Any Hockey Moms Out There?

My daugther (14) has played since she was 5. Hockey parents are crazy, but like another person said, you get that in any sport!

Air out his equipiment after each use. My daugther hangs her equipment on a rack after each practice/game & then puts it back in her bag before the next practice/game. At least once a season I throw the breezers, shoulder pads, elbow pads, neck guard & shin guards in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with Oxiclean & detergent. It helps, but the equipment is never going to smell great.

I am not a hockey mom (yet!!) but I played, as did both my little brothers. We're a hockey FAMILY. Buy as much gear as you can second hand until you know darn well your kids are serious about the sport. The only thing I'd buy new is a helmet. Depending on what hockey programs are offered, you could have practices 2x a week or every night per week. We played travel hockey in New Jersey, and grew up on a lake, in a community where everybody played. My mailman's son and my 5th grade teacher's son were on my team; small world ;) ANYWAY, we used to practice on the lake before school in the winter (seriously, we were latch key kids anyway, no parental supervision) then had practive 4-5x every week after school. The practices were so frequent to give us some slack, meaning, if we missed a practice, no big deal, there's 3 more this week ;) Febreeze the heck out of his gear when he gets home. Get a clothes drying rack, set it up on your deck/in your garage/basement, TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF THE BAG, and febreeze it. Leave it out until next time. There is NOTHING that will get the smell out of that stuff if you leave it in the bag all the time; and nothing on earth smells like a hockey locker room ;) He sounds really into it, GO FOR IT!! Best. sport. EVER... ice hockey :_

My son is still fairly young (8). We will go 2 sessions a week, starting this fall. The price also goes up quite a bit , this season. I think almost 700$ , just for ice time. As far as equipment, we trade our old for new & that helps w/ the cost alot. Son has decided that this is his fav sport & what he wants to devote all his time towards, so we have decided to take the financial hit, as long as he's serious about it.

Any sport that takes place on ice is expensive. I know this -- my daughter was a figure skater...
There are wacko parents in every sport -- don't sweat it. Just be there for your little guy. If he gets tired of hockey, there will be something else that peaks his interest.
LBC