There are many reasons why hockey is the greatest sport for kids. There are many hockey experts like Hockey Pursuits that may have explored the safest hockey helmets you can get or even the type of hockey stick that works well, but you may still be asking yourself, “is hockey the right sport for my kid?”
Generally speaking, the answer is probably “yes.”
Whether you would like your child to work on social skills or get great exercise, kids will benefit from playing hockey. If you are still on the fence, here are the top reasons that you should have your kid play hockey.
- Fitness: Let’s start by taking a look at the fitness benefit of hockey. Modern children are inundated with tablets, televisions, and game systems. Hockey is a healthy way to encourage children to stay active. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in many developed first world countries. Giving children a positive outlook on sports and exercise will benefit them forever.
- Team Skills: If you would like your child to learn about what it means to be on a team, hockey is a great option. Being on a team teaches your children how to cooperate with others and work toward a common goal, a skill that will stay with them their entire lives.
- Respect: Sometimes your child will win a game. Sometimes your child will lose a game. In hockey, children can be taught how to win and lose with respect. This type of sportsmanship is incredibly important to how kids perceive sports as they grow up. Just a simple handshake with an opponent saying “good game” is a positive step toward teaching sportsmanship and respect.
- Work Ethic: Work ethic is so important in sports, but it is also important in life in general. Knowing that it takes work to reach a goal is an important piece of knowledge that does not always come easily to children. Through practices and a dedicated team, your child will learn what work ethic means and carry it with them for the rest of their life.
- Friendship: Practicing and playing with a team will naturally bring children closer. Since they will have something in common with one another through hockey, it is a natural progression toward building friendships. Your child will already know someone who shares the same love of hockey. Also, teams that have chemistry among the players always do better when it comes to a game. They will know each other well enough to predict one another’s moves as they work toward winning a game together.
If you are still having reservations about whether hockey is a good choice for your child, at the very least you could talk to local coaches or simply take your child to practice ice skating. Once you know it is the right choice for your child, your child will have a new outlet to make friends, burn off steam, and built skills that will carry through life. Hockey is a wonderful sport. Share it with your child.
