Pointstreak, the DVHL, and Crazy Hockey Parents

Well, hockey parents, now you've done it. I can't even say "hockey parents" anymore - that implicates way too many good, reasonable people. But the "crazy hockey parents", the CHPs, have once again ruined a good thing for the rest of us.


If you've been on Pointstreak this season, you likely have seen that individual player stats have been posted all season. That was not the case last season and I, for one, was really pleased with the change. It's helpful as a coach to have some idea of what the other team is like - who are their leading scorers, does all of their offense come from one or two players, etc.

Well, last weekend I tried to look up the stats for the team we played on Saturday and noticed they were no longer available. I didn't think much of it until last night, when a friend and fellow hockey dad mentioned it. I suspected it was because some knucklehead coach or parent went overboard scouting opposing players. Was there a Nancy Kerrigan incident or something?

Nope. My friend alerted me to this post on the DVHL website:

Stats May Be Removed From Website

After many complaints from the clubs, the DVHL will be taking a vote at our President's meeting on January 8 as to whether or not keep all stats or remove them from the website.

Club Presidents are tired of receiving complaints that their child's goal for/goal against are incorrect, that their son did not receive the assist he should have, that the scores are not correct on the website while the game is still in play, etc. etc.    This is just an example, below are more.

Another one - parents are coming out of the stands and going to the scorekeepers box, knocking on their door, and telling them to add an assist as it is not showing on the website and he wants to get their child credit.  All while the game is still in play.

Another one - One father even asked if we would watch a video and count the shots on net that his son had so that we could change them.  By doing this, it would change his son's status on the website from the #17 goalie to #4.

Another one - parents are paying their children money to score so that their stats are better on the web. 

Coaches are saying that the players are not passing like they should be.  They are trying to score to improve their stats.

It appears that the general consensus is that having the stats on the web is completely changing the game of youth hockey.  Please contact your club president to let them know your thoughts so that they can vote at the meeting as to whether or not to keep the stats for the remainder of the year as well as next season.

Are you kidding me??? Let's break this down:

After many complaints from the clubs, the DVHL will be taking a vote at our President's meeting on January 8 as to whether or not keep all stats or remove them from the website.

It appears they have been removed, although there hasn't been a post about the outcome of the January 8 Presidents' meeting.

Club Presidents are tired of receiving complaints that their child's goal for/goal against are incorrect, that their son did not receive the assist he should have, that the scores are not correct on the website while the game is still in play, etc. etc.    This is just an example, below are more.

How delusional are you, CHP, to think that this is right? 

Another one - parents are coming out of the stands and going to the scorekeepers box, knocking on their door, and telling them to add an assist as it is not showing on the website and he wants to get their child credit.  All while the game is still in play.

Yes, folks, that parents, plural. This has happened multiple times? Let's get one thing straight in case you've never been told this. Speaking as a coach, no parent should EVER approach the bench or the scorekeeper's box during the game, EXCEPT in the case of an injury or some other pre-approved reason. That includes coming to the bench to scold your child who's not playing to your expectations. That includes coming to the penalty box - whether to scold or (sigh) to comfort your child who just took a penalty. And yes, for Lord Stanley's sake, it includes coming to the scorekeeper's box to talk about your child's stats.

My son plays defense. Do you have any idea how many times he hasn't been credited with an assist he earned? This is not the NHL. There's no video to review to get the scoring exactly right. Do you know how often the referees credit secondary assists in youth hockey? It's not often, especially when it's a breakout pass to start a rush.

And you know what? Who cares? When we get in the car and my son tells me, "I should have had an assist on that second goal," do you know what I say? "Yes, you should have. But it doesn't matter. I know you earned it and you know you earned it. Goals and assists don't matter to me as long as you're playing your hardest and helping the team."  And he plays hard. And he helps the team.

Another one - One father even asked if we would watch a video and count the shots on net that his son had so that we could change them.  By doing this, it would change his son's status on the website from the #17 goalie to #4.

Get over yourself. Your son is not going to the NHL. Not even if he's able to achieve the lofty status of #4 goalie in the whole DVHL. Tell yourself that often. And when your son is playing really well and your pride starts to build, read this. In fact, the CHPs in the first example should just keep a copy of that article in their pockets. That way when they want to make that walk over to the scorekeeper's bench they can stay where they are and read it instead.

Another one - parents are paying their children money to score so that their stats are better on the web. 

Coaches are saying that the players are not passing like they should be.  They are trying to score to improve their stats.

I've seen parents pay their children for scoring goals. I've heard parents offer their children rewards for scoring a hat trick, or a certain number of points. It's pathetic. What are you teaching your child? Go out there and be selfish with the puck, because this is all about you. Nothing is worth doing unless there's a material reward.These are the same parents who complain about other players not passing enough, especially to their child.

But know this: kids can identify a selfish teammate, and they'll play differently when that player is on the ice, whether it's not passing to that player or "watching" that player because they know they're not going to get the puck. Every mite phenom will eventually reach the point when they'll need their teammates in order to be successful. What will they do if they've been alienating themselves from those same teammates for years?

Worst of all, the kids who learn these lessons will be adults someday, and how do you think they're going to act? I've heard the word "entitled" thrown around often lately in reference to the Millennial generation, and that sounds about right to me.

It appears that the general consensus is that having the stats on the web is completely changing the game of youth hockey.  Please contact your club president to let them know your thoughts so that they can vote at the meeting as to whether or not to keep the stats for the remainder of the year as well as next season.

I disagree with this last paragraph of the DVHL's post. There's always been an obsession with player stats from the CHPs. Maybe having those stats posted on the web has thrown fuel on that fire, but it's a fire that was already burning strong.

Look, I understand wanting to receive credit for what you've earned. I could even buy the argument that this helps teach youngsters to speak up for what's right.

No, no I can't. Sorry - I tried.

Let's have some perspective here, CHPs. If you want to teach your children those lessons, let's use something more noble than goals and assists in a meaningless kids' game. Let's teach them to stand up for real victims, a teammate who's being bullied, for example. Let's teach them that often in life the good things you do will go unnoticed and you'll have to be able to deal with it. There won't be a coach there to give you a gold star, or a parent nearby to make sure the world knows how special you are. As they say, "Life isn't fair." Or at least, they used to say that.

In the grand scheme of things, this really isn't a big deal I guess. Obviously, it got me upset though, so thanks for letting me vent. If this post offends you, you're probably a CHP. And if that's the case, please stop ruining youth hockey for the rest of us.

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