nemesis8679

I'd also add that hockey is by far the hardest to play of the major sports. And unlike football, where the rest of the world couldn't care less about it... to advance in hockey you are competing with players all over the world.

That's a shame, considering they're supposedly one of the so-called top organizations in the Pittsburgh area. I think I also remember something like last season, I don't remember what age group, they took tryout checks only to announce they wouldn't have a team at that age after all. If either of these things happened to me or my kid, I'd be furious. Seems like they could use some organization and professionalism. Sounds like they couldn't care less, though.

I heard that a kid who tried out for Esmark's 08 team was posted on the tryout page as having made the team. In the mean time, this family patiently waited for an email from the organization for more information. After not hearing anything more, and multiple attempts to contact Esmark which went completely ignored, a third party got a hold of the coach and asked what was going on. The coach's response was that the kid didn't really make the team, but there was no way this coach was going to contact the family and tell them that. I don't know if this boy made the team, and after tryouts were done another kid was available so they went that route, or if reading and writing a correct tryout number on the evaluation form was too difficult for somebody to figure out, or what happened there. But I think it's pretty unprofessional- not to mention pretty rotten- to let a 14 year-old kid look forward to being on a team he wanted to play for and passing up some other opportunities he could have had just because somebody had no balls to simply call this family back to say there was a mistake or whatever the case was. Does anyone know if this is a first-year coach or something? I mean if he can't figure out how to handle a phone call or a simple email, or is too afraid to talk to a kid's mom or dad about a situation that he might have felt slightly uncomfortable about... I wonder if he's capable to coach a AAA hockey team and handle all that comes with that?

Sounds like they won't have teams.

I tell my kid that if they're in trouble, go high off the glass and just ice it anyway. But I would gladly have the no icing the puck rule if they'd get rid of the stupid forced offside.

I watched an interview that Gretzky gave a few years ago. He said two things in particular I found interesting. #1 After hockey season, the skates and hockey stick went to the basement, not to be touched again until the next season started. #2 If he had to deal with the same expense and aggravation as kids and parents do today, he wouldn't have been able to continue playing.

Both options are crazy. Unless that kid clearly looks like Crosby or Makar out on the ice. I would have to think that if a kid from Michigan or Canada is good enough to make PPE they're definitely good enough to make a high-level team where they live.

How many of these kids who've upended their own lives and their families lives actually end up playing in any of the leagues you've mentioned? And I mean stepped on the ice at all in those leagues, let alone making anything else out of it.

Nice job guys!

Can someone put up screens hots, or at least names and teams? I just get the pay wall.

There's a cap on what they're paid?

A few hundred bucks, it's sounds like.

What years are we talking? Why is everyone leaving?

Even if my kid was the next Crosby, Excel/NC would be a deal breaker. What a joke. Good on that kid who left.

That would be one of the last organizations my kid would play for.

Thats dumb. Should just be running clock. Whether winning or losing, they went to play. It's on coaching for running up a score like that.

How on earth did that kid get cut?

I couldn't believe it- the afternoon DJ on the The X today was talking about high school hockey and the Penguins Cup and how it's disappointing that it gets no coverage.

The Women's USA vs. Canada game was lucky if over half the lower bowl sold. Good luck having two high school teams selling out even three sections of it. Even if it was free. Especially with the zero marketing of it.

Hey, the single A player started it by bringing up class! ??

Well, they're the ones going to a school ran and taught by a bunch of weirdo adults who believe in magic. So I'd say that the joke's on them.

So these kids and their families are driving back and forth from Pittsburgh to Cleveland for practice and games, or are they uprooting themselves and actually moving to there... to play amateur hockey?? And they're paying to do this? Seems pretty goofy to me. Oh, so does being forced to do your schooling at a catholic school against your will, too. Unless you're head & shoulders lights out above literally every other player at 15 years old and two or three years younger then everyone you're playing with like a Crosby, Tavares, or McDavid... then I guess I could see it. But I bet they're not. Because if you were you wouldn't be worried about making a AAA team within your own age group. And in Pittsburgh or Cleveland. Is all of this insane, or is it just me?

32K ???? You'd be way better off playing for your school and PAHL, and using a few thousand for lessons with private coaches. And you save yourself about 20K.

Sh!tty websites? That's about 100% of amateur hockey websites. Let's be serious.

Where do you find the discipline list?