I think I am the only sane Hockey Mom sometimes.....
I truly think that I am the only "sane" hockey parent sometimes. Am I the only one who remembers that this is JUST a freaking game that 13-14 year olds are trying to enjoy? Am I the only one who can look ahead and see these kids as 25 and 26 year olds?
This weekend I saw the worst in Hockey Parents...truly. I saw a parent and a team manager approve a 14 year old to cut off his leg cast (put on for a broken ankle), because he was "needed on the ice". Yes..his cast was due to come off later this week....At the doctors....oh..and I watched the coach put him in the game as well. Meanwhile, I saw that same coach not play a player on the team, because that player wasn't as "strong" as the other players. He put a kid on who freaking cut his cast off over a player who has given his all...all season? IT IS JUST A FREAKING GAME!
Then I saw a kid whose wrist was broken badly, and whose cast came off on Friday..play in a game on Saturday. His orthopedic physician indicated that he could not play this weekend, but his parents and coaching staff overrode that decision. Okay...who went to medical school...and what does this game REALLY mean? Of course, I also saw this coach use an illegal player (one who was rostered but had never played with the team, which violates a 20-10 rule of rostered for 20 games, played for 10)...and this coach holds the highest coaching certification in the State from USA Hockey. IT IS JUST A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME!
I had several parents ask me what I would do if, when the Prince's cast comes off on Wednesday, the doctor says he can't play this coming weekend. I told them, very clearly, that "IT IS JUST A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME...he can be on the bench cheering his team on". See..I am the parent here..not him...not the game, not his coach. His doctor makes the medical decisions relative to his future...NOT ME, NOT HIS COACH, and Certainly NOT A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME.
These are kids..not pieces of meat. That mentality belongs in the Juniors and NHL leagues..not in youth hockey. The determinations to allow injured players to play, by coaches and parents, is short-sighted...way short sighted...irresponsible...and quite frankly, I believe, borders on child abuse.
This weekend I saw the worst in Hockey Parents...truly. I saw a parent and a team manager approve a 14 year old to cut off his leg cast (put on for a broken ankle), because he was "needed on the ice". Yes..his cast was due to come off later this week....At the doctors....oh..and I watched the coach put him in the game as well. Meanwhile, I saw that same coach not play a player on the team, because that player wasn't as "strong" as the other players. He put a kid on who freaking cut his cast off over a player who has given his all...all season? IT IS JUST A FREAKING GAME!
Then I saw a kid whose wrist was broken badly, and whose cast came off on Friday..play in a game on Saturday. His orthopedic physician indicated that he could not play this weekend, but his parents and coaching staff overrode that decision. Okay...who went to medical school...and what does this game REALLY mean? Of course, I also saw this coach use an illegal player (one who was rostered but had never played with the team, which violates a 20-10 rule of rostered for 20 games, played for 10)...and this coach holds the highest coaching certification in the State from USA Hockey. IT IS JUST A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME!
I had several parents ask me what I would do if, when the Prince's cast comes off on Wednesday, the doctor says he can't play this coming weekend. I told them, very clearly, that "IT IS JUST A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME...he can be on the bench cheering his team on". See..I am the parent here..not him...not the game, not his coach. His doctor makes the medical decisions relative to his future...NOT ME, NOT HIS COACH, and Certainly NOT A FREAKING HOCKEY GAME.
These are kids..not pieces of meat. That mentality belongs in the Juniors and NHL leagues..not in youth hockey. The determinations to allow injured players to play, by coaches and parents, is short-sighted...way short sighted...irresponsible...and quite frankly, I believe, borders on child abuse.
Comments
I'm with you, but what do I know? I've seen some of the same thing with 4th graders on the soccer field, and I am just amazed. Why would you jeopardize a kid's health for a game?