Thursday, 27 November 2014
Hockey
For Canadian Boys and Girls Hockey is a way of life. I know this sounds like a general stereotype but I really feel that this is true. Every year, over half a million kids play hockey. Just let that sink in for a moment. Half a million! Hockey is beneficial in many ways, especially kids. Hockey is a sport that teaches kids the value of a team. Hockey is a unique sport in that it teaches kids valuable life lessons as having fun and making new friends. For example, it is often very difficult for younger kids to learn how to skate. Especially after they just learned to walk. Add in holding a stick and skating after a small puck with 9 other players is seems a daunting task to everyone. It definitely takes kids a while to learn but after a lot of hard work, they understand how to do it. Wayne Gretzky once said that "I wasn't naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; everything I did in hockey I worked for." Today Wayne Gretzky is commonly known as the best hockey player in the world. However, when he started playing hockey, he encountered the same difficulties as everyone else. However, after lots and lots of hard work, he was soon playing at a level far above his peers. Every year, thousands of Canadians work hard to become a better hockey player whether it be improving their skating or perfecting their wrist shot. Another valuable thing hockey provides is the opportunity to form nearly unbreakable bonds with your teammates. One ex-Canadian Hockey Player once remarked that it wasn't scoring the highlight reel goals or executing bone crunching hits that he missed the most. It was the time spent in the locker room and on long road trips with his teammates. To Canadian boys and girls, hockey is more than just a game. It is a way of life.
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Hockey and skating are certainly a visceral idea of what defines Canadians: we see it in media outlets all the time, and it is how other nations see us as well. I grew up with a backyard rink and lived so close to the arena that I would put my skates on at home, slip on my guards, and walk to my practice. My brother hated hockey, but put in his time before being allowed to give it up. We ended up moving to Brantford where Walter Gretzky used to give tours of his backyard, and even his own home (where Wayne's trophies are still stored), much to his wife's chagrin. His message was like yours: if you put in the work, good things will come. While hockey may be becoming an elitist sport (you need the money to make it), the message inherent in your blog rings true, but may be falling on deaf ears. Are Canadian boys and girls willing to put in the time and the effort to achieve the lifestyle that they wish to lead, especially as we are losing our "natural advantage" over the rest of the world in terms of education and ability?
ReplyDeleteIn Canada, many girls and boys are put into hockey at a very young age, but how many actually end up sticking with it? Timbits hockey gives young kids a chance to play hockey when they are young. However many kids don't stick with hockey as they find other sports they enjoy more. Hockey does teach kids to work towards something but so does basketball, golf, soccer...etc. I do believe that Canadian boys and girls love hockey but it is certainly not a way of life because many kids can't afford it or they just don't enjoy it like other sports.
ReplyDeleteI agree both with your blog as well as Mathew's response. Hockey, however an expensive competitive sport, can still be a way of life! I, knowing from experience, have found that competing at any higher level of hockey is extremely hard to do. Being athletic and caring about the sport (like me) is simply not enough to play at a high level anymore, You need to train and develop your on-ice ability's to out perform people who are naturally athletic. However this is a set back in actually playing the sport, it still has the ability to be a way of life for Canadian children! I remember as a young child spending most of my winter days either A. Playing the latest NHL video game or B. eating pizza in front of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the basement of my old house. My main point being that however your blog focuses on the dissection of the legitimate sport, the culture that is based in the everyday lives of individuals has the ability to out weigh that. Great blog, and of course great choice of topic!
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