Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Puck you

When we were on vacation, The Boy saw a commercial on TV for Evansville youth hockey and he said "Mom, I HAVE to go do that", despite the fact that he has never been on ice skates in his entire life We explained to him that that was for people that lived there, since it was an ongoing thing. He wasn't pleased but accepted it when I told him that we have a youth hockey program here and that I would check it out when we got home. I thought no more about it and assumed it was a passing thing.

Then on Saturday, I happened to see one of those "Coffee News" papers that a lot of businesses have and on the front page it said "youth hockey sign ups, Monday August 11" That sort of seemed like fate so I picked it up and decided to see about signing him up. I called the number listed several times, trying to get information before I made any type of commitment. Once no one answered once I got the son of the person and the rest of the times I got voicemail but no answers.


We decided to go over last night and check it out. I kept telling TB that I would sign him up, if I could. I had no idea of ages, cost, commitment, etc so I wasn't promising anything.

We talked to the guy, who told me it is for ages 3-high school. So far so good. Then he told me that the time commitment for the non-travelling team was practice one evening a week and a game on Saturday morning. Again, not bad. Then he showed me the fee schedule. It was $225 to sign up for the non-travelling team. If you advance to travelling, it is $925 and high school is $1025!!!! Plus, you have to buy the gear and sign up with the governing body to the tune of another $50.

I said nevermind, thanks anyway. That is entirely too much money to commit to something that he may not even like (if it were roller hoceky, I'd sign him up since he skates well). If he had been doing it and enjoyed, I would feel differently but other than taking him ice skating (I can't ice skate, it hurts my ankles too much) they won't even put him on the ice to see if he is skilled enough to actually participate. He would be in a league with kids that have been doing this since they were 3. Not only would I be paying an outrageous amount of money, there is so guarentee that for that money, he would ever actually play.

He was disappointed but when I explained to him why he I wouldn't sign up, he it well. I was really impressed with how well he handled it because usually that would have caused a meltdown.

6 comments:

SunnyD said...

Yeah, they consider that "club" sports. Growing up my mom always asked if I wanted to do swimming or soccer... and I always said no, because I wanted those items to be fun.

I did the AYSO soccer in swam on a lame swim team in the summer, minus, of course, the 4 weeks were in Canada with my grandparents.

Anyway, when I got to high school I decided I was serious enough about volleyball and played on their team... it was $1200, not including uniform, travel hotel, etc.

After one year, I had enough. I decided I was never going to play in the real olympics (although I did play in the junior olympics and LOST big time). And I went back to deciding to work on my brain in college and gave up sports all together.

I love park districts for a reason. :-)

Quigs78 said...

Holy crap.

That would explain why the rich kids were the only ones that played hockey in high school.

The Fearless Freak said...

I'm thinking about signing him up for Nadiators swim team next summer but I don't want it to be a big pressure situation. And I DEF. don't want it to be year round so the Aquachiefs are pretty much out.

The lady did call me back this afternoon and tell me that was an intersession option that starts after the first of the year and runs through March, which costs about half of the regular season.

That is slightly more realistic, as far as price goes. It also gives us time to take him ice skating and see if he is even able to do it.

Although I'm still saying no because it is still too high pressure

SunnyD said...

Yeah, I think I'd start with ice skating lessons down at the armory or something... see if he even likes it on rental skates. Then go down the pushing/shoving/hitting hard rubber pucks across the ice.

For some reason, I think this is a sport that is more suited for MT.

Quigs78 said...

LOL

I could totally see MT playing hockey!

Oooh...or roller derby!

The Fearless Freak said...

Most sports are better suited for MT. She is absolutely the athlete in the family. She had way more fun at soccer than TB did and it wasn't even her class, they just had some extra balls and let the younger sibs run around with them. For a 3 year old, she has some decent skills. :)

TB is more of a solitary sport kind of person. He skates and swims and other things he doesn't have to really interact with people for.

And yeah, hockey or roller derby (which I'm sad the adult league never got going) or lacrosse or rugby would all be sports I could see her in.