Steady decline in youth hockey participation in Canada raises concerns about the future of sport

[joelef]

Meanwhile,

Canada men and woman soccer teams have been successful in the past years, both the national basketball teams are ranked high due to more kids playing basketball. Honestly, the amount of Canadians who have played in the NBA in the past decade is great to see.

SGA was damn near league MVP in the NBA.

Look at the demographics of those teams and then look at the hockey tesm. That’s why hockey is declining .

 

[EpochLink]

Look at the demographics of those teams and then look at the hockey tesm. That’s why hockey is declining .

It’s about time Canada spread their wings at other sports. As much as hockey is ‘the fabric of this country’, about time we can show off our talent in other sports that isn’t hockey.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

It is what it is. There are still people playing hockey and there's always going to be people wanting to play in the NHL, because...y'know...$$$.

Using video games terms, the most impact this will have is dropping the median skill level of a NHL player from like an 82 or 83 to an an 80 or 81 in the future. Who cares? Big whoop.

 

[joelef]

It’s about time Canada spread their wings at other sports. As much as hockey is ‘the fabric of this country’, about time we can show off our talent in other sports that isn’t hockey.

Don’t have. A problem with that or immigration but if hockey doesn’t to try to market there sport and get them interested into hockey well there will be massive consequences for the Canadian talent pooil

It is what it is. There are still people playing hockey and there's always going to be people wanting to play in the NHL, because...y'know...$$$.

Using video games terms, the most impact this will have is dropping the median skill level of a NHL player from like an 82 or 83 to an an 80 or 81 in the future. Who cares? Big whoop.

And this attitude is why hockey is disappearing in many places .

 

[joelef]

More diversity needed to save hockey in Scarborough - The Toronto Observer

Calling all immigrants, Canada’s national sport needs your help in Scarborough.

Without new Canadians signing up for hockey, there aren’t enough players, meaning some leagues may need to shut down, says John Kelloway, president of the Scarborough Hockey Association (SHA).

The way things are going now, Kelloway said, Scarborough residents may not hear the sounds of skates and pucks in the future.

In the early 1970s, nine hockey leagues had a total of 13,000 children, while today the SHA’s down to seven leagues with only 3,000 players, Kelloway said.

Hockey in Scarborough is dying. But, bringing it back to life has been a slow process, he said.

“Right now we’re semi-paralyzed, if not totally,” Kelloway said.

The biggest problem is that fewer new players are registering for the sport.

One reason is the cost to parents in registering and equipping their children. But another lies in the changing demographics of Scarborough, Kelloway said from the boardroom at the Don Montgomery Arena. A big chunk of Scarborough is made up of new Canadians who have come from countries that don’t usually play hockey, Kelloway said.

 

[McShogun99]

When I was growing up every school had an outdoor rink now you don't see those with new schools. Playing in a league gets expensive but most people can afford a pair of skates and a stick. You don't even see kids playing street hockey anymore.

 

[JianYang]

Man this has got to stop.

If you weren't aware what being repeatedly hit in the face means for your brain health then I dont know what to tell you.

We only have over a hundred years of boxers brains dissolving.

Not to mention the term punch drunk was coined in 1928...

The uninformed are always surprised and shocked.

Well, the mentality used to be that you got your bell rung. Once the immediate cobwebs clear up, get back out there for the next shift.

It wasn't really considered that there would be long term impacts prior to there being a scientific focus on the matter, which wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things.

And again, I'm not saying it's the end of the sport, but I think there is a segment of parents who would refrain from the sport now that would not have refrained in decades past.

 

[Golden_Jet]

As a dad of a young son and young daughter I can tell you it’s not just hockey that has a problem. The professionalization of all youth sports and activities is out of control.

It breaks two directions but if you kid is somewhat talented you are kind of f***ed if they want to go “competitive”. They don’t even have to be talented in some activities for the cash grab.

My buddies daughter was good at fastball and got “monotracked” 10-12 thousand a year later (before parents travel) and 11 month a year commitment from when she was 13 on. My daughter is decent at Gymanastics but started late…..even then the grind is still on as she has gone up a few levels and now its 3 days a week x 4.5 hours per practice session and $5000 before travel. Don’t get me started on the for profit world of “Dance or Cheer”

Hockey you can put your kid in “house” and it’s generally about $1500 max plus equipment, one practice and one game per week.

There is no cheap sport if you are talented because they have found a way turn them all into for profit businesses. AAA hockey if you want to go full bells and whistles can get really pricy but so can any sport if your kid is good enough.

It’s all a problem but there are usually cheaper options if kids want to play for fun only.

Yep it is other sports as well,
like competitive figure skating would be
similar to hockey because of ice time big cost I guess.

 

[JianYang]

Meanwhile,

Canada men and woman soccer teams have been successful in the past years, both the national basketball teams are ranked high due to more kids playing basketball. Honestly, the amount of Canadians who have played in the NBA in the past decade is great to see.

SGA was damn near league MVP in the NBA.

The joke with Canada soccer is that it is team Brampton.

I think southern ontario makes a large part of the basketball roster too, which I think was propelled by the Vince Carter era. I truly think Carter had more of an impact on basketball in this country in terms of getting kids into it than Steve Nash himself.

 

[ps241]

Yep it is other sports as well, like competitive figure skating.
15 years ago paid $1500 for boots and blades,( not for me) you don’t buy skates as one, buy separately, blade depends on level your at.

