Coach Plunkett;

I have truly enjoyed being part of high school hockey in this area as my son has played for the McDowell Hockey Club for the past six years.  I have always respected and I must admit admired the Meadville Bulldogs hockey program.   I as well as many others would always mark the calendar for our two PIHL league games as well as our non league games.  The disappointment felt when the news made its way to the hockey community that the Meadville Bulldogs have dropped from AAA to AA goes without words.  I understand the numbers.  I also understand that you have the right as well as the requirements to meet the classification.  I argue that if you take the number of players trying out for McDowell's hockey team compared to the number of players trying out for Meadville's hockey team the numbers would be very close, despite the number of boys who attend the high school.  Meadville is a hockey town and there is only one high school to attend giving Meadville the advantage as PIHL consists of pure teams in most divisions.

This year I am taken back and I have lost both admiration and respect for the Meadville hockey program.  All teams are going to have their rebuilding years.  Look at Bethel Park this year (2-7-1) anyone who has followed PIHL hockey knows that Bethel Park has always been in the upper echelon, with Meadville right by their side.   It is part of the game, good years and growing years.  Meadville has made the playoffs for as long as I can remember and has progressed beyond McDowell during the playoffs for as long as I can remember as well.  

One may ask why I care so much about the Meadville hockey program.  I care because when you look at the playoff game played between McDowell and Meadville in March 2007 and the fans that filled the Mercyhurst Ice Center for two local high school hockey teams and were given the honors of watching and cheering for two respectable, hard working local teams is now null and void.  The rivalry that has been ongoing for many years between these two teams no longer exists.  Contender for years in AAA, upper echelon in AAA for years, power house in AAA for years.  Now AA?