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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-11-21, Page 2i - Page 2A Times -Advocate, November 18, 1987 • ti• Parents play major role in minor sports A question that's been bugging me all weekend involves the iro- nies of being a minor hockey parent. Why do some Canadians spend hundreds of dollars of their hard-earned money for their children to play the game and then spend the rest of the season turning what should be a fun sport into. a horrible, frustrating ex- perience for the child? We.can't afford a staff psychologist at the newspaper so 1'11 do my best to answer the question. Perhaps, when our child is on the ice we see little clones of our- selves out, there: It's got to be the only reason why a few parents get so involved in the game they do things they wouldn't do any- where else.. ' Perhaps the fumes from the ice cleaning equipment goes straight to the brains of about five percent of the fathers...and even somc 4 niothers...transforming excellent people into instant referees, ex- pert coaches and jeering jerks. Some of them yell so many instruc- tions at their boys there would have -to be about four of them on the ice to even come close to doing what they're supposed to. When Paul Charette coached my son last year he sent a letter. home with -him explaining his philosophies of minor hockcy. No- where in the letter did it say his goal would be to win hockey games. I remember the letter did say he would be stressing team- work, sportsmanship and developing fundamental hockcy skills._ €' The boys had fun...and get this...they won more than their share of hockcy games: It's probably more than just a coincidence this team did not have one parent who coached from the sidelines. Phil Turner was responsible for coaching my youngest son in the novice division. This was definitely a team of no stars who lost more than their share of games...but never once did Phil hu- miliate a child by yelling at him and criticizing him in front of his `fellow players. Phil didn't let the boys get depressed and down on themselves after losing. By the end of the season the team was ac= WIltatiMMWMIENSUMMINVOMrwiimimig • tually working together and getting a few wins. • The point is, it's usually not the coachds who take the fun out of hockey for our young players. It's us. I read an article on the rec centre bulletin board a few years ago saying "the only thing that spoils hockey for children is adults." Fortunately, most parents understand minor hockey for what it is. Thcy understand the chances of their young stars ever earning a dime from the game is practically nil. They know their boy is doing his best on the ice, and...even if it looks like he trips over One fan's Opinion By Jim Beckett My wife turned to me and said, "How many goals did you ever score?" A friend of mine, who's an ardent hockey fan has one rule when he goes to the arena. Cheer in a positive way.. In other words, make all the noise you want acknowledging the good play of your team. Don't get caught up in the excitement so much you yell abuse at the officials and opposing plaxers. At the beginning of every season local minor hockey organiza- tions have tryouts for their boys to put them in levels of hockey best suited for their skills. It might be time to have tryouts for the parents as well. Their behaviors as far as shouting and criticizing would be ob- served and their actions would determine how close they could be to the on -ice excitement. Most people would pass with flying col- ors...others would be relegated to the top row 'in the �e stands...while two or three might never get beyond the parking the blue line at least once a shift it's all right: He's having fun. -- On the other hand, Exeter is no different than any other town when it comes.to having a few arm chair coaches who feel it helps the team by yelling at all the players on the ice. Thcy know, deep down inside, if only they were on the ice playing inside that little body belonging to their son the score would bedifferent. They'd do things right, every time, and the team would never lose. It's too bad -stats from games played 25 years ago wcre'not avail- able for the children to see. If they were, I.think many of the crit- ics and shadow -coaches would suddenly become very unnoticea- ble in the stands. The other day in Parkhill I yelled at my son to shoot high at the same instant his coach, Roger Dougall told hire to aim low. In some arenas in Quebec parental interference with coaches and players was so bad the local hockey systems have banned all par- ents from the games. I would never agree with this because watching your young son play can be one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have. Hockey is one sport where tfte results achieved are often a result of confidence as much as talent. If we all remembered nothing kills confidence as quickly as criticism and nothing builds it like praise, we would be doing our part to make the garne more fun for all involved. One of the people at work. who happened to read this before our printing deadline said the same advice could be applied to ringette as