Money, Money, Money

Money, Money, Money

Money makes the world go around. Money makes the hockey world go around.

Let’s be very clear this isn’t about the pricing of programs or competitive nature of offseason workout regimes, businesses or companies, this is meant to bring awareness to an ongoing problem and perhaps a stigma that exists in the game. Believe it or not, some young kids and their families are ruthlessly criticized behind the scenes for missing offseason workouts and some even go as far to report that it might even cost them a spot on the team for the up coming season.

Now let’s just think about that for a second. Let’s think about how elitist that sounds. Welcome to the hockey world in some parts of this country. You see that’s why I’m writing this. That’s why I want to give a voice to those young minor hockey players and their parents that are working their arses off, trying to make ends meet. I’m writing this so every board member and competitive provincial hockey coach and their staff see how absurd, ridiculous and down right discriminatory this actually sounds.

Let’s get one thing very clear, not attending every elite level training session during the offseason doesn’t mean the player doesn’t want it.

Seriously though could you ever believe that being said in the hockey world during the minor hockey ranks? Well you can bet your ass it’s being said, you can bet your ass it’s being said more than you think.

“The kid doesn’t want it, they aren’t attending this camp or that session.” What a crock of shit that is? Can you imagine?

Did those arseholes or sorry other gossiping entitled hockey parents ever think that the player and their family might have to work through the off season to pay for the upcoming season.

Some people in the hockey world are so oblivious, so entitled, they just don’t get it. Before you start judging a family for not registering their kid in an elite level off season training regime one should consider that not everyone is as well off as everyone else.

Obviously, as each kid travels through the hierarchy of the hockey you meet a more unique bunch of people. That climb through the games hierarchy also gets more expensive.

Don’t worry there’s sponsorship, there’s subsidies, there’s always other opportunities.

Put yourself in the families shoes, especially when there’s bull shit rumours that turn into fact about certain players not wanting it, or not deserving of a look and consideration for a provincial team just because they didn’t attend all of the summer sessions here or there.

You see this is what makes the hockey world so messed up.

Parents want the best for their kids, they will do just about anything to do it. The entitled parents spread the rumours so their kid has the greater chance to make it while the hard working folks go in debt to try to live up to the high expectations and hierarchy of the game.

The vicious cycle continues year in and year out.

Hockey is too expensive, it’s too elitist, too cliquey and it goes without saying way too political.

To say a kid and family don’t want it, just because they can’t afford it, and that being a barrier holding a kids progression back in the game if when they are most deserving is simply unacceptable and wrong on so many levels.

Some people in the hockey world need to wake the f@&$ up and realize that their words, rumours and the lies they spew and spread can drastically impact other people’s lives.

Unfortunately money continues to divide and define the game and opportunities for some young aspiring players. It’s a barrier that needs to be broken, but more importantly the awful untruthful rhetoric needs to stop.

Every kid should be given a fair shake no matter what.

Bank account and entitlement shouldn’t determine a kids placement or lack there off on a hockey team. Talent, skill and character should always be the determining factor.