Quote:
Originally Posted by Schraderbrau
I have a young child just starting to play hockey and I get cold sweats when I hear stories of how much it can cost. I want him to have fun and enjoy the game but a big part of me doesn’t want him to be good enough to make these sort of high priced camps necessary, I hope he goes through his hockey life just like me as a career house leaguer, who makes some good friends and is able to enjoy the game when he is an old man and put a couple in the net at beer league.
|
As scary as some of these stories are, community hockey can still be a great thing. The early years are all about fun and learning new skills. Even at an older age, not every kid or parent is about gunning for a AAA spot. There are grassroots leagues and spring leagues which are basically pond hockey sessions, 3 on 3 with basically no instruction or coaching. These were great fun for my older boy and a good way to get exercise. Really nothing to do with NHL or scholarship expectations.
I understand the concern regarding concussions, unruly parents, bad coaches, etc., but my experience has been that those were not generally a problem. It is up to the parent to instill a good attitude in the kid and not to project his or her own issues.