We're All in this Together

My wife and I attended our second Annual General Meeting of the week tonight. This time for the Boy's local minor hockey association. We are both of the mind that it is important to participate in the process in order to have the right to effectively praise the positive and occasionally bitch about the negative aspects of our family's shared hockey experience -- "shared" is the operative word.

As I sat listening to director's and VPs' reports about the season past, attendees questions/concerns about all manner of issues and the brief campaign speeches delivered by those looking to join the board, I was reminded that all of the over 100 people in that room were there by choice. All were there in the interest of improving the hockey experience for their children and in some cases for other people's children as many in attendance don't or no longer even have children in hockey. Now that's dedication.

Being a volunteer convener myself, I've been consistently impressed by the number of parent and particularly non-parent coaches who give their time to teach and guide our boys and girls. Being the head coach of a minor hockey team, rep or otherwise, can be a second full-time job demanding hundreds of hours for team selection, team communications, budgeting, pre and post practice and game preparations, scheduling and balancing the interests of up to 17 families. Team managers are important helpers, but the coach is ultimately responsible for the team. It also carries with it a significant responsibility in terms of human development. A coach, good or bad, can have a life and character defining effect on the developing minds and characters of those being coached. I know I can certainly point to coaches from my youth who had an influence on how I would come to view commitment, responsibility and the world in general. And I also know my kids have adopted opinions, attitudes and habits from past coaches.

The associations who define my children's hockey experience, not unlike those in other parts of the world rely on the unselfish volunteerism of countless people. They cannot be commended enough for their efforts. Tonight our association rightfully honored one particular volunteer who participated on no fewer than three association committees this past season in addition to several outside of our association. Never mind that this person also juggles a full-time job and helps out at her children's school (in her spare time). This person is a Swiss army knife personified. A quick glance at her driver's license may reveal that multitask is indeed her middle name. But, of course, she like many others will continue to give of their time because they feel/know it's the right thing to do.

We don't always agree and can sometimes vociferously disagree with the decisions and actions of coaches, managers and/or association officials. But maybe the next time we have a notion to complain (and there will undoubtedly be a next time), we will stop to reflect again on the voluntary nature of the the hockey world we live in and consider our complaint in that context.

#imahockeydad