Cheer, Don't Jeer!

I will occasionally drop in on a hockey game at an unspecified rink around town just to watch the action. My scouting resumé is nothing more than a blank sheet of paper since I've never been hired as a scout nor have I ever been asked to scout a player, but I know enough from watching games at the university level what I'd be seeking if I ever was asked to scout players. What a lot of people may not see is that the experience of sitting in the stands and listening and observing parents can go a long way in the scouting process, and I'm shocked this isn't realized by those who were watching the game I attended earlier today.

I want to be clear that I have neither a son nor a daughter, so I don't have any sort of hockey parent bias towards a player or team when I watch games. I'm there to see who may stand out, how players interact with one another both on and off the ice, what players do when they don't have the puck, and if they cheer on their teammates while taking their turn on the bench. Players who can score will always be noticed, but it takes twenty skaters to fill roles on a team.

Tonight, though, you could say I was entertained for another reason as two people decided to sit relatively close to me despite there being ample space elsewhere in the stands whereupon they had a lively discussion about players being recruited for post-secondary institutions. Names of schools to which that one family had spoken were rattled off by the person sitting closest to me while the other person seemed impressed by the names. To be clear, there were both Canadian and US schools mentioned, but it sounded like the person's child made a decision to head east next season for an AUS school.

Obviously, that's something of which said person should proud and excited, but it was when this person's focus was on the game that had me wondering what next season would be like for the child heading east. There were comments made about other players that were less than flattering, and it confused me because there was no need for any of the comments. After all, no one was competing for the recruitment that was already obtained, so what would possess this person to talk of players like that including the child's teammates?

The other party who was impressed by the list of schools given didn't seem to bat an eyelash or offer any protest to the judgment this person was handing down from the third row of the stands either. I assume none of the players who were mentioned as being lesser players involved the second person's child, but it left me confused as to the purpose of the first person's assessments of other players.

I must not have been good company because the two amateur scouts never returned to the seating beside me following an intermission, but this lesson should serve as a reminder that anyone could be watching games. If scouts are in the crowd and heard someone's parent belittling the skills and talents of other players, it would be hard to justify recruiting the child when a vast number of university programs recruit the entire family of players into their programs.

I fully admit that I'm a nobody when it comes to hockey and I'm not making this a big deal for anyone. People can form their opinions in any manner they like about anything, but this experience should serve as a reminder that anyone, including university scouts, could be sitting not three feet away from you when watching a hockey game.

If you feel the need to express your opinion, you're welcome to do so, but I've spoken to too many scouts from university programs who would rather take a less talented player with extremely supportive parents than a highly-skilled player with negative parents. As one AUS school's scout told me a few years ago while scouting Manitoba-born players, "The success of our program will never hinge on a single player, but on the best players who can play together as a team."

I think of what he said as I watch games because that's the stuff I now look for as I stated above: how players interact with one another both on and off the ice, what players do when they don't have the puck, and if they cheer on their teammates while taking their turn on the bench. Those are important elements of being a good teammate, so I keep an eye on players who are exhibiting these traits.

Frankly, I'd struggle trying to justify this parent's behaviour if I was interested in recruiting his or her child. I know it could just be frustration during a close game, but it would be wise to remember that anyone, including university scouts, could be sitting within earshot if you're voicing your frustration with your child's teammates.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!