Starting Kids in Hockey

[zooter]

So the time has come to decide whether or not we will put our boys ages 4 and 5 into hockey. I was hoping to get a real world idea from hockey parents. I've heard it can consume your life and free time. Is that true? Are you always shuttling the kids to games, practices and tournaments?

Growing up I always wanted to play organized hockey, but my parents could not afford it, thankfully I would be able to, and I don't want to deny them the opportunity I never had.

So what's it like as a "hockey parent?"

[asp integra]

I can't exactly answer this question as I am not a hockey parent, but as soon as I have kids and they are of age, I will be. Growing up playing hockey was one of the best things for me as a kid. You make lifelong friends, learn about teamwork and so many other great life skills.

Yes, you will be at the rink a lot, but when you see the smile on your kids face it will all be worth it, not to mention you will meet many other great hockey parents as well. You essentially become a big hockey family.

[firebane]

Don't do it just because YOU want it for the kid. That will only cause issues down the road. If the kid wants to do it then it will work out well for everyone.

Discuss it with your kids first.

[NoPulp]

I never had the opportunity to play hockey either. My girlfriends family on the other hand is very ice sport involved (ringette and hockey). What I see with their lives is it very much revolves around the sport. It does take a big commitment.

It doesn't seem like a bad thing though. They all seem to enjoy watching/playing the sport, travelling and the social aspect. It seems like you become really good friends with the other hockey parents.

So if you can afford it + have time, your kids want to do it and you would enjoy the social aspect... go for it. Just don't become one of those crazy hockey parents that expects their 8 year old to play in the NHL.

[Kobe]

Originally posted by asp integra
I can't exactly answer this question as I am not a hockey parent, but as soon as I have kids and they are of age, I will be. Growing up playing hockey was one of the best things for me as a kid. You make lifelong friends, learn about teamwork and so many other great life skills.

Yes, you will be at the rink a lot, but when you see the smile on your kids face it will all be worth it, not to mention you will meet many other great hockey parents as well. You essentially become a big hockey family.

This, pretty spot on IMO, I loved it but I didn't appreciate the practices as a kid, I never understood (as a kid) why the hell we did drills but I had fun.

Originally posted by firebane
Don't do it just because YOU want it for the kid. That will only cause issues down the road. If the kid wants to do it then it will work out well for everyone.

Discuss it with your kids first.

This also, when I started out I loved it but than the 6am practice times and shit killed me as a kid and I just wanted to sleep in some times and I really loved snowboarding in the winter as well, I ended up giving up hockey to snowboard, no regrets about that but I kinda wish i still played once in awhile after that, kind of just gave it up completely when I quit playing on a team..

[Clever]

I put both my stepsons in hockey at that age, the oldest played until peewee but had to stop because he was suppose to go to his dad's every other weekend in a different city and would miss every other game or practice. His brother only did timbit hockey, he didn't like it as much when he started but picked it up again once he got better at skating. He is currently in a hockey program at school and is in grade 7 and he loves it. My oldest step son said he wished he could've stayed in league, he plays outdoor hockey to this day and loves it.

We as a family enjoyed everything about our boys playing hockey at such a young age, yes there was a lot of early morning practices, it could take up a lot of your weekend time, and it could get pretty expensive but for us it was all worth it. It could get pretty hectic with other parents as some think that their kid is the next Crosby, but if you can ignore the drama and focus on the kids I think every parent would enjoy it. I have a six year old daughter who recently told us that she wants to play hockey so she will be trying out next year.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by firebane
Don't do it just because YOU want it for the kid. That will only cause issues down the road. If the kid wants to do it then it will work out well for everyone.

Discuss it with your kids first.

Exactly, some kids could completely not give a crap about playing hockey or even sports in general (I played basketball from grade 7 thru 10, was shit at it, but damn if I didn't enjoy it and show up before school everyday to play)

But soccer blew

[C_Dave45]

I grew up in and around the hockey rink. Started playing when I was 4. Hockey was my entire life.
My son started playing when he was 7. And I coached as well.
Now, it's my sister turn who has her son in hockey. She is at the rink or doing rink-related stuff at least 4 days a week. That's just one boy.

Your whole life will revolve around hockey. The cost will continually get larger and larger.
The better he is/gets, the more expensive it will cost. TimBits hockey is around a grand per kid. Then there's equipment. Then each parent is required to do fund raising. Then tournaments. Then summer hockey school. Power skating. Practices. My sisters boy just had a practice the other day...at 6:00 am. He's 8.

Once he gets older, if he is good enough to get to the point of playing Midget AAA, you're looking at around $10,000 per year, per kid. All to come to an end when he's around 19.

Is it worth it? Yes. Will he go anywhere beyond minor hockey? About the same percent of you winning the lottery.

I wouldn't have wanted mine or my boys childhood any other way!

[killramos]

Get your kid into something cheaper and less likely to take over their and your lives.

Like crack.

[R!zz0]

It's a lot of work man. Sometimes you got to get up at 6:00 - 6:30 AM on weekends. My son doesn't get to sleep in on weekends because of hockey. I volunteer and i have to pay for taking RIS coaches course and police checks. (That's just one time though) That's not including an extra $200 for tournaments. My Son loves hockey and that's why i am sucking it up. It's much different now than when i was playing for 7 clubs.

Your kids know how to skate? If not, my advice to you is skating lessons. It'll really give them the confidence if they're good skaters especially around other kids there age. Both my 6 year old and my 2 year old will be taking skating lessons. My 6 year old knows how to skate, but i want him to take some lessons so he becomes really comfortable with other fast kids.

[zooter]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yeah we have them in skating lessons. It's a good skill to learn anyways even if they don't take up hockey.

[Z_Fan]

Most kids who don't already play hockey with their friends still may love to play hockey. In the first couple of years, hockey can't be a choice a 5 year old just makes. Kids playing in Timbits are simply too young to make the decision as to whether or not they really want to play in the first place - and more importantly - keep playing. So if they want to play hockey and ask you - get them enrolled. If you want them to play and they haven't asked, enroll them anyhow!

In the first couple of years, you get a lot of early ass ice times. They suck. A lot of kids hate that and it makes them want to not play. You keep taking them. After 2-3 years at least, when they are in 2nd year Novice kind of thing, then let them decide. If they are on the fence, enroll them anyhow. If you wake your kid up, and he/she says "is it a game or a practice?" you're actually doing fine because for a game they'll get up! But you get them up for the practice too as that's how everyone gets better.

Once your kids have 3 or 4 years in organized hockey or ringette, the ice times get better, the skills get better, they have a lot of fun and are starting to be old enough (9-10) where they know whether they want to play - I think if you quit these sports early on because your kid doesn't want to get up early, you probably made the wrong choice.

It costs approximately $2.5k per year per child to play Hockey or Ringette once they are in the 7-8 year old age range. A bit less for the first couple years as there typically are all the out of town tournaments. That assumes you're buying some gear, or all of it, every year (or other year) and that you're enrolled in competitive organized hockey (which community hockey very much is) - most teams will want to do several tournaments and those are typically 2-3 days often in another location. I like to budget $400 per tournament for food/hotel/etc - and then you've typically got between $800 and $1000 per kid to register. So easily you will spend $2k per child per year...this will go WAY up if you play serious summer hockey and/or as your kids get older and are playing top tier.

Enroll your kids. It's fun - it's not really about making the NHL - it's about making friendships, developing skills, fitness, and a life long activity you can play and have fun with.