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Podcast | The Tipping Point in Youth Sports

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 04/14/16, 3:45PM EDT

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The balance between patience and performance

Watching your kid play hockey can bring some of the most enjoyable and frustrating moments as a parent. You want them to do the best they can and to learn new skills while supporting them the entire way.

The coaching is there and your child has attended every practice. You hold out the hope that that skills will develop as your child goes from Atom to Peewee and onwards.

As the years go by, some of your child’s teammates begin to pass them in skill level and it can bother you why your kid doesn’t seem to be developing on the ice as fast as their peers.

It is always important to remember that kids play sports to have fun and spend time with their friends. They have a completely different perspective and look forward to each new game, no matter what the score was before.

When an investment doesn’t pay off, whether it be financial or time, it can be understandably frustrating. Parents spend many hours and dollars getting their kids to and from the rink and making sure that all of the equipment fits. Not seeing many results from all of that spending can ultimately feel like a waste.

But is it worth it for kids to play just for the parents? That’s how it can feel at times for the ones on the ice when they think they are disappointing their parents by not being able to deliver the results on the scoreboard. If parents are only worried about success, they lose the enjoyment of watching their child have fun on the ice and be active in a sport.

Signing your child up for hockey is an exciting time. The first time they lace up their skates, grab a stick and score their first goal are some of the best memories they will have in hockey. As a player grows older, the amount of effort and extra time they decide to put in is up to them. Sometimes it will pay off, sometimes it won’t. They will realize the results either way as time passes.

It’s been said that most kids would rather play a bigger role on a losing team than be stuck on the bench on a winning team. Feeling like a member of the team and learning leadership skills with peers at a similar skill level can be more beneficial in the long-run.

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