Expect parents of hockey players to be biased about their child’s abilities and expectations. Their perception versus reality will often not match yours. Also,

While the tone of the content is quite serious and legitimate, the title of this is gold…pure gold I tell ya.  It could have just as easily been “Dealing with Dummies for Dummies” or if you ask Todd Millar it should be be Dealing with Morons.

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Great piece by Steve Simmons, written 15 years ago, but still very much on point if not more so today. Takes me back to coaching little Johnny who innocently and honestly told me “I don’t want to play anymore.  I suck at hockey.” Even now coaching a Midget girls team this is a good reminder for me to keep things in perspective because even they don’t want us to forget the snacks.

#imahockeydad

Great piece by Steve Simmons, written 15 years ago, but still very much on point if not more so today. Takes me back to coaching little Johnny who innocently and honestly told me “I don’t want to play anymore.  I suck at hockey.” Even now coaching a Midget girls team this is a good reminder for me to keep things in perspective because even they don’t want us to forget the snacks.

#imahockeydad

The author makes some good points where hockey and its injury/concussion issues will be in even bigger trouble to the south of us in the land of the litigious.

#imahockeydad

The author makes some good points where hockey and its injury/concussion issues will be in even bigger trouble to the south of us in the land of the litigious.

#imahockeydad

A mom’s perspective, rings true, as I’ve likewise watched the Devil and the Boy grow through the hockey years.

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I read this today fresh off a Hockey Canada led coach refresher course where we spent a fair bit of time discussing body contact and checking technique. I flippantly made a comment about not having to worry about checking because I will be coaching the Devil who plays women’s hockey, but I quickly realized the error of my ways because “checking” is about much more than delivering a body check. It’s about positioning, angling, moving your feet, using your stick and legally separating the puck from an opponent. There is, and I’m certain will continue to be, a lot of body contact in women’s hockey, which introduces the risk of head and other injuries in a game played on a rock hard ice surface. The same is true for the boys’ game whether you remove body checking or not.

I agree with the author here in that the majority of severe injuries are caused by actions, which go beyond and often well beyond, the rules. So while I understand the intent of banning body checking until bantam, I believe the underlying message of mutual respect has to continue to be delivered and demanded at all levels of the sport.

#imahockeydad

Unimaginable what this hockey family must be going through. Families across Canada are no doubt grieving along with him.

#imahockeydad

Unimaginable what this hockey family must be going through. Families across Canada are no doubt grieving along with him.

#imahockeydad