Playing his twilight season in minor hockey brings new scheduling issues for my juvenile/hometown university student son.
Keen to play city juvenile, even if it means no body contact and being in a house league instead of a competitive loop, his big issue is the schedule. University classes trump all other activities, and if there are a lot of games on Tuesday nights when he has classes, it's game over.
Always keen to lace 'em up, he's also added to the mix by signing up for the University of Western Ontario intramural league. He's already reconnected with teammates who were with him on teams when he was a tot, or older, to represent Kings University College at UWO, along with new friends from near and far. That league always plays Monday nights and, he says, will trump juvenile commitments.
It's good he's still interested in playing and finds it fun, but we're rapidly moving along to new priorities.
Keeping kids involved in minor hockey through their teens is a challenge, even here in the heartland of minor hockey. For example, our home West London Hawks are unable to field an "A" major midget team this year due to a lack of qualified players born in 1994. This comes on the heels of a remarkably successful run by local boys born in 1993 who fared well in an A-AA league last season.
But back to my main point. We'll see how this season goes - my son might be one of those dreaded part-timers or fade from the scene altogether.
Usually by this time, he's been confirmed as a competitive team member. First sorting skate for juvenile is two weeks from today.
Keen to play city juvenile, even if it means no body contact and being in a house league instead of a competitive loop, his big issue is the schedule. University classes trump all other activities, and if there are a lot of games on Tuesday nights when he has classes, it's game over.
Always keen to lace 'em up, he's also added to the mix by signing up for the University of Western Ontario intramural league. He's already reconnected with teammates who were with him on teams when he was a tot, or older, to represent Kings University College at UWO, along with new friends from near and far. That league always plays Monday nights and, he says, will trump juvenile commitments.
It's good he's still interested in playing and finds it fun, but we're rapidly moving along to new priorities.
Keeping kids involved in minor hockey through their teens is a challenge, even here in the heartland of minor hockey. For example, our home West London Hawks are unable to field an "A" major midget team this year due to a lack of qualified players born in 1994. This comes on the heels of a remarkably successful run by local boys born in 1993 who fared well in an A-AA league last season.
But back to my main point. We'll see how this season goes - my son might be one of those dreaded part-timers or fade from the scene altogether.
Usually by this time, he's been confirmed as a competitive team member. First sorting skate for juvenile is two weeks from today.
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