Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Why on earth do we suck so much at certain sports?

shadetree · 02-22-2010, 05:50 PM

I think one of the main issues is that at a young age, most top athletes in this country are steered towards hockey. It's the most popular sport, it's the easiest to access top level coaching, and it provides the most likely avenues for success. Not to mention it's a lot of fun. I'm guessing most 15 year olds would rather play hockey than train solo for hours on end for cross-country skiing or speed skating.

I've always wondered how many top athletes chose to become hockey players (be it elite or journeymen in Europe) instead of toiling away in anonymity (with limited funding) in 'amateur' sports. I've got to imagine that under different circumstances, Jay Bouwmeester probably becomes a top level speed skater instead of a multimillionaire hockey player.

02-22-2010, 05:50 PM	#97
shadetree Scoring Winger Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Calgary Exp:	I think one of the main issues is that at a young age, most top athletes in this country are steered towards hockey. It's the most popular sport, it's the easiest to access top level coaching, and it provides the most likely avenues for success. Not to mention it's a lot of fun. I'm guessing most 15 year olds would rather play hockey than train solo for hours on end for cross-country skiing or speed skating. I've always wondered how many top athletes chose to become hockey players (be it elite or journeymen in Europe) instead of toiling away in anonymity (with limited funding) in 'amateur' sports. I've got to imagine that under different circumstances, Jay Bouwmeester probably becomes a top level speed skater instead of a multimillionaire hockey player.