first, as a coach I have yet to find a kid that only plays one sport , not hockey or anything else. It is a myth. Every single kid I have ever coached at the aaa level has had interest at on time or another in , swimming with their friends , throwing around a ball with teamates, running up and down hallways etc, and so on. Yes these kids generally perfer hockey for whatever reason , but can can be found climbing trees and playing touch football in the parking lot. So I find that whole arguement selfserving to those that make it and appauling at best. Kids have to play another organized sport to develope as athelets--HOGWASH. Kids just need to be allowed to PLAY period , to develope period. 2nd, why is it that all these post that advocate the several sport kid , make no mention at all about teamates and how tremendously selfish making half a commitment is and disrespectful to teams and coaches.Yes, even if some dolt of a coach agrees to it. You want your kid to try AAA hockey and see if he like it,fine just one thing , use someone els's team as a testing ground. Thanks

but the hockey community - coaches who push year round development and rinks who enourage the same to keep their ice time booked - are not being selfish? BS! The Hockey season is much longer than it needs to be. One only has to look at the caliber of players produced at the northeast preps to see that a shorter season is not detrimental to development.

I am thankful more and more opportunities open up each season for my kids to practice and play in the off season. "rinks being selfish" no one is forcing your kid to attend camps and clinics. Certainly , if a kid doesnt want to do it year round they shouldnt.(and no parent should force them). However, don't think for one single moment there aren't tons of kids that WANT to skate when there is no school and ask for more and more and more ice. Are you suggesting it would be better if rinks didn't provide the opportunity? Its called freedom of choice. Boy am I tired of parents that want a shorter season and less practices and fewer travel and less games. All that is avialable in house leagues. But heaven forbid, their kid not play AAA.

LET THEM BE KIDS!!!!! This conversations started with a MITE hockey player. What were we all doing when we were 7 or 8 years old?? Making a life long commitment to one sport and missing the opportunity to play other sports and make other friends? NO. Even at a AA Mite level, most coaches will let the kids be kids and enjoy other sports. Our football coaches agreed...we had so many players on our football team that they were happy to see a few kids miss a game or two. Again, these are 7-8 year olds!! My hats off to those coaches! Let's all remember there is a thing called SCHOOL also...kids have school performances, open houses, homework and testing etc..that may occassionally take away from being on the ice or football field. I agree-older kids should be focused 100% on the ice if they are AA/AAA. But, our AA coaches at our son's young ages encouraged other sports and you know what...my boys are happy well rounded athletes that are now making choices/commitments based on their experiences.

WOW another post of the obvious "let them be kids" . Why does being a rink rat(by choice I a might add) preclude a kid from being a kid? Cause certain parents don't want to be at the rink that much or travel that much ect,. And we all agree SCHOOL is more important. What is evident here is there are always some parents that want less (less travel , less tournaments, fewer camps, fewer practices and less games)becasue is would ease their commitment . I highly doubt this is a kid speaking. In addition I have said it before and I'll say it again, there is nothing wrong with playing in house hockey.But dont wave the absurd banner of "let them be kids" or "no one from (fill in your state) is ever going to the NHL" or "What about School". Etc. This is all just a load of BS to cover the fact that some parent insist little Johnny play AAA and do it on their terms. Want less competition play house. Want shorter season play house. Want less travel play house. GET IT? Here's some more news, my kids get straight A's(as does the majority of the team) and they love to play hockey and love just being at the rink. Whats wrong with telling a kid if he wants a harder shot practice shooting everyday? According to you that would take away valuble kickball time.

When I was 8 there was no rink close by to play at nor could we afford it.

Captain, just to clarify - my kid is one of those rink rats who you have to drag out of the rink. And - you can ask those who know me - I'm not one who has problems with getting him to the rink or committing to it. I know there ae kids who live & breathe hockey and if that's their choice - fine. My son is lucky that his school provides plenty of optins via gym classes to play flag football, soccer, basketball etc. so that he is exercising all muslce groups. Not all kids have that.

But hockey, like all sports, is guilty of putting too much emphasis on all the off season things, which in turn make for a longer tthan necessary "season". Too many times parents - regardless of the sport - are afraid that if thier little Johnnie takes time off he/she may fall behind and they push them into camps without really checking what the kid wants.

That's why the prep model is something worth discussing.

Captain--you did not get my message. At age 7-8 in the MITE division a kid is just a kid. At an older age and when they make a AAA commitment, they should just play hockey. My boys now love the ice, play AAA, do well in school and commit full time to hockey. However, they are no longer Mites. Our coaches encouraged kids, being house or travel, to experience other sports at the MITE level. This is the original question this parent was asking at the start of this thread and that is what I am responding too. I am just speaking from experience. And, your words are not coming from your child either.

first, my words are only a paraphrase of my own child, who recently asked why some of his teamates(always the same ones) dont practice or attend practice as often as others. And why he hasnt seen certain kids all summer at the rink.

Second-call me crazy but a kid is always just a kid. At age 7 8 9....12..14 etc. I never said a kid should at any age play just one sport. Rather , they should do what they enjoy but, do not sign up for AAA (at any age) and assume it is ok to give anything other than %100 in all categories. Its not fair to your child , his teamates or their families. And shame on the coach that throws the part-time player more ice time than that kid he knows has been giving %115 of what he has. And that is especially true for mites/squirts.