What is the deal with Pilots mites program?

[Guest]

75% of that PHC 2011 team were recruited in or came from PHC not playing Venom, there may be 4-5 kids total from the original core that played full ice under their coach and it is only peewee minor for them likely more of those kids getting replaced over the next few years.

Exactly. The best kids at mite are not the best kids at squirt and best squirts are not best pee wees. This is why none of this matters until bantam. Once puberty sets in it is a whole new ballgame. Once the A & AA players get bigger and stronger they compete against the other kids. All that matters before bantam is skating & good coaching. This happens in all sports. Everyone should just enjoy the ride!

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[Guest]

Ex-coach should keep mouth shut and stop trying to poach players from other rinks. Move on!

Ex-Pilot coach/manager still upset at Jags coaches over losing players to Jags last year. Made up a "stealing story" to sway families to their side. You are at Aston now, let this go & worry about your kid. Profane comment to the most respected coach in SJ Youth Hockey History is still reverberating through the rink! Issue last year was not Jags coaches! Look in mirror.

Toxic Pilots environment is finally over. The king (hardly) is dead (ZM), long live the king (CR)!!!!!!

Psalm 16:11- lol

Disclaimer:  Not a Jags coach or Igloo convert, so don't blame them for this post. Toxic Pilots environment is finally over.

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[Guest]

Ex-coach should keep mouth shut and stop trying to poach players from other rinks. Move on!

Ex-Pilot coach/manager still upset at Jags coaches over losing players to Jags last year. Made up a "stealing story" to sway families to their side. You are at Aston now, let this go & worry about your kid. Profane comment to the most respected coach in SJ Youth Hockey History is still reverberating through the rink! Issue last year was not Jags coaches! Look in mirror.

Toxic Pilots environment is finally over. The king (hardly) is dead (ZM), long live the king (CR)!!!!!!

Psalm 16:11- lol

Disclaimer:  Not a Jags coach or Igloo convert, so don't blame them for this post. Toxic Pilots environment is finally over.

Amen brother or sister! You speak the truth!

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[Guest]

Ex-coach should keep mouth shut and stop trying to poach players from other rinks. Move on!

Ex-Pilot coach/manager still upset at Jags coaches over losing players to Jags last year. Made up a "stealing story" to sway families to their side. You are at Aston now, let this go & worry about your kid. Profane comment to the most respected coach in SJ Youth Hockey History is still reverberating through the rink! Issue last year was not Jags coaches! Look in mirror.

Toxic Pilots environment is finally over. The king (hardly) is dead (ZM), long live the king (CR)!!!!!!

Psalm 16:11- lol

Disclaimer:  Not a Jags coach or Igloo convert, so don't blame them for this post. Toxic Pilots environment is finally over.

You need to move on! It is obvious that Pilots and Jags coaches had a falling out. Everyone should move!

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[Guest]

As for the PHC 2011 and 2012 teams almost all ARE from Venom, especially the 2012 team. There are a 4-5 new kids on 2011 team but it’s basically the Venom NEHL team from 2 years ago. If the best kids at Mite aren’t the best kids at Squirts someone should tell AYHL and USPHL because the best Mite teams from two seasons ago are at the top of the leaderboards last season in Squirts- PHC (Venom), LHV, Jr Flyers (Wolverines 2012), and Woodbridge. It’s true the game changes a lot after Bantam but those who have been playing AAA aren’t regressing skill wise during the Sq and PW years. They’re getting good coaching, extra practices, excellent competition, and off ice conditioning. If my son could have made a AAA roster he would have played. He’ll play AA squirt Major, develop his skills, and try again next year. But the reality is he was just not as good as the kids selected for AAA squad during tryouts.

