Navigation Nightmare
Everyone is in a hurry these days. It’s warp speed or nothing. If things don’t happen when some people want it or assume it has to happen they instantly blame others for it and start searching for answers. Those that stay the course are often considered to be an after thought and ultimately end up second guessing every move they make along the way. Obviously, many of the answers for those “entitled hockey people” that blame others can be found when they look in the mirror, but somehow they ultimately find a way to climb hockey’s elite and political ladder.
Everyone wants answers, everyone wants results especially when you’re paying for it or are part of elite hockey. One can only imagine how difficult it must be when all the time and money invested to play the game these days only to have a less than stellar experience.
Clearly every parent wants the best for their child, that’s only normal and very expected when it comes to the game of hockey and if things didn’t go as expected one year the hope is that it will never be experienced again, that’s why it’s so hard for some people to stay the course. They don’t know who to believe or trust, there is so much uncertainty out there in the hockey world, they don’t know what course or direction to take. They’re lost. Isn’t it ironic that the majority of the entitled hockey parents and players are dead set on which option or direction to take. Don’t worry they have been playing all of the backchannel overtures the entire way through. Their kid might be worthy and ultimately deserving of being where they are right now, but the sense of entitlement is still something to behold.
Staying the course can be hell for non entitled hockey players and parents. We all know there’s no guarantees, but it’s hard to stay the course when spots on teams, ice time and promises are made and subsequently kept for a select few other than the masses. Obviously, everyone knows the drill or do they? The hockey world is incredibly difficult to navigate at the best of times, but one can only imagine how hard it is to stay the course. Everyone gets anxious near the beginning and end of the season because of the uncertainty that the next level, growth or developmental process might have on their kid. That’s why so many hockey folk are constantly searching for answers or the correct path or direction to take. In some cases the hockey world has pounced on that uncertainty and have created a multitude of opportunities for players and parents. It’s not much wonder why the political and entitled aspects of the game arise when you see how some minor hockey provincial teams are selected and how some minor hockey associations are run.
Double Standards
It’s incredibly difficult to stay the course when double standards exist.
Case in point, the young highly talented multi sport athlete.
Everyone in the game these days from the best agents to all of the best players preach multi sport participation, but in many cases that’s held against these players especially in the “silly season” ie. spring and summer.
One can only imagine how difficult that would be to hear
“oh you should play two or more sports, but at some point here you have to decide.”
Like holy shit people, kids are deciding when they’re 13 years old what sport they should focus on or specialize in. Funny thing is if they don’t focus on hockey during the summer season they automatically are classified as if “they don’t want it anymore.” Don’t believe me, ask around, it’s happening, it’s complete and utter bull shit that kids and families are and have gone through that.
So on one hand we have people saying stay away from the rink in the “silly season” while we have other hockey gurus saying, “oh the off season is critical for growth and player development.”
How the hell can anyone feel comfortable “staying the course” or “trusting the process” in an environment like that?
Spring and summer shouldn’t be about evaluations, they shouldn’t count against a player. Hell that’s what training camp and tryouts are for.
Could you imagine a coaching staff making personnel/player decisions in June, July and August?
Just think about that for a minute and how crazy that sounds when it comes to minor hockey, but it happens all of the damn time and it’s probably happening a lot more in this day and age for a plethora of reasons.
Players are getting signed in April directly after their season ends for the following year. Again, we all know why it’s happening because of so many different options out there. Teams and organizations are trying to ice the best possible teams and snatch up all of the best players they can before some decide to “jump ship” so to speak.
Again that’s another reason why it’s hard to stay the course for some players and hockey parents because they can read the writing or political bull shit on the wall.
Could you imagine how crazy it would be for parents and players that aren’t part of the “hockey clique” to try to stay the course?
Now that’s a mission impossible!
I’ve had the absolute honour and privilege of documenting some amazing stories over the years especially those focused on trusting the process and staying true to their own unique path within the game. Those players and families have experienced so much within the game of hockey on so many different levels.
They stayed the course or deviated course even when it seemed impossible. Their persistence and resiliency in either setting was simply awe inspiring.
“Stay the course” can mean a lot of things for a lot of different people.
Some organizations decide to stay the course when it comes to their coaching staff, that usually ends in two ways, that’s a story for another day.
Some hockey parents and players put all of their trust in certain people within the game in effort to stay the course.
Sometimes when we stay the course it can be incredibly rewarding.
Sometimes when we feel compelled to stay the course we end up finding out the hard way that we needed to deviate or change our course a long time ago.
Here’s to everyone trying to navigate things right now in life and in the game of hockey.
There’s a lot of double standards out there.
Best of luck in whatever course you decide to choose.
See you at the rink, not any time soon though, but most likely when training camps start up!
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