How to Make Hockey More Accessible

Youth hockey provides a wonderful growth and learning opportunity for children of all ages. Unfortunately, however, hockey is not something that is easily accessible for all children. The cost of being on a team, buying equipment, and traveling to tournaments is something that not every child’s family has the resources for. But, it’s not just the cost that proves to be a barrier. Other problems include the fact that youth hockey these days is just too competitive and just plain “too much” for kids who are just looking for a fun sport to play.  

For those for whom cost is the most difficult barrier, there are some simple solutions. For one thing, children are encouraged to participate only in house league hockey if they’re looking for a less expensive, less time committed experience but one that’s still just as beneficial.

Not only are these smaller leagues cheaper to participate in, but they’re also a lot less overwhelming. For parents looking to save money or just to provide a less intense and more fun experience to their kids, the key is to avoid clubs that force numerous out of state hockey tournaments, and require mandatory spring and summer hockey. These are the classic signs of the kind of club that will require more time and money than you may be willing or able to commit.

Hockey club/league selection all boils down to what you want for your child and what you can afford, the time commitment you desire and the skill/talent level of your skater.

Remember, what matters to kids is just having fun and enjoying the sport, so don’t feel like you have to bow to the pressure. Do what you can to make hockey more accessible for your family and know that your child will love the sport, no matter how or on what league he or she gets to play it.

When You Lose Big

No one in the hockey world really likes to focus on losing, especially not coaches. If you’re a coach, however, then you know all too well that losing is a part of life and a part of hockey too. And while some losses can really sting, there are a few things you can do to help yourself and your players get through them relatively unscathed.   

Tip #1: Keep Your Chin Up

Immediately following a major loss, you’re probably feeling pretty bad about yourself as a coach and/or disappointed in your players. Now isn’t the time to let that show, however, or even to think about what you did wrong. It’s a time to put on a happy face, tell your players good job, and tell them you’re proud of them. Your young players will imitate you, so even if it’s hard, show them that losing is no big deal (because it’s really not!) and that there’s still lots to be proud of and hope for next time too.

Tip #2: Remember and Reinforce that Sports Teach Life Skills

Even though losing isn’t fun, it’s a part of life. So, when your team loses, try to remember that sports is about teaching life skills, and one of those life skills is dealing with and overcoming disappointment. Remind your players, in words they can understand, that they are building something that will be important later in life, and take the loss in stride, knowing that it serves a higher purpose.

Tip #3: Recall Past Victories

Sometimes, when you and your team are feeling a little down, the best thing you can do is to think back to happier times. Take a stroll down memory lane and recall past victories and successes together. It will make you feel better and bring back your confidence. In fact, all of these tips are great for recovering confidence and preparing to move forward!

Why Down Time is Important for Young Athletes

Once upon a time, youth sports used to be strictly for fun. In recent years, however, there’s been a push toward treating kids like “real” athletes...and making them train like them too.

These days, parents are hiring expensive coaches, entering kids into tournaments, and forcing children as young as eight to practice for hours per day.

These parents usually don’t mean their kids any harm. In fact, the reason they’re doing all that is because they want the very best for their children, but is this type of pressure really the “very best?”

It has consistently been shown that forcing kids to work relentlessly at a sport makes them burnt out on it, increasing the chances they’ll stop playing the sport, and can even stunt their emotional growth.

  

Kids, like all people, need rest...even from something they love. This doesn’t just mean forcing them to train for two hours instead of four; it means taking breaks during practices, taking breaks during the season, and maybe even sitting out a season or two if that’s what a child wants.

Not only are these types of breaks good for them physically- those growing bodies already have enough stress on them- but they are also good for them emotionally and mentally as well.

Parents who don’t heed these warnings and who continue to push their children to the brink shouldn’t be surprised if they find their young athletes diagnosed with “overtraining syndrome,” which exists when a child or other person has reached true mental and physical exhaustion. This can lead to depression, hatred of the sport, and poor performance, and once things reach this point, they often can’t be fixed with just a break.

Don’t let your child get to that point! Don’t push your children too hard, allow them to take breaks when they need them, and more importantly, encourage them to take breaks and just spend time being kids and having fun. You’ll find that, surprisingly, they’ll often play better and stay involved in hockey longer if you can do that.