Politics
As we enter the throes of the political season, I am reminded that there was a time when I believed that youth sports were surely devoid of the crass, painful politics of pro and collegiate sports. All those actions that agents and players and teams partake in to inappropriately skew what is supposed to be ‘a game’. My naiveté has long since passed and I realize that those professionals – and all the GM’s, coaches and handlers – are actually students of the attitudes and activities they had to endure for years during their youth. They practice what is preached to them by parents and peers for so long.
These past many months – years even – have taught me quite a bit. However, these were not lessons I longed to learn. Rather, I have repeatedly witnessed some unfortunate examples in youth hockey ‘leadership’. Coaches that would manipulate the system to ensure their own son or star player ‘got the shot’. Shortshifting lines merely because of disagreements with parents. Coaches and parents alike exhibiting poor judgement in the manner of late night drinking binges, infractions with hotel security and little or no supervision of children.
I am disappointed at the lackadaisical attitude many take toward respectfully representing our sport, our town(s) and our team(s) names. I have yet to witness that on our own teams …but I have seen frequently nonetheless.
I recall watching the intro to the NBA finals last spring and thought out loud “What a blatant and unappealing display of disrespect and sickening showmanship”. The lack of respect for team or self is what makes me abhor that sport…at least at the professional levels.
Please, fellow hockey parents, confirm for me that our own dear sport is not sliding down that dangerously slippery slope. Please tell me that we will remain a sport unfettered by doping allegations, clear of criminal convictions, and true to the team aspect that should be the cornerstone of so many sports.
I wonder, am I alone in these experiences and concerns? Am I being too judgmental or is this a cancer that is plaguing our beloved game?
January 23, 2012 at 11:27
What your describe is exactly what I see with our team. The coaches–we moved away from parent coaches–are great. However, parents keep stats and often “fudge” the data to help their kids. Parents frequently make cruel comments and alienate those they feel do not belong; not even just on ability of the players but who they like and don’t like. Before the move away from parent coaches we had playing based not even on skill but who the parents hung out with with no thought to what it was doing to the kids excluded. It has been hard enough that if my son did not like hockey so much I would have left a long time ago.
January 5, 2012 at 18:50
Coaches and players need to respect the game, the refs. Great blog check out betweenthelineshockeyandbaseball.wordpress.com
December 22, 2011 at 02:24
Hockey Mom,
Politics is a reality in hockey.
Many teams rise above the parent-coaching noise and have a wonderful atmosphere. But I have seen the other side too.
Is the sport being ruined? Perhaps not. But can this potentially ruin a team or a few players’ careers – it absolutely can. Good post.