Is It Worth It?

A few months back a well respected hockey lifer suggested I write about the following.

“Parents, what you are paying for?Does the amount of money spent on training for your son or daughter equate to the results it should & translate into their continuing development and upward progress in the Minor Hockey system?”

At first I was extremely hesitant and down right refused to take it on. Nevertheless, it’s a valid question and one that should be discussed and debated.

Are you getting what you paid for and when and how will you ever know?

When it boils right down to it, the question remains a personal and individual decision. In the hockey world any individual decision is enough for a heated debate and that’s exactly why we will never truly know the answer to those questions.

I guess another way of asking the question would be, was it a good investment?

We can never fully gauge that question as well because the bonds and friendships made surrounding the game is truly remarkable.

Another way we could reform the question would be, “Are we getting ripped off right now, is this really worth it?”

What’s the true value of the game of hockey and trying to reach the elite levels of it?

Again that’s a personal question and the answer to that one can only be assessed and evaluated at the end of the journey or long after the end of the kids playing days.

The cost of the game is truly outlandish, so how can anyone truly evaluate and realistically assess its value?

If the hockey lifers question revolves the around “extra” training than again it all goes back to the individual and how deep their pockets are. We all know where the game is trending and it’s so wrong. Hockey has become and will be forever moving forward a rich persons game, which is a sad reality and a shame.

The games hierarchical system should be fundamentally based on the best players getting the opportunity no matter what their socio-economical background is, but as we all know that’s just not the case. We all know what the game can do for its participants. We have so many independent charities and subsidies trying to bridge the gap to allow and guarantee that every child plays the game we all love.

Is it really worth it? Who knows, but let’s hope things are going to get better and more importantly cheaper so more and more young players have an opportunity to play the game.

At the end of the day what are hockey parents paying for?

You see there’s so much bull shit and entitlement out there, that for some they don’t care one bit what they pay because they can afford it and they can “control” or potentially “control” the outcome and steer it in their favour.

What’s the true value of the game?

We will never fully know what the game means to people and those that play it, because it’s so personal. Let’s hope every kid that wants to play gets to play and that’s what it’s truly ball about!