least, there's more to the story than local hockey.

As the title says. Why? Not even just regular tryouts, but teams having supplementals at the same times as teams are still doing regular tryouts?

As a parent, I would have no problem with my kid going to tryouts for 4-5 organizations. But it's really hard to do that when you're possibly going to miss at least a day at other places. So now you're sort of forced to put all your eggs in one or two baskets instead of going to several and missing a day or two of each.

Now this has to be on purpose, because there's not a lot of hockey going on right now at the rinks but not only are dates the same, but times overlap.

I get every org wants to get the commitments first before the others, but they're also missing out on kids that would otherwise perhaps at least get in the door of another org and consider playing there.

It's just another hockey thing that seems to be made more complicated than it needs to be.

18 hours ago, Huskies_Director said:

Pittsburgh Huskies supplemental - 

 

• 14u (2011/Mixed) - TODAY 4/25 - 6:00pm 

 

• 16u Mixed - TOMORROW 4/26 - 7:00pm

 

We are also still searching for 10u skaters! 

You're other post says the 16u is tonight?

I came across this.

1 hour ago, stickboy said:

Bingo!  Mom and dad finally realize the dream is not attainable and pull back. 

 It’s the same thing every year. We never listen to those ahead of us that tell us exactly how it is. We think they are just bitter and it’s going to be different for us.  But in reality it is the same:  If at 15u/16u you aren’t a top player on Pens or at a top nationally ranked out of town program, Tier1Juniors/NCAA/pro hockey isn’t in the cards.  Yes, there are a few exceptions, but be honest: is your player the exception?
 

 

 

Not even that so much about the parents seeing the dream isn't attainable. But where before the parents gotta get Little Johnny to the Vengeance tryouts because those kids are "better" and clearly Little Johnny is better... At 15, 16 years old Little Johnny is now Adolescent Johnny and he's saying, "I want to make extra money, I want to hang out with friends, I like hockey but it's not the only thing I'm interested in that I want to put all this time and effort into when I have a bunch of homework and a part time job and want some video game time, etc."

And for the dreamers- I don't think most people realize what that dream really takes. Meaning the work, time, money, and commitment that is in your control nor the "have-it-or-you-don't" genetics and mind for the sport, and luck that is not even in your control. 

6 hours ago, No Politics said:

Maybe I'm not understanding this team, but why is this posted under the "Western Pennsylvania YOUTH Hockey" thread?

Well if it's any justification, the owner/thief of the River Monsters is involved with a local youth organization.

2 hours ago, fafa fohi said:

This may be a topic for a different thread, but I never really understood why a parent, whose kid did not make a local U16-18 AAA team would send him away to play AAA in another city or state for his junior year or even worse, his senior year in high school?  I mean, are the scouts all of a sudden going to notice this player whether they play for Team Maryland, Tri-State, Nashville Jr Preds or any team in Detroit but were not good enough to make a local AAA team?  You would think not making a local AAA team would be a sign not to be ignored?

I know of several kids that went through this and ended up being non-drafted players while missing their senior year in HS and taking cyber school.  Maybe it's me, I just don't get it.

But saying, "my kid is such a great hockey player, he's billeting in Ohio to play" sounds so much better at the water cooler.

 The younger you start, the easier it is to get on teams. Once you're on the team, the easier it is to stay. At some point school hockey becomes important to kids. Say what you want, but playing for the school team is important for a lot of kids- it comes with a certain amount of popularity amongst their peers, hearing their name on the announcements, etc. Things that don't come with playing for a Vengeance, Esmark, or wherever. 

A lot of kids want to go to the movies with their friends or go hang out with their girlfriend or whatever on the weekend. Not say, "oh sorry, I can't go. I have to go to Philadelphia this weekend for hockey" and get left out. 

So with being on the school team and the commitment that goes with that (and the cost of playing for the school team added in), some kids are going to want to just play for school and a team that's a little bit more schedule-friendly. 

Believe it or not, some kids like to play hockey but also have other interests and things they like to do. So by this age they start realizing that. And at this age, the parental influence on what they want to do is becoming much less. 

6 hours ago, Goalsanddreams74 said:

Like I said already. We all only paid $350 in total to play for the season. 20 games and full jerseys and equipment I’ll take that any day. 

Paid for by your teammates' sponsorships they didn't get paid for.

Some places do the district play. I'm sure it has its own pros and cons but surely cuts down on lots of nonsense. Of course it's nice to have the opportunity to play with kids you don't play with at school otherwise wouldn't meet. But it would cut down on nonsense like letter shopping and people playing musical chairs every year.

Yesterday was the first night of 16u tier 2 tryouts at the new Vengeance. Anybody know what turnout was like? Compared to previous years? Was just curious. I was wondering if the new shine and the other organizations being shown the door would bring in a huge turnout or if it was basically the same with the same as usual. Of course I also thought Huskies would get a huge crowd last season with kind of starting new but it didn't seem to go that way. 

Also curious if they are absorbing the Vipers teams that played there, if those teams are planning to move somewhere else together and just use another org name or if those players are just scattering. It's a bit of a shame seeing one of the oldest orgs from around the area that so many played for over the years just... disappear.

