I don't know if any of you saw this on SportsCentre (Canada version), but what about that fight in the Novice AAA game with the parents fighting on the bench, coaches sending players to fight, and coaches fighting players over the bench. Insane!

And THAT is why I despise the big money minor hockey systems...

Can you explain that a little further. I don't know what you mean by "big $$ minor hockey systems"

Not sure if he means this but,

the minor hockey league system in Toronto is a money making proposition...Some parents after dishing out $1000s and so much time on their kids are frustrated when they dont play or get enough ice time...I think its ridicolous though at the lengths they go to show their frustration, as a father I would never put myself in that position...

To tell you the truth............It was SOOOOO much tamer than I thought it would be when I heard about it.

I've seen MUCH worse fights with Parents in the stands just at my own games. I guess this is just special because someone was filming.

Times have changed I guess--------The parents haven't tho

This is true everywhere, just lots more played in the Toronto area. I coached HS hockey for the last 4 years, not dealing with many of these problems myself (luckily), but hearing about them over and over. Every thinks that $$$ is going to make their kid a superstar. In the late 90s in the Pittsburgh area, there were 2 organizations that fielded AAA travel teams, meaning they traveled out of the Pittsburgh area to play their regular schedule. Today, there are at least 10 in the area. There is more talent in the area, but not 5 times the talent. Parents put out thousands of dollars to go play all over the country and Canada...to sometimes end up playing teams from Pittsburgh there anyway.

It's a joke, especially when you see the # of players from the Pittsburgh area that have made it to the NHL level. I believe it's up to 4 now (Umberger, Malone, Thomas with PHX, and Zeiler with LA). Wooooow....

Is there any video of this incedent or was this just a report?

It was showed on every network you can imagine here is Canada The Score, TSN, CBC etc...

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=HNK0bni6hVE

Minor hockey here on PEI is a little different I would say. Registration is about $300 per player for the year and may be a little more if you make a AAA team. In Novice we don't allow kids to travel off Island so they only play Island teams until Atom. Once they are above Novice each team can only travel off Island twice at most. This keeps the costs down for parents and encourages teams to practice at home rather than being away all the time. This is only new however as I have a plaque at home from when I was in Novice of us winning 12 tournaments in a year in the Maritimes and 9 of them were off island. That would never happen again.
I actually think they made a new rule that all Novice and below have to have at least 1.5:1 Practice:Game ratio as well.
As a coach now in Novice the most important skill is skating and the more skating drills kids can do at that age the better.
Let's be honest in a Novice game there is usually 4-5 kids who have the puck the whole game. The other 25 kids are not really improving very much at all.

I think the PEI system sounds great..

I personally dont know too much about the system, however I would like to find out more...My son will be three in February ...

Question to parents or anyone else in the know in the Toronto area.

1...At what age should/could he start playing hockey?

2...What sort of costs am i looking at ?

He has shown some interest in playing, from when we are playing in the basement with the plastic sticks and watching the games on tv..

I know I may sound like the annoying father that will push his son into the game, I assure you I am not, and even if I was my wife would keep me in line...

I just like him to see if he enjoys the game, along with other sports like soccer,baseball or whatever he wants to try.

or tap dancing or ballet whatever.....

As a minor hockey coach there is nothing worse than the parents who think their kid is going play in the NHL. It is a nice dream to have but about .001% of all minor hockey players play in the NHL. This is not an exact stat of course just an estimate.

The main reason kids should be playing hockey:
1) to build social skills by competing with and against their peers in a great game
2) To make friends who will last a lifetime
3) and last but not least because they love to play. Any kid who doesn't love the game shouldn't be playing.

