Forum > General Youth Hockey Info
Same Level Teams
Guest:
I hate when people come on here and talk about letter chasing parents! Parents are not letter chasing, they are putting their kids against the best competition the can find. While lower AAA teams, like all the BB rink are not really AAA, the competition in THF is way better than the Pure AA in AHF (with exception of top 3-4 teams at each age). Plus you get more ice time with practices, skills and off-ice. Now some AA programs are trying to emulate this, but Pure AA teams water down AA more than too many AAA teams. The Pure AA model was a 100% money grab, nothing more.
Guest:
Let’s water down aaa and bring in THF. Then we will water down AA as well with bringing in multiple teams. Youth hockey in mid Atlantic is weak with minimal development.
Guest:
As someone who started playing at 6 and officiating at 15 doing so for 31 yrs from youth up to the AHL. I can tell you it's not just BB/AHF/THF it's all the leagues. I see AA and lower skill level players playing AAA in all the leagues just like I see A playing AA and kids that struggle with puck control in A in all the leagues. If parents are willing to pay the clubs will continue to take their money. I even see it in the juniors, players that clearly are on the team for the money. The parents have the power, just need to use it.
Guest:
Maybe its just different in girls hockey. Having two AA teams is extremely common. It's not about chasing that letter (as if the 2nd A in AA is meaningful)...it's about making sure the season is competitive. No one want to get blown out or blow other teams out. Many (like me) think a .500 season is great; it means the right level of competition.
What should a club do when there are enough Tier 2 players at tryouts for 3 teams? Cut a whole squad? Bad for the sport. Force the 2nd team down to A? Then everyone's comes straight here complaining about sandbagging.
No one is ever happy. Minnesota has figured it out. Municipal system. Play with local/regional kids, not just your friends. No politics, no profit, no BS.
Guest:
--- Quote from: Guest on August 07, 2025, 05:07:44 PM ---Let’s water down aaa and bring in THF. Then we will water down AA as well with bringing in multiple teams. Youth hockey in mid Atlantic is weak with minimal development.
--- End quote ---
Youth hockey teams are weak in Mid-Atlantic. There is just as much AAA talent if not more in the district it is just spread out. This causes all other levels to be diluted too. The issue is the rinks need to make money to stay in business, even non-profits have to make money. Non-profit does not mean losing money, it means taking your profits and putting them back into you business. The problem is the District needs to eliminate AAA teams and then eliminate AA teams to truly make the teams stronger. Imagine 3-4 AAA teams and 10 AA teams in the district. This would set up very good teams and it would trickle down to A & B. Maybe then the rinks would be forced to have in-house or light travel at all ages and actually grow hockey. The way things are going now, rinks are pricing out parents and which in turn you lose really good athletes that chose other sports. This is a 100% District problem. It is not on BB, THF, AHF, or any other rink or league. The District loves the $ the AAA and AA teams pay them for dues. AAHA needs to be revamped!
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