My 5-year-old wants to quit hockey

lawrence

Registered User
May 19, 2012
15,883
6,620
It's not his interest, then let him quit. It happens, it could possibly be he's bored of hockey. this happens. One of the Sedins kids quit hockey too, no bloody joke, I think it was Daniel Sedin son quit hockey. it happens.
 

SnipesMalloy

Registered User
Apr 18, 2014
32
1
Calgary, Alberta
I'm curious how this turned out as well. It's unfortunate that there is soo much politics in minor hockey. It really kills the game for the kids, who are supposed to be just having fun and getting exercise.

I can't remember how old I was at the time, but it was during the time of Timbits hockey, so maybe the same age as your kid then. I think I had wanted to quit. My Dad was like are you sure? And I guess I said I was, because we didn't go back, until I apparently wanted to play again. I'm sure he may have asked me to give it another try, I don't think he forced me. As far as I remember too, I was pretty garbage at hockey for a long time going through house league. I didn't get better until maybe peewee, then after that I ended up playing B and then AA. I later ended up playing junior C which was pretty neat. A side point is that Jovanovski didn't even START playing hockey till he was 15!!!

So I'm glad I never fully quit. Sometimes you just need a break. And there have been many good points in this thread, like how if a kid wants to be the next Crosby, it's usually made away from the timbits leagues. Skill development is done at home, at the gym. The house league and timbits stuff should be for fun and exercise.

I just hoped your kid continued to play other forms of hockey. Ball hockey is becoming quite the thing. Another side note, Alex Burrows (love him or not) was considered one of the best ball hockey players in the world before he went to the NHL.
 

Yukon Joe

Registered User
Aug 3, 2011
6,157
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YWG -> YXY -> YEG
Not in direct response to the OP (since it was from 6 years ago), but I think at age five it is okay to force your kid to participate. None of my kids started out gung-ho about playing hockey. They never asked to play, didn't watch hockey with me. But we put them in - and the two older ones have grown to really enjoy the game. Now my youngest is just turning five, and started hockey just a few weeks ago. But we really do try to focus on having fun as well as some skill development, he enjoys coming to the rink, and he's growing to love playing hockey too.
 

solidprospect

Borveetzky
Sep 30, 2017
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5 years old is too young to develop skills, most players can't even stand up on their own skates at that age, so i agree with half ice hockey and playing for fun, all it should be.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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5 years old is too young to develop skills, most players can't even stand up on their own skates at that age, so i agree with half ice hockey and playing for fun, all it should be.

Well I disagree with you. Skating is a skill. Stopping and turning are skills. Some really basic moving the puck with your stick is a skill. Five year olds are plenty old enough to develop those skills. It's just you can easily develop those skills through fun games as much as through drills.
 
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solidprospect

Borveetzky
Sep 30, 2017
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Well I disagree with you. Skating is a skill. Stopping and turning are skills. Some really basic moving the puck with your stick is a skill. Five year olds are plenty old enough to develop those skills. It's just you can easily develop those skills through fun games as much as through drills.
Being interested in the game for fun should be first. Here they call it development league and if the kids have fun in that they move on to novice level the following years, that's when they start practicing between games. The ages of 7 through 10, 5 is too early.
 

jw2

Registered User
Jun 13, 2012
7,081
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Boston
*I am on this page because I am looking for and want to find a place where my 5 year old grandson can play hockey on a team.*

As a father of 3 kids who grew up playing both hockey and soccer in the 80s' I am truly disgusted with the recent programs for my 3 grandsons in both hockey and soccer. The 10 and 8 year old started playing hockey games as Tykes. Both are competitive in nature and play in Rep leagues. They both worked hard on their skating and other skills to make it where they are, thanks to the help of their parents who sacrificed a lot of time and money to support their goals. Now my 5 year old is in his 3rd year of what the local league calls "player development". He skates with 1st year kids in circles for the most part (still). He is an excellent skater and competitive, growing up with 2 older brothers, and will probably be the best of all 3 in the future, if he does not quit due to boredom. My son tells me that it will be another 3 years before he plays his first game. This is ridiculous. Given his ability, he and other children of his ability need to play organized games. Its the only way they will learn the game and develop social skills. Not being monkeys on the ice with adult "organ grinders" repeating the same drills over and over again.
The local soccer league has jumped on the same band wagon. The oldest plays travel and is talented. And next year the 8 year old who is also talented, gets to try out for the travel. But its a waste of time and travel and money for both given the rules. There are no offside calls. There are no throw ins from the sideline. Are they supposed to absorb thes rules and skills overnight? The league and ref do not keep scores or games won, lost or tied even though there is a standings page. Even in tournaments everyone gets the same medal, regardless of results or effort. Please bear in mind that their parents are worn out by now and don't mind the break.
If this continues our children will useless as players, if they don't quit first, and become "no name" hybrids that some old farts sitting around the table decide is best.
Still looking.
That's unfortunate, that Canadian hockey is becoming USA hockey.
I always enjoyed the "let them play" aspect of youth hockey (and soccer). I was asked to coach my nephews (4years old) practices. I said no, because that time should be spent exploring the ice, skates, pucks etc. Too much structure can hinder the enjoyment.
 

