Colorado Youth Hockey

I have recently heard the story (second hand only) of a Bantam AA team that had the police called to two straight games. According to everyone from the team, in both cases is was the other teams fault. Can this be? While it is obviously possible, and there is little doubt it takes two to tango, at what point do you look in the mirror and say ” maybe it’’s us?”

Yes, another crazy parent situation, I am not suprised, but I am amazed (again!).

Can you imagine going to jail, or being sued and financially jeapordizing your family because of your kids hockey game?

In my recent visit to Texas I was sitting in the airport crowding around the only electrical outlet in the terminal, when I struck up a conversation with another power seeker. Turns out this guys daughter is a goalie for a girls high school team, a boys club team, and she plays in an adult womens league, all in the Philadelphia area. To make a long story short, hockey allowed me to enjoy what could of been a much worse experience.

Thanks goodness for hockey.

As I do my daily trudge to and from one rink to another I often do the math in my head. Throwing two bags and four sticks into the back of my truck I quickly add it up:

Menace One Piece stick x2, $350

Easton one piece stick x2, $350

RBK pump skates, $300

Bauer Vapor skates, $300

at this point I usually stop, figuring whats the point?

I am at $1200 and only touched on skates and sticks!

The real question is, does it really make a difference? Would used Play It Again skates and an old school wood stick put a player behind the curve, and out of hockey? I don”t think so, but it doesn”t seem to be a risk any of us are willing to take.

At what age and at what cost is winning important. At a recent U8 “C” level jamboree I watched coaches draw up plans to score goals on line changes. These coaches double shifted kids, made efforts to kick pucks to advantagous places on the ice, and over all played the game like the NHL finals. Oh yeah, they don”t keep score in these games, and there is no advantage to winning.

On the other hand I watch a Peewee AA team that continues to “roll the lines” with kids who are overmatched late in a close game. This is a game with a clear scoreboard, and a clear winner.

At what age/level is winning important, and when do we win at all costs?

I don”t have the answer, but it felt wrong in both cases.

Please help me with rankings. If you know a level well, or want to, you could do the rankings. Please comment, and I will contact you.

I don”t have to be politically correct! Merry Christmas.

Ah the holidays, a time to catch up on ….hockey!!

It is a bit amazing that it is mandated that high school athletes take 10 consecutive days off, college hockey players go home for the Christmas holiday, but youth players just pile on more hockey!

I am not sure if high school and NCAA rules makers have it wrong, but isn”t it funny that an eight year old doesn”t get the time off, while a 21 year old does.

Makes you think…

How does Colorado youth hockey rate with the rest of the US? On a recent trip to ND a Foothills PWAA team, which is competitive team in Denver was overwhelmed by the North Dakota and Minnesota teams, but curiously played well against the Canadian teams. I can”t really decide if it was a style thing, a skill thing, a coaching thing, or maybe just a bad day. The Canadian teams fared well against the ND/ Minnesota team.

One thing is sure, the culture of hockey in Grand Forks is a huge factor. Kids learn the basics by attending Sioux games, high school games, and youth games, while Colorado kids are being taught these basics. The idea of puck support and passing seems to escape many in Colorado, but is second nature to players in the hockey culture.

Will Colorado ever have a hockey culture?

I have seen through many sports and many generations all kinds of youth coaches. Everything from Dad’’s who think thier kid is great, to dad’’s who are so hard on thier own kids they give up a sport. Cussers, huggers, teachers, yellers. Coaches who go with the latest fads on drills and systems, or coaches that still only use the system they learned as a kid.

What makes a coach successful? Growing up my favorite coaches yelled at me, made me run, and taught me the details I craved. They broke me down, but always built me back up. They benched the star for making a bad play, and rewarded the last guy on the bench for making a good play. Playing time was never fair, but it was understood, and earned.

What makes for a good coach?

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