If you hesitate to consider hockey for your family because you’ve heard negative comments about hockey in other communities, take time to check out hockey in Northfield.  Northfield is a special place, and the hockey program in Northfield is also special.
 

I’ve heard hockey is more dangerous than other sports.
Not at all. Actually, youth injury rates in hockey are similar to injury rates in sledding, and well behind basketball, baseball, gymnastics, football, soccer and trampolines, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.(www.lpch.org)

And according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, hockey has fewer head injuries than most other popular sports, including baseball, soccer, basketball, football and golf. (www.aans.org)

Decreased rates of hockey injuries in recent years are undoubtedly due to improved helmets and safety equipment, as well as rule changes designed to improve youth hockey.
 

Hockey takes so much time, we’ll be too busy, my kids won’t be able to participate in other activities.
At the Mite level, there are 1-2 hours per week of practices and scrimmages through the season. At the Senior Mite level, the hours typically increase slightly, and this pattern continues as children move up to the higher levels of development, just as the commitment increases for advancing athletes in most sports, music, and the like. That said, many young hockey players also participate in other activities, including other sports, arts, musical instruments, and church activities, making the same choices as other young athletes when multiple activities create time conflicts.
 

Hockey players aren’t good students.
Extra-curricular activities, including hockey, are positive indicators for academic achievement. (www.health.gov)

NHA supports and encourages academic achievement at all levels. Hockey tournaments typically give awards for “Academic All-Stars”, and Northfield’s hockey players regularly earn these accolades. Graduates of the NHA program, and those who have graduated from the Northfield High School hockey program, have a reputation for going on to college and achieving academically at a high level.
 

Hockey is more expensive than other sports.
For the 2014 season, NHA offers a full season of Mites hockey for $50, as well as $50 equipment rental for the whole season, and first time skaters at the older levels play the entire season for $100. The hockey program in Northfield is one of the most economically friendly in the region.

Once players move beyond Mites, the prices do go up. The NHA is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, but the primary driver of hockey fees is still the cost of ice rental. Still, Northfield has managed to keep fees below most other associations in the region, and since fees for the season include over five months of practices and games, the costs compare favorably to other sports in the community such as gymnastics, dance, traveling soccer, traveling baseball, and the like. To help families manage costs, those fees can easily be spread over the season on a payment plan, or paid in full at registration.

Equipment costs are another concern for hockey families. Beginners can rent equipment from NHA for a very low fee, and for those who chose to continue with hockey, there are excellent programs through Westwood Sports of Apple Valley and others, in which beginner equipment packs are available to purchase for around $70-100, and most equipment will last a player a few years. Skate leasing is available through Straight River Sports of Owatonna, and there are many other options for purchasing high quality equipment. Watch the NHA Facebook page, we sometimes post online equipment deals when we see them! It is not necessary, however, to buy new equipment. The NHA hosts an online Trading Post, and many families find Play It Again Sports stores, online swaps, and eBay are good options for less expensive used equipment.
 

But I have a daughter...
Girls have been very successful in hockey. In the last few years, Northfield’s U10 and U12 teams, the girls’ teams at the Under Age 10 and Under Age 12 levels, have been enormously successful, winning regional and state titles. Those same girls have also been active in other activities, such as soccer, church, and music. The Minnesota Gophers Women’s Hockey team won the national title in 2012, and one of their goalies is from nearby New Prague. Girls play hockey differently than boys do, and our coaches coach accordingly. Our girls enjoy the game, especially the team camaraderie, and the girls hockey program in Northfield is growing each year!
 

Someone said my child is too old to start hockey.
If they are comfortable on skates, they can join at nearly any level. If they are new to skating, there are multiple options to get them on the ice. NHA offers free clinics and instruction to give players a chance to see if hockey is right for them, Learn to Play Hockey through Community Services, as well as summer programs to get players on the ice and learning to play hockey prior to the start of the season.
 

Hockey practices and games require ridiculous hours.
We have all heard stories of early morning and late night practices because that is when a team (or a figure skater) could get ice. Luckily, in Northfield, schedules like that are rare. The arena is rarely scheduled for early morning practices, and the later ice times are generally used for college club teams and adult skating.
 

Hockey won’t work because we go to church every Sunday.
Many hockey families attend church regularly. Typically Sunday mornings are reserved for Open Skate at Northfield Arena. Tournaments can include a Sunday morning, but there are generally no more than a few tournaments in a season and not all will involve Sunday morning. As with other sports, if your player cannot make a game due to church commitments, usually simply letting the coach know in advance is all that is required. The same is true, of course, for players of other religions.
 

Hockey requires unreasonable travel.
Northfield’s hockey teams play surrounding communities, such as Faribault, Farmington, Red Wing, and Prior Lake, for regular season games. In a typical schedule, teams play one home game and one game away with each opponent scheduled. Hockey families are very good about carpooling, if needed. Most of the older teams attend one or two tournaments during the season, and those can be as close as Faribault or much farther away, but parents generally have input on the tournaments coaches register the teams for, especially if travel is involved. For farther events, teams and families often make a fun weekend of it, planning activities together during downtime.
 

Hockey equipment is time consuming and hard to get on.
Getting dressed for hockey takes longer than dressing for many other sports, but for new skaters, there is plenty of assistance. Older players help in the locker rooms for the first practices of our youngest teams, and more experienced parents are always happy to help new parents and skaters. Most parents find they can dress their skater in 10-20 minutes, and by the age of 6-8, most skaters can dress themselves except for final details, such as tightened laces and tough snaps.
 

Hockey is a rough sport.
Surprisingly, generally new Northfield hockey families find it is far less rough than they expected. USA Hockey does not allow checking until later middle school, and NHA works to teach body contact in a safe manner. Girl’s/women’s hockey does not allow checking at any level.

NHA does not tolerate fighting or inappropriate behavior. Players are expected to positively represent themselves, their team, and Northfield, at all events they attend as a part of NHA.

Many Northfield Hockey families have enjoyed the program so much, they have offered to talk to families considering hockey in Northfield. If you would like to talk to a current hockey family to answer questions or learn more about the program, please contact our Recruiting and Retention Director (recruiting@northfieldhockey.net), who will put you in touch with one of these families.

We hope to see you soon on the ice! For more information about these myths, or if you have any questions, please email: recruiting@northfieldhockey.net

For registration, program information and events, visit: www.northfieldhockey.net