If you have ever been involved with a minor / youth hockey team, you know exactly what ‘it takes a village’ means. The amount of time and planning that parents and coaches need to put into a minor hockey season is staggering. Everyone has a role and the team and its support need to be running as a well-oiled machine. But in the end, as long as our kids have fun on the ice, it’s all worth it. Hockey is an incredible sport for building lifelong friendships and if we as parents can facilitate this then organizing a schedule and doing some fundraising is the least we can do. Let’s take a look at the roles there are in maintaining a well-run and organized minor hockey team!
The Coaches
Coaches in minor hockey are often parents that volunteer their evenings and early mornings so that our kids can enjoy the sport we all love. They can often be a group that are just taken for granted, but a lot of effort and planning goes into making a hockey season enjoyable. Coaches have the unenviable task of appeasing parents, who can often be friends especially in smaller communities. Every child needs equal ice time and opportunity, and practices need to be equal parts fun and educational. Coaches are often the unsung heroes of a well run minor hockey team, so just remember they are usually the first ones to arrive and the last ones to leave after a game or practice.
The Players
The reason we are all up at 6:00 am in the winter before work. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t bother putting as much effort into running a successful season as we do. Seeing our children have fun and succeed in minor hockey is a joy that makes everything well worth it. The players have to do some work too though! Selling gift cards, chocolates, or washing cars are all ways that kids can fundraise money to help pay for things like league fees or matching tracksuits or bags. It’s not just alleviating some of the pressure on our wallets, but it teaches them they will be rewarded when they work hard together as a team.
The Parents
The true glue that holds the team together, parents that are well invested and prepared to sacrifice some of their time allow everything to run so much smoother. Whether it is revolving carpools, early morning coffee runs, or bringing the team post-game snacks, the parents are truly the oil that helps this machine run. All it takes is for you to experience a minor hockey team where the parents are not cooperative, to realize how important they are to a smooth and successful season. Sure, some hockey parents can be abrasive and annoying, but for the most part they are willing to help in any way they can.
The Manager
I’ve seen this role called several different things depending on the team, but for the most part the manager of a minor hockey team takes care of all of the administrative side of things. Ensuring league fees are paid, distributing the schedule, and sending reminders to parents are just some of the responsibilities of the team manager. Other things include booking ice times for practices and coordinating the ordering of the team jerseys. It is a critical role and is often overlooked in importance to the team. Think of the manager as an extension of the coaches, but instead of handling the on-ice activities, the manager deals with everything off the ice.
The Officials
Speaking of taking for granted, referees, scorekeepers, even the people that clean the ice with the zamboni, are all crucial to a minor hockey league running efficiently. Referees in particular can find themselves as the target of over-competitive parents or coaches, and they will be the first to tell you it can be a thankless job at times. But we can’t really have games without them, and next time you want to argue a call, just think about how much they contribute to the minor hockey experience.
The Fans
Wait, fans at a minor hockey game? Well, there may be some overlap here but bringing everyone out to support the kids on the ice is an excellent way to help make the team feel like a true family. No matter what our role is in helping the team operate, when the puck drops we have to keep in mind that we are there to support our kids. As parents, we are their biggest fans, so let them know by cheering them whenever they hit the ice!
So now can you see why it takes a village to run a minor hockey team? Sure, a lot of the responsibilities fall on the parents, but in the end it’s worth it. The coaches are there every practice and every game, and remember that they have jobs and lives to live just as we do. Managers are an extension of the coaching staff and ensure that everything off the ice is taken care of, so that all we have to worry about is what happens on the ice.
Next time you are at a minor hockey league game, remember just how many people are working in the background to ensure the league runs efficiently. Referees, scorekeepers, facility workers, they all play a part in the big picture of minor hockey. Without all of these people, it would certainly be more difficult to organize games, and provide a safe and suitable rink for our kids to play at. So whether you are a coach, a manager, a parent, an official, or just a fan, thank you for playing a part in helping each minor hockey team enjoy another successful season!
