If you never had the chance to read the CBC article online Nov. 21, 20;12 about MHA Keith Russell's suspension it is definitely worth your while to take a couple of minutes and do so. It is posted online at CBC NL and has comments from several MHA's, HNL as well as our Premier, Ms. Dunderdale.
*FYI for ALL of you dignitaries out there who have had the chance to chirp in on this situation....this is not a one-time affair, this is a regular Saturday morning occurrence in many rinks across our great land. If there's one thing I'd encourage you to do if you can find the time some weekend it's to drop down to your local arena and take in a few games. If you haven't been down to your local rinks lately I'm quite sure you see that THE GAME has changed and changed a lot in the past decade or so!
At the Entry division levels you'll see the exact same thing as you see at the higher levels.....Competitive Minor Hockey. All-Star and travel teams at every level there is, including Novice kids who have no idea of what they are getting themselves involved with, and for the fact neither do the parents but they too learn fast and furious about the competitiveness that is involved. Everyone will soon learn that this is a very competitive game and from here on be prepared to face the stress of making your All-Star team every year. Training all summer long for try-outs in the Fall and missing out on the little things that make growing up as a child what it should be.
Yes, HNL is there to govern and implement their programs which are designed by the governing body and do scheduled training all year long. They rule on suspensions and govern the Provincial body the best they can but somewhere along the line this is all getting lost!
The sad thing about all this is that once again our GAME is in the spotlight and once again it is for ALL the wrong reasons!! Once again, we have all the media crews, elected officials and Alumni stepping in, getting media coverage all across Canada to try and diffuse a situation that never should've occurred in the first place. It occurred because of a number of reasons that we'll go into more depth about at a later time.
Why is it that it always takes something like this to get the attention needed from not only Minor Hockey but ALL youth initiatives across this province? The truth of the matter is that it really doesn't matter to them. If issues like this did matter, why is it we only see reactions when there's situations like this, have we never heard of Preventive Maintenance, if not check out Google or Wikipedia please, could make a world of a difference. I have made presentations and tried to implement initiatives but they all fall on deaf ears in terms of the involvement our Governments want to make and commit to. I have emailed every HNL and they have their own programs and initiatives and guidelines to follow but sometimes thinking a little outside of the BOX is not a bad thing. I have personally emailed every Association int he Province that I was made privy to their contact info and put myself out there to give presentations & Day Camps for both Players, Coaches and Parents but that too fell on deaf ears. CHANGE and the TRUTH is never easy to hear when it seems as though things have failed but sometimes they are the only options you have!
Until we as a society are ready to make a change and a change for the good then nothing and I mean nothing will ever change because the ONLY one's that can make these changes are the parents and as far as I can see they are quite comfortable and content with the development of their children in Minor Hockey and Sports in General.
Yes, we need more attention drawn to issues like Mr. Russell's as it is times like this that influential people stand up and fight for causes and believes and if this isn't one of those times then I don't know what is?
Don't just pop on the 6 O'Clock news and criticize Mr. Russell and his actions or HNL not handing down a more serious and lengthy suspension. We all know it was wrong as I'm quite sure he does as well, but if you really want to make a difference let's not just file this away, get out to your local rinks, get a feel for what programs OUR youth are involved in, the leadership and quality of people installing their morals and values upon our youth. Let's all pull together here Premier Dunderdale and staff and help ensure our youth have the best possible leaders, programs and facilities to succeed and grow with great characters and values because one day and one day soon, these youth will be the one's running our province and becoming the leaders and contributing members of our communities!
Cheers and from the words of the late Mr. Don Johnson....God Bless.
TCG
*FYI for ALL of you dignitaries out there who have had the chance to chirp in on this situation....this is not a one-time affair, this is a regular Saturday morning occurrence in many rinks across our great land. If there's one thing I'd encourage you to do if you can find the time some weekend it's to drop down to your local arena and take in a few games. If you haven't been down to your local rinks lately I'm quite sure you see that THE GAME has changed and changed a lot in the past decade or so!
At the Entry division levels you'll see the exact same thing as you see at the higher levels.....Competitive Minor Hockey. All-Star and travel teams at every level there is, including Novice kids who have no idea of what they are getting themselves involved with, and for the fact neither do the parents but they too learn fast and furious about the competitiveness that is involved. Everyone will soon learn that this is a very competitive game and from here on be prepared to face the stress of making your All-Star team every year. Training all summer long for try-outs in the Fall and missing out on the little things that make growing up as a child what it should be.
Yes, HNL is there to govern and implement their programs which are designed by the governing body and do scheduled training all year long. They rule on suspensions and govern the Provincial body the best they can but somewhere along the line this is all getting lost!
The sad thing about all this is that once again our GAME is in the spotlight and once again it is for ALL the wrong reasons!! Once again, we have all the media crews, elected officials and Alumni stepping in, getting media coverage all across Canada to try and diffuse a situation that never should've occurred in the first place. It occurred because of a number of reasons that we'll go into more depth about at a later time.
Why is it that it always takes something like this to get the attention needed from not only Minor Hockey but ALL youth initiatives across this province? The truth of the matter is that it really doesn't matter to them. If issues like this did matter, why is it we only see reactions when there's situations like this, have we never heard of Preventive Maintenance, if not check out Google or Wikipedia please, could make a world of a difference. I have made presentations and tried to implement initiatives but they all fall on deaf ears in terms of the involvement our Governments want to make and commit to. I have emailed every HNL and they have their own programs and initiatives and guidelines to follow but sometimes thinking a little outside of the BOX is not a bad thing. I have personally emailed every Association int he Province that I was made privy to their contact info and put myself out there to give presentations & Day Camps for both Players, Coaches and Parents but that too fell on deaf ears. CHANGE and the TRUTH is never easy to hear when it seems as though things have failed but sometimes they are the only options you have!
Until we as a society are ready to make a change and a change for the good then nothing and I mean nothing will ever change because the ONLY one's that can make these changes are the parents and as far as I can see they are quite comfortable and content with the development of their children in Minor Hockey and Sports in General.
Yes, we need more attention drawn to issues like Mr. Russell's as it is times like this that influential people stand up and fight for causes and believes and if this isn't one of those times then I don't know what is?
Don't just pop on the 6 O'Clock news and criticize Mr. Russell and his actions or HNL not handing down a more serious and lengthy suspension. We all know it was wrong as I'm quite sure he does as well, but if you really want to make a difference let's not just file this away, get out to your local rinks, get a feel for what programs OUR youth are involved in, the leadership and quality of people installing their morals and values upon our youth. Let's all pull together here Premier Dunderdale and staff and help ensure our youth have the best possible leaders, programs and facilities to succeed and grow with great characters and values because one day and one day soon, these youth will be the one's running our province and becoming the leaders and contributing members of our communities!
Cheers and from the words of the late Mr. Don Johnson....God Bless.
TCG
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