HockeyFan6687

Anybody know how 08 and/or 09 open skates or tryouts went this week? Interesting to see the player movement

Well if new kids don’t get a fair shake and they keep hanging on to kids from squirt until now then why would most even consider going there? You’re either there to place kids appropriately or run a good ole boys club. Can’t do both. It seems the latter will take priority in some places.

Looks bad from the outside. A good organization should look to treat their loyal players well and create situations where the talent wants to remain with the organization. Keeping your existing families in the loop should happen before any dramatic changes are made. I’m also hearing that they are trying to push hard for a 2010 team after having all the top 2010’s last season basically pack up and move on. Is there even a possibility? Sounds like the older birth years have problems.

Allegheny just posted its coaches. No 08 or 09 just a 16uAA National Bound team. Surprised to see the 2010 listed being that there was mass exodus from there Last year.

He’s just another in a long list of good ole boy hacks that’s adopted the “This is how we have always done it” attitude. Hence the league is full of stagnation.

How many of those four top teams will take a hit when Esmark swoops in and takes their picks for their AAA 09 team?

A few thoughts on this…. I do not agree with coaches running their own players in private lessons. This has potential to creat multiple issues. If an organization is “AAA” they have to be able to hold a tryout, see the lack of talent and scrap it moving forward. Credibility of your organization takes a hit. However now that youth hockey is more of a business these days the likelihood this happens is diminishing. Takes advantage of parents who are not as educated. I look for an exodus of players back to AAA at the 09 birth year. PAHL is just a one and done for many of those kids. It’s a shame as it’s made for some good AA hockey locally. We will see where loyalty lies

Has anyone noticed the increasing trend of one person being involved waist deep in calling the shots of almost every aspect of an organization as well as being the head coach or rostered on numerous teams as an “assistant”? Not a healthy trend.

Been that way for years. Gotta help those National bound teams.

You really took the morning to compile a spreadsheet?

Kids are playing hockey and love doing so. Let’s not lose sight of that. Your concerns are rather trivial in nature. Perhaps a hobby would better suit your time. This youth hockey drama is an unhealthy obsession.

Tier 2 hockey is becoming such a cesspool of misleading organization leadership promoting the pathway to higher opportunities. I was reading various websites promoting that they will connect their players to junior and college teams. Add to that the 9 million private training outfits that charge ridiculous amounts of money to get your kid to the next level and the advent of Tier 2 tournaments advertised as “AAA” showcases or “College Exposure Showcases” where nobody is really there to be scouting. And even worse the advent of competing Tier 2 AA “National Bound Tournament Teams” as we see in Altoona and State College where kids play mostly for A level PAHL teams all season while playing tournaments expecting to compete in States effectively all for an additional $1500-$2000 on top of your regular PAHL team fees. Altoona does have 1 team doing it right as a full season team so I lay credit where it’s due. The increased emphasis on Tier 2 National Bound glory has become an extremely unhealthy obsession in some areas. Add Black Bear to this and the line between non-profit organization and ice rink business is increasingly disappearing where you see organization higher ups running the organization and are on the rink’s payroll at the same time. And with multiple rinks set up this way it creates the potential for the business to keep these programs in cahoots with each other thus creating the shell game where players can be encouraged to be moved around to satisfy their situations of need in their respective organizations and facilities. Based on what I’ve witnessed thus far I’m led to believe that’s already happened. it’s a sad reality with the direction hockey is going in these parts I think the volunteer run organization that’s there for the kids is fading away fast for adults to profit off these kids thus driving up costs and potentially driving families to the point they can’t afford to play all while not re-investing a portion of those funds back into facilities to where we have quality customer service oriented staff, clean restrooms and locker rooms that don’t have puddles of piss on the floor, mold growing in the showers, no extra glass on hand requiring plywood as a fix, as well as effective preventive maintenance on the aging chillers, dehumidifiers and Zambonis A lot of these rinks are not taken care of and it shows I hope I’m wrong but it seriously concerns me where we are going to be say 5 years down the road I’m a realist and I know it’s never going to happen but it’s time to refocus on being honest and doing what’s right for kids End rant!!

“This is the way we have always done it” is deeply entrenched in PAHL. It’s why you see more teams looking at more independent schedules, AHF, EJEPL and whatever other leagues are out there. Make the league feel like something special. Have a player of the week/month something. Make the playoffs feel like an event. I’ve been to playoff sites that do nothing. Feels like walking in for just another game. If you want teams to stay then take your product next level. There is still a place for the league but quit running it the way it’s always been for 50 years.

Will this help Esmark resurrect its teams that it lost this year and will wesee the temporary layover for some in PAHL now to end?

If anyone has a child that does not go to school where scholastic hockey is an option, drop me a DM. I can help!