Dreams and Junior Hockey

Another junior hockey season is coming to a close this year and this year promises to be long because my favorite team, my nephew’s Pee Wee B team, will be in the league playoffs. If they place even second place, then there will be the long trek to the southern part of California for the State Championships. These are bittersweet times for these parents and young hockey players because as the sport has been changing to be less physical and places emphasis on skill, the country and all of the world seems to be in the midst of “The Great Collapse” of the economy and they are going to have to learn some new skills to survive in the game.

I’m using an analogy of the sport changes and our economy because as the rules are changing for hockey with the referees adding more penalties for aggression and less penalties for players that exhibit more skill, the same can be said of politics if you listen to the speeches. There is less aggression towards who is right or wrong and an emphasis for sedulous work among the citizens.

“The Great Collapse” as it has become referred to as our economic bubble has burst and leads me realizing the impact this will have on the sport of junior hockey in America as it already has an elitist status because of the costs. What makes the sport expensive is the purchase of the ice time at the rink as most are privately owned and the travel costs.

As the costs of ice facilities are rising we see them closing, unless they are privately funded. Even the cities are closing the older ice rinks or selling them as their budgets are cut. So I can realize that the future of rinks in the less populated areas will have to rely on the hockey and figure skating clubs to raise their prices, thereby making the price of youth hockey become an even more expensive venture.

The major metropolitan areas will often have recreation budgets in their municipality budgets to help with the costs and sometimes these areas have lower public or private energy costs. This may lower the impact the economy has on these clubs, but nonetheless, there will be fewer kids with the opportunity to play the sport. To expect gas prices to maintain below $2.30 a gallon is unrealistic and the cost of travel could possibly double if we see gas prices spike again in the near future. This becomes an issue since most hockey parents own SUVs to haul all of that hockey gear and the kids.

Lay-offs, salary cuts, and the credit crunch, will play a part in the amount of kids able to participate in the junior hockey programs. As parents are finding themselves with less income if any income at all, many rely on credit cards or equity lines of credit to support their child’s ambitions of playing on a travel or tier team. We will see fewer teams able to play in tournaments that are often the main fundraisers for supporting the 501(3c) hockey clubs.

I have often watched a kid in a playground who will roller blade and wondered what they would be like if they had the chance to be on the ice with a stick in their hand. However, many kids will never have the opportunity because of the costs and the time it takes away from parents with busy schedules. That is a loss to our communities and I will tell you why.

The importance of sports in schools and private clubs is about what the kids learn. They learn how to be team members and part of something by working together. They learn how to be diligent at working on their own skills to the best of their abilities and how it is important to bring that to a team. They learn respect for themselves, their bodies, and their communities. In return for the most part, they earn self-respect, insight, and make relationships that are hopefully healthy. Ok at this point you might think I’m unrealistic because as a reader, you might realize that there are parents that are into the sport for themselves and they have issues. As that is true, it isn’t unrealistic to know that kids that deal with all types of personalities and issues, grow to become aware of traits they find obbrobrium.

As those are important aspects, I can’t help but believe in a very large positive fundamental point that junior hockey brings to kids, parents, clubs, and communities which is hope and dreams. There are kids that have dreams of aspiring to becoming an AAA player, a college scholarship, and even becoming a player on a NHL team. Sometimes their dreams or hope is as simple as being able to wear some cool skates. Maybe those are not realistic for most players, however, to have a dream and work towards it is realistic because along the way what they learn on the journey is the greatest reward and sometimes these dreams do come true. We should be supportive of dreams and hope.

I’m just a fan; however, I always have hoped that I will see my favorite teams bring home the trophy or even the state championship. More than anything, I really enjoy seeing the kids faces win or lose, they are living their dream and enjoying their journey.

Changes are coming and maybe not quick enough, but hopefully, hockey clubs, ice rinks, municipalities, and communities will acknowledge that more kids should have these opportunities and the game will continue to disappear if changes are not made.

I’m writing this blog because I would like to open up the subject for discussion on ways that we can make positive changes for the kid’s dreams. As I stated before, I’m just a big fan but I have hopes and dreams that perhaps the work and sacrifices that we make today and tomorrow will show the kids that there are possibilities when times get rough and collectively we can make a difference. We are being given this opportunity of “The Great Collapse” to become the change in the progress of junior hockey.

Here is one idea that I have and that is as I learn more about political lobbyist and their money, I also realize that groups can make a big lobby. Many of the rinks could use overhauls in their energy consumption and use new technology to bring the costs of energy down so the prices go down or at least maintain. If you get where I’m going, I think it would be great to see a lobby work towards raising funds to overhaul these rinks. It may be labeled as an earmark, but it isn’t a bridge to nowhere, it is a bridge towards our future.

Changing business models to something that reduces the costs of hockey would be ideal. I’m sure there are many suggestions and I would like to hear them.

If you have any ideas, please post them.