Serge..... Here's some really serious advice....... if your son wants to play hockey, he can start skating as early as 2. My boy was on skates last year as a 2 year old. It was entirely his choice. This winter, i asked him if he wanted to go skating, and up until this week, he hasn't wanted to, so we haven't gone. I will only ask him... i wont tell him. You can get into minor hockey as young as 3-4. However, i would suggest skating classes before hockey. The number 1 reason kids give up hockey is out of frustration, and the best way to avoid that is to give them building block skills instead of just throwing them into a league.
For the love of god, stay away from the GTHL. It's a disaster for kids. The lessons they learn there are NOT good ones. I've watched 7-8 year olds playing trap system and dump and chase hockey because their coaches have to win to keep their jobs (yes, jobs! Most coaches from A level up are being paid!).
Try to get your son, if he's interested, into hockey camps and skill schools. Then put him in REC leagues where he can carry the puck and learn some skills.
If he's talented, the leagues will find him. It doesnt matter if he's playing GTHL 'AAA' or playing for the West Gwillimbury Home Hardware Panthers: if he's got the tools, then scouts will come. BUT.... it's not going to happen. Honestly, it's like poker: if you think you're kid is going to make the NHL, then you're drawing to a one-outer..... 25 consecutive times. 8 million canadian kids played hockey last year. Less than 100 of them will make the NHL. So approach Adrian's hockey only with him having the most fun in mind. Forget scouts, AAA, junior drafts, etc.
You want your kid to have skills? flood the backyard. That's where skill comes from, not from paying 5K a year to play for a GTHL team.
And lastly, pick up a book called "who's puck is it anyway' by a guy named Ed Arnold, with greg Millen. Read it, and try to become one of the parents in that book, instead of one of the parents on TV and in court.

We've come close several times to doing exposes on minor hockey. It's a snakepit for kids. I have coached at fairly high levels, and I wont have anything to do with it anymore. I will teach skills camps for friend's kids teams, but I wont be involved. I love the game, and when you're out playing shinny until it's dark, it's the best game in the world. Kids crying in the dressing room because their coach is screaming at them for not playing dump n chase hockey is despicable.
Rant over.... Honestly, good luck serge... the feeling you get when you see your boy step onto the ice for the first time wearing a helmet and skates..... wow.... still gives me goosebumps.... I love this game.....

thanks Chris..

That was a very good post with some great advice..When I talk about Adrian being drafted I am obviously joking and I would just like him to play the game that I love if he enjoys it.

I will definetely pick up that book and give it a read...

That is sickening that coaches are playing the trap with kids at age 7 or 8...Hopefully something can be done, however I think its very hard to fix at this stage..

thanks

Very long but good post.
Have to agree with a lot Gruven said there.
It's nice to be in little ole PEI where the coaches get paid.
I coached Bantam AAA for 5-6 straght and all we got was hotel rooms when we went off island.
I think we got $50 each half year to cover travel expenses for the year. Definitely not want you want to do if you are in it for the $$. Our motto was everyone got equal ice time regardless of skill. What we did though was had our stronger offensive guys play the PP and our weaker players killing penalties so that everyone had a chance on special teams.
Of course we have the bad parents here as well. I've tried many times to watch a game from the stands but I can't. The screaming from the parents is unbearable. If only they knew that their kids can't hear them and if they could most of what they are screaming wouldn't help anyways.
When I do have kids and if they decide to play I will be the Father along the glass watching quietly like my dad was with me.

That is so true. When I go watch my nephew play now (he's a pee wee) I have to stand in the corner on the glass. It makes me sick
Oh, and the pay scale for coaches in the GTHL? A good AAA coach in one of the top organizations will make 30-50K a year, plus all the bribes he can take....

P.S. Whiter... I've been across this country with hockey many times, and PEI? May be the best hockey fans in the country. I've been there for National Championships (usually in Summerside) , as well as with NHL players playing exhibitions during the lockout.... great hockey country...

A few to add...

4) To learn about sex and girls in the locker room.
5) To find lifelong drinking buddies

Serge, I know you're joking about the draft... and there's nothing wrong with dreaming!
To me, minor hockey wasnt about leather team jackets, and getting the most expensive bus for road trips, it was about practice, and having fun.... and then going home from practice, and getting right back out on a backyard rink with your teammates and playing for 5 more hours......

How true it is.
Thought of another one.

6) To learn how to play cards on the back of the bus

You think some of that stuff is bad. Try being a referee at age 14. One thing is parents pushing you to be rep hockey, but then to play rep hockey and referee. Being a teenager and a referee has to be one of the most worst experiences in the world.

Ref's even at 14 get no love from the parents and coaches most times.
It's sad really.