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This is a simple matter regardless of age or level (AAA/AA or A). The truth is that there are some kids who are just superior athletes and they don't need as much practice as others -- it isn't fair, but that's life. That's why Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Brian Jordan exist and why Dave Winfield was drafted in three sports and Tom Glavine in two, including hockey. (Heaven forbid he missed any hockey practices! -- he might have been booted from his 13 y/o team!) To address the situation there has to be full communication regarding what you will miss and when, so that the coach can plan accordingly. Beyond that, play as many sports as you want. Make it to as many practices as you can and make it to all games in season and are fair to both sports out of season. As long as you know what we are trying to accomplish, understand what we are teaching and can perform, then you play in games. It's that simple. I am not going to penalize a stellar athlete because he doesn't need as much practice as some other parents' kid (and those are the ones who typically complain the loudest -- "it's not fair, Johnny should play more because Johnny's been to every practice"). It's not about practice, it's about performance. If missing practices puts you behind, if you don't understand the powerplay we are running or the penalty kill, don't expect to be on those teams. If you cannot perform, then you will not play -- not because you missed practice, but because missing practice has put you behind. If you can perform, regardless of age or level, then you play -- simple as that.
"The ****'n machine took my quarter!"
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Bad2Play:
I respect your position, but I must also diagree with (some) of your arguements.
Unquestionably, there are terrific players on every hockey club who are superior athletes. But to make the statement that they don't need to practice as much as others and all that they have to do is 'perform' is ludicrous.
Most high-achieving hockey teams are usually built with talented personnel, there's no question about that. But certainly, not all championship teams are built that way. Perhaps the single most important ingredient to ANY successful hockey club is what's known as "team chemistry." Not practicing as much and showing up to play on talent alone is an admirable trait for those than can pull-it-off. But again, what does that teach our kids? What about the "fairness" aspect? What kind of message does that send to the 3rd-liner who works his butt-off, but rides-the-pine in the 3rd period because "Stud-McGee" is a better athlete? What is the incentive for that kid to keep working hard? I played on three Junior A clubs (and a D-1 college team) where everyone was expected to show-up and perform. Many a time some of the top-guns sat while the grinders gutted-it-out because the star was lazy, went through the motions at practices, or thought he was 'better than the rest.'
Ice hockey is a game that mirrors life in so many ways. A microcosm, if you will. Sure, it's nice to win championships and get scholarships - and all of that good stuff. But we in the hockey community HAVE to look at the bigger picture if we want to truly be the mentors and leaders of our young children.
Hard work, persevearance, heart and dedication is what this great game is all about. Simply coming to the rink, lace'n-em-up, and performing well is not always good enough. Oh sure, for those rare athletes like Bo and Deion, that may work ... but I bet if you read their biographies, they were running from pillar-to-post in each of their overlapping seasons to make as many practices as they possible could when they were younger.
As my former legendary coach Bill White used to say, "Hard work will beat talent if talent doesn't work."
'Nuff said.
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| Posts: 24 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 25, 2005 |
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quote: Originally posted by Icer21:
Unquestionably, there are terrific players on every hockey club who are superior athletes. But to make the statement that they don't need to practice as much as others and all that they have to do is 'perform' is ludicrous.[QUOTE]
It's not ludicrous, it's life. "Don't tell me how hard you have worked, tell me what you accomplished." That's life.
[QUOTE]Not practicing as much and showing up to play on talent alone is an admirable trait for those than can pull-it-off. But again, what does that teach our kids? What about the "fairness" aspect? What kind of message does that send to the 3rd-liner who works his butt-off, but rides-the-pine in the 3rd period because "Stud-McGee" is a better athlete? What is the incentive for that kid to keep working hard?[QUOTE]
It teaches him/her the reality of life: That life isn't fair. Was it fair when my roommate could go out drinking all night before the test while I had to study, but we got the same grade? Was it fair that he could dunk, but was shorter than me? Was it fair that Michael Jordan's brother was a better athlete, but several inches shorter? What you are teaching is that you don't compete against "him", you compete against yourself and THAT's why you worked hard in the offseason. That's life. If you stop working hard because someone will always be better than you with less effort, then you will quit in all aspects of life. "Why work hard, someone will always make more than me, live better than me, have a bigger house, nicer car, etc."? That's life. You teach them to compete with themselves.
[QUOTE]I played on three Junior A clubs (and a D-1 college team) where everyone was expected to show-up and perform. Many a time some of the top-guns sat while the grinders gutted-it-out because the star was lazy, went through the motions at practices, or thought he was 'better than the rest.'[QUOTE]
He didn't perform -- he sat. You proved my point. But had he performed, do you think the fans or the school CARE whether he was at practice? Of course not. In the end the point is the same, each player needs to ask themselves, "what do I need to do to perform my best?" Then, as Nike would say, "Just Do It." Envying the person to whom it came easy, or who doesn't need as much practice isn't going make you any better.
