August 23rd was my first time back in the rink. Acadie-Bathurst Titan vs the Moncton Wildcats, exhibition game at the Miramichi Civic Centre.
I was thrilled to be back.
I’m excited and looking forward to the upcoming season, but one brief conversation with a longtime friend and scout really put things in perspective that night and continued to solidify my thoughts on the game and specialization.
“How’s your summer been?,” he asked.
“Well, this is my first time back in the rink.”
“How does that feel, were you looking forward to coming back,”he said.
“It’s great to be back,” I said.
“Can you imagine, how some of these young kids feel, they never experience that feeling because they’re stuck in the rink for twelve months a year,” he said.
Obviously, everyone in the game from a fan, to a coach or a scout realizes that aspiring players will have to specialize and focus on their path and career in the game. We are all well aware of the sacrifices these players and their families make to try to reach their dreams in the game.
I’ve written a lot of articles about player development over the years and this exact topic, but a text message from Paul Boutilier which inspired me to write “For the Love of the Game” still resonates with me.
Here’s the link to that article,
I’ve discussed my three foundational questions (What Does the Game Mean to You? Where do you want the game to take you? What are you doing evert day to get better?) countless times, but it’s incredibly important for players and their families to discuss and answer those questions before embarking on a specialized path within the game. Here are another few questions that they should discuss.
Why do you play the game?
Is the game still fun?
Do you love the game?
Wishing all of the minor hockey players the best of luck as they embark on a new journey within the game this season. I hope everyone has a great season. I hope the game is still fun for everyone, I hope they love going to the rink and are thrilled and excited to get there!
See you at the rink,
FDS Sports Blog 
Not for my son. After having a great U18 AAA trout, best goalie by far even outperforming their starter, he was released before even getting to play a preseason game. I don’t know how you can evaluate based on 4 ice sessions, 2 practices and 2 intersquad games. He was told at his release he was too old for this team. He’s 16.
They said had you been here last year we would’ve taken you then. That a blatant lie as they released him before tryouts to go tryout at other teams because they had their goalies signed.
In the following days I reached out to coaches and managers from around the other local leagues and they all heard the same thing. 3 of the evaluators just don’t like him. Oh, he can play, but not on this team.
It’s sad, because his dream in the last 3 years was to just play in 1 Monctonian. In front of all our family from NB and more importantly, in front of the AGA crew he’s worked with since he was 7 years old.
He said it bothered him that all the kids in the rooms were all talking about how they were all going to the NHL or European elite league, and here’s me working my butt off trying to keep my composure and focus so I could get a chance to play just one game in Moncton. Well, that dream is gone now.
He’s now debating if he’s even “good enough” to play high school this year.
In his past 2 high school seasons he had a 0.932% save percentage, 2.18 GAA 8 shutouts (most in league) no shootout losses 6 and no OT losses 2. In 52 games played ( incl tournaments).
I think he’ll be fine high school.
All his goalie coaches want him to attend Jr.A tryouts next season as they’re confident he has skill & ability, but he believes that since he can’t even get through a full tryout for U18 he’s “washed up” .
It’s sad when petty politics ruin a pretty good kid, just to satisfy their egos.
I’m going to encourage him and he’ll him through this high school season and introduce him to maybe playing for leagues in the USA or Europe. In the end he’s probably better off not playing for a AAA team like that.
Have a great season everyone!
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