| Ice hockey is very unique when you compare it to | | | | leagues in North America while still being able to |
| most other sports. While many youth hockey players | | | | produce and be an elite player at that level, it might be |
| and parents have dreams of their child going off to | | | | a good idea to let your child leave home in order to |
| play an elite level of hockey such as juniors, college | | | | further develop their hockey skills at a high level before |
| and eventually professional hockey. Many parents and | | | | graduating from high school. I cannot stress enough the |
| youth hockey players think that they need to leave | | | | fact that the percentage of players that this would |
| home at an early age such as fifteen or sixteen years | | | | apply to is very small. |
| old. Is this true? | | | | While many young hockey players have dreams of |
| Actually it is very debatable whether or not having a | | | | becoming professional hockey players, in all reality the |
| hockey player leave home in their early teen years is | | | | chances of that actually happening are incredibly slim. |
| beneficial for that childs' development as a hockey | | | | The best thing that your child should do when playing |
| player and as a person. While many hockey players | | | | hockey is to concentrate on having fun. If when all is |
| who live in hockey hot bed areas of North America | | | | said and done your kid has developed into an elite |
| probably will not have to worry about going too far | | | | hockey player that can go on to get his college paid |
| from home, there are countless other hockey players | | | | for or even make some money playing hockey, then |
| that at one point or another have to decide whether or | | | | that should just be the icing on the cake. |
| not it will help them to further their young career to | | | | As a parent it should be your duty to stress that your |
| move away from home to get more exposure and | | | | child has fun and not to push them. Hockey is an |
| potentially better training and coaching. | | | | incredibly fun sport in so many ways, from the hockey |
| In most cases I am of the opinion that it really is not a | | | | equipment and the goalie masks to the early morning |
| good idea for your child to leave home to go play | | | | practices and the holiday hockey tournaments, it is |
| hockey elsewhere before they are out of high school. I | | | | incredibly important for your child to enjoy the journey |
| think that it is very important for the hockey players' | | | | of playing youth hockey which will not only help them |
| personal development to spend his or her high school | | | | to develop into better hockey players each year, but if |
| years at the same school with all of their childhood | | | | they take the proper approach to hockey and having |
| friends. As long as your child has a fair amount of | | | | fun hockey will help them to develop into better people |
| competition to play against in their hometown, wait to | | | | as well. Do not rush your childs' development and if it is |
| send them off to play juniors until after graduate from | | | | meant to be for them to leave home to seek out |
| high school. | | | | better competition to speed up their development, then |
| If however, your child plays hockey at a very high level | | | | you should be absolutely sure that this is what your |
| and has enough skill to play in the top junior hockey | | | | child wants at this time in their life. |