41 minutes ago, Goalsanddreams74 said:

Well I can now say he for sure has not paid the players the $500 they were supposed to get if they sold a sponsor. 

And they should each take that con man to the magistrate. 

7 hours ago, No Politics said:

Reminder that the Yetis are looking to field a 16U National Bound team and are having two free pre-tryout sessions (TOMORROW and Tuesday) for any '08 or '09 skaters.  Those dates are:

Sunday 4/21 from 2:30pm - 3:50pm

Tuesday 4/23 from 8:30pm - 9:50pm

The link to the Google form to sign up is HERE.

Some additional information that may help your decision:  

- Their 16U team last year played A Major Black and had a great season overall.

- They were made up of almost all first-year ('08) players -- fourteen of them.  Most of those players should be coming back, as it was a tight-knit, friendly team.

- They are hoping to make the jump to AA National Bound.  Whether or not they do depends on what talent they get to replace the three or four '07s that aged out.  

- If they are able to make that jump, they plan on having paid, non-parent coaches.

- There is no overlap because they have the last tryouts locally (4/26 to 4/28), so any high-level player looking for an opportunity to play at a higher level will still have that chance.

I am just sharing this.  Not looking to debate the organization, location, dates, coaches, etc.  If you or someone you know can use it, great.  If not, great.

There is some overlap with Vengeance 16u tryouts.

7 hours ago, No Politics said:

Reminder that the Yetis are looking to field a 16U National Bound team and are having two free pre-tryout sessions (TOMORROW and Tuesday) for any '08 or '09 skaters.  Those dates are:

Sunday 4/21 from 2:30pm - 3:50pm

Tuesday 4/23 from 8:30pm - 9:50pm

The link to the Google form to sign up is HERE.

Some additional information that may help your decision:  

- Their 16U team last year played A Major Black and had a great season overall.

- They were made up of almost all first-year ('08) players -- fourteen of them.  Most of those players should be coming back, as it was a tight-knit, friendly team.

- They are hoping to make the jump to AA National Bound.  Whether or not they do depends on what talent they get to replace the three or four '07s that aged out.  

- If they are able to make that jump, they plan on having paid, non-parent coaches.

- There is no overlap because they have the last tryouts locally (4/26 to 4/28), so any high-level player looking for an opportunity to play at a higher level will still have that chance.

I am just sharing this.  Not looking to debate the organization, location, dates, coaches, etc.  If you or someone you know can use it, great.  If not, great.

There is in fact some overlap with Vengeance 16u NB and Mixed Year skates/tryouts.

8 hours ago, Goalsanddreams74 said:

That coach and our captain held that team together.
Our captain then had to deal with everything our owner did after that coach left. 

 

What did the owner do?

3 hours ago, spilledbeans said:

Don't care for pitt. Rmu team is done for the season and I'm not driving an hour to watch the nailers.

Would rather drive the hour for the Nailers (who have decent food/drink options)than to drive 5 minutes to watch men's league. 

1 hour ago, spilledbeans said:

From what I heard the coach was getting backlash from players who thought they were superstars and thought they should have been out there everywhere shift which you guys might have had 2 lines that could actually do that. 

 

Who cares if the coach brought in other players. I also know other players who wouldn't play since he got let go. One guy was a huge ringer. So because a few players were grumpy over ice time they fired a coach who had a winning record and a successful running at the rink and crowd. If you noticed the crowd got smaller and smaller since he got canned. But hey I'm just friends with the coach and his wife. We got their story and know some of the players personally and they said something completely different than what you're saying.

I'm not here to start drama. I was really rooting for a team in our county as there is really nothing to do on a Saturday night here. It was refreshing walking into a game seeing 400-500 people in the stands. And the fact the the coach got zookys to sponsor and have beer sales at the rink and the owner took credit from the league saying he got it. We will definitely miss going down to watch the games. It was seriously a fun environment. 

 

Best of luck to you and your teammates for whatever you guys do in the future.

Nothing to do on a Saturday? You have Pitt, Robert Morris, and the Nailers playing on Saturdays.

12 minutes ago, thunderbay bombers said:

The 5100 does not include team fee which can vary,  but In past one was 750 one year and 850 another  so over 6k in end. 

For an extra "A"??? Worth every penny!!

3 minutes ago, Sendhimaway55 said:

I hate to say it but you drank the kool aid. I’ve heard from vendors, other players, sponsors that the owner robbed you blind. He owes everyone. Kept all the sponsorships money. Owes vendors. Portion of ticket sales goes back to players but he kept it. He’s a professional con artist. Look at his history. Goes on for decades, yet he always beats the system. Our court system is a joke

Courts do nothing to white collar criminals. If this thief stole the same amount or less out of a bank, he'd be in jail.

3 minutes ago, Goalsanddreams74 said:

 

I’m just stating the story of the season. It was more so the league then the Owner.  

Not totally shocked to hear that. The league is the entity that accepted someone like that as an owner. So that tells everyone something right away.