All hockey players have to start somewhere.
The Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association is currently holding registration and is particularly looking for players in the youngest age categories.
“We realize that that initiation group and that novice group, those young players are really, really important to our association,” said Jamie Davis, president of Nanaimo minor hockey. “We want them to come out and have fun and experience the game and we’ll do anything we can to make that process as easy and as affordable as possible.”
Vicky Long, administrator for Nanaimo minor hockey, said registration numbers are down in the youngest age groups and thinks one of the reasons is a misconception about costs.
“When you break it down per month, per game, per ice time, we’re cheaper than the rest of the groups, but everybody thinks that we’re more expensive,” she said.
She believes a Hockey Night in Canada Coach’s Corner segment in which Don Cherry lamented minor hockey costs had a negative effect on registration nationwide.
Davis said Nanaimo minor hockey noted that its registration dropoff coincided with the 2014 B.C. teachers’ strike.
“We weren’t sure how much the strike had to do with it, if that was a coincidence, or the message wasn’t getting out because the kids weren’t at school to share their experiences.”
He said Nanaimo minor hockey is looking at solutions, discussing, for example, six-week programs for new players to try out the sport before making longer-term commitments.
Part of Long’s job is to help connect hockey parents with registration cost-saving measures.
“There are so many programs out there that parents can reach out to,” she said, mentioning Canadian Tire’s JumpStart and The Big Play, as well as KidSport. Funding is more accessible than some people expect.
“I probably have over 100 families that can’t afford to [register] and they apply for that funding and get it every year,” said Long. “There is quite a lot out there that people don’t know about.”
Like a free Bauer helmet for all new five-year-old players, she said, or goalie equipment for house-league participants. Other equipment costs can be alleviated through hand-me-down reuse or swaps with other families.
“If you are out buying brand-new and top-of-the-line, for sure it’s expensive, but for the regular recreational hockey player, you don’t have to go that far,” said Long.
There aren’t a lot of travel costs involved with rec players, she said, with typically one off-Island tournament per season for a house team.
Nanaimo minor hockey wants to get its message out because it knows that missing out on the young generation now will have a trickle effect.
Another tactic the association has taken is to try to re-emphasize a focus on fun at the youngest levels.
“When the initiation teams are playing, every single player on the ice is a huge star and extremely entertaining and the smiles on their faces really says it all,” Davis said.
ICE CHIPS … For information about the Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association and registration, please visit www.hockeynanaimo.com/registration. Also at that web address is more information about financial assistance programs. Registration costs $295 for initiation players ages 5-6, $460 for novice players ages 7-8 and $490-495 for all other recreational divisions. Monthly payment plans are available.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
