This is one of those nights I'm glad I'm not in a rink.
Tonight, the place to be is by the fireplace and in front of the big screen TV (a Samsung, don't ever buy this brand, but I digress. Not that I'm still bitter) watching the Canadian juniors defeat the Russians in the championship.
Yes, I know the game doesn't start for more than an hour, but Canadians are confident when it comes to hockey.
No where else in the world does Major Junior hockey have such a hold on fans as in Canada. Many of the teens on Team Canada won't have highly successful pro careers (where is Justin Pogge now?) but for now they are the focus of a nation, our heroes.
Of course not every Canadian is rooting for the right team. Cheeky teen blogger Dylan McAteer makes a Facebook prediction about the Russians winning tonight. There are likely others of his ilk out there, but not many.
TSN, here we come.
Minor Hockey Moments
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
High school girls busted for duct tape tops
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| Catholic high school hockey fans show their team spirit in Windsor. (Jenna Brimner photo) |
Girls in Windsor, Ont., thought they were having appropriate fun at an annual game between rival schools last month. But when they returned to school after the Christmas break, they found their school pride duct tape tops had run afoul of sober school officials.
Taken aback by the skin show of the Catholic teens in previous years, the school had specifically banned duct tape shirts spelling out support for their team. This year's girls tried to address the concerns of administration while still keeping up the tradition by wearing conservative T-shirts under their duct tape creations.
School officials suspended the fans for a day and have put them on "watch", according to a CBC TV report.
Administrators, of course, are being boring sticks in the mud. Compared to young fans at warm weather high school football games, this was nothing. It's not an issue of wearing duct tape clothing. It's the fact the teens outsmarted and creatively addressed the concerns of school administration - and adults don't like being shown up by young people.
Lighten up. Sports is meant to be fun for fans and athletes alike.
Here's the link to the CBC website version of the story.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Midget player guilty of assault
Sometimes things get so out of hand in minor hockey, police and the courts have to get involved.
A stick offence causing injury for example
Here is this season's case from Leduc, Alberta. Details are in the Edmonton Sun.
Read it and weep - and be thankful neither child is yours.
A stick offence causing injury for example
Here is this season's case from Leduc, Alberta. Details are in the Edmonton Sun.
Read it and weep - and be thankful neither child is yours.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Blackball fears in Waterloo
Will kids blackballed if their parents speak up in opposition to the merger of elite AAA teams in Kitchener and Waterloo?
That's one of the fears according to a story in the Waterloo Region Record.
The merger plan, which would see the Major Junior Kitchener Rangers play a major role in minor hockey, has enraged parents in Waterloo, but there seems to be little feedback from Kitchener.
Is the merger plan a good idea? Maybe, if winning is the goal.
We'll wait and see if the plan becomes a reality.
That's one of the fears according to a story in the Waterloo Region Record.
The merger plan, which would see the Major Junior Kitchener Rangers play a major role in minor hockey, has enraged parents in Waterloo, but there seems to be little feedback from Kitchener.
Is the merger plan a good idea? Maybe, if winning is the goal.
We'll wait and see if the plan becomes a reality.
Former NHL coach experiences minor hockey parents
Rick Lee, the former defenceman and assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, had some interesting things to say about minor hockey when he was in Ottawa for the huge Bell Capital Cup tournament.
He was there watching his American grandchildren play and was asked by the Ottawa Citizen if he'd ever volunteer to coach a minor hockey team.
His answer?
"Not after sitting with the parents this week. You can see it in the stands that there can be animosity with parents over ice time for their kids," Ley said ....
He was there watching his American grandchildren play and was asked by the Ottawa Citizen if he'd ever volunteer to coach a minor hockey team.
His answer?
"Not after sitting with the parents this week. You can see it in the stands that there can be animosity with parents over ice time for their kids," Ley said ....
"At that age, you can't over-coach as well because you paralyse them with over-analysis. They have to have fun and that's the only way they'll learn.
"It's just as hard to coach kids as (it is) professionals."
Ley also said body contact should be banned for peewees. The Bell tournament did just that in all except the elite AAA division.
Canada's next hockey hero?
Is this 15-year-old from Nova Scotia the next Sidney Crosby? Some people are staring to make comparisons, as we read here.
It's amazing how Canada, decade after decade, produces the world's best hockey players, from Gordie Howe to Bobby Orr to Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby.
I remember when I was in university and a roommate started touting a teen from Brantford as being better than Orr. I scoffed, thinking there'd never be another player on par with Orr.
Turns out I was wrong.
Then came Crosby, the youngest captain to win a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medalist and now enjoying a dominant season that has Mario Lemieux in awe.
It's too early and not fair to label MacKinnon as the next in line. But if not him, history shows that some Canadian youngster growing up in small places such as Floral, Sask., Parry Sound, Ont., Brantford, Ont., or Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, will emerge to dominate the sport we love.
It's amazing how Canada, decade after decade, produces the world's best hockey players, from Gordie Howe to Bobby Orr to Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby.
I remember when I was in university and a roommate started touting a teen from Brantford as being better than Orr. I scoffed, thinking there'd never be another player on par with Orr.
Turns out I was wrong.
Then came Crosby, the youngest captain to win a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medalist and now enjoying a dominant season that has Mario Lemieux in awe.
