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As Long As They’re Playing

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Link: As Long As They’re Playing

Great article from Ken Campbell at The Hockey News espousing the virtues of house league hockey and its importance in keeping the game alive. My kids have both played competitive hockey all their hockey lives, but we’ve always said it doesn’t matter what level you play at as long as you’re playing…and having fun!  Competitive/rep hockey should really just be about having kids of like abilities play against each other and be challenged to keep them interested in the game. For some players, house league simply doesn’t provide that, but for others it’s plenty.  Just get them playing and keep it fun!

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What, if anything, does NHL lockout mean for minor hockey?

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There’s still plenty of hockey to watch over the next six months, maybe just not of the NHL variety. Some people think this will be a boon to minor and junior hockey, but that wasn’t exactly what happened the last time around.  Minor hockey fans are primarily parents and junior hockey fans follow when their home team wins or if it’s the only game in town as it is in places like London, Ontario.

This is definitely not the end of the hockey world, but it also certainly can’t help the NHL.  Die-hard NHL hockey fans will just keep going to games (with sad Leafs fans being an obvious case in point as they follow a perennial loser). However, the lockout will not attract the casual (i.e. American) fans the NHL so dearly covets. Regardless, I have lots of hockey to enjoy as my soon-to-be overflowing calendar will attest to.

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Staples: Homework for Edmonton hockey parents unwelcome but worthwhile

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This is a difficult case of many getting punished for the actions of a few as “most” hockey parents I’ve encountered over the years are generally sensible and well-behaved people who don’t need to be taught how to behave in or out of a hockey rink. However, I have of course, also encountered the more stereotypical hockey parents who go overboard with verbal and even physical abuse of coaches, refs or their own kids. And yes, I will admit that even I have been known to take my frustrations out (albeit only verbally) on a ref or two; only to feel a twinge of guilt soon thereafter (depending on the degree of the official’s perceived ineptitude). But mandating a one-hour, $12 course for every hockey parent is undoubtedly not being well received in the face of ever-rising hockey expenses. It certainly doesn’t seem like a one-hour course is going to solve any problems or cut down on the number of senseless parents who will no doubt be the loudest critics of such programs.  The darker sides of human nature will likely always get in the way when it comes to certain parents and competitive sports.