(By: Waverly Neufeld and Raizel Harjosubroto)
“It’s every kid’s dream to play in the NHL,” said Andrew Allen, goalie coach of the Buffalo Sabres.
Unfortunately, for some children, this dream isn’t always attainable because of costs.
Hockey is Canada’s winter national sport, yet only 4 per cent of Canadians play, according to a 2010 survey from Statistics Canada.
While starting up in a minor league can be more affordable, players that want to play in competitive leagues and go far need thousands of dollars.
“Most lower level leagues such as house league and even A hockey will charge less than one thousand dollars,” said competitive minor league player Casim Shaikh.
To play in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, players must spend $660 per year, not including equipment.
To play in higher minor leagues, however, could be “anywhere from 2-5 thousand dollars depending on your city to play AAA hockey,” said Shaikh.
Mother of four, Alice Velthuizen, can relate to the costliness that comes along with the sport.
“Our kids didn’t play on teams, though Peter really wanted to. They played soccer in the summer, which is cheaper and summers are less busy with evening meetings and such. Hockey is expensive and very time consuming.”
The same goes for Liam Bell, a first-year engineering student at Ryerson, who played hockey leisurely with friends on frozen ponds in the winter.
I didn’t play in a league because I couldn’t afford it …That’s why I just played recreationally in the winter.
Cam Cole of the Toronto Sun, stated hockey is geared towards the elite, due to high costs.
“Our national winter sport has become terrifyingly expensive, dangerously elitist, and is slowly but surely hacking away at the roots of what made the possibility of greatness accessible… to any kid with talent and a dream.”
Taylor Drew, a second-year biology student, agrees that hockey is not accessible to all who wish to play. “The equipment is expensive and if you want to play competitive you have to pay for extra training and away tournaments.”
“I think that Canada should make it an initiative to fund projects for underprivileged children to try hockey, maybe such as ‘hand me down’ programs for used equipment or more free ice time,” said Drew.
Header image courtesy City of Surrey
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