well. So whether it's hockcy, ringettc•or'at, other sport in- volvin g young children just substitute wFiatevet`/activity applies. It might be minor sports but nobody,playzt a/More major role than parents. mswmmgnsnk&:...,,mgmngigmmmw.mamooavmoatorm:.,;oo.' Waxers show superiority over Strathroy, Mount Bi'dges Exeter Waxers pulled 011 a pair of impres'sivc wins on the weekend, thrashing Strathroy 7-3 Saturday and then downing Mount Brydges 5- 1 Sunday. Waxers never relinquished control in their Shamrock match against Strathroy. - Rob Lynn startedthe scoring at 4:11 when he picked up a pass from Eric Clay and Brian Ellerington. Clay, recently returned to the line- up after a bout with pneumonia, played an excellent game. At 8:07, Jcff Sararas connected with Chad Gilfillan and Chad Dal- rymple to give Exeter a two goal advantage, which they carried into the second period. Not until late into the second did anyone make a mark on the board. Strathroy's D.J. Gooding beat Wax- er goalie Jason Lindenfield with 3:04 remaining to reduce Exeter's lead. • Sararas countered that with his second of the night, again from Gil- fillan and Dalrymple, with 1:42 left • in the second, With just 42 seconds showing on the clock, Ryan Beckett found the mark. Assists on the play went to • Bryce Hann and Dave Farquhar. That line continued to produce in the third when Hann scorcd from Farquhar and Beckett after two min- utes of play. Wes Vanderwalcountered for Strathroy near the half -way mark of the final period and then Gooding added his second of the night, mak- ing it 5-3 in favour of Waxers. Ryan Soldan scored from Jeff MacLean and Rob Lynn with 6:23 left in the game and Gilfillan pumped in Exeter's final goal with 4:13 remaining. Sararas and Clay drew assists on the final goal. Tweens down Forest _Exeter Tweens trounced Forest 8- 4 Saturday afternoon in Hensall in Ringettc.action. Exeter took a 4-2 lead in the first period and doubled the scorein the second for the win. Forest was first on the board with a goal by Megan AIICn but Exeter's Cathie Wilson. responded with a goal at 12:54 to tic the game at one. Lisa Forrest drew the assist on the play. Jill Sararas added to the score after she connected with Tonya Riehl at 11:09. With 8:15 left in the first period, Tanya McKeller scored for Forest, tying the game again, but Exeter pulled ahead in the final two min- utcs of the first segment on goals by Michelle Bowerman and Tonya Rich!. Jill Sararas drew assists on both goals. Ten seconds into the second peri- od. Sararas scored from Richt, giv- Mohawks win Continued from IA Bedard and John Rowland at 1:44 of• the first, it seemed that Mohawks would walk toward another win. Rowland added a goal at 7:04 • from Bedard and Baynham during a power play. Rob Drost made Palmerston's presence known at 12:28 when he scorcd during a power play. At 14:01, Bailey pumped in an unassisted goal to make it 3-1. DreSt did somc more damage at 18:49 while Exctcr was a man short and then at 19:29 Palmerston's Dave Harding scored to lock the two teams into a 3-3 tie. Mohawks made the only mark in the second when Mark Sofhncr picked up a pass from Randcrson to score, making it 4-3. In the third, Palmerston again pounded Exctcr's defenses. Ron Feltz scored at 5:18 and Harding potted his second of the night at 6:30, giving Palmerston the Icad for the first time. Exeter responded .with equally quick goals when Ron Elliott scored atter goalie Randy Hildebrant put the puck on his stick at 10:32. Just 23 seconds ,later, Gates found the mark while Exctcr was on a Ixlwcr play. Assists went to (;lover and Warren. Palmerston ticd'Ihc game again at 15:35 when Dave Craig beat Hilde- brant. The two teams fought it out in the final minutes of the game with- out deciding a winner. 1 ing.Exctcr a 5-2 Icad. Forest pulled back into range at 13:32 when Erin Zavity scored but again Exeter countered with a goal by Cheyenne Westlake. Lisa Forrest drew the assist. Bowerman scored from Sararas with 4:35 remaining, putting the game out of Forest's reach. Angela Dougan scored for Forest one last time with 3:36 to go. Sararas potted the last goal of the game unassisted with 3:28 to play. Waxers dominated Sunday's game as well. Mount Brydges took the lead late in the first period with a goal by Chris Cowans, but before the buzz- er went to end the interval, Jcff MacLean and Farquhar both scored to give Waxers the lead. Assists on the play were awarded to Ryan Sol- dan and Hann. • Neither team was able to make a mark in the second period. Exctcr took complete control in the third. Gilfillan scored near the half -way mark of the final period on' a pass from Clay and Dalrymple. With 3:07 Icft in the game, Hahn connected with Farquhar to score In the final minute of play, ob Lynn broke away from cents t icc and scored unassisted, ending the game on a powerful note. Lindenfield was again in net for Waxers, turning in a strong perfor- mance. Waxers now have a record of six wins, four losses and two tics in Shamrock action. Give the gift Hurt's on the top of everyone's list... This Christmas give the gift that's special... 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