WESTLOCK – Kids who play hockey love it and they learn so much more than just shooting the puck around the ice.
Minor hockey develops social skills including teamwork and communication, building self-esteem and confidence, as well as time management, positive attitudes and a sense of accomplishment.
But what does it cost for parents?
“My kids love it!” remarked Andrea Gibson, mother with three kids in their first year of minor hockey playing on the U13 and U15 teams.
Registration fees for U13 were $750 per player and for U15 900 according to Gibson.
There is a $200 per family commitment to pay for the hockey gala and each family contributes to an auction prize.
Jersey deposit fees are $100 per player.
Every year parents have to look at hockey equipment and see what still fits and what needs to be replaced.
Gibson said that all three of her kids needed new hockey sticks which equalled $200 per kid.
Skate replacement is another expense and two of the Gibson youth needed new skates.
Gibson stated it cost $140 for each new pair of skates.
One of the Gibson kids needed a new chest protector, and all of the kids got new elbow pads at $45 each.
Gibson commented that it is easy to have a $500 bill at Sports Chek.
The Gibsons live out by Jarvie so there is the time and expense of driving to practices and games each week.
Practices happen during the week and games are on the weekends.
Games can be in Westlock or in other communities within the division.
With three kids in hockey there can be conflicts and overlapping game times which means there can be days when both parents are taxiing kids to hockey in different directions.
There are also tournaments on top of the regular rotation of practices and games.
There are extra fees for tournaments and for transportation to and from the tournaments.
With three kids in hockey and limited options for getting skates sharpened the Gibsons bought their own skate sharpener for $1500 this Christmas.
The kids play regular minor hockey and practice on the outdoor rink in Jarvie and Dapp on their days off.
Outdoor rinks can be hard on skates, and it is important to have sharp skates for their minor hockey practices and games.
There are limited options to get skates sharpened and those places are not always open close to game or practice time.
Minor hockey is not just a game.
It is being included in a social network of like-minded people with kids who love to be on the ice so even for parents it is a great experience.