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[Guest]

As for the PHC 2011 and 2012 teams almost all ARE from Venom, especially the 2012 team. There are a 4-5 new kids on 2011 team but it’s basically the Venom NEHL team from 2 years ago. If the best kids at Mite aren’t the best kids at Squirts someone should tell AYHL and USPHL because the best Mite teams from two seasons ago are at the top of the leaderboards last season in Squirts- PHC (Venom), LHV, Jr Flyers (Wolverines 2012), and Woodbridge. It’s true the game changes a lot after Bantam but those who have been playing AAA aren’t regressing skill wise during the Sq and PW years. They’re getting good coaching, extra practices, excellent competition, and off ice conditioning. If my son could have made a AAA roster he would have played. He’ll play AA squirt Major, develop his skills, and try again next year. But the reality is he was just not as good as the kids selected for AAA squad during tryouts.
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Biggest issue with AAA at younger ages is burnout. Yes they are getting better due to ice time and off ice, but so are AA & A. I also disagree with kids not being good enough to make AAA. Coaches want the same kids year over year to build their systems. It is difficult to break into a team when the other kids know how the coach wants to play. Also some kids don't show well in tryouts, but put them in a game and they blow some AAA players away. All sports are tough to compete in. The higher up the letter ladder you go, the tougher. The non AAA kids who stick with it, work hard, get good coaching and still love to play are the ones in Bantam that catch up. Puberty is the great equalizer in sports!

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[Guest]

I think many AAA parents would disagree with you. My own son plays AAA squirt and you’re right that the coach wants kids that “fit their system” and would rather cut and add players that fit into that system especially at younger ages so that kids that do “fit” get to spend time learning the system over years. Not every kid works. My sons teams have cut kids that have been in program for years in favor of kids whose name no one knew at tryouts. Secondly, because most tryouts are over several days kids often spend one or two of those nights scrimmaging each other. I’ve yet to see a kid from AA or A “blow away” any but the worst of the AAA kids, those who probably shouldn’t have been there in first place. Lastly, my older son played AAA until he graduated from HS and now plays D2 club in college. Things didn’t “equal” out when puberty hit. If anything some kids sprouted up and we’re still average hockey players. Others grew a lot slower and were stars. Checking doesn’t make a bad player good. I watched good AA players make AAA teams not because they got bigger but because they got better regardless of size. If you’re a AA or A player I wouldn’t necessarily assume that puberty alone will get you on a AAA roster.

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[Guest]

The rest were dropped like flies…What a  thing to do to kids…No loyalty…They need to win now…like it means something…

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[Guest]

I think many AAA parents would disagree with you. My own son plays AAA squirt and you’re right that the coach wants kids that “fit their system” and would rather cut and add players that fit into that system especially at younger ages so that kids that do “fit” get to spend time learning the system over years. Not every kid works. My sons teams have cut kids that have been in program for years in favor of kids whose name no one knew at tryouts. Secondly, because most tryouts are over several days kids often spend one or two of those nights scrimmaging each other. I’ve yet to see a kid from AA or A “blow away” any but the worst of the AAA kids, those who probably shouldn’t have been there in first place. Lastly, my older son played AAA until he graduated from HS and now plays D2 club in college. Things didn’t “equal” out when puberty hit. If anything some kids sprouted up and we’re still average hockey players. Others grew a lot slower and were stars. Checking doesn’t make a bad player good. I watched good AA players make AAA teams not because they got bigger but because they got better regardless of size. If you’re a AA or A player I wouldn’t necessarily assume that puberty alone will get you on a AAA roster.

These AAA teams are all crap. They put in systems that they need kids to learn. US Hockey says not systems until Pee Wee and then only on powerplay and penalty kill. These AAA teams are ruining the players. I will have my kid play Tier II until 14 or 15. I will continue to take him to clinics & off ice trainer. You people are idiots!

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[Guest]

How did a feed about the Pilots go off on a tangent? Back to the original discussion. Pilots will be ok next year. They lost 2-2014 kids from 21-22 Major team who moved up at other rinks, but still have an ok team for 22-23. If BD stays for 23-24 season that Pilots team will be one of the best AAA teams in the North East. They have some pretty good 2015 players. FE should be fine once the 2015 players are Squirts if the families choose to play AAA. some will, but some won't.

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