HockeyFan6687

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.

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!

Well the problem is and I know this very well. These small orgs like you mention fall into the hands of the parent with an agenda where they have total control and create their own team etc for them and their child’s benefit. Or in some cases those who want to control an organization to build their own brand as coaches and make money off of it. It’s out there. to join PAHL I believe you must have a minimum number of teams but once in there is no minimum to maintain membership. I think orga should be mandated to have a development plan in writing and absolutely must have its own ADM 8u program. Organizations are for growth not creating a safe haven for those who have the wrong agenda. This would create more accountability for organizations to stay true to the mission.

Look beyond the last name and see the truth about who is running that.

I don’t think the ice is bad. The rest of it however……

I would assume that all that done to reach this point with that arrogance to think that the masses would embrace this move is becoming one big bad business decision. We are at 2 and counting for damaging PAHL organizations. Who’s next? I don’t think all of their desired end results are bad but in many cases you have the wrong people and methods to accomplish without creating damage.

What organizations in the region do tryouts the best? What are some of the things that are done to make that particular organization good? What organizations do not so good and why? I think presentation is the most crucial aspect. If it looks bad to the naked eye even if it was done with integrity and fairness, a bad presentation can sink a ship! It seems in some places that the tryout for the top team is a formality. Teams selected at open skates. Prospective players buddying up with the coach while on the ice. it says a lot to have your tryout results before your vehicle hits the driveway of your home Just curious how other organizations do it. Always hear a lot of feedback this time of year just curious what everyone else has seen heard and experienced.

Seeing how tryouts went this year and particularly at 09 so I’m seeing and hearing that a bunch of the Esmark AAA kids that lost their team ended up on the Allegheny team. How much does Black Bear have an influence on that from the top down being that both rinks, the organizations and management as well as organizations involved all seem to be linked together in multiple ways? Think of the competitive advantage that gives black Bear. When one rink is short players at a given level they can simply shift em around to make top contending teams. It then creates a major issue of competitive integrity and leaves a lot of PAHL organizations at non BB rinks at a competitive disadvantage.

God forbid their kids play on a lowly A team. It would ruin their careers.

A lot of programs cutting talented kids that were loyal to their program or returning kids that have been there for a time for some AAA players looking to shack up for a year until next season’s AAA opportunity comes along. Is it really worth it? Also heard some of the tryouts at various places were nothing but a formality as the teams were picked ahead of time. Erich’s, morals, loyalty and honesty take a back seat to the prospects of winning a national championship. just remember how the Rangers tried to load up and win a cup. See how that works. Not sure how that will go but it will be some interesting matchups in the league this year.

So when all these AAA kids move in and displace good players who are loyal to their organization, is it really the right thing to do and load up with all these outsiders when the odds favor the one and done scenario where next year’s AAA opportunity will be their next destination?? In the process you’ve lost a nucleus of your team but you potentially have lost the talent LOYAL to your organization. Thus losing the ability to field a given birth year. is blowing your load to be all in on the obsession of going to nationals worth it for your organization if it means losing the long term viability to ice a competitive team of LOYAL players that can have a shot year in and year out? I think some organizations are potentially playing with fire.