Weekend at Bernies...Must Read

[Hockeyguy_27]

Last time I checked ... we still live in a DEMOCRACY.


Everyone is worried about what everyone else is doing. Do what you think is best for you and yours. Then, you can always change your mind. What a great country we live in.


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You are right we do live in a democracy, and like in many democracy's the vast majority of the public are cluless when it comes to politics. Thus the country is guided by a select few who are usually out for their own interests. Such is the case with hockey overall. The elite players (in their parents mind at minimum) are dictating the direction of many associations and organizations as a whole. Very few kids are elite players, but those who seek to benefit finanically or have their reputation boosted have sold parents with large pocketbooks on the idea that money = potential to excel. The fact is that many of the potential best hockey players may never get the chance because their parents never let them play in the first place. They view hockey as an elitest sport that tries it's hardest to cater to the best, and not the majority.

Don't get me wrong I support separating kids by ability in order for them to have fun and develop as players, but if we limit opportunity based access to resources some, and I mean some, of the true elite players will never truly get their chance.

Well articulated post. Kudos from me.

[regdunlop77]

Last time I checked ... we still live in a DEMOCRACY.


Everyone is worried about what everyone else is doing. Do what you think is best for you and yours. Then, you can always change your mind. What a great country we live in.


.

Actually we live in a Representative Republic which is how our associations are operated, with the same flaws (lawbreakers) as our US government.

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Difference between Democracy and Republic, in brief:

Democracy:
a: government by the people; especially : rule of the majority.
b: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.
Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences.

Republic:
a: a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government.
b: a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.


Democracy and Republic are often taken as one of the same thing, but there is a fundamental difference. Whilst in both cases the government is elected by the people, in Democracy the majority rules according to their whims, whilst in the Republic the Government rule according to law. This law is framed in the Constitution to limit the power of Government and ensuring some rights and protection to Minorities and individuals.

[bamhockey]

Soul, I for one believe that my child can be replaced by another child who does not participate in mm and other clinics. The skills my child is taught, whether it be through the association or at mm, are simply the tools he must use in his development as a hockey player. It is up to my child to decide how hard he wants to work at using these skills to develop himself as a hockey player. The programs and clinics simply accelarate instilling the tools he must use to develop as a player. The bottom line is that if my child wants to skate 1 hour a day, I let him. If he does not want to skate, I do not push him. In the end, his desire for the sport must come from within, and there is a delicate balance between "encouraging" your child as opposed to "pushing" your child. If I push my child, I believe he may learn to dislike the game. If I encourage my child, then I hope he continues to have a love for the game. If I send my child to 20 clinics and he does nothing else, I have no doubt that he would be replaced by a child who goes to no clinics but continues to work his tail off because he loves the game. We are trying to find a balance somewhere in between. Just like in life, my child knows that there are no guarantees in hockey. If you want something, you must work hard to attain the goal.

[Mister Hockey]

For all of the responses. I hope this weekend goes well for the youngsters down at MM.

[BoogeyMan]

Soul, I for one believe that my child can be replaced by another child who does not participate in mm and other clinics. The skills my child is taught, whether it be through the association or at mm, are simply the tools he must use in his development as a hockey player. It is up to my child to decide how hard he wants to work at using these skills to develop himself as a hockey player. The programs and clinics simply accelarate instilling the tools he must use to develop as a player. The bottom line is that if my child wants to skate 1 hour a day, I let him. If he does not want to skate, I do not push him. In the end, his desire for the sport must come from within, and there is a delicate balance between "encouraging" your child as opposed to "pushing" your child. If I push my child, I believe he may learn to dislike the game. If I encourage my child, then I hope he continues to have a love for the game. If I send my child to 20 clinics and he does nothing else, I have no doubt that he would be replaced by a child who goes to no clinics but continues to work his tail off because he loves the game. We are trying to find a balance somewhere in between. Just like in life, my child knows that there are no guarantees in hockey. If you want something, you must work hard to attain the goal.

Ditto

[skillbuilder]

Soul, I for one believe that my child can be replaced by another child who does not participate in mm and other clinics. The skills my child is taught, whether it be through the association or at mm, are simply the tools he must use in his development as a hockey player. It is up to my child to decide how hard he wants to work at using these skills to develop himself as a hockey player. The programs and clinics simply accelarate instilling the tools he must use to develop as a player. The bottom line is that if my child wants to skate 1 hour a day, I let him. If he does not want to skate, I do not push him. In the end, his desire for the sport must come from within, and there is a delicate balance between "encouraging" your child as opposed to "pushing" your child. If I push my child, I believe he may learn to dislike the game. If I encourage my child, then I hope he continues to have a love for the game. If I send my child to 20 clinics and he does nothing else, I have no doubt that he would be replaced by a child who goes to no clinics but continues to work his tail off because he loves the game. We are trying to find a balance somewhere in between. Just like in life, my child knows that there are no guarantees in hockey. If you want something, you must work hard to attain the goal.

Bam you are wise, humble and a realist. Like you I am quietly trying to provide the tools to him in the quantity he will accept, in anticipation of the day he "may" need them, if in fact the fire, the work ethic, and the required physical atributes manifest themselves at puberty. He is willing to step out on the ice a certain number of hours that I carefully gauge on an ongoing basis and will work as hard as his coaches ask of him, thereby each hour needs to be developmentally of value because waisting it can't be made up by simply adding more hours in it's place if burnout is to be avoided. No expectations for him on my end, just the tools he'll need if he ever decides to use them.