Yukon Joe

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Aug 3, 2011
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Being interested in the game for fun should be first. Here they call it development league and if the kids have fun in that they move on to novice level the following years, that's when they start practicing between games. The ages of 7 through 10, 5 is too early.

I feel like maybe we're arguing over words and describing similar systems.

At 5 in Edmonton our kids don't play hockey as a game at all (well, I think on 2 occasions). Instead we have them out on the ice in hockey gear, doing a mix of very basic drills, and fun games (tag, asteroids, races, that kind of thing). It is absolutely about putting fun first. But you can mix both fun and some basic skill development - mostly skating. It's nothing like the OP described 6 years ago.
 
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BogsDiamond

Anybody get 2 U yet?
Mar 16, 2008
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@BogsDiamond , just curious how things worked out for your son after these years. Did he give up hockey for good? Or did he find his way back (and hopefully into a better run program)?

He's still playing and loves it.

We moved back to our home centre when we found out a new convener had taken over, and reintroduced games (Half-ice). He was able to play with his buddies and enjoy actual games every week.
It's been smooth sailing since then. He actually tried being a goalie in his first year of Novice, then wanted to play out in year 2. He started the first game as a forward, but was moved back to D.
We're lucky because in that year, he had a great coach who encouraged him to skate the puck up ice and be creative - we haven't looked back since.

Thanks for asking!
 

Huck Cheever

Registered User
Sep 27, 2018
855
503
Former WHL player in my area didn't put his kids in Initiation or Novice hockey. He let them pond skate and have fun with hockey on their own time. Now this guys kids are in Atom Development and standout players.

Another player in my area could barely skate in his first year Atom house. Now this kid is getting some looks for the WHL bantam draft. This player also didn't play Initiation or Novice hockey.

Development and love for the game is not linear. People should stop trying to squeeze blood out of a stone. If your kid is good then it'll come out. The cream always rises to the top. Hockey is too systematic at the younger ages and doesn't allow for players to grow the organic love of the game. Stop beating the fun out of the game for players.

Parents need to stop the bs about having to get their kids to hit early milestones too. Example: parent will be like - "mY kId StArTeD sKaTiNg At 2 yEaRs OlD".

Not saying op is like this but overall people should relax their expectations with kids hockey.
 
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BogsDiamond

Anybody get 2 U yet?
Mar 16, 2008
1,132
79
Former WHL player in my area didn't put his kids in Initiation or Novice hockey. He let them pond skate and have fun with hockey on their own time. Now this guys kids are in Atom Development and standout players.

Another player in my area could barely skate in his first year Atom house. Now this kid is getting some looks for the WHL bantam draft. This player also didn't play Initiation or Novice hockey.

Development and love for the game is not linear. People should stop trying to squeeze blood out of a stone. If your kid is good then it'll come out. The cream always rises to the top. Hockey is too systematic at the younger ages and doesn't allow for players to grow the organic love of the game. Stop beating the fun out of the game for players.

Parents need to stop the bs about having to get their kids to hit early milestones too. Example: parent will be like - "mY kId StArTeD sKaTiNg At 2 yEaRs OlD".

Not saying op is like this but overall people should relax their expectations with kids hockey.

Couldn't agree more.
Not sure how my original post came across, but I'm a huge proponent of letting kids be kids, have fun, and advance their skills.
That's why I didn't like how structured the Timbit program had become.

Funny thing - I contacted our local organization about starting a 'pond-hockey' program for the younger kids.
It would be mostly unstructured. We'd start with letting them screw around with pucks for the first 10 minutes, then go into a pond hockey game. No rules (except the obvious for rough play).
It would end with a shootout for all the kids.
Our president loved the idea but when he floated it to the Board it was shot down. Why? Because they were worried all the kids in their 'regular' programs would quit for Pond Hockey.
My question is and was, if they want to quit structured hockey for fun hockey, then you need to change the structured programs so the kids are having fun more of the time.
 

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