The problem with youth sports is most often, the adults.

"If an athlete is defined by his approach; his poise, his plan, his focus and his physical control, then, as parents, what is it about our own modus operandi that defines us? Are we helping or hurting our kids by the way we go about supporting them in their hockey or other sports? Do the two methods compliment each other, or are they like fingernails to a chalkboard...or, in the case of Bruno Sisco in the book ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE, skate blades to cement?"

To read more about ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE, or other topics related to kids and sports, go to www.downfromthepeak.com.

I'll admit, I was one of 'those parents' a few weeks ago.
My son plays in a mite hockey league. It's supposed to be fun where all teams are picked equally. It's not.

Our team gets beat by 30 goals every game. The convener sees nothing wrong with this.

Many won't believe this, but I don't care that we lose. I'm actually shocked they even keep score. What bothers me is that each of the other teams has one, or two kids that can go end-to-end anytime they want. They score between 10 and 15 goals every week.

Nobody else touches the puck but them. That includes their own teammates.

So during one particular game where it was 8-0 after 2 minutes, the superstar on the other team was winding up for another rush up the ice when one of our players tried to steal the puck and ended up clipping him at the legs instead. The superstar fell down and lost the puck. I cheered. Yes, it wasn't my finest moment.

It's not the superstars fault. He's doing what all the other kids want to do.
My problem is that why is this kid in our mite division? He should be in a division above ours competing against kids in his own skill class.
You want to know why he isn't? Because his parents don't want him there. They want him to score 200 goals during the season. This is the same sentiment echoed by all the parents of each superstar in the league.
They see nothing wrong with putting their kids into skating programs at the ripe age of 2-years old (one parent had their kid in one at 18 months).
So by the time they've reached mite hockey, they've had 4 years of on-ice instruction at 10 to 12 months per year.

And not one of them tells their kid to start passing after they've scored 3 goals. And in almost every case, the kid always goes back to take the faceoff after they've scored, so they can push the puck ahead, go thru everyone and score another goal. That's how it got to be 8-0 after less than 2 minutes. Did the parents tell him to get out of the faceoff dot? No. How about the other teams coach? No.
They want to win worse than anyone.

So what happens is their teams only get 7 kids out every week. My son's team, which is equal across the board, but without a superstar, has a full bench each week.
Why? Because our kids know they have equal opportunity. Not the other teams. Those kids and parents have figured out they'll never see the puck the whole game.

So while I should have been removed from the arena for cheering the demise of a 6-year-old, there's a reason for my over exuberance.

I really don't care about scores and wins and I think it's ludicrous that we keep track of that stuff for kids at that age. All the kids should have equal opportunity to grow and learn the game and succeed. This isn't an elite team where Johnny doesn't get equal playing time, nor is it a team full of 12-year-olds.
This is a league made for first-time players who are just learning to play.
There shouldn't be any room for kids that dominate so thoroughly that only 6 players out of 60 have the puck 95% of the time.
And if parents are obsessed with creating one of these little hockey gods, then they should be prepared for the consequences, such as moving their kids up to levels that reflect that skill and not their age or experience.

Thank-you.

Jensen Beach Fl, coach defamation case