The Excitement of a new Youth Hockey Season

For hockey families, there are few things more exciting than the start of a new season of youth hockey. Oftentimes, however, what starts as innocent excitement at a whole new season of possibilities turns into high expectations from parents. Too-high expectations put pressure on kids and can spoil the fun of the game for little ones. It’s important then for parents to find that perfect balance of excitement-without-pressure to get the season off to a good start.  

One thing that many parents do prior to a new season is to start vocalizing all the rules, and offer the "Remember to do this, and remember to do that".  A couple of simple encouragements offered in a positive manner is plenty to get kids psyched for the new season. Demanding perfection or forcing daily practice time ends up being detrimental.

Don’t critique every mistake you see; it’s natural for kids to be a little rusty after a break. Remember that they’ll get better with a little time and practice. Also, don’t focus on “winning” Focus instead on improving skills and boosting confidence.

Another important thing for you to do, as a supportive parent, is to understand why your child is playing sports. If the child is only playing to please you, it may be time to take a season off. Also, don’t be too disappointed if your child doesn’t share your professional hockey dreams. Some kids want to play just to have fun and to spend time with friends, and that’s perfectly okay. In fact, if kids are having fun and getting what they want out of a sport, their goals and dreams are likely to evolve into success. That’s certainly not going to happen, though, if you focus on getting what you want out of the sport as opposed to what your skater wants.

You should also have a talk with your child about things to avoid during the season. Keep your child from calling himself or herself or other players mean or negative names. Steer kids away from “I can’t” statements and help them to build confidence instead of doubt. Reinforce these behaviors by praising fun and teamwork and by being kind to yourself too. Remember, if you keep the sport light and fun, everyone wins!

What Will Youth Hockey Be Like in the Future?

Hockey, like any other sport, is constantly evolving and changing. One of the major changes that has been rocking the hockey world in recent years is the increased focus on development of hockey related programs and improving the game itself, both in terms of the way it is played and in terms of its safety. For example, in 2009, the National Hockey League allotted funds to new USA hockey programs for these very purposes.

The people who benefited the most from these funds- and who still continue to benefit- were youth players. After all, these are the players of tomorrow, the players of the future, so it makes sense that the NHL would want to invest in its future players.

It was in this same year- 2009- that the American Development Model was created. The model is essentially a comprehensive plan for ways in which the sport can be improved. It focuses on developing athletes over a long period of time, from youth into early adulthood. It is also geared more toward learning new skills than it is toward competition, a fact that will likely mean that youth hockey will get to be less and less about competition as time goes on.

In fact, that change is already becoming more and more evident in leagues around the globe. Today’s young players are being honed to be more technically developed and skilled than the players of the past, who were mostly just preened to be “winners.”

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been some opposition to these changes. Many are sticklers for the old way of doing things and are holding out, refusing to move to the new methods. Eventually, though, as affiliated programs are required to follow more and more stringent rules, modern hockey players (and coaches!) will have no choice but to get with the program.

Regardless of how one feels about the playing regulations and new training focuses, there are some definite positives to these new methods. For example, hockey, thanks to its new, softer focus, which prohibits body checking until a mature age, is becoming more parent-friendly and player-friendly. Young players and their parents will be less worried about injury or other problems, prompting more players to sign up. In fact, these projected results are already occurring. From 2008 to 2009, for example, the number of children age 8 and under enrolling in hockey jumped from 90,000 to 107,387.

Experts are also predicting an increased focus on recruiting new players under the age of 8. These players will not be privy to the “old way” of doing things, and, in most cases, neither will their parents. That should mean less objection to the new rules and an easier time creating the players of tomorrow that hockey wants.

As enrollment in youth hockey increases and as more focus is put on retaining players, more rinks will likely crop up as well. So, as you can see, the future of hockey looks different but bright.  

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Is the Cost of Youth Hockey Equipment Too Expensive?

Some say the costs involved with hockey are too high.  With our state of economy, it may just be, however, the rewards are high also.

Walk in to a rink, any rink from Alaska to Florida and Maine to California and you will find youth carrying duffel bags and sticks, and usually a great big smile.  Part of being a hockey player is learning to carry your gear at an early age. Part of being a hockey parent is learning that this gear doesn’t come cheap, unless you are a smart, savvy shopper, own a pro shop or have very deep pockets.   

The cost of the duffel bag itself isn’t what hurts the wallet, however, collectively, when adding the skates, helmets, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads, tape, hockey pants, jerseys and socks….the price tag gets a little hefty.  Learn to use the internet, and if your skater isn’t addicted to the “latest and greatest” of the enormous efforts of the advertising departments of the various competing hockey equipment manufacturers, and a bit of luck, you can actually save a bunch. Just remember to tell your skater, it’s not necessarily the brand name of the tools, it’s the person behind the tools.  One area where it’s best to get the “best of the best” and there should be no glancing at the price tag is the helmet.  Do your homework, ask and research, and find out which helmet truly offers the best coverage.

Each and every time your skater puts on that equipment, and the stinky smell that accompanies it, comes rewards.  The reward that he or she is learning the value of being part of a team, and the responsibility that accompanies it.  Too many of today’s youth are enamored with video games, computers and all the electronic gadgetry.  We are of the opinion that sport participation provides the best escape from the trappings of the world of technology.  We hope you agree.

Come join us at a Youth Hockey Tournament near you!

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