A Story About a Crazed Father (Who will potentially Kill his Son's Love for the Game)

[BogsDiamond]

I had to post this as I think this is one of the funniest (and saddest) stories I've heard about in regards to a crazy hockey parent and the child he's ruining.

A local man I'm familiar with had his 2007-born son tryout for a local Novice travel team.
After one tryout, the father asked for permission to tryout for the Atom Minor squad - which was granted.
The boy went out and was promptly cut due to lack of skill and being too timid.
They all agreed he was a good kid and had some skills, but wasn’t ready to move up a level.
Upon hearing the news, the Novice team said they’d love to have him for the season and offered a position on the club.

“Nu-Uh!â€, says Pappa Bear! “My son is too good for a travel level that is designed for kids his own age!â€
So he moves him to a town 45 minutes away to play at the house-league level.
But he won’t be playing Novice HL. Atom? Nope! You guessed it, Peewee! With 12 and 13 year olds!

This father is obsessed with his son making it to the NHL. So much so, he’s willing to have his undersized 8YO play with kids 4 and 5 years older than him.
And by the time the season ends, there’s a good chance, a few of the kids he’s playing with and against will be 14 year’s old.
I’ve seen the size of some 14YO’s these days. They are, quite literally, twice this boys size.
It’s non-contact, but as is with boys that age, we all know that hitting will be part of the equation in some capacity.

This kid is very shy and introverted. I don’t see him being very comfortable in a room with boys that age.
And I doubt the coach allows Pappa Bear to be in the dressing room with his son while he dresses.
I can also picture how awkward it’s going to be when Daddy has to squeeze by the kid shaving in the bathroom in order to get to his son to help tie his skates.

I don’t even know how a convener allows something like this. Daddy must have promised to sponsor a whole division of kids or multiple travel teams.

This is probably the only time I wish I was still in school. I would have made this father my star subject for a psychology paper.

Good times.

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[Shamrock]

Unfortunately similar situations play out like this constantly throughout youth sports. I think it's okay to give a little nudge to a talented payer, but the player has to develop their own passion. Parents need to sit back a little and enjoy watching their child develop--NHL or not.

 

[BogsDiamond]

Unfortunately similar situations play out like this constantly throughout youth sports. I think it's okay to give a little nudge to a talented payer, but the player has to develop their own passion. Parents need to sit back a little and enjoy watching their child develop--NHL or not.

Yup. I'm sure the same thing happens in Texas football or European Soccer.
Some parent is out there pushing their kid to be the next Peyton Manning or Messi.

The thing is, this boy he's pushing has been evaluated by several different coaches and volunteers.
Everyone agrees that he's a decent travel player, but certainly not good enough to jump levels or play anything above the current rating of his local travel team.

I wish I had enough time and money. I would love to make a documentary about this man and his obsession for producing an NHL player.
From what I've been told, his kids are on the ice 12 months a year - including year round sessions of treadmill skating at least 3x a week.

 

[Oak]

He's just following Gretzkys blueprint. Do what the great one did and you will also be great, right?

 

[Goonzilla]

That sort of stuff's a little tragic, but at the same time, if that much work is being put in and he's playing against older kids, eventually he'll reap some benefit or reward with his level of play, though if he enjoys the game or not with a dad putting pressure on him like that is something else entirely.

My boy's 14 and playing starting high school basketball against kids three and four years older, including kids off to play college ball. He's had some tough encounters, but has another three seasons left in the same team. It's only going to get easier for him and he'll be bigger and more and more dominant or influential each season.

..but I think he plays far too much basketball. He's never liked skating.

 

[Renbarg]

Playing up can only work if you're still going to be among the best (and playing 4 years up should be reserved to Crosby like talents) otherwise you're just straight up not going to get enough game touches.

BrIan leetch was a phenom. His dad played him a year up and then the next year he plays his own age. That sounds like a good formula if your kid has that kind of talent.

 

[BackBringCam]

Pee Wee in Canada (this year) is 2004 and 2003 birth years, so that's 11-12 yr olds, not 14. But non the less, another physco dad. So many around. Curious, do other sports (baseball, football, soccer) have lunatics like this? Seems to me that hockey is overrun with them.

 

[Wooty]

A whole lot of opinion based on guesses, very little facts. Let's hope you are wrong.

 

[Goonzilla]

Other sports have it, but I think hockey has some more aggravating features not found in many other sports. It really us a blood, gladiatorial, type sport where aggression and confrontation are very much a part of it.

Because of the physical component, there is more to it than just skill. Even if your kid is good enough and you have them playing up, what is gonna happen when someone bigger and older smokes them on the ice..do they cry foul and want special treatment?

Another unique aspect of hockey is spectator proximity to the action. I don't think in any other sport can you get as close to the action, like being eye to eye with a shark at the aquarium or a tiger or gorilla at a zoo, witness the glass banging by spectators in an absolute frenzy.

Hence more crazy behaviour by hangers ons, which includes parents. That said..undoubtedly there will be golf parents just as bad with their ambitions, but I would imagine less aggro on the sidelines.