$200: the final straw for this Gopher alum & lifelong fan

[GopherGrit]

Money and the fact that you have to start young are the main limitations to hockey. You can’t pluck the most athletic kid in middle school and turn him into a great HS player.

Not sure outside the metro, but in the metro I feel like hockey is a game for rich folks. Damn expensive equipment. Have to pay for ice time at a limited number of facilities, so guessing you pay top dollar for a decent time or you take a terrible time. If you don't start early, you have no chance at making a competitive team. Then if you want your kid to be good it's year round plus you're probably paying for separate training (dry land/weights, as well as hockey specific).

Maybe it's more subsidized (in some cases) than I'm imagining.

 

[upnorthkid]

Not sure outside the metro, but in the metro I feel like hockey is a game for rich folks. Damn expensive equipment. Have to pay for ice time at a limited number of facilities, so guessing you pay top dollar for a decent time or you take a terrible time. If you don't start early, you have no chance at making a competitive team. Then if you want your kid to be good it's year round plus you're probably paying for separate training (dry land/weights, as well as hockey specific).

Maybe it's more subsidized (in some cases) than I'm imagining.

Depends on the “level” you want them to play at. If you’re envisioning high school, unless they’re a super good athlete at baseline (think someone like Mason West) then yes you’re absolutely correct and personally I think it’s kind of shit what hockey has turned into.

Playing peanut hockey and stuff not as big a deal if you just want them to have a Taste of the sport and there are clubs that do equipment share. Small towns have varying levels of support for equipment and other things as well.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

Money and the fact that you have to start young are the main limitations to hockey. You can’t pluck the most athletic kid in middle school and turn him into a great HS player.

Right! I was told being a hockey parent is basically a lifestyle choice and, when my sons were young, I didn't want that lifestyle. I knew I just had to keep them away from it past early elementary school. One son did eventually ask me about playing and I was like so sad too LATE!

 

[BleedGopher]

Shooter chimes in:

— It’s astounding that the publicly-supported University of Minnesota has gotten away with charging regular students this year a $200 fee to help pay the school’s athletes.

Charley Walters: Don’t expect J.J. McCarthy to star from the start

A little birdie says baseball commissioner Rob Manfred wasn’t happy with the Pohlad family’s announcement that it had decided to retain ownership of the Twins, Walters writes.

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[State of Football]

Right! I was told being a hockey parent is basically a lifestyle choice and, when my sons were young, I didn't want that lifestyle. I knew I just had to keep them away from it past early elementary school. One son did eventually ask me about playing and I was like so sad too LATE!

You’re behind if you don’t start by age 5

 

[State of Football]

Not sure outside the metro, but in the metro I feel like hockey is a game for rich folks. Damn expensive equipment. Have to pay for ice time at a limited number of facilities, so guessing you pay top dollar for a decent time or you take a terrible time. If you don't start early, you have no chance at making a competitive team. Then if you want your kid to be good it's year round plus you're probably paying for separate training (dry land/weights, as well as hockey specific).

Maybe it's more subsidized (in some cases) than I'm imagining.

It is definitely an exclusive sport. I played for 18 years and both my kids were done. by age 15. Both fell in love with baseball. Only one left playing baseball and football. I believe it was the adults culture in youth hockey that caused them to lose interest. It’s pretty gross.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

Shooter chimes in:

— It’s astounding that the publicly-supported University of Minnesota has gotten away with charging regular students this year a $200 fee to help pay the school’s athletes.

Charley Walters: Don’t expect J.J. McCarthy to star from the start

A little birdie says baseball commissioner Rob Manfred wasn’t happy with the Pohlad family’s announcement that it had decided to retain ownership of the Twins, Walters writes.

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

I wonder if Shooter heard about the Lindbergh baby.