Should Hockey Players Be Allowed To Play In Sports

SHOULD EXECPTIONALLY TALENTED YOUNG ATHLETES BE ALLOWED TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL SPORTS WHEN THEY ARE STILL IN THEIR EARLY TEENS EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM HOME AND LEAVE SCHOOL?

"I was 8-years-old when the U. S. won gold at the 1980 Olympics,” NHL veteran Steve Konowalchuk told ESPN. “I remember watching the games and celebrating each victory. I worked very hard on my game as a result, hoping to one day be a part of something as special as winning an Olympic gold medal."

What would you say if I told you that hockey was no longer Canada's national sport? Although it seems that it is on a professional level, where the game and Canada has progressed to become bigger, faster and stronger than ever, this could not be less true compared to the game we all grew up loving. Yes, the game that many grew up on, playing minor hockey and developing lifelong friendships through countless hours on the ice has become less popular in recent years due to many reasons, one major one being cost. Through the alarming costs of equipment and minor hockey that are needed to play organized hockey, it is looking like Hockey is not so much Canada's national sport, but rather one played mostly by the rich.

A controversial issue has been whether or not contact sports should be played in high school. People believe that contact sports should not be allowed to be played by the youth in high school. This issue is serious enough to have safety laws. For instance, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) law is the Zackery Lystedt Law. The Zachery Lystedt Law was the first law to protect the safety of young athletes when the get concussions. This law says that children must not participate in sorts related functions, such as practices and games, until they are medically cleared to do so. Various reasons include exceeded the joys and benefits of playing contact sports. Said reasons include long term injuries, intense amounts of money needed, thus more sponsors needed, and contact sports have a trend of causing drug abuse.

Canada has the most medals out of all 12 countries competing; Team USA has the second most with sixteen. All of the rosters of the twelve teams have at least one NHL player on its roster. However, the NHL is thinking about not letting its players play in the Olympics because it cuts into the season, and there is a risk of getting there star players injured.

As population continually increases in the Southern states, the NHL is moving teams into large Southern cities. In an effort to increase profits and popularity, the NHL has increased the number of teams in the league and moved into Southern cities that have never had hockey teams before. The problem is that hockey is not as popular in the South as it is in the North. This expansion in the South has lead to huge monetary losses to Southern teams and very low attendance numbers. The NHL should not have expanded the league into Southern cities and should keep NHL teams farther North.

    In March of 2017, the U.S. National Women’s Hockey team said they would “sit out” of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship that would take place later in the month. They threatened this because they wanted more money, which is well deserved, but USA Hockey (USAH) wasn’t willing to make a deal. The athletes were asking for a $68,000.00 salary rather than their original $24,000.00 that USAH set. The women wanted more because “the only money the players get from USA Hockey comes during the six-month period leading up to the Olympics" CNN Money reported. "The organization hasn't offered the women any money for the time the team spends training, competing and making public appearances for USA Hockey outside that six-month time frame, a team spokesperson said." (Ohikuare, Judith).

Sometimes it is easy to forget the game played on frozen ponds and backyard rinks, and get lost in the overwhelming professional sport known as hockey. However, we strive to remember that hockey became Canada's game because it made our never-ending winter months more bearable . The game gradually became a sport, then an entertainment industry. It seems like the lockout was one of the biggest news stories of the year. Part of the amazing nature of the game is that it's origins are fairly vague. However, we always remember that hockey is our game. It may not be our official sport, like lacrosse is, but hockey is what Canada seems to be most well-known for, and it continues to have immense influence on our free society, with its unique style

Maurice Richard’s historical significance in Canada was due to his importance as a hockey player in Montreal from 1942 to 1960. This was because hockey is “closer to a religion than a simple sporting pastime” in Canada. It was “a unifying force” in a nation where one state wanted to separate from the rest of Canada. Nevertheless hockey has had a major impact on the social, economic, cultural and political realms of Canada.For example: in the 2014 winter Olympics, bars across the country remained open past their legal closing times for the gold medal game. Maurice was “credited with raising the National Hockey League to major sport status”, he simply “sold the game” to French Canadians post great depression. He stopped the National Hockey league

In 1980 the United States defeated the Soviet Union in a game of hockey that came to be known as the greatest moment in sports history. The team was compromised of all amateur players. Since then rules have changed and now the use of professional athletes is allowed in Olympic competition. It is my belief that the use of professional athletes in Olympic competition ruins the pride and glory of the games.

All of the rosters of the twelve teams have at least one NHL player on its roster. However, the NHL is thinking about not letting its players play in the Olympics because it cuts into the season, and there is a risk of getting there star players injured.

Considering the significant effect that hockey has on the Canadian economy, the millions of Canadians entertained, and the countless decades of celebrated, memorable history, hockey should be named Canada’s true national sport.

Sports differ in many ways even the things that should be the same can be complete opposites. I have played football, basketball, soccer, track, and cross country and I never payed attention to running in any of those sports except for in track and cross country. I did not notice the amount of running I did in all those sport until I had to only focus on the running aspect. To this day I can say I have learned lessons in all of my sports, but running sports have taught me the most. Running is mandatory in so many sports, yet it has presented some of the largest obstacles for a me to overcome mentally.

Professional hockey has been around in Canada for over one hundred years. Tradition runs deep in programs like the Toronto Maple Leaf's and Montreal Canadians, which have been located in

Sports have been and will continue to be an influential factor on cultures around the world. Soccer is influential in Europe, Football influences The United States and for Canada it would be hockey. It was created in Canada and continues today to be a dominating part of Canadian culture as “the sport and national identity are inextricably linked” (Brunt). You could ask almost anyone in Canada if they knew who Wayne Gretzky is or if they have ever played any form of hockey, and undoubtedly you would hear them say yes more often than no. Hockey influences all ages, from youth signing up for minor hockey, to adults taking their children to a game or even the older generations sitting in front of their television in hopes that the Toronto Maple Leafs will beat the Ottawa Senators. The examination of these cultural influences allows the argument to be made that hockey can in fact be deemed “Canada’s game” (Holman 153).Through investigation of the amount of youth that participate in minor hockey, the statistics involving the amount of professional Canadian hockey players and the success that Canada has achieved in the world of professional hockey, such as the Olympics, NHL and IIHF World Juniors, it will become evident that hockey is and will continue to be viewed as “Canada’s game”. (Holman 153)