Unionized tell workers make $30-45 / hour in BC so Id think so. But I understand and completely agree with your point in general that the sport is TOO outta reach these days for a majority of families in North America
The big thing for football is even high-schools have sizable booster programs, and they re-use equipment. You don't see that in hockey. Most schools have fields they can use free of charge, they don't have ice-rinks, so the cost of ice is expensive (In the GTA I know of 4 schools which have dedicated indoor rinks, all of them are private two of which cost around 25k a year). But, I think looking at colleges is misguided. NBA prospects are mainly developed at Prepschools and AAU tournaments now. Most top college football prospects go to flagship high-school programs which in some regions of the United States of large booster programs (look at Southlake Carrol, Lake Travis, Westlake Austin, etc).
94K CDN pre-taxes with a mortgage and everyday expenses doesn't leave much to afford 15k to 20k a year on AAA hockey or development camps. He would need to be recognized at a young age (which he was), and hope that sponsors for certain AAA programs picked up the tab. There are some notable GTA NHLers through the Marlies who this is the case for. But, for a regular AAA player at the top programs, it is very difficult to afford unless you are upper-middle-class.
Canada doesn't have College Hockey scholarships. You can make the NHL through the NCAA scholarship system. The big thing is though, to get good enough to get a D1 scholarship, you have likely paid out that cost or more from ages 6-15. Plus, unless you are a top talent, a lot of kids aren't on full rides, but fractional scholarships, at elite private NCAA universities (say Notre Dame or BU) even on a half-ride, you are talking 25k USD yearly in tuition.
The Stromes where helped through the AAA program that McDavid was a part of. Top talent can get recognized.
If you want to read a great book and a crushing look at amateur athletics, read Play Their Hearts Out by George Dohrmann. An absolutely crushing look at the AAU basketball scene in the mid-2000's.
I don't think many of the upper-class parents who pay for these systems are looking at their kid as a meal ticket. It's more that the barriers to entry with top AAA programs are astronomical. A ton of NHLers parents still work their 9-5's. Its more chasing the dream of being an NHLer than the financial windfall.
Hmmm good post and response, I didnt realize it was that much. Probably out a reach then
Yea, I was gonna mention him as well. I truly believe any Canadian with NHL level talent who dedicates himself to the sport will receive the necessary assistance. The issue lies in individuals who have talent but are discouraged from playing in the first place.
Soccer is the ideal global sport as it's so inexpensive to play. Travel teams in the states (and I'd assume Canada) are still absurdly expensive.
Wayne Simmonds is a weird case actually. He never played AAA hockey. He played for a decent AA program (Toronto Aeros) and was covered, but no AAA team (where like 99% of NHLers from the GTA) would pick up the tab. He actually got picked up by the JR A Junior Canadians at 16 and got recognized from there. Wayne Simmonds developmental path is very much atypical. It is an extreme outlier. If you are playing AA GTHL hockey (and aren't playing prep school on the side like say Brayden Irwin who played North Toronto AA, and UCC prep school on the side) your odds of making the NHL while being in AA at 15 is almost non-existent.
Not if you want to be best of the best no. It's absolutely not "easily" done.
There are exceptions for guys who will be the top players for their age group on the AAA Marlies. But, most kids drafted these days from the GTA would be upper-middle-class with occasional exceptions.
