The Hockey Life: Week 7

It's no secret to my fellow hockey parents within the Pinellas Police Athletic League Stars family that I don't hold a certain Tampa Bay youth hockey program leadership in very high esteem. Chances are, too, that feeling is mutual. Bottom line, I don't like how they run things down there.

Over the past two recreation league seasons, I've watched their players, some as young as 7 years old, take serious runs and lay out Stars players, including Colin, in what's supposed to be a nonchecking league. While I understand that hockey is a contact sport and gaining body position is a part of the game, it's the common denominator of this aversion to the rules that's troubling.

In every case, these hits (which, to me, reflect dirty play) come only when one of the program's Squirt/PeeWee teams is losing to the Stars. It seems that rather than buckle down and play harder, their approach is to turn to the rough stuff.

Just a few games ago, I watched one of people closely associated with the program (I refer to them as the puppet masters) call a player over to the boards between periods and say something to him. Before the next period ended, this player, the biggest on the team, served a boarding penalty for running a Stars player. His intent was clear, and it wasn't about gaining body position to get the puck.

Were the two incidents connected? I can't prove that. Trust me, I wish I could. To me, it was a criminal act. Not by the child, mind you, as he may have been doing only what he was told to do. No, the criminal act, if in fact the dots could be connected, was committed by an adult.

As a parent, I couldn't and wouldn't allow my child to play within a program, no matter where it's based, that would condone such behavior and actions.

Part of playing hockey, especially at this age group, is learning life lessons. You practice to get better. Solid effort is rewarded with ice time. Clean, hard hockey leads to wins. And, if you're behind, you suck it up and do your best to get back in the game. Along the way, you learn sportsmanship.

Sadly, that's a lesson those youngsters are missing out on.

Another one's off the list

You'd think living down here in Hockey Bay we'd have a a dearth of ice surfaces to skate upon. Thankfully, that isn't the case. In all, we have five rinks to choose from, all within a 45-minute ride, and Colin's been on every one.

Last night, after hounding the Colorado Avalanche, Colin added another rink to the list, this one in downtown Tampa. No, it wasn't the St. Pete Times Forum, though he's skated there. This one is an outdoor, temporary rink, but made of ice and covered by a tent, in place at Curtis Hixon Park.

Granted, it may be small and the surface gets awfully snowy, but it's still ice in a pretty neat setting. A word of caution, though, it does get a bit crowded. But, still, skating in an outdoor rink in downtown Tampa? I never thought I'd see the day.

Quote of the week

"Is he Canadian?"
Bill, a visitor from Ontario, watching Colin as he skated last week

"Nope, born in Massachusetts."
Puckhound, answering Bill's question

"Well, he skates like he's from Canada."
Bill