This I Believe - Hockey is the Cure for what Ails America
By Joe Scatchell - 3/2/07

Failing test scores, ill-behaved day care children, gangs, drug use, the
list goes on of the ills facing our country. We look for quick answers
that many times end up creating new issues and the circle of problems
grows wider in an ever-spiraling pattern. So how do we stop the momentum
and hope to reverse its damage?

Play Hockey.

I know that most of you are calling up images of stick swinging, lights
out punches and bench clearing brawls. You've been fed a lie. That those
things occur is a fact. That they occur so rarely to have painted an
entirely incorrect picture of the sport is also a fact. Thousands of
games are played each week all around the world now and you can probably
name 3 or 4 incidents of outlandish behavior, total.

Here's the truth. If you want society to be civil, its citizens polite,
humble and respectful of one another get everyone involved in hockey.
Hockey is above all else a family commitment that instills the values
that our society holds dearest; that we are part of something bigger
than ourselves, hard work has its reward, but most important, respect
for others.

For the uninitiated, hockey starts at 6, both in age of player and time
of morning practices! Moms and Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and
Uncles load up the player and equipment and it's off to the rink. Many
times the rides to and from the rink are lengthy giving parents and
guardians and the children quality time to do the unusual; talk to one
another. The conversations are not always deep or life altering but that
they happen at all is becoming rarer. How did you sleep? Did you like
that cereal? No, I never heard of "Take it Back Sunday", is it a song or
a group?" It's all good because you are establishing lines of
communication that may be used for much more important matters some day.

At the rink, you get to watch your child learn. The early progress is
breathtaking. Remember how you marveled when they learned to walk? Use a
fork? How many chances to you get to see something as wonderful? Try
skating sometime to see how difficult it is for yourself. It's likely
that in a short time, your child will be better at something than you
are. Talk about a no lie dose of self-respect!

Teams often play in tournaments that take place over several days and
far enough from home to require over night stays. Whole families attend
these events providing yet another opportunity to do something that is
vanishing from our American landscape; the family road trip. Again,
conversation, whole discussions even, stops for meals and potty breaks,
arguments over who is touching who and all the other things that those
fortunate enough to have taken these trips in our youth, still remember
fondly many years later. Siblings look forward to hanging with all the
other siblings, the hotel pool, knee hockey in the halls, and yes, the
excitement of the games themselves.

Coaches are more than hockey fanatics; they are coaches of life. Players
are correctly taught that hockey is a team sport. Everyone on the team
contributes. Most teams keep playing time evenly distributed among the
players in all but the most competitive situations to instill this fact.
Parents are encouraged to bring school and home issues to the coach so
that both the parents and the Coach are consistent. For example, it's
not at all unusual for Johnny not to play if he isn't doing well in
school or disobeying at home.

Hockey can be dangerous. Sharp blades, hard sticks and the speed of play
demand that players maintain control and respect for themselves and
their competitors. Players are taught to "play the body" and not go and
"hurt 'em". Indeed, the intention of checking is to separate the puck
from the player; take the puck not the player out.

The game's traditions reinforce the basic tenets of a civil society.
Before each game, kids as young as 8 years old and already placed in
leadership roles as Captains, introduce themselves to the opposing
Coaches and Officials and shake their hands. The rules of the game
support the development of leadership by allowing only the Captains, not
the Coaches, to talk to the officials about game calls. When a player
scores, all his teammates join in the celebration. The players who
assisted on the goal get the same point the scorer received. Showboating
does not occur in hockey. At the end of every game, all players and
coaches line up and shake hands. The same occurs at every level and even
at the end of the NHL season.

Lest you think my arguments are specious, I offer these observations.
Look at the other professional major American sports and compare them to
professional hockey. Most of the players in the NHL and supporting
professional leagues have lived away from their families and with host
families at some point. Most of us would not think of taking a strange
teenager into our home. If you speak to just about any host family, they
will tell you that the kid came in with all of the attributes I speak
of. They were polite, respectful, humble and thankful for the
hospitality shown. Lifelong relationships were made. You don't see
professional hockey players being named in bar room shootings or taking
steroids or other illegal drugs. Listen to the player interviews.
Universally, they deflect any praise to their teammates and coaches. If
they have a bad game or they're in a slump, they talk about needing to
work harder and blame only themselves. When they receive awards, they
start by thanking their parents and talk about those long car rides to
rinks early in the morning. They are humble, thankful.

These same things happen at every hockey banquet I've had the honor of
attending. I was privileged to spend as much time as I did with my
daughter and 2 sons and have been paid back many times over for those
cold mornings when I see them working at something hard, being polite,
humble and respectful.

Thank you hockey.