[QUOTE]Ice hockey is a game that mirrors life in so many ways. A microcosm, if you will. Sure, it's nice to win championships and get scholarships - and all of that good stuff. But we in the hockey community HAVE to look at the bigger picture if we want to truly be the mentors and leaders of our young children.[QUOTE]
I submit it is you who has lost sight of the big picture and that reality is no one cares how many balls Tiger hits at the practice range, how hard you worked on your client presentation or whether the article you wrote came easy or required a battle with writer's block -- in the end "they" ONLY care on whether you perform. Period. That, my friend, is life. What virtually everyone finds out though, is to compete in bigger and bigger fishbowls requires even the naturally talented to work harder and harder to perform. Then, maybe it will require a 100% commitment to perform -- then we would all be in agreement. But shipping a kid back to house hockey is not the answer.
[QUOTE] As my former legendary coach Bill White used to say, "Hard work will beat talent if talent doesn't work."
Sure, everyone should work hard and realize their potential and it's a nice quote and certainly a platitude to share with a team of Mites, but it's an overbroad generalization like all platitudes. We all know that sometimes, no matter how hard you work, you won't beat talent -- that's life. That's why you strive to be the best that YOU can be. In the end, I stand by my original representation -- if requiring performance is the measuring stick, it will fix the problem every time.
"The ****'n machine took my quarter!"
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I'm glad the subject has gotten everyone talking. Good subject and it hits home.
A few points that I would like to make.
1. Hockey has gotten to the point that you cannot play travel hockey and have room to play anything else. This includes even the youngest kids.
My son's hockey season last year went two weeks into the start of baseball practices and the soccer season (which he is playing now at the rec. level) is going to go into the hockey start up for a couple weeks. My son has always chosen to miss the soccer practices and games that conflict with hockey.
I'm not sure of any sport that hockey doesn't conflict with since hockey goes for many up to April.
You can say all you want that if you make the Travel committment you need to be at everything, but when a hockey season goes 7 or more months for even the youngest players some accomadations have to be made.
2. Not sure how it works where everyone else lives, but travel hockey players playing in rec is very much frowned upon. There are House/Rec parents who call our Hockey Org Commissioner to complain when a travel player plays down in just the spring leagues. His phone rings off the hook with complaints when kids who should be on a travel squad but aren't and never even tried out
3. With my son and my oldest son's past teams, it seems that the only parents that complain about practice participation are the parents who have kids who do not play on the power play or PK. They bring up who isn't at the practices and use the excuse that "it hurts the team". The only thing that is brought up is "THey should get less ice time" but when these same players don't show up at a game, they are happy as can be because it means their kids get more ice time for that game. Never have heard a third liner parent complain once about a kid missing a game but for some reason they bring up when these PowerPlay players miss a practice. CANT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS
4. I hate to say this but it's true. When I called his coach for advice for next season (if my son does football it will be in 2006) his coach said Paraphrasing (If it comes between choosing to play on my team next year and playing house hockey, choose my team, I'll work with you. I can't lose a top three player.)
5. Not sure how AAA keeps being brought up. Never asked it and only one person seems to be fixated on it. I agree if you make a commitment to AAA yes you better be at every function, practice, dryland, game, meeting, etc.
6. Blake Wheeler (1st round draft pick for the Coyotes last year) played both football and hockey for his high school. I think we can all agree that Minnesota takes hockey very serious. So with some of the logic that I am reading here, He didn't give his team the commitment he should have (He missed quite a few of the teams dryland and captains only skates) and his coach allowed his star player to give less than 100%.
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| Posts: 19 | Location: Dayton | Registered: April 06, 2005 |
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Bad2Play,
Wow ... nice retort! It's pretty clear that the "reality" in which you're existing is in a different paradigm than most of us old-fashioned idealists.
Yes, life is not fair. Yes, nobody cares how hard you work. Yes, results are where it's "at" in the end. Kids will learn that soon enough (and probably most of it coming from outside the athletic world), wouldn't you agree?
But what about teaching children "what's right, and what's wrong?" What about teaching them the value of hard work, and the virtues associated with enjoying the "fruits of your labor?"
Interesting that you never mentioned anything about team make-up and/or chemistry ... it would also be interesting to see how you would have faired in Junior's or college with that attitude, because I can speak from experience in saying that you'd be awefully loney achieving your desired "results."
But after all, that's life, isn't it?
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| Posts: 24 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 25, 2005 |
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