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What do I know, but this seems simple to me. If he was in fact approved by prior commissioner because all rules were followed, there should be some meeting minutes, or something similar, documenting that decision. Bust that out at the meeting tonight and be done with it. If not, they’ve been playing with an ineligible player and should be ineligible for playoffs. 
 

The stuff about him wanting to play HS hockey and make friends is irrelevant as it relates to eligibility. 

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Ok I’m done here.  Sure most are happy that I’ll bow out and that’s ok.  The misinformation I was seeing posted was killing me.  I have never got on any boards and post anything but some of this misinformation was hurting my head.
 It will be what it will be and I agree with some of you on that.  I am a rule follower by nature so I agree there too, gottta follow them.  Seriously,  peace to all of you.  

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3 minutes ago, Hoxkeydad said:

Ok I’m done here.  Sure most are happy that I’ll bow out and that’s ok.  The misinformation I was seeing posted was killing me.  I have never got on any boards and post anything but some of this misinformation was hurting my head.
 It will be what it will be and I agree with some of you on that.  I am a rule follower by nature so I agree there too, gottta follow them.  Seriously,  peace to all of you.  

Montour dad had to hurry to the board meeting that’s why he had to “bow out”

It’s funny how it’s somehow about this kid just trying to have fun.  If that’s the case, he played the games so he had his fun.  Too bad it was at the expense of the other kids who actually live there.  I hope the board and coaches are happy they may have ruined a season for their own egos.

ita looking more like old clay wasn’t the problem like the board and JV parents claimed  

 

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15 minutes ago, Jkersman01 said:

What do I know, but this seems simple to me. If he was in fact approved by prior commissioner because all rules were followed, there should be some meeting minutes, or something similar, documenting that decision. Bust that out at the meeting tonight and be done with it. If not, they’ve been playing with an ineligible player and should be ineligible for playoffs. 
 

The stuff about him wanting to play HS hockey and make friends is irrelevant as it relates to eligibility. 

This.

I think it will be very cut and dry if Montour had the go ahead as it will be documented. I guess we should have an answer soon.

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1 hour ago, hockey57410 said:

Live in district. My son doesn’t play hockey, but it was buzz of his hockey friends today. They said the team manager specifically took the kid as billet so he could play. Coach asked someone to get a goalie bc montour president kid was goalie but was horrible. Seems like they were desperate to get someone since post Clay the board made shambles of program. No way this was a coincidence. Guess kid is leaving to go home as soon as aaa season is over too. Didn’t really want to play varsity but kind of had to with billet family being team manager 

Do people honestly believe that a billet would welcome a kid into their home for PIHL high school hockey purposes?  We do all realize that for aaa players, PIHL hockey is a huge step down correct?  Kids play to have fun with their school friends.  There is nothing to gain by performing well at high school hockey in PA.  Last time I checked there are no scouts or coaches in attendance.  Accusations like these are insulting to anyone who has ever billeted a hockey player.  I know many people who have served as a billet, and trust me most do not have any hidden agenda.  Worried about winning in PA high school hockey- give me a break!  Also, where do you get the nerve to insult someone’s kid in your post.  Just looked at the stats and the “horrible” kid you describe started half of the games and was 7-3.  Does that qualify as horrible?  Not in my book.  This entire situation shows the issues with youth athletics.  Is it not ok for a young kid to make the bold decision to leave his family to perhaps pursue a dream of higher level hockey, attend a completely new school as a freshman, want to represent his school and most importantly create new friendships through sports?  Can’t speak to the exact details of the appropriate process or paperwork that perhaps needed to be involved, but this seems to go against everything that youth sports is supposed to be about- building bonds and teaching life lessons.  Grow up people. 

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So the defense's argument is the deceased commissioner, unilaterally and without anybody else's knowledge granted eligibility to this little known 9th grader? 

Was his death suspicious? Sounds like Avonworth people had a motive. {Sarcasm}

 

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3 minutes ago, zam said:

So the defense's argument is the deceased commissioner, unilaterally and without anybody else's knowledge granted eligibility to this little known 9th grader? 

Was his death suspicious? Sounds like Avonworth people had a motive. {Sarcasm}

 

What a despicable, inappropriate comment, joke or not.  Not surprising tho…

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Ok.  Just so we don't lose sight of this

The student is a billeted player, unless a court-appointed guardianship is in place between the player and the hostfamily. This does not pertain to foreign students who have been approved by USA Hockey

Can anybody in Montour confirm that this goalie does not fall into this category?

 

 

 

 

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Anybody that’s been through the eligibility process with PIHL for a case like this knows that there would be a long paper trail with emails from Rules Interpreter, eligibility forms/questionaire, and approval by committee. It is not just the commissioner decision. PIHL is not difficult to work with if you make the effort.  If none of this process was done, then shame on the team’s board. Ignorance is not an excuse here!

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1 minute ago, stickboy said:

Anybody that’s been through the eligibility process with PIHL for a case like this knows that there would be a long paper trail with emails from Rules Interpreter, eligibility forms/questionaire, and approval by committee. It is not just the commissioner decision. PIHL is not difficult to work with if you make the effort.  If none of this process was done, then shame on the team’s board. Ignorance is not an excuse here!

“Not difficult to work with”?  You are referring to a league that hands out suspensions and fines for simple clerical errors by volunteers.

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31 minutes ago, aaaahockey said:

Plot twist.  Does anyone have any actual info about the results of the meeting tonight? 

Yes- Montour must disband their hockey program immediately, have been given a lifetime program death sentence, fined $250k and the billet family is being deported.  Everyone happy?  Of course there will be no results tonight.  The PIHL will take a few days to make it look like they are “thinking it over”, not admit their mistake (since they are probably partly to blame by apparently approving the season roster), and decide to disqualify Montour from the playoffs.   Certainly will make it a little easier for all of us remaining in the playoffs- not that this is necessarily a good thing imo- was looking forward to eliminating them actually.    

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10 hours ago, Stackthepads said:

Do people honestly believe that a billet would welcome a kid into their home for PIHL high school hockey purposes?  We do all realize that for aaa players, PIHL hockey is a huge step down correct?  Kids play to have fun with their school friends.  There is nothing to gain by performing well at high school hockey in PA.  Last time I checked there are no scouts or coaches in attendance.  Accusations like these are insulting to anyone who has ever billeted a hockey player.  I know many people who have served as a billet and trust me most do not have any hidden agenda.  Worried about winning in PA high school hockey- give me a break!  Also, where do you get the nerve to insult someone’s kid in your post.  Just looked at the stats and the “horrible” kid you describe started half of the games and was 7-3.  Does that qualify as horrible?  Not in my book.  This entire situation shows the issues with youth athletics.  Is it not ok for a young kid to make the bold decision to leave his family to perhaps pursue a dream of higher-level hockey, attend a completely new school as a freshman, want to represent his school and most importantly create new friendships through sports?  Can’t speak to the exact details of the appropriate process or paperwork that perhaps needed to be involved, but this seems to go against everything that youth sports is supposed to be about- building bonds and teaching life lessons.  Grow up people. 

I think from a logical standpoint you have to agree with what Montour is arguing in this situation. This kid is here on a visa from another country (correct?) and for the most part all he knows is his club team he plays for. If the billet he lives with, lives in the school district and that is the school he goes to_ this could be his only real outlet to connect with kids that he goes to school with. Imagine moving across the world to play hockey as a young kid, billeting with people you barely know, going to school with kids you don't know and have to adapt to their culture. Probably doesn't speak the language well. His team and hockey are the only thing he can use to connect with the kids around his age and school. The only thing that the kid is thinking is that he wants to play hockey for the school he goes to so he can use it to create bonds and friendships with the other kids. You are all right no one comes here to play PIHL hockey, but if a kid that has nothing in a foreign land can use it as a tool to connect and bond with the people he is living with_ I'd say that's waaayy bigger and more important than the actual game itself.

 

Now with that said, I think we all have to understand that there are people that don't really have empathy for anyone else and their motives are all about what can benefit them. To think that someone won't use loopholes or break the rules to benefit themselves is foolish. That's why there are rules in place for situations like this. Like a previous poster said, I really do hope everything checks out and the rules were followed, because if they weren't the ripple effect of someone trying to manipulate the situation to benefit themselves for single a high school hockey in western PA is really damaging. The foreign kid that was trying to use the sport he plays to build a bond with his school and peers will now be vilified if they get disqualified and it will create an opposite effect.  He'll feel terrible because all he knows is he was trying to find something in common with people and use it to "star status" himself at a school where he knows no one. All the other kids on the team that worked hard to make the playoffs for their school team will now not be able to play in them...what if they are seniors... That is a lot to risk breaking the rules. On the flip side the same set of standards goes for the teams that wouldn't make the playoffs. Imagine being a senior on that team and a rival team suddenly gets an elite goalie and they nearly go undefeated as they push you from the playoffs. That doesn't seem fair either.

 

As long as the rules were followed there should be a paper trail. Through the school's team board, through PIHLs board. This is why rules are put in place, because while it does seem silly to not "just let the kid play" you need to think of the other teams and kids that are affected by that statement. Especially if it is someone that_ someone else is basically using to benefit themselves or coaching resume.  I don't know if that is the situation, but again, follow the rules. Don't cheat. Do the right thing.

 

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1 hour ago, PeterThePuck said:

Im hearing dont know if its true it was QV Goalie Esmark Dad turned in Montour to the PIHL Rep.

Eh…..I’m gonna call BS on this one. Knowing the person in question personally for many years I don’t think that’s his MO.

My .02 is that rules are put in place for a reason and they should be followed by everybody. But I’d hate to see the kids suffer because of a series of decisions made by adults.

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