A little light on practices

One of the challenges with teenage minor hockey is getting the kids out to practice.
Part-time jobs, homework (especially for university-bound kids in their final year of high school) and CTA (Classic Teenage Attitude) all conspire to keep them away.
With my son's team on a three-game losing streak, including a game Monday night where they were awful for two periods, you would think attendance would be high at this week's practice.
Not so. Six skaters and one goalie were there as the team prepares to play Sarnia on Saturday, one of the best in the league.
Maybe it was the coach's threat of bag skating.
One could point out how it's unfair to teammates, to the volunteer coaches, yadda, yadda, yadda. It would be a pointless conversation if done live. Maybe if it were texted they'd pay attention.
At this point, at this competitive level, one just smiles and hopes they arrive at games willing to play hard.
After all, Mario Lemieux rarely practised, either.