I'm A Hockey Dad

Big decision in Charlottetown this weekend. Methinks public pressure means a ban is on its way.

I just finished reading a post on this recent ruling and I’m firmly on the side of David’s opening line in that I’m conflicted about the level of “violence” in hockey. I think hitting, not fighting, is part of the game. I understand we need to protect our children, but I’m at a loss as to where to draw the line. I’ve mentioned here before that the Devil has had a mild concussion from hockey and she has never played a single game of “contact” hockey, while the Boy has played 13 seasons of concussion-free hockey, most of which included body-checking. Hockey is a fast game played on a hard, slick surface and with as many kids playing as there are across our country, there are bound to be accidents and injuries, with or without body contact. Where I live there are now options to play in contact or non-contact leagues and I believe this might be the more appropriate solution.  The operative word here being “options”.  David said if hitting remained in the game in Alberta that his family would have looked at pulling their youngest in Peewee and this is certainly the parents’ prerogative/choice. Those who truly want their kids to be safe in our “safety-obsessed culture” should not let their kids set foot on the ice, or the soccer pitch, or the football field or outside their front door for that matter.  Friends of my kids have also had concussions and broken bones from snowboarding and basketball. Yes, hockey can and is played at a high level without contact and yes I agree there is a need to remove blatant hits and unnecessary fisticuffs from the game as neither are doing its violent reputation any favours. But I’m hard-pressed to say there is no room for any hitting based on my own small personal experience and sample size. And the debate will no doubt rage on.

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Think of all the sports news shows highlighting fights in the professional leagues that glorify the hard hits, accidental and otherwise. There is a whole generation of young, keen players putting themselves in the skates of these pros.

Indeed the call for more non-contact hockey or at least starting at later ages is getting louder. This is just one of many articles I’ve seen to the same effect over the last couple of months. Having had a Boy go through 13 years of rep hockey, which included body contact, without sustaining a significant injury, including no concussions, I’m not sure exactly where I stand on this one yet. But I recognize that I and he may be the lucky ones. The Devil on the other hand has played non-contact and has sustained a minor concussion from an accidental collision. I know we should likely err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety and welfare of our kids, but how far do we go in changing the games they play to protect them?  I do welcome any and all opinions as always.

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Now there’s a bold little title for a hockey book, but I suppose deserved by some parents in light of a few recent less than stellar news stories.

Another study promoting better rounded athletes not singularly focused sports cyborgs.

New Brunswick hockey parents have been added to the list of those required to take mandatory “behave yourselves or else” courses in an effort to improve their spiralling image and that of the game we love….and starting next year they’re even going to have to pay for it. That oughta be popular…

The staged stuff certainly has to go. Makes the NHL look like a tad like the WWE.

Amen Coach Sutter. Kids should be directed to become well-rounded athletes and people; not hockey robots.

Cmon man…one more idiot to tarnish the good hockey parent name.  Seems like this stuff is popping up more and more lately - more societal than hockey-specific methinks.

More needs to be done to protect rinks and players when game played by kids turns some people into idiots.

Well put and nuff said.

See how many you get right…I went 10 for 15 and woulda done a little better had I stopped and thought about a couple of them.

Don’t know if I should be mixing hockey and politics, but there is a lot of the latter in the former so why not.

Once I learn how to SCUBA, I think I might look to organize Team Canada. Wait…whaddya mean no breathing apparatus allowed. These guys are nuts and now I really wanna try.

Revisiting the underlying reason for a recent hockey parent tirade and the suggested need for many to learn the rules.

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