Issues with bad hockey parents! Help!

[JJ Thompson94 0]

USA hockey sets rules, but it's really up to each rink to uphold those rules. If you complain to the coach, the admins, or the rink and nothing substantial happens, in theory you can contact USA hockey but I'm sure they get so many complaints like this, I can't imagine what they could really do.

[biff44 0]

Hockey can be a rough sport. There is usually some guy out on the ice who is bigger and meaner than you. You can shield you kid when he is smaller by talking to the coach, etc. But as he gets older, especially when his is doing travel hockey, you are not going to be there. So it is best for him to learn some coping mechanisms. Smaller players that get ahead are the ones who are "too fast to catch". Big players can whale on your kid ONLY if they can grab hold of him. So, the first thing I would do is see if you could do something to improve his speed. One thing that helped my kid immensly was some skating lessons from the local figure skating instructor. Once he got the skating dynamics part down, he was suddenly much faster and agile. While they are young, the kids that can skate the best are the ones who score the most, because they can concentrate on play making, and not on just getting from point A to point B.

Another thing is to teach him to keep his head on a swivel, and not do silly things, like go straight into the corners without being aware of who is barrelling in behind him. Even in these "no check" kids leagues, there is a lot of checking from behind and boarding going on. He has to be aware.

[Chadd 916]

Hockey can be a rough sport. There is usually some guy out on the ice who is bigger and meaner than you. You can shield you kid when he is smaller by talking to the coach, etc. But as he gets older, especially when his is doing travel hockey, you are not going to be there. So it is best for him to learn some coping mechanisms. Smaller players that get ahead are the ones who are "too fast to catch". Big players can whale on your kid ONLY if they can grab hold of him. So, the first thing I would do is see if you could do something to improve his speed. One thing that helped my kid immensly was some skating lessons from the local figure skating instructor. Once he got the skating dynamics part down, he was suddenly much faster and agile. While they are young, the kids that can skate the best are the ones who score the most, because they can concentrate on play making, and not on just getting from point A to point B.

Another thing is to teach him to keep his head on a swivel, and not do silly things, like go straight into the corners without being aware of who is barrelling in behind him. Even in these "no check" kids leagues, there is a lot of checking from behind and boarding going on. He has to be aware.

This isn't a hockey game, this is a skills clinic. There is no reason for anyone to act like that in this situation.

[starsfan71 9]

I agree there is no way a child should be doing that in a skills seminar. And A PARENT telling his child to do these things just blows my mind, the guy sounds like a total tool. I help with learn to skate classes and what we call hockey 1 and hockey 2 classes and see these things from time to time. (well not really with the Parent encouraging it) If it's a bunch of teenagers coaching the seminar like the one I help with I would talk to the rink manager, but if it's adults or college age instructors I would confront the coaches first.

Hope this doesn't discourage your kid from playing at all.

[ndlancer95 0]

poor kid. Hope he's okay. I can't believe parents like this. They do not truly love the game