Then coaching on top of that, then travel for tournaments, on the ice 20-25 hours a week

It’s the way it’s all gone. There is so much more money that parents are willing to throw at their kids sport/activity, “any” sport or activity.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Well they are from different backrounds than most NBA and Soccer players , how are you supposed to relate to a guy like sidney Crosby or Connor McDavids when they're dads have backyard rinks built for them when they are 5 .

I'm just saying a guy like Lebron James has a 100% more relatable backround since most people don't come from perfect prototypical american dream like families

Crosby's family wasn't that wealthy, he's more the outlier though.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Canada is relying on population growth via big bursts of immigration from places where hockey doesn't exist. That's bound to have an effect on the national culture as immigrants basically need to be 'brainwashed' to think of Canada's favorites as their favorites..which can happen with the 2nd and 3rd generation but only if there's a cultural push for it.

But in a larger context, hockey is not only an expensive sport, it's also a bit of an acquired taste. It's a sport that heavily rewards size and athleticism, so a large % of kids are on the out from the get-go. It's a sport that requires a tolerance of violence and injury which again rules out a large % of kids. So you need parents that have money, have tall, athletic children and don't mind their kids getting a few teeth knocked out. I mean that just doesn't strike me as more than a niche population.

 

[Sens9292]

Cost of registration and the constant need for new equipment, unattainable for majority of families. It’s a sport for the wealthy and well off, families will look elsewhere

 

[joelef]

Canada is relying on population growth via big bursts of immigration from places where hockey doesn't exist. That's bound to have an effect on the national culture as immigrants basically need to be 'brainwashed' to think of Canada's favorites as their favorites..which can happen with the 2nd and 3rd generation but only if there's a cultural push for it.

But in a larger context, hockey is not only an expensive sport, it's also a bit of an acquired taste. It's a sport that heavily rewards size and athleticism, so a large % of kids are on the out from the get-go. It's a sport that requires a tolerance of violence and injury which again rules out a large % of kids. So you need parents that have money, have tall, athletic children and don't mind their kids getting a few teeth knocked out. I mean that just doesn't strike me as more than a niche population.

The nhl is horrible at marketing its sport. Sportsbuinessjournal just had an article about how Connor mcdavid has virtually no marketing appeal.

 

[Asinine]

Hockey Canada needs to put some more of their focus on ball hockey to grow the sport to immigrants and families that can't afford the absurdity of ice hockey.

Registration fees to play should be similarly as cheap as soccer and it still grows the game and gets people interested without taking anything away from ice hockey.

 

[CupHolders]

As a dad of a young son and young daughter I can tell you it’s not just hockey that has a problem. The professionalization of all youth sports and activities is out of control.

Happy Father's Day. Yes, this man preaches truth. This was happening before the pandemic and regardless of inflation.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Cost is a huge part but it's not the only part.

Hockey didn't compete with basketball pre Michael Jordan. Most small towns didn't have basketball courts. It wasn't televised (maybe in Toronto it was). In 1980, the ability to follow the NBA was extraordinarily limited.

Now, basketball is all over TV, streaming, and social media. Every school has both indoor and outdoor basketball hoops. Basketball has huge stars and significant overlap with media and music.

It's never been easier to play and watch basketball in Canada.

 

[CupHolders]

When I was young, my parents told me they wouldn't put me into hockey because they didn't want to get up early on the weekends to have to take me to practice.

As an adult, I now realize we were just poor.


How many kids now grow up in tract suburbia where you're lucky if there's a decent-sized park within a ten minute walk, let a lone a pond?

Well what did you expect with achieving a medical career and no doubt medical school debt before the age of 16?

 

[VanillaCoke]

$$$

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

simply too expensive for a lot of families. the risk of head injuries and sexual abuse aren't helping either.

I would gather to venture that this is a dismally sad byproduct of the cost of living crisis in Canada. Some parents are scraping by without expensive as hell sports, some don't even have time because they've now got 2 jobs. It's f***ing disastrous. It's future in Canada is as a bourgeoisie sport.

 

[paulmm3]

Cost has got to be a big part. But hockey's been expensive for a while. The substantial increase in immigration also has to play a role. You've got to figure most immigrants are not from places where ice hockey is popular, so you're increasing the denominator of "people in Canada" a bunch without increasing the numerator "people in Canada who like hockey and care about it enough to play it" nearly as much.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I would gather to venture that this is a dismally sad byproduct of the cost of living crisis in Canada. Some parents are scraping by without expensive as hell sports, some don't even have time because they've now got 2 jobs. It's f***ing disastrous. It's future in Canada is as a bourgeoisie sport.

Its already a bourgeoisie sport dude

 

[shaner8989]

Everyone who makes it big deserves everything they get. It’s a long and hard journey.

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Well what did you expect with achieving a medical career and no doubt medical school debt before the age of 16?

Holy f*** lmao

 

[Golden_Jet]

Canada is relying on population growth via big bursts of immigration from places where hockey doesn't exist. That's bound to have an effect on the national culture as immigrants basically need to be 'brainwashed' to think of Canada's favorites as their favorites..which can happen with the 2nd and 3rd generation but only if there's a cultural push for it.

But in a larger context, hockey is not only an expensive sport, it's also a bit of an acquired taste. It's a sport that heavily rewards size and athleticism, so a large % of kids are on the out from the get-go. It's a sport that requires a tolerance of violence and injury which again rules out a large % of kids. So you need parents that have money, have tall, athletic children and don't mind their kids getting a few teeth knocked out. I mean that just doesn't strike me as more than a niche population.

The majority of kids aren’t playing competitive, there playing for fun of the game, and be with their friends.

They’ve removed a lot of the physicalness imo, by removing checking,
I preferred the checking at every level growing up.