HOCKEY SUCKS?

Growing up in Northern Ontario in the 80’s cycling was not a sport I was exposed to. I played soccer, baseball and of course hockey.

Hockey, hockey, hockey!

My brothers played, my friends played, I’m not sure I knew anyone who didn’t play hockey. In the summer it was power-skating and hockey school to prepare for the next season. I remember being called away from the daily neighborhood road hockey game to go to my ice hockey game.

I have fond memories of playing hockey mostly related to the time I spent with teammates off the ice in hotel pools, in the bus on road trips and at backyard barbeques. I also have some less positive memories from my years as a hockey player.

I remember two Dads fighting in the bleachers at a tournament in Minnesota,

I remember yelling obscenities at referees’ as a ten or eleven year-old,

I remember a parent punching one of my coaches over ice time for his kid,

I remember my team manager passed out drunk in the bleachers during the finals at a tournament in Sioux St Marie, Ontario.

My five-year-old son played hockey this past winter and I discovered that minor hockey has not changed much in the fifteen years I have been away from the sport. I was shocked to witness parents’ cheer as a five year old was escorted to the penalty box tears streaming down his face. I’m still not sure how a five year old even got a penalty; I guess I should have asked the twelve-year-old referee.

My son has tried gymnastics, swimming, skating lessons, indoor and outdoor soccer, and skiing (cross-country and downhill). He even raced his mountain bike for the first time last week. He seems to love sports and is usually excited about participating. Hockey was the first sport he did not like. We found ourselves coaxing him into the rink and bribing him to get on the ice.

Six months of weekend tournaments and five am practices,

Six months of watching fathers pushing their kids to tears,

Six months of mandatory shifts at the arenas concession stand.

Six months of “do I have to go”

Needless to say neither my wife nor I put up much of a fight when our son decided he didn’t want to play hockey this coming winter and instead he would rather try snowboarding.

I got really excited when he mentioned bmx racing, I guess we’ll see once spring comes.