Being a Hockey Parent

Ahbroody · 04-29-2011, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the feedback Scott.
In a way I want to push him because hes a gamer and fearless, but he is a young 5. He is a late October birth. He will be 5 when the season starts. Playing against kids atleast 7 as you know. He still has a year of minimite eligibility. He started while still 3. We held him out of Kindergarten this year as he was still 4 when school started and studies show boys do better if you hold them out vs putting them in early. So he will be a kindergartener playing against 2nd and 3rd graders.

Physically I have learned not to worry because he has become very tough on the ice and will take some punishment to get that goal. Holstrom would be proud of how he screens the goalies. But he is a young heart, the kid still watches focking Barney sometimes with his sisters. The other day he shoulder checked a kid. When I asked him why he said the kid said something mean. He didnt understand him, but knew it was meant to be mean.

I will let him play house mite as has played those boys the last two years. Everyone knows him. But the travel boys are that next level as you know. He will already be allowed to redshirt for atleast one of the clubs, getting all the benefit of practice with the better boys, I just wont let him do the 5-6 weekend tournaments. I am just wonderimg if the gain of 5-6 tournaments is worth my concearns. Hes not small, he is the size of most 6 year olds, but has not made that big growth jump yet. I think this year he will mentally develop a lot as we are seeing it start. He also appears to be growing so he may get there. I just wonder as he will be allowed to practice and scrim with atleast one club how much benefit he will get from the tournaments. There is just such a mental difference between a kindergartner and a second grader. Thats part of the comedy of it. In practice drills that are complex he will screw them up and look his age, then when they scrim or play a game he just understands the game and looks legit. Its partly because at 5.5 its hard for them to care about practice.

Perfect example on monday we tried a private skate lesson with a very good instructor. After 20 minutes he started to cry because he just couldnt grasp what the guy wanted him to do. The instructor said skill wise hes almost a 7 year old travel mite and should be there by end of summer. Mentally hes what he is a 5 year old about to start kindergarten.

04-29-2011, 07:36 PM	#11
Ahbroody Daddy x 4 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mike Location: San Jose Posts: 3,708 Trading: (53)	Re: Being a Hockey Parent Thanks for the feedback Scott. In a way I want to push him because hes a gamer and fearless, but he is a young 5. He is a late October birth. He will be 5 when the season starts. Playing against kids atleast 7 as you know. He still has a year of minimite eligibility. He started while still 3. We held him out of Kindergarten this year as he was still 4 when school started and studies show boys do better if you hold them out vs putting them in early. So he will be a kindergartener playing against 2nd and 3rd graders. Physically I have learned not to worry because he has become very tough on the ice and will take some punishment to get that goal. Holstrom would be proud of how he screens the goalies. But he is a young heart, the kid still watches focking Barney sometimes with his sisters. The other day he shoulder checked a kid. When I asked him why he said the kid said something mean. He didnt understand him, but knew it was meant to be mean. I will let him play house mite as has played those boys the last two years. Everyone knows him. But the travel boys are that next level as you know. He will already be allowed to redshirt for atleast one of the clubs, getting all the benefit of practice with the better boys, I just wont let him do the 5-6 weekend tournaments. I am just wonderimg if the gain of 5-6 tournaments is worth my concearns. Hes not small, he is the size of most 6 year olds, but has not made that big growth jump yet. I think this year he will mentally develop a lot as we are seeing it start. He also appears to be growing so he may get there. I just wonder as he will be allowed to practice and scrim with atleast one club how much benefit he will get from the tournaments. There is just such a mental difference between a kindergartner and a second grader. Thats part of the comedy of it. In practice drills that are complex he will screw them up and look his age, then when they scrim or play a game he just understands the game and looks legit. Its partly because at 5.5 its hard for them to care about practice. Perfect example on monday we tried a private skate lesson with a very good instructor. After 20 minutes he started to cry because he just couldnt grasp what the guy wanted him to do. The instructor said skill wise hes almost a 7 year old travel mite and should be there by end of summer. Mentally hes what he is a 5 year old about to start kindergarten.