Random observations about hockey

[Chadd 916]

my local rinks have a kids first program where they give you all the gear you need to play and let you try it for 8 weeks. If you like it and want to continue to play you pay 200 and get to keep the gear and play the rest of the season!

The local rink used to have that type of program when they still ran the pro shop. Now that my old shop has taken over, you pay full boat for gear and ice time.

[iceNsteel 0]

I think you also have to consider that there are many families where mom and dad might be able to afford hockey on paper, but just aren't willing to make the lifestyle sacrafices for youth sports. That couple grand a year in gear and ice time fees is the difference in driving a nice car, or an okay car. Going on a vacation, or not going on one, and that kind of thing.

[tareatingrat 4]

I think you also have to consider that there are many families where mom and dad might be able to afford hockey on paper, but just aren't willing to make the lifestyle sacrafices for youth sports. That couple grand a year in gear and ice time fees is the difference in driving a nice car, or an okay car. Going on a vacation, or not going on one, and that kind of thing.

Of course, I'm not talking about you specifically. In general, though:

I can understand not wanting to change your lifestyle, as that's pretty much the reason I don't want kids.

But if you do have them, I would really hope that wanting a nicer car or a vacation isn't the reason you don't enroll them in sport.

Unfortunately, I think you're right.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Of course, I'm not talking about you specifically. In general, though:

I can understand not wanting to change your lifestyle, as that's pretty much the reason I don't want kids.

But if you do have them, I would really hope that wanting a nicer car or a vacation isn't the reason you don't enroll them in sport.

Unfortunately, I think you're right.

In a lot of cases, you're cancelling the vacation for all three of your kids to let one of them play hockey. My parents struggled with this a lot when we were growing up, because my brother would make all-stars in baseball and it seemed every year they would make a run in the tournaments through June and July and threaten our family vacation at the end of July. They were worried about whether to cancel the vacations, let him stay with someone else to keep playing (hated the idea of going without him) or telling him to leave the team and come with us (hated that idea too). We got lucky though, and they would always lose just in time but I could see where it would be tough to draw the line.

[tareatingrat 4]

^^^

That's a little different, and it's understandable when the parents are trying for a family vacation.

[iceNsteel 0]

I'm greatful that I got to play hockey starting at the mite level. But I also have to recongize that both my parents had six figure jobs, so they didn't really have to give up anything. For people that don't have that kind of money I get it: there are many other sports out there for the kids that don't have the price tag hockey does. I also think there's more to it than just money usually. It's the traveling all over hell for games and tournaments. When you've got kids that don't play hockey it's pretty unfair to cancel their weekends, vacations, and opportunities to play other sports to meet the needs of the kid that plays hockey.

[n3ss 0]

2. The guys at pick-up/drop-in who have the best gear tend to not be the best players. Conversely, the guy with the old

gear usually rips

this might just be obvious to me, but if a guy sucks has gear thats new/in goodcondition, its probably because.... hes new to the sport? bought all new stuff because he didn't have old stuff to use? bought higher end gear because he fell for a nice description on some website? Hasn't been playing long enough for requipment to wear? IDK, its just me. I've been playing for a year and most of my equipment still looks pretty new, with the exception of maybe my pants and shin guards.

[iceNsteel 0]

this might just be obvious to me, but if a guy sucks has gear thats new/in goodcondition, its probably because.... hes new to the sport? bought all new stuff because he didn't have old stuff to use? bought higher end gear because he fell for a nice description on some website? Hasn't been playing long enough for requipment to wear? IDK, its just me. I've been playing for a year and most of my equipment still looks pretty new, with the exception of maybe my pants and shin guards.

Yeah, I'm in the same place on this one. If you just started playing where are you going to acquire old gear? Even places like Play It Again Sports will only take fairly current used gear, and I personally wouldn't buy used hockey stuff so I don't see why anyone else would. I would also imagine that guys at the local hockey shop are going to try and steer adults into the higher range (and higher profit level) gear.