It's too early and not fair to label MacKinnon as the next in line. But if not him, history shows that some Canadian youngster growing up in small places such as Floral, Sask., Parry Sound, Ont., Brantford, Ont., or Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, will emerge to dominate the sport we love.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
One in 10 minor hockey players suffer concussions
A new survey suggests one in 10 minor hockey players suffer concussions - and based on what I've seen, I'd say the findings are bang on.
It's time to be wise about concussions. Coaches, parents and players need a new level of awareness, a new level of respect.
What happens if minor hockey doesn't improve its attitude towards concussions and hits to the head? Would government step in to order a ban on body checking as a way to safeguard the health of kids?
Could happen.
Here is the latest minor hockey concussion story as posted by the Vancouver Sun.
It's time to be wise about concussions. Coaches, parents and players need a new level of awareness, a new level of respect.
What happens if minor hockey doesn't improve its attitude towards concussions and hits to the head? Would government step in to order a ban on body checking as a way to safeguard the health of kids?
Could happen.
Here is the latest minor hockey concussion story as posted by the Vancouver Sun.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Music and hockey, perfect combination
OK, maybe it's my fault. That loud music heard pumping from changerooms, maybe I got them started on the road to hearing impairment.
I was one of those parents who toted a boom box into the room to entertain and pump up the kids while getting ready for games, starting when they were 8 or 9. Geddy Lee and Rush didn't go over too well (Is that a girl singing?) and still doesn't do much for the hockey crowd. Back then, the Pokemon theme was the big tune.
Fast forward a couple of years and the novelty wore off, especially among parents. The kids commandeered the volume control and requests for rap just seemed wrong for 11-year-olds and tender ears.
Skip ahead another couple of years and it's bliss. Ipods and personal headphones have taken over and ended the throbbing public volume, arguments over song selection and calmed passing parents.
Now we're back to the public sharing of someone else's favourite tunes. Ipod docking stations are often in place with the bass turned to earthquake levels.
It's a long way from Pokemon Johto and Pikachu I Choose You.
In the spirit of changeroom music, I've added an MP3 widget on the sidebar of this blog so you can listen to classic rock tunes (at a volume of your choosing) while reading about minor hockey. You can also download the full songs for 99 cents each using my Amazon widget.
I was one of those parents who toted a boom box into the room to entertain and pump up the kids while getting ready for games, starting when they were 8 or 9. Geddy Lee and Rush didn't go over too well (Is that a girl singing?) and still doesn't do much for the hockey crowd. Back then, the Pokemon theme was the big tune.
Fast forward a couple of years and the novelty wore off, especially among parents. The kids commandeered the volume control and requests for rap just seemed wrong for 11-year-olds and tender ears.
Skip ahead another couple of years and it's bliss. Ipods and personal headphones have taken over and ended the throbbing public volume, arguments over song selection and calmed passing parents.
Now we're back to the public sharing of someone else's favourite tunes. Ipod docking stations are often in place with the bass turned to earthquake levels.
It's a long way from Pokemon Johto and Pikachu I Choose You.
In the spirit of changeroom music, I've added an MP3 widget on the sidebar of this blog so you can listen to classic rock tunes (at a volume of your choosing) while reading about minor hockey. You can also download the full songs for 99 cents each using my Amazon widget.
Winter Classic: Toronto or Montreal?
C'mon NHL. It's time for a Winter Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Rain delay aside today in Pittsburgh, the Penguins are rockin' with the organization of this year's event featuring an invitation minor hockey tournament and alumni game between the Pens and Capitals.
I'd vote for Montreal hosting the next classic - it's colder there - and the opposition just has to be the Leafs.
The minor hockey and alumni components would be a huge draw.
Check our Scott Morrison's thoughts on the Classic here.
Rain delay aside today in Pittsburgh, the Penguins are rockin' with the organization of this year's event featuring an invitation minor hockey tournament and alumni game between the Pens and Capitals.
I'd vote for Montreal hosting the next classic - it's colder there - and the opposition just has to be the Leafs.
The minor hockey and alumni components would be a huge draw.
Check our Scott Morrison's thoughts on the Classic here.
Selling the new AAA in Kitchener-Waterloo
Is the new organization of elite AAA midget hockey in Kitchener-Waterloo the way of the future? Will major junior cities such as London follow suit with a new system that has top homegrown players placed under the eye of local major junior coaches?
One wonders as the new organization starts getting traction in K-W. In a nutshell, the AAA teams in the Twin Cities are merging at the minor midget and major midget levels, creating half as many teams and bumping kids who aren't selected for AAA a level down to AA.
The Rangers say they are doing it for the good of the community and talent development, not to get the inside track on drafting local gems from minor midget.
This article from the Waterloo Region Record goes a long way in selling the new way of doing things, but tryouts for next season's teams in both cities could be interesting.
Most at risk of being lost might be small town and rural high-skill players living near Waterloo. Will this result in creation of a Waterloo-Wellington AAA organization similar to the highly successful Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs?
One wonders as the new organization starts getting traction in K-W. In a nutshell, the AAA teams in the Twin Cities are merging at the minor midget and major midget levels, creating half as many teams and bumping kids who aren't selected for AAA a level down to AA.
The Rangers say they are doing it for the good of the community and talent development, not to get the inside track on drafting local gems from minor midget.
This article from the Waterloo Region Record goes a long way in selling the new way of doing things, but tryouts for next season's teams in both cities could be interesting.
Most at risk of being lost might be small town and rural high-skill players living near Waterloo. Will this result in creation of a Waterloo-Wellington AAA organization similar to the highly successful Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs?
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