10 Reasons Why Your Child Should Be Playing Hockey

10 Reasons Why Your Kid Should Play Hockey…

1. Team Play: Playing hockey is a great way for your kid to learn about teamwork. Being on a team with other players gives your kid a chance to learn about how a team can come together and work towards a common goal. Passing, communicating and encouraging each others are skills that should be taught while playing on a team

2. Dealing with Adversity: Everything in life doesn’t always go your way nor will it happen for your little hockey player. Losing games, getting penalties, not scoring or getting scored against are things that occur in hockey games. Not making a travel team is another chance to help your kid learn a lesson. These occurrences gives coaches/parents a chance to let the player know that the important thing is how they respond or react to these situations.

3. Respect for Others: Some games are won or lost by wide margins. Children can be taught to win or lose with dignity. Children are taught to shake hands and tell the other players “Good Game” regardless of the outcome.

4. Fitness: Childhood obesity is on the rise. With computers, video games, cell phones and other technological advances children are less active than they use to be. Physical exercise has many advantages and should be stressed at young ages. One hour of skating is plenty of exercise for a day and will most likely leave your child soaked in sweat.

5. Work ethic: Hockey players learn how to develop a solid work ethic. Ice time is 50 or 80 minutes long and coaches don’t like to waste valuable ice time. Players are taught to skate hard to the coach when a whistle is blown and quickly get set for the next drill in practices. In games coaches constantly use the quote “the hardest working team wins”.

6. Tournaments: Every year most teams play in tournaments. These tournaments allow the players a great chance to spend time together and get know each other. There is much time spent together at the rinks, restaurants or hotels. At young ages players are constantly upsetting hotel employees by playing ‘mini-sticks’ in the hall ways.

7. Not looking for trouble: Hockey takes up 2 to 4 days per week. Think of all the negative things your child can’t get into while at the rink.

8. Friendships: The teams that play well and have success have chemistry. The players on the team enjoy each other and become good friends. Players on the same team develop strong friendships with each other that last a long time.

9. Competitiveness: Competition builds strength and character even in young children. Wins and losses are valuable tools of motivation even at small levels. Watch 5 or 6 year old hockey players race for the puck and you will see the value of competitiveness.

10. Windshield Time: The term was coined by a hockey parent to describe the hours of travel time to and from hockey rinks with his child. While sitting in your car, it is a great time to talk with your child about whatever is going